NYC's Ecce Shnak are impossible to categorize, and that's exactly the point. Their new single "Vincent" — the first track from their upcoming album Dandy Variances (via Records, Man Records) — collides operatic trills with frantic rock energy in what one reviewer called "like Björk's 'Army of Me' surviving a high-speed collision in a mid-'90s mosh pit."
If you're drawing a Venn diagram of fans for Gogol Bordello, Deerhoof, Rage Against the Machine, Meshuggah, Björk, and Mike Patton, the center circle is Ecce Shnak. Formed in NYC's experimental scene in the mid-2000s, the five-piece has built a reputation for technically precise yet wildly unpredictable live performances.
"Vincent" takes aim at a particular kind of antagonist: the middle-of-the-road smug jerk. "I'll destroy your equipment with my voice!" goes the battle cry. The video was mixed and mastered by Nicholas Vernhes (Animal Collective, Deerhunter, War on Drugs) and mastered by Grammy-winning Joe LaPorta (David Bowie, Foo Fighters, The Weeknd).
They're currently on an East Coast tour with platinum-selling UK legends EMF (of "Unbelievable" fame), followed by UK dates in June. This is a band that has been quietly building toward something big — Dandy Variances might be the moment they break through.
Watch "Vincent": https://youtu.be/ao541U09v_w
Bandcamp: https://ecceshnak.bandcamp.com/track/vincent
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6JatgJTf5P1sO1rQau2Gdy
Tour Tickets: https://www.songkick.com/artists/5039913-ecce-shnak/calendar
East Coast Tour with EMF:
May 7 — Philadelphia, PA — Nikki Lopez
May 8 — Buffalo, NY — Town Ballroom
May 9 — Toronto, ON — Dance Cave
May 10 — Montreal, QC — Bar Le Ritz
May 11 — Boston, MA — City Winery
May 13 — New York, NY — Sony Hall
May 16 — Hamden, CT — Space Ballroom
Links:
Bandcamp: https://ecceshnak.bandcamp.com