An electro-rock group based in Brooklyn, N.Y., Brothertiger takes everything great about indie and electronic and wraps it into a dreamlike, one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
Surreal-sounding tunes with tons of energy are exactly what this electronic, indie group brought to the New Brookland Tavern Thursday night.
John Jagos, Brothertiger’s front man, started the group as a solo project while mixing tunes out of his dorm at Ohio University.
While his performing career is young and rising to prominence, Jagos has always had a thing for music. His use of keyboards in his music can be traced back to learning to play piano as a kid.
“I started playing because I have been playing an instrument my entire life and got involved with recording early on in high school,” Jagos said. “I first started playing piano, and then I taught myself guitar. As much as I hated piano lessons, I’m grateful I sucked it up and did it.”
Jon Markson, Andrew Oedel and Michael Feld joined the group in 2012 and now tour with Jagos.
As for their name?
“I’ve always kind of had a thing for tigers,” Jagos said.
Over the past four years, Brothertiger has started gaining traction in the indie music scene. After the release of his first singles, Jagos was praised by indie rock website Pitchfork.
After Jagos released two EPs on his own, Brothertiger was signed to Mush Records in 2012 and released its first full-length album, “Golden Years,” which got great reviews from Pitchfork and The Fader. After being signed, Brothertiger has been playing with other groups with a similar sound, like Black Taxi, who they’re touring with now.
With a sound that could be described as synth-pop, Brothertiger’s music could be compared to Washed Out or Casa del Mirto. A few of Jagos’ personal influences, such as Caribou, M83, Tears for Fears and The Talking Heads, really come out in the group’s music.
Brothertiger also boasts a wide variety in its songs, with music you’d want to drift to sleep to and dance floor-friendly tunes that can easily get you hyped up.
In its latest album, released in October, the group made notable progress with a unique style that defied labels.
While this group is labeled as alternative, indie or electronic, Brothertiger is hard to pin down. Its sound incorporates classic ’80s-influenced, and chillwave melodies can be heard behind the drifting, fuzzy vocals.
Brothertiger’s music is notable for its futuristic-sounding vocals that could be compared to a surreal, underwater dream. The group gives electro-rock a new meaning.
The band is planning to record its first EP as a full group soon, whereas other releases only included Jagos.
Brothertiger and its latest album, “Future Splendors,” are available on Spotify and iTunes and online at http://brothertiger.bandcamp.com/.