Gangi

In 2007 Brooklyn musician Matt Gangi launched Gangi as a solo outlet, shaping textural pop songs shaped equally by psyched-out electronica and burly freak folk. Inside a run-down apartment he tracked his 2008 debut album A entirely on a laptop, receiving occasional input from friend and neighbor Lyle Nesse. Once the record appeared, the two began reassembling its material for the stage, Nesse operating a drum kit and multiple looping devices while Gangi handled guitar, vocals, and his own electronic array. Seeking to leave behind cramped rooms and severe East Coast winters, they relocated to Los Angeles, yet their first significant break ironically arrived via Spin magazine’s Best of 2008 showcase during CMJ in New York. The resulting exposure expanded their audience and landed them a residency at the historic L.A. venue Spaceland. After Nesse accepted a teaching position back east, Gangi recruited similarly minded drummer and knob-turner Eric Chramosta. Through steady touring and recording the pair gradually steered their music toward a blend of more conventional rock rhythms and fluid electronic textures. Following several one-off tracks premiered online, the duo delivered their second album, Gesture Is, in October 2012.