Woove staff writer Colin Reef reviews the Emancipator show at Awful Arthur's.

Emancipator, downtempo hip-hop’s newest sensation, performed a stunning set at Awful Arthur’s last Thursday night to an energetic crowd of Blacksburg and Radford listeners. The house was packed for the event, which had been preceded by Blacksburg’s own Boogieburg Soundsystem.  Awful Arthur’s proved to be an excellent venue to house these performances, due to its unique array of lighting effects as well as a powerful sound system to entice even the mellowest of attendees to groove to the music.

Emancipator, a young and energetic electronic producer, emerged onto the music scene after his first performance in July 2009 when he opened for Bonobo at Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon. Since then, Emancipator has toured with Bassnectar, STS9, Pretty Lights, and others; as well as at the Symbiosis Music Festival and Trinumeral Music Festival. He later self-released two albums Soon It Will Be Cold Enough (2009) and Safe in the Steep Cliffs (2010).  Emancipator blends agile melodies with crisp and well-defined beats, and incorporates a wide variety of instruments including banjo, mandolin, and violin. A distinct Asian influence can be noted in his most recent album along with a folk-American vibe.

Emancipator has skillfully learned how to attract many listeners. His samples combine a unique array of instruments and a wide range of textures. One moment the audience is flowing to a soft melody, and the next they bounce around the room to thumping bass and edgy samples. He accompanies his beats with samples of soothing female vocals, which soften the most intense and aggressive moments. The interaction between the two styles creates an aesthetically pleasing sound, evoking personal thought while keeping your foot tapping.

Emancipator’s high quality sound is the most remarkable aspect of the performance. Often, such a large sound gets distorted before it reaches the ears of the audience, but this does not happen with Emancipator. His live performance, and in a bar no less, sounds as though it were done in a soundproof studio, even when the listener stands directly in front of a stack of speakers. It is near impossible to ignore the crystal-clear sound of Emancipator.

Emancipator’s 2010 tour will stop at major venues across America including 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., and Electric Factory in Philadelphia. He will also be at numerous venues on his way to his final stop in Puerta Morelos, Quintana Room in Mexico in late January 2011.

Don’t miss your chance to see and hear a real modern music sensation when Emancipator makes his way around the country this fall. For more information regarding Emancipator log-on to www.emancipatormusic.com or visit www.myspace.com/emancipator.