New York City-native prog-jam quartet Escaper this weekend celebrated the release of its latest record, Spaceship, with a hometown album release show at The Sultan Room. The four-track EP, out now via Ropeadope Records, marks the fourth studio effort from Escaper and the first since bassist Luke Bemand (lespecial) and drummer Sam Crespo (Space Bacon) joined the band’s ranks this past summer.
Escaper, founded by guitarist Will Hanza in 2016, has always been a vehicle for creative evolution and the expansion of sonic boundaries. Once keyboardist/vocalist Phil Kadet signed on in 2018, the outfit went on to share stages with the likes of Jon Fishman (Phish), Karl Denson, Aron Magner and Marc Brownstein (The Disco Biscuits), and many more.
Once Bemand and Crespo were added to the roster following a COVID-imposed hiatus, the new-look group hit the studio to craft its next creative statement. The resulting four-track collection, Spaceship, is defined by its collaborative nature. Even beyond the addition of the new members’ veteran know-how and creative perspective, the group recorded the majority of the EP in a single tracking session at the U.S. headquarters of lauded microphone manufacturer Telefunken Elektroakustik, and the record’s crisp sonics reflect the state-of-the-art studio’s attention to detail. The remaining recording work, conducted at Brooklyn’s The Bunker Studio, brought the project back to NYC for its final touches. Spaceship’s lyrics delve into the idea that “relationships built on trust better our ability to be an Escaper,” or “one who breaks free from confinement.”
Related: Escaper Releases ‘Live At Bowery Ballroom’ Ft. Luke Bemand, Sam Crespo [Audio/Photos]
Escaper marked the arrival of Spaceship with an album release show at Brooklyn’s The Sultan Room on Saturday. Following an opening set by New Jersey-based jam quartet Marsoupial, Hanza, Kadet, Bemand, and Crespo unfurled live versions of the three new numbers (plus a “Spaceship” reprise) featured on the EP. Each composition showcased new layers of the band’s jam-forward yet intricately influenced dance-rock sound, which one fan aptly labeled “yacht-tronica.”
Escaper will next hit the stage on January 20th, 2023 at Brooklyn Bowl supporting Spafford. For more information, visit the band’s website. In the meantime, fans can catch Luke Bemand on tour with lespecial throughout the rest of this year. For a list of upcoming lespecial tour dates, head here.
Listen to Spaceship, the new album from Escaper, on the platform of your choice here. Below, check out a gallery of photos from the Escaper Spaceships album release show at The Sultan Room via Ken Spielman.
Escaper – Spaceship – Full Album
