Celebrating 20 Years of Transgressive Records
A showcase of five New York-grown performers showed off how they’re breaking the mold of mainstream music
Happy 20th Birthday Transgressive Records! At their young age, the independent music group based in London and NYC has launched talents such as SOPHIE, Hippo Campus, and Two Door Cinema Club. To commemorate the anniversary and highlight their current roster of fresh and experimental artists, they celebrated in proper music industry fashion – with a concert!
On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn set a joyous scene for Transgressive’s only anniversary party on this side of the pond. To toast to their dynamic family of artists, Transgressive turned the spotlight on five of their New York-grown performers: Odetta Hartman, The Antlers, Mutual Benefit, MICHELLE, and Mykki Blanco.
Before kicking off the evening, Odetta Hartman shared with Pleaser the secret recipe of her exploratory discography. Classically trained on the violin, she credits a big influence to orchestral arrangements, noting, “I live and love creating these big string moments in my production.” She’s picked up ingredients from her father’s CBGB days and his 45s collection, as well as her mothers’ favorite traditional American music, like Dolly Parton and bluegrass tunes. To top it all off, she sprinkles a fondness for artists like The Strokes and The White Stripes of the 2000’s rock revitalization. Hartman implements electronic tools to mix her broad musical palette into songs that stay flavorful and fresh.
ODETTA HARTMAN BY OLIVE JOLLEY
Hartman’s two projects released with Transgressive this year marry her array of influences and snap the constraints of genre. The album, Swangsongs, dances into electropop elements while retaining tones of delicacy, sometimes with the addition of found sounds, like on the track, “Winter Constellations.” The second project, Restoration EP, reshapes folk music, particularly with the song, “Do Si Do.” A hopping banjo spins into brazen punk-rock drums and electric guitar.
Taking to the stage for the first set of the celebration, Hartman captured the spirit of the Transgressive family, to which she says,
“[Transgressive] is really supportive of artists pushing the boundaries and courageously going to new frontiers.”
Her one-woman show captivated the audience as if it were a full symphony. Swirling across strings, from guitar to violin, Hartman tuned in additional instrumentals via synthesizer, flexing her musicality. The sexy and empowering dance track “Goldilocks” opened the night with femme fatale feelings: “Know you like to think you’re broken / But it may be time you grew out of that.” Hartman journeyed to a beautifully contrasting soundscape by the last song, a rendition of “Good Socks,” stripped down to the banjo. She invited the crowd to circle around, joining in a sing-along. The tender moment reminded us that music serves more purposes than art to be admired. For Hartman, it’s a foundation of community.
THE ANTLERS BY OLIVE JOLLEY
The second performance by The Antlers veered in a softer direction, building up a gentle drum beat with melodic vocals until they burst like a blown dandelion. The alternative pop/rock duo, composed of lead vocalist/guitarist Peter Silberman and drummer Michael Lerner, devises an atmospheric sound swirling with emotionally-charged lyricism. Watching the casually close chemistry they have on stage included the audience in what felt like an intimate conversation. From the lamenting lines of “It Is What It Is” to the longing ballad “Refuge,” all eyes in the room faced the stage wide and wonderstruck. In a nod to the occasion, Silberman expressed The Antlers’ gratitude for Trasgressive as, “open minded, adventurous, and just fantastic people.”
Mutual Benefit, the alias of singer and multi-instrumentalist Jordan Lee, chatted with us before stepping into the third set of the night. He joked that Transgressive was, “the first label I’ve worked with that seemed that they liked music.” Complementing the eclectic roster, Lee emphasized his appreciation for label-mates exploring sounds opposite from his own, like electronic artist Miso Extra.
His own music harmonizes a familiar folk sound with metaphorical lyrics that ring equal parts youthful and wise. In his work, he aims to explore the bigger questions in life, prodding at themes such as grief and redirection, which are especially evident in his latest project, Growing at the Edges. The album is not strictly solemn however, as tracks such as “Little Ways” embrace acceptance of imperfections alongside a joyously jazzy band. Excited to translate his thoughtful artistry to a live setting, he noted,
"There's so much beauty in that there’s people in a room feeding off each other’s energy.”
MUTUAL BENEFIT BY OLIVE JOLLEY
Mutual Benefit’s performance drifted us to a dewy field on a chilly spring morning. An appearance of a full band of friends made the anniversary show extra special. The band interpreted the tender tunes with a groovy lens, adding subtle saxophone runs and baselines that the crowd couldn’t resist bobbing their heads to. Vocal accompaniment from another pal, h. pruz, added a soft and sophisticated layer to the poetic lyrics wandering from the optimistic “Storm Cellar Heart” to the yearning, “Getting Gone.”
“That’s what tonight is about…revelry,” Mutual Benefit remarked, rejoicing at the merry demeanor bestowed upon the room.
MICHELLE toasted to the occasion by treating us to songs off of their recent release, Songs About You Specifically. Composed of vocalists Emma Lee, Jamee Lockard, Layla Ku and Sofia D’Angelo alongside producers Julian Kaufmann and Charlie Kilgore, the collective has perfected soulful pop tracks strung by catchy harmonies. On stage, the members’ distinct personalities blend seamlessly through subtle synchronized dances that relish in the glory of our favorite girl groups. Featuring Kaufmann on drums and Kilgore on electric guitar, MICHELLE breathed new life into some of their hits throughout the set. Replacing glimmering synthesized sounds with guitar riffs added a rawness to “SUNRISE.” The frank desire scribbled in the lyrics of “Cathy” felt like a diary entry brought to life.
Ku shouted out the kinship within Transgressive, joking, “We love Transgressive, they solve all our problems, they sing us to sleep.”
MICHELLE BY OLIVE JOLLEY
Mykki Blanco burst on stage with an infectious energy, ensuring the evening would close on a memorable note. The alternative hip-hop artist packs wonderfully audacious commentary on social issues and self reflection into familiar flows. Introducing her first song, the lush track “Ketamine,” she hinted to us, “Our little cabaret has just begun.” Blanco kicked off her shoes to turn the whole venue into a dancefloor for “Magic On My Back,” in which the lustful lyrics paired with instrumentals at the intersection of rock and blues are a funky surprise. Playing with reverb and cutting tracks to emphasize lyrics live on stage, Blanco interpreted performance as an art. Blanco dropped the audience's inhibitions with “It’s Not My Choice,” an R&B song featuring Blood Orange, so that we ended our night dancing out the door.
Thoughtful spontaneity is a paradox that only the Transgressive family seems to understand. Odetta Hartman, The Antlers, Mutual Benefit, MICHELLE, and Mykki Blanco execute it effortlessly. Like the rest of the label's roster, they excel at incorporating the unexpected in a way that makes sense to any level of listener.
The anniversary show exquisitely embodied the music group’s ear for quality and appreciation for community. The event commemorated past success while igniting excitement for a future of rewriting the mainstream music mold.
Cheers to 20 years, Transgressive!
