Jogger
Los Angeles, CA
Yeasayer, Radiohead, Daedelus
Ambitious. Genre-defying. Innovative. Brilliant. These are terms that are thrown around often on music blogs and the like, but rarely has a band been as worthy of such superlatives as Jogger. Their debut album, This Great Pressure, is an absolutely stunning musical journey that should be the new gold standard for anyone making electronic music. Trying to blend a variety of styles and influences into one cohesive sound has been the downfall for many bands, yet Jogger deftly dodge that potential pitfall by seamlessly inserting one crucial element into the mix: heart.
From start to finish, This Great Pressure feels like it exists in another world, yet one very similar to our own as it pulses along with breathtaking accessibility. Juggling glitchy electronica, afrobeat, indie rock and even death metal seems like a daunting task, but in Jogger’s capable hands it comes across as normal and necessary. Who we are as people is in many ways formed by a variety of influences and surroundings. That’s what life is, so why shouldn’t our music reflect that? Jogger seems to understand that, and we are lucky to have been rewarded with music that feels this alive.
Two friends who met as teenagers, Jonathan Larroquette and Amir Yaghmai got their first song as Jogger on the Exquisite Corpse album by Daedelus in 2005. They joined up with Daedelus again for the split EP, Friends of Friends Vol. 1. In late 2009, This Great Pressure became the first release on Magical Properties, Daedelus’ imprint on Alpha Pup Records. Having now toured with Nosaj Thing, Daedelus and Toro Y Moi, Jogger are currently working on new material that they hope to have out later this year.
this album is superb. their live show is pretty rad too.
Give anyone a computer and they think they’re artists. There’s no heart in this stuff. I call it stuff because it’s not music and it’s not a song that touches someones emotions in some way. Who’s writing these bios. They have no idea what they’re talking about. Get honest and get back to making real music and real songwriting chops.
I would strongly suggest you listen to the whole album before you make such a bold statement, but hey, it’s not for everyone.
Zip it Tom. This is dripping with mood and heart. It’s a pretty thick sound that plays with a lot of styles. Good stuff. Thanks for turning us onto this you clueless bio writer you.
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