Forward Fest Listen-Around: BLK JKS

Because the second annual Forward Music Festival (Sept. 17-19) has so many bands crammed into its lineup, we at The A.V. Club have been talking about what we'd like to catch and how to get oriented. To preview the festival without getting overwhelmed, our writers will hold a series of informal discussions about FMF's bands. We'll begin with BLK JKS, a compelling South African band slated to play the fest Sept. 19, not long after American label Secretly Canadian releases its new album, After Robots.

Scott: Even after several listens through After Robots, I don't have a clear handle on what exactly BLK JKS does. That's exactly why I'll keep coming back to this strange glacier of African rock, which picks up scraps of traditional rhythm and post-punk atmosphere as it glides ominously along. I don't care if BLK JKS is an "Artist To Watch" or not: This album is well-suited to people who are slow to excitement (like me). On the opening track, "Molalatladi," BLK JKS' chugging African percussion, dark vocal harmonies, and sleek guitars are a novel combination, but I feel like it's telling me, "Hey, it's OK to settle down in your grumpy-guy chair and take your time with this." As urgent and frenzied as it gets, BLK JKS' music reflects a patience that should outlast its current buzz-band status, especially on the moody chorus of "Standby," where one phrase of vocal melody cascades down to the next. I'm a little disoriented by it, but happy to let it grow on me. As for the band's Forward set, I'm hoping for plenty of meaty rhythm to get the crowd going, but also plenty of eerie noise (like the breakdown on "Kwa Nqingetje") for us to get lost in.

Ben: Very few albums grow on me; they either stick right away or I lose interest. It usually takes a great single to get its hooks into me, and then I'm anchored to a record long enough to rummage around for its other gems. After Robots starts out well with the clattering drums, angular guitars, and punchy horns of "Molalatladi," but the song just doesn't have an immediate effect for me, and the rest of the album leaves me with little to hold onto. And although I know it's an unflattering comparison, I can't help but relate Lindani Buthelezi's vocals to Michael Glabicki's from Rusted Root. So, the roadblocks I've placed between me and enjoying the music have little to do with BLK JKS and more to do with my personal preferences. The churning atmospherics of "Lakeside" and the frantic "Taxidermy" are nice back-to-back nuggets and perhaps a good entry point for taking on this challenging album. At least one thing to hold onto throughout this record is the band's frenetic energy. If BLK JKS' set builds on that, it'll be much easier to embrace this album as a whole.

The verdict: Just weird and difficult enough to drive us a little crazy, and to make us really want to check the band out live.