Buke and Gase are taking DIY to a whole new level. Following their 2010 album Riposte, the Brooklyn duo delivers a contagiously thumping melody in their new single “Hiccup.” Comprised of only two members, Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez, don’t be fooled into thinking that Buke and Gase are just another minimalist act trying to follow in the footsteps of other male-female rock duos like The White Stripes or fellow Brooklyn rockers Matt & Kim, because their sheer innovation sets them apart from any minimalist comparisons.
With self-improvised instruments such as the Buke (byook) and Gase (gace) — a modified six-string baritone ukulele and an aptly named hybrid cross between a guitar and bass — Dyer and Sanchez work like mad scientists pushing the borders of conventional musicianship. Meaty guitar riffs… excuse me, gase riffs… rising and falling vocals, and a foot-operated tambourine (also cleverly named a “toe-bourine”) stew together in a melodious pot of musical showmanship and Do It Yourself mentality.
Buke and Gase is a band doing a lot with a little, and it’s been paying off. Having been named “Best New Track” by indie media magnet Pitchfork last month, the Brooklyn rockers have earned their stripes in the New York indie scene and in 2011 even ventured on a month-long European tour stint, having played in Spain, France, Germany, and Italy. For only two members, Buke and Gase sure do get around.
Here is an avant-garde rock group lacking snobby pretentiousness, instead relying on musical wit and freakishly enticing instruments. If you’ve ever pondered the possibility of self-tweaking an instrument, or cross-breeding two different instruments, then Buke and Gass is the band for you. We live in an ever-changing technological era where the latest cutting edge technology rises up and stands tall among the mundane, where individuals are commended for their ideas and innovations, and where the latest trends certainly aren’t the last trends. Buke and Gass revel in the rapidly changing rock scene with its own brand of DIY music that promises to incite creativity.