By Austin Lindner | Echo
She stands alone before each crowded bar or venue in a tangle of cables and electronic equipment. She has only one pair of hands, but when she starts to sing, an entire synth band accompanies her. She weaves loops of music together as she plays the flute and beatboxes, her hands flying across the knobs of her loop machine while her feet work the pedals.
Taylor alum Angela Sheik is a solo act, but listening to her, you would never know it.
Since the release of her solo debut EP "Songs from the Red Box" in 2011, Sheik has quickly begun to make a name for herself in the world of electronic pop. She was the grand prize winner of the BOSS Loop Station U.S. National Finals and ended as a finalist at the world championships in Frankfurt, Germany. She's opened for renowned artists like Neon Trees and Julia Holter as well as released three albums to date.
Sheik refers to herself as a musical innovator, rather than simply a singer, alluding to the unorthodox way she performs. Instead of using pre-recorded tracks or a full band to accompany her, the singer-songwriter mixes her music live, stacking layers of vocals, rhythms and harmonies in front of her audience.
Although Sheik is constantly experimenting with synth and sound, she comes from a background of classical music training. At Taylor, she majored in music education with a minor in flute performance. After graduating in 1999, Sheik explored the tools of electronic music when she saw guitarist Phil Keaggy perform on stage with a loop machine.
"I was immediately fascinated, so I went out and bought a little loop station," Sheik said. "It was a frustrating experience because it wasn't a very good loop station . . . so I always used it as an auxiliary piece. It was never really the focal point. And that was my gateway."
As Sheik continued to practice on the loop machine, it soon became a centerpiece in her live performances, as well as other electronic instruments such as the theremin, which is controlled without physical contact.
Sheik states that her third album, "Home Before Dark," finally approaches the type of sound she's always wanted. The album is largely electronic, driven by punching beats and bass and filled with unique, memorable lyrics.
"I'm trying to find a balance between honesty and hope," Sheik said. "And if I'm honest about the things that go through my head, they're pretty dark. But just because it's honest doesn't mean it's the truth. I really believe that hope is the truth. That love will prevail, that there is a God in the universe, that even when my brain is telling me that things are bad that doesn't mean it's the truth."
Sheik is currently on tour in the Northeast, bringing her unique performances to venues throughout New York and Pennsylvania. As always she will be alone on stage, but her music will speak louder than a crowd.
