Body Language

Fresh off the success of their Social Studies LP—which earned the approval of everyone from NPR to The New York Times to The Guardian, the Brooklyn based electro-dance quartet, Body Language released its sophomore album Grammar. Like Social Studies, this sophomore release embodies the band’s restless pop experiments with a future-shocked blend of soul and R&B. Or as multi-instrumentalist/producer Grant Wheeler puts it, “Our world still exists in an indie-disco bubble; we’re just pushing the limits of every genre to a point where the bubble’s about to pop.”

This year’s early premiere of tracks like “Lose My Head”—a floor-filler that’s driven by late ‘70s funk licks and diamond-encrusted keys to the wobbly synth lines and the Motown inspired chorus of “I’m a Mess” show that continued versatility and collaboration is the core of Body Language’s creative process. Like their previous release, this album began in the home studio Grant shares with singer/fellow producer Matt Young and was further fleshed out with drummer Ian Young and singer/glockenspiel player Angelica Bess. “Everyone has their part,” insists Matt. “In fact, certain people come to our shows to see different performers. I kinda like to think of it as a circus.”

Body Language’s outside projects make that circus even more interesting, from Ian’s live drumming for Matthew Dear and Angelica’s vocals on Sepalcure’s “Outside the Lines”, which was featured in the critically acclaimed film ‘Black Swan’ to Grant and Matt’s co-production/writing credits for such rising artists as Passion Pit, Machinedrum and Vacationer; a recurring collaborator Matt Young describes as “like Body Language if you stripped the R&B and soul parts out, took it down 30 BPM, and gave it a Mai Tai on the beach.”

Live, they keep you on the dancefloor and word of mouth spreads fast as they are now known to sell out most NYC venues. They have played shows with Sia, Janelle Monae, The Hood Internet and co-headlined with Vacationer. In celebration of this long-awaited release, they are scheduled to headline a show at the Bowery Ballroom this summer with Avan Lava. So if you were into Social Studies in 2012, you got a real lesson in Grammar for 2013. Class is officially in session.