"Jaw Gems conjure the aesthetic of Flying Lotus... creating rich, neo-soul tapestries..." says Earmilk. "...Keyboard lines roll butter-thick harmonies up and down the keys, [and] wrapped snugly around them are shimmering synthesizers, classic Moog timbres, and trebly, swishing rhythms and high hats." That's one way to describe electronic outfit, Jaw Gems, a Portland, Maine-based collective of young, experimental producers bringing beat-music—traditionally programmed and played on samplers—to a live band setting.
On August 26, Jaw Gems dropped their third album, HEATWEAVER, on STS9's 1320 Records and it's already turning heads. Bandcamp Daily named it 'Album of the Day' giving a nod to Jaw Gems' "remarkably visual...nomadic, [and] radiant energy," while Glide Magazine raved about their "nuanced, impressionable beats." HEATWEAVER is available for purchase from iTunes and 1320 Records, and can also be streamed on Spotify and Bandcamp.
The 14-track collection creates a thickly-layered transcendental auditory world—a meticulously crafted album grounded in a modern electronic aesthetic. The album melds neck-breaking hip-hop, bright synthesizers, and nostalgic atmospheres, while simultaneously touching on elements of psychedelic funk, neo-soul, and punk-rock.
T3 of Dilla-founded Slum Village is even a fan himself, calling HEATWEAVER "mad fresh," while Lettuce, Break Science, and former Pretty Lights drummer Adam Deitch noted how “the swing that J Dilla made famous on an MPC beat machine in the late ‘90s is embedded in Jaw Gems’ musical DNA, just as much as soul and funk...."
When Jaw Gems got their start in 2009 they began to explore sonic and rhythmic ideas that emphasize interlaced melodies and heavy grooves. First outfitted solely with dueling vintage synthesizers, a drummer, and an electric bassist, Jaw Gems has now incorporated a Roland sp404 and the Juno 106 Analog Synth, going on to employ the beat-repeating, sample-warping technologies of the present to help create their wall of sound.
Since the release of their debut album, Blades Plural, Jaw Gems has shared stages with icons such as STS9, Lettuce, and Daedelus. This Fall they'll take the stage with Lettuce again, joining them as direct support for an East Coast tour.
Upcoming Tour Dates
Sep. 1 - Trans-Pecos - Queens, NY
Sept. 20 - Toad's Place - New Haven, CT *
Sept. 21 - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel - Providence, RI *
Sept. 22 - Tralf Music Hall - Buffalo, NY *
Oct. 8 - The Sinclair - Cambridge, MA
Nov. 4 - Brooklyn Bowl - Brooklyn, NY **
*w. Lettuce
**w. Motet
