Andrew Czarkus likes to speak about himself in the first person. Maybe because he’s his own publicity machine, spreading his electronic and experimental vibe all over the Internet waves via MP3 sites and band listings.
After a while, he won’t have to. The music will filter into the ears, minds, and monitors around Denver and beyond as more people get to know the chemical experiments that took place within the confines of his a apartment lab. Smoky whispers twist around the knobs and dials of his mind as the television plays in the background, filling up any available space of silence. A juxtaposition of honey poured over mechanical instruments is the guiding light for most of his formulas, bubbling in gleaming beakers, ready to introduce a new musical recipe to the world. Then the piano bar cloud drifts by so subtly, with acoustic guitar and ivories.
If you saw the movie The Ring, think back to that feeling of intrigue and chill that crept down your back. You didn’t know what was coming next, and although you were filled with hesitation, you couldn’t look away. Czarkus could easily write the soundtrack to Ring, The Video Won’t Stop, complete with three-dimensional flies that come out from the screen.
This solo artist has tapped into a form of underground electronic music pioneered before the days of raves; before the makings of new wave and Flock of Seagulls. Typically found in the crevices of New York, San Francisco, or London, this type of creativity has become nearly extinct. So it’s a pleasant and welcome surprise to find it here in Denver. I do warn you to heed the title. If you’re an insomniac, it is perfect for a long road trip. If not, then wait for a stressful day when you finally have time to unwind and escape into the land that Andrew Czarkus built.
