Think (Fela5000-Miles-under the sea-of-Zep-love-Bowie-tronic-nacht-musicâ.) Yes DOZ’s story is one of an odd and ethereal scope. The DOZ world is a philo-visual landscape where matters of the heart, ratåionality, and mythos swim in colorful electric pools of deep and unfettered love.
The absinthe-tinged “Who Rize Above”, the Dragons’ by just might shear through your brain like a memory safely on its way back into clear view. The depth of DOZ’s ambitious sound stems from a precocious understanding of legendary artists before their time.
Hailing from rock hall capital Cleveland, OH, the band is fronted by Bronx born twins, Aku and Akwetey O.T. who draw influence from like-minded visionaries. Having trained classically since the age of 5, Aku and his twin grew up with a deep love of Hendrixian watershed psych, Zepplin's proto-blues-stomp, and the lyrical streetsweeping of teknobots Outkast.
Later studying music theory and performance with legendary Jazz saxophonist/flutist Yusef Lateef, the twins enacted Lateef's "audio-physio-psychic" approach to music crafting new pathways in modern music that outpaces their short year and a half in existence.
Aha! Beats...electronic...soul?! It is no surprise that fellow NY-rock-futurists TV on the Radio have become DOZ's cosmic brethren, or what Akwetey describes as “psychic alien soul commanders.” Akwetey recalls the moment in 2004 when he was “walking down the street and bumped into a different member of the band everyday for a week. After trading CDR’s they came back from tour and dropped the bomb. We’ve been listening to your songs for 20 days straight on the road…Kyp and I want to produce your record!” Those words are golden when coming from Dave Sitek, famed TV on the Radio/Liars/YYY’s producer.
TV on the Radio has since become the Dragon's biggest supporters. Following their debut in 2005 opening for TV on The Radio, DOZ's brilliant performances have bolstered a truly majestic sound that now has avant-rock fans coming out of the woodwork. WIth the addition of ex-Aqui bassist Gbatokai Dakinah and subverse-electro-icon DJ Raedawn of Crunc Tesla heads are starting to roll. Already gaining praise from notables as The New York Times, Spin Magazine, and Filter the Dragons are ready to hit the world at high speeds with their brand of 21st century electro-mystic-soul.
Dragons of Zynth recently completed sessions with TVOTR and the legendary Massive Attack and are gearing to release what might be on of the most psychotropically astonishing debut records in recent memory. [ SXSW ]
