If Nirvana and Deadmau5 had a baby it would probably sound an awful lot like SIIINES.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very bright and we鈥檙e very loud,鈥� said one-half of the group, Morgan Gies. 鈥淲e really create a party atmosphere.鈥�
After experiencing success with their rock band Social Code, Edmonton-based artists Gies and Travis Nesbitt wanted more, seeking new musical avenues to explore.
Social Code quietly retired in 2012, and Gies and Nesbitt moved to Los Angeles in search of inspiration.
It was there that they met flocks of artists who dabbled in everything from film and music to theatre and abstract expressions of visual arts. Those artists introduced them to a whole new creative world鈥攐ne that was filled with passion, determination and a ton of experimental house music.
鈥淚鈥檓 a really curious person. I like learning new stuff, listening to new music and trying different things. With rock music I found that I wasn鈥檛 finding anything fresh about it,鈥� Gies said. 鈥淚t started to feel like we were treading the same territory, but then I started listening to more dancey electronic beats and I thought it would be weird to put that kind of music with rock.鈥�
Pretty soon, SIIINES came to fruition, layering edgy rock lyrics with upbeat-amplified bass tracks, pushing the boundaries in the marriage of electronic and rock music. 聽
鈥淲e brainstormed and figured out what we wanted to do and what kind of music we wanted to make,鈥� Gies said. 鈥淲e wanted to keep some of those rock elements, but we wanted it to be more fun.
鈥淲e鈥檙e kind of like a dancey version of Nine Inch Nails.鈥�
The two stuck it out in L.A. for a few years before heading back to their Edmonton roots. Since then, they have been working hard to dive back into the local scene, setting up live shows throughout the region, including a Jan. 27 show in Jasper.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just the two of us, but we definitely get a party going wherever we are,鈥� Gies said.
While most of the duo鈥檚 live set is original tracks, Geis said they often throw in a few covers, including an electronic version of Nirvana鈥檚 鈥淟ithium.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 stuff that people will know and stuff people will be interested in knowing.鈥�
To enhance the musical experience, the two have also created a visual experience, crafting sequenced light shows to go along with the beat of the show.
SIIINES will be at the Athabasca Hotel on Jan. 27 at 9 p.m. Cover is $5.
Now that the duo is back on their Canadian turf, Gies said they are going to continue pushing musical boundaries in Alberta.
鈥淚鈥檓 in to the local music scene a bit more than when I first started. We actually used to try to stay away from the local scene, but I think music in Edmonton is really alive and thriving,鈥� Gies said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really supportive community that鈥檚 started to embrace a lot of unfamiliar sounds.鈥�
Kayla Byrne [email protected]
