Photos by Justin Yee // Written by Molly Kish //

Les Sins with DJ Cali, DJ Dials //
The New Parish – Oakland
February 26th, 2015 //

Chaz Bundick is a man of many monikers. Known best as the “chillwave” movement ambassador and talent behind Toro y Moi, he also has ventured out into the world of experimental electronic music as both Sides of Chaz and Les Sins. Last week as part of the Noise Pop 2015 roster, the Bay Area was treated to a rare, live Les Sins set at one of Oakland’s most intimate venues, The New Parish.

Supported by opening acts DJ Cali and DJ Dials, Bundick delivered a late-night performance on the venue’s main stage for a sold-out, Thursday night crowd. While it was kind of a mixed bag as far as the attendance went, the audience took a minute to warm up to what most definitely wasn’t a simple Toro y Moi DJ set. Something Bundick had alluded to in the Noise Pop “Song Exploder” podcast earlier that day, Les Sins have always meant to be a completely separate project in which Bundick can explore obscure electronic soundscapes without alienating his Toro y Moi fan base.

Delving into funky, house-driven tracks off his 2014 release Michael, Bundick had the audience either feeling compelled to nervously check their watches and reconsider their weeknight curfew or giving into Les Sins’ infectious grooves. Many of those in attendance couldn’t help but indulge in Bundick’s quirky, trip-hop samples, soulful piano riffs and R&B synth hooks, filling out the dance floor while some crowd members even found their way onstage.

Not even taking the stage until about 11:30 p.m., the show was intentionally scheduled for the late-night music fan. Once those who were committed settled into their dance space, the venue exploded into a funky house party that extended into the early a.m. hours. Intermingling his own material with disco classics, 90’s pop jams and dirty trap beats, Bundick had the crowd on fire and easily could have prolonged the party well into the after hours had there been the option to do so. And by ending the evening with “Working,” the lead single off of Les Sins’ 2014 full length, he really had the venue raring for more by the end of his set.

Although Les Sins haven’t alluded to any new material coming out this year, fans of Bundick will be able to catch him on tour as Toro y Moi starting at the end of this month with a new album dropping on April 7th. But knowing this man’s proclivity to keeping himself creatively occupied, something tells me it won’t be too long before he gives us another taste of his electronic expansion.