Moving Units
Disco / Punk
Formed in December 2001 as a response to what the band refers to as "an uninspired music scene," Moving Units are quickly becoming a band to be reckoned with. After playing a handful of shows in and around Los Angeles Moving Units landed a residency at Silver Lake's hotbed of musical discovery, Spaceland. A west coast tour with kindred spirits Hot Hot Heat and the Pattern and a self-titled vinyl debut EP on San Diego based indie label Three.One.G soon followed. Within only a few months Moving Units had signed to the newly formed Rx records and begun work on their forthcoming debut LP. However, despite these accomplishments the group remains content with its current organic status and is eager to remain true to their original vision.
The origins of Moving Units began several years ago when L.A. native Chris Hathwell and Detroit transplant Blake Miller met while hanging out in the same local silverlake scene. Sharing similar musical taste and record collections Miller and Hathwell soon forged a creative alliance and began DJing together at local parties and nightclubs such as The Beauty Bar and The 3 Clubs. In the meantime Miller and recent D.C. emigre Johan Boegli had begun fusing raw ideas into a primitive musical collaboration, the fate of which would later be sealed by Hathwell's demented influence in Moving Units.
The most amazing thing about M > U though is not their history, how they look or what they believe. Their strongest asset is the way in which they perform together. Each member has his own identity firmly in place and nowhere is this more apparent than when Moving Units hit the stage, for it is in this arena that they truly shine. Singer/ guitarist Miller and singer/drummer Hathwell share absolute musical synchronicity, something that is rare at best if not almost impossible to find in today's modern jungle of manufactured music. They slip and slide around one another with Miller frantically trying to exorcise his demons through lyrics that are irrational and cold while Hathwell furiously beats away with rhythmic perfection. By contrast, bassist
Johan Boegli keeps things seamlessly grounded with his seedy disco bass hooks and signature stoic composure.
Influences range from the detached sounds of proto-post-punk groups such as A Certain Ratio and Wire as well as the art damaged sensibilities of the Contortions and Can. Ultimately, the sum of these references add up to one unique sound being produced by a band that may be best described as truly inspiring.
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