Wichita, KS’ 2ŁØT call themselves “Electronic Jam Music (EJM)” which feels a bit deceptive. Hearing that descriptor, you might think of Dave Matthews Band with wobble bass but on their debut album, Entropy, 2ŁØT better defines their sound.
The album opens with “Cage.” The track mixes a finger-snapped beat with Rudy Love Jr.’s smooth vocals and a chorus that features the only obvious live instrument, reverb-drenched electric guitar. Because of Love Jr.’s vocal delivery, the song feels more like alt-R&B than anything heard from a jam band. There is a guitar solo that starts around the 3:15 mark but it only lasts 45 seconds. Try reigning in Trey Anastasio to that reasonable amount of time, I dare you.
Single “Call on Me” sounds somewhere between future bass and reggaeton. The song touches on one of 2ŁØT’s major themes of addiction recovery with lyrics about a woman recovery from substance abuse and the power of community to help in the process. There is a minute-long section that is just instrumental; it is pretty atmospheric but there is some light guitar noodling in there. It could be called a “jam.”
But even a song like “Arrow of Time” which Michael Kang from String Cheese Incident doesn’t feel very jam band-y. Kang’s electric mandolin fits in seamlessly with the track’s tick-tock synths and upbeat rhythms. There are no winding solos and the song stays consistently danceable.
In the end, the lack of jam in 2ŁØT as “Electronic Jam Music (EJM)” is a good thing, not a bad thing. The term “jam band” might have a negative connotation for anyone not in that scene. What 2ŁØT serves up is smooth vocals, most danceable beats, and a level of musicianship not generally seen in alt-R&B. Their commitment to use their platform to advocate for causes like addiction recovery, youth empowerment, and juvenile justice reform, is noble.
Rating: 6.3/10
