Kevin Bronson on July 31st, 2012

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Six musicians from six L.A. bands, six songs, one hell of a mind trip. That’s how the math works out for Bright Beast, whose intrepid experimentation on their debut EP recalls myriad sonic adventurers of old. The cast of characters includes Christian Biel (the Transmissions), Nicholas Ceglio (George Glass), Chris Hernandez (the Happy Hollows), Christopher King (the Composers), Chris Rock (Lost Libraries) and Randolph Williams III (One Trick Pony). Together they explore a lo-fi netherworld of fractured beats, queasy psychedelia and fun-house narratives. It can be surreal – in “Short Pockets,” Biel chants “not enough pockets / too much cash.” Which sounds like a dream we had once.

||| Download: “Camera”

||| Also: Get the whole EP on limited-edition vinyl or digitally on a name-your-price basis at Bandcamp.

||| Live: Bright Beast is among the bands playing the Thinkture music and art festival at the Expo Arts Center (4321 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach) on Aug. 11. Also performing: So Many Wizards, Babies on Acid, Feeding People and more.