Entries We Love: Rebirth Canal, 'AI'

Hometown: San Francisco, Calif.

Pairs well with: Sitting down to start a new creative project

Rebirth Canal describes its entry as vocal jazz fusion, but there really isn't a box that can fit this performance. It's jazz, it's electronic, it's world, it's postmodern — but above all, it's surprising. The group's first Tiny Desk Contest submission, "AI," builds with craft and intrigue: Beginning with syncopated syllables chanted over a simple electronic beat, the seeming nonsense sounds invite the listener to linger and wonder. The performance ramps up as phrases begin to lock and loop into place, the camera panning to capture layering instruments. The EWI (electronic wind instrument) particularly stands out, tying genres together with a unique and memorable melody. The real showstopper, though, is the dog sitting contently in the middle of it all, absorbing the surrounding soundscape and making us wish we were there, too.

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