Body Language - Music you really should be listening to

By:  Alex Templar - MSTv Correspondent

It's not often when you go out just to sample a little something new musically, and have yourself blown away from the experience.  And like many coincidences, the discovery was made purely by accident.

This week I found myself with no specific band to cover for the column.  So wandering downtown Baton Rouge, with a list of all the bands playing the usual haunts, I ended up at The Spanish Moon to check out a band I never heard of called Body Language.

Simply put, to say I was blown away by the experience would be an understatement.  This high energy, mufti-genre music sounding group was a welcome change to the very generic and eclectic music Spanish Moon is known for  

The beats heard from the Body Language sets were a extreme mixture of all gone before, plus styles probably evolving to come.

However, making a statement like that begs for defense.  But being an 80's baby, I'm old enough to recognize their blended styles of electronic, new jack swing, experimental pop, early 90's soul and even, God help em, disco. (ugh..) Yet despite all these different genres, the foursome called Body Language blend them expertly and manage to belt out some great fun and danceable tunes.

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From first glance, this Brooklyn, NY based band of old college friends are as diverse as the music the play.

Angela Bess is the lead singer, keyboardist and strangely enough, plays the glockenspiel.  Grant Wheeler plays keyboards as well.  Matt Young is yet another keyboardist, but also multi-tasked as a vocalist.  And rounding out the group is drummer and vocalist Ian Chang.

While the group doesn't describe themselves as a dance-music band, Bass discovered their knack for movable beats might be their niche.  Plus, it hit a nerve with the other members as well. 

"When we were playing live shows and playing a lot of our dance hits, we realized that writing dance music really speaks to us. So we definitely had to pick a side, and that’s what we chose,” she said.

But first and foremost, Body Language is a group of mufti-discipline artists who love being just a little different in the music styles they blend to define their band.  Accepting this makes it easier to take risks and explore the outer limits of musical areas they want to traverse. Be it dark and somber or bouncy dance beats, Body Language intents to tackle whatever piques their varied music interests.  Then, deliver their creations to a rabid and growing fan base.

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“The stuff that we’re writing now is completely different and super dark. It’s Body Language, but it’s definitely evolved. We’re not stopping with just dance music. We’re getting really experimental."

Angela Bass

Unlike most bands, Body Language excels in delivering a great and energetic live show; something the band strives to do based on past disappointing shows they've seen from other groups.

“When you love a group's music enough to pay money to see them live, you want a show. Well, that’s something we hit the stage to do,” Bess said.

Feeling that fans deserve only the best when they pay to see their favorite bands live, Body Language promises a regular set to thrill, chill and wear you out on the dance floor. 

From the applause the foursome received after each song, they didn't disappoint their fans.  Or a BL virgin, like me.

Discover more ab at http://www.bodylanguagemusic.com/.