Biography
Aspects of Physics emerged as a direct outgrowth of the San Diego ensemble Physics, whose loud, trance-inducing post-rock fused electronics with guitars. The earlier group, which had operated for seven years as a loose-knit collective, disbanded in 2000. Jason Soares, whose prior credits included the hardcore band Rice and Rob Crow’s indie-pop project Thingy, launched the new outfit with Thatcher Orbitashi, a keyboardist from Physics’s final configuration.
Although AOP retained core reference points from its predecessor—Krautrock, ambient post-rock, and classical minimalists such as Reich and Glass—the trio introduced punkier guitar textures and a sharper IDM dimension marked by glitchy beats and the distinct flavor of Autechre, Aphex Twin, and Squarepusher. Soares handled synths, guitar, and computer programming while the band spent its first year staging live shows that incorporated visual contributions from Matt Lorenz and Michael Kaufmann.
Orbitashi exited after approximately one year and was succeeded by Jeff Coad, another former Physics member who performed as JFRE Robot. Coad’s heightened focus on technology centered on computer programming and customized electronic devices, broadening the group’s setup to feature laptop experiments, MIDI controllers, wireless transmitters, vintage Commodore 64 tones, and a Speak & Spell toy. These elements defined the debut album, 2002’s Systems of Social Recalibration, released on the Imputor label.
Although AOP retained core reference points from its predecessor—Krautrock, ambient post-rock, and classical minimalists such as Reich and Glass—the trio introduced punkier guitar textures and a sharper IDM dimension marked by glitchy beats and the distinct flavor of Autechre, Aphex Twin, and Squarepusher. Soares handled synths, guitar, and computer programming while the band spent its first year staging live shows that incorporated visual contributions from Matt Lorenz and Michael Kaufmann.
Orbitashi exited after approximately one year and was succeeded by Jeff Coad, another former Physics member who performed as JFRE Robot. Coad’s heightened focus on technology centered on computer programming and customized electronic devices, broadening the group’s setup to feature laptop experiments, MIDI controllers, wireless transmitters, vintage Commodore 64 tones, and a Speak & Spell toy. These elements defined the debut album, 2002’s Systems of Social Recalibration, released on the Imputor label.
Albums