There's two ways you can describe a vibrant, ground-breaking band. You can try piecing together the components of their sound, or you just talk about the way they make you feel. The first option is complicated and often involves a pile of stumbling adjectives, niche comparisons and a lot of suffixes like “-y” and “-esque.” The second option, the one that comes from your gut and leads to phrases like “totally fucking awesome,” works best for KeysNKrates. This Canadian three-piece trades in a raw, rough and rhythmic style of “live remixing.” What the hell does that mean? Well, here's a simple math problem for you: DJ+keyboard player+drummer+other people's songs+improvisation+insane talent=KNK. Basically, they rip through the fabric of classics from any genre they want, and as the DJ cuts it up, the keys and drums lay on top, adding their own flair with precision.
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The band blasted along to Jay-Z's C.E.O. before revamping it into a high-velocity rock tune. Later, they scratched up “Fu-Gee-La,” a classic Fugees track. All the while, the crowd was either singing along to a familiar hook, swiveling their hips to salsa rhythms or just fighting for space to dance.
