Social Media and Shocking Twist - CBDJ [EP]

Rebel Noise: Premiere

The Rodeo: Premiere

Social Media and Shocking Twist (Mint 400 Records) first met by chance in a New Brunswick dorm room over 10 years ago.  The pair of artists, consisting of John Messina (Pynkie, Diap, Curled Up, Papermaker) and Eric Holsten (Grilled Cheese, Tape Club) bonded over a mutual appreciation of Brian Eno and experimental electronic music.  Frequent insomniacs, the musicians traded off sending each other music at odd hours for years until they began working together in earnest.

CBDJ EP is the debut EP from the collaboration between Social Media and Shocking Twist.  The release grew from sampled improvisations into a dense and layered collage of buzzing electronic sound, digital notifications, and introspective dance beats (think James Blake meets Flying Lotus).  Single ‘half smile’ features a glitchy, pitch-shifted melody which is suspended above a bright world of dreamy colors and ambient echoes.  The distorted pop facsimile explores themes of overstimulation, virtual reality, and digital isolation.  Drawing influence from artists such as Gorillaz, Boards of Canada, Underworld, and The Books, the release on a whole is a testament to both artists’ keen attention to detail and devotion to what they both consider their shared aesthetic. CBDJ EP is out now via Mint 400 Records.