Friday, Dec. 12: Charlatan

Le Voyeur

By Rev. Adam McKinney on December 10, 2014

Charlatan is surging, post-punk inspired electro-rock. As a solo project of Omar Rashan, Charlatan combines programmed beats, synthesizers and fuzzed-out guitars into a sound that's reminiscent of Joy Division. All cleanliness and precision is smeared with layers of noise, and the persistent drum machine gets drenched in discordant guitar. In a positively packed lineup, Hot Panda is the other standout, here. The Vancouver, B.C., trio combines art-rock, punk and psychedelia into a propulsive mixture that moves feet as much as it lights up neurons. Brit rock affectations and warbly psych elements commingle and join forces to harken back to the heady days of the UK's dense music scene in the early '90s. Both Charlatan and Hot Panda take inspiration from the UK's post-'70s explosion, though neither sound like tribute bands.

CHARLATAN, w/ Hot Panda, Beatrix Sky, Jupiter Sprites, 9 p.m., Le Voyeur, 404 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia, cover tba, 360.943.5710