Sound Tribe Sector 9

Sound Tribe Sector 9 produces elaborate live shows combining innovative visual effects with a sound that draws on elements of rock, electronica, jazz and hip-hop. Playing live and in real time, the band scrambles up an inimitable souffl that's wildly appealing to both dancers and space travelers. The 20 tracks on ARTiFACT flow like a silky mix tape, accented by a creative mix of texture, timbre and tempo. "Native End" is a piece for space-age piano, with a keyboard line that transmutes from grand piano, to celeste, to Fender Rhodes, against a background of jittery drum 'n' bass beats. "Peoples, Part 2" starts with a dainty R&B groove, builds into a polyrhythmic percussion frenzy, and concludes with an agitated wordless vocal. There's also a hint of soul on "Better Day," a track featuring Audio Angel, a diva who sounds like Sade, but projects enough energy to keep you from falling asleep.