Au (pronounced “ay-you”) is the work of multi-instrumentalist Luke Wyland. Begun while finishing up his degree from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, then moved across the US to find to its roots in the thriving community of Portland, OR. Currently a full time duo with Dana Valatka on drums (Jackie-O-Motherfucker, Mustaphamond), it is a loosely defined amalgam of players that can swell to double digit numbers with full choir in tow and sees some of Portland’s finest lending a helping hand. It’s sound is vast and deftly treads a narrow bridge between the loose-associations of the backwoods freak-folk crowd and the more formalized concoctions of art-poppers like Brian Eno; managing to erase the high art/low art boundary between American contemporary classical music and American pop music. They are just off two US tours supporting Deerhoof and The Dodos.
“There are no maps for the musical terrain that Portland-based experimentalist Luke Wyland explores, but the scenery here is weirdly beautiful….We may hear distant flashes of Arcade Fire here, or perhaps Spiritualized jamming with Sun Ra, but this mostly sounds like a hugely inventive campfire jam at some magical faraway festival of the imagination.” Uncut Magazine
“Think of a bastard offspring of Arvo Pärt and Terry Riley crafting bizarre musical mosaics with a backwoods Animal Collective… virtually every song shot is a knockout.” Skyscraper “Au plays feel-good experimentalia. It is joyful, explosive and improvisatory… one of this year’s most joyful experiments.”Blurt
SUPPORT: Benjamin Finger (How is Annie Records)