Like this:

My biggest pet peeve about modern music is an artist’s failure to maximize their creative potential. Innovation and authenticity are what I look for, and perhaps the most promising forces I have encountered lately are the sounds of Cosby Sweater, a live-tronica trio hailing from Indianapolis. In only just over 2 years, Cosby Sweater has ascended to new heights not just because they play music your ears desperately crave, but because they do so through continuous experimentation, grounded in a commitment to unadulterated, organic inspiration.

“With this album we really wanted to show people how diverse we can actually be. Nick has been called Party Dad (thanks to our good friend Tone) and we kinda just got obsessed with describing what a Party Dad is and making jokes about it. I feel like that title really fits this album because we’ve got some pretty serious sounding stuff like Nu Love on their but we also have a twerk track called Clappin’. Party Dad just fits”. SOURCE: Interview with OfficiallyOutRageUs

Party Dad is a classy endeavor in fearless diversification and ingenuity. The trio has found new avenues for streamlining their crystal clear, vibrant syntheses of advanced production and highly talented live instrumentation. In only 6 short tracks, Party Dad elegantly probes through today’s relevant genres, combining house, funk, soul, rock, nu-disco, glitch, trap and more; the sounds all perfectly coalesce into Cosby Sweater’s instantly recognizable brand of electronic jam.

“Cosby Sweater’s members are all experienced in the Midwest music scene and are looking to take their new sound around the United States and beyond. David Embry is a sought-after producer on the scene and has opened for groups like Big Gigantic and EOTO in the last year, performing under the moniker DJ Embry- O. Richard “Sleepy” Floyd is a first call jazz drummer in the Indianapolis jazz and hip-hop scenes, and has backed up and acted as music director for rappers and producers like Elzhi and Black Milk. Nicholas Gerlach is a mainstay on the Midwest jam scene in his group The Twin Cats who have been touring the area extensively for years. He has appeared on the ESPN show SportsNation numerous times and has also appeared on stage with artists like DJ Logic, Umphrey’s Mcgee, Dumpstaphunk and Mike Clark of the Headhunters along with numerous other sit-ins.” SOURCE: The Mouse Trap Bar

The special 2.0 releases are a testament to how far Cosby Sweater has come. From a coincidental side project to appearances at the country’s biggest festivals and a special relationship with Joel Cummins of Umphrey’s McGee, the Sweater’s impressive achievements and growth are on display in the relevant reconstructions of “Hole” and “Open Mouth Kiss” from their first album Hey Girl Hey.

The highlight of this EP for me is “Pillow Talk,” an insanely infectious electro/future funk track dripping with sexy ambiance and disco soul. Featuring some of their best electronic production so far, this track includes an especially memorable performance from the sax/EWI master Nicholas Gerlach, who emits deliciously inventive licks, drawing inspiration from the “feel good” music of the 70s and 80s. They even insert a little rag-time piano, leading up to a dirty exercise in visionary keyboard-dub magic.

Then there’s “Clappin,” which you probably shouldn’t listen to on a full stomach or if you’re prone to involuntary twerking. This frantic, pseudo-trap shows that Cosby Sweater is willing to go there, and they do it with bubbly, rage-worthy style. This apex is sensibly followed by the housey vibes and dreamy synths that pervade in “No One But You.” Layers of information age electronic flair are gradually revealed as the serene, frolicking atmosphere of jam is brilliantly captured. There are some very Digital Tape Machine and The New Deal esque moments here, comparisons I rarely make.

Party Dad concludes with an immensely satisfying excursion into nu-disco. I have to reiterate the individualism of Gerlach’s sensational sax style here. His organic melodies and mastery over style and genre give him a unique role in this band as a catalyst for the materialization of Cosby Sweater’s sonic idiosyncrasies. “Nu Love” is one of the trio’s most well-rounded compositions to date. Playful synths gently escort what becomes a pounding disco inferno of irresistibly dancey beats. As the name suggests, you’ll be left with a familiar type of elation, one that’s a little warmer and newer than you’ve experienced before.

It astounds me that fans are able to “name their price” for such high quality music. Make sure you download Party Dad below, and while you’re at it, go ahead and download Cosby Sweater’s other 2 albums. If you missed it, Cosby Sweater also recently dropped a great remix of Break Science’s “Take It T o The Floor.”

Cosby Sweater live is a force to be reckoned with. Don’t miss them at Electric Forest and Summer Camp Music Festival this year, check more dates here!