Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"Aaron Diskin used to play with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' kinetic, stinging guitarist Nick Zinner, but Mr. Diskin's muisc for the synthesizer-bass-drum trio Lycaon Pictus is darker, recalling the apocalypse imagined by forerunners like Pere Ubu."
Laura Sinagra, New York Times - New York Times
"Local trio Lycaon Pictus plays particulalry bent and appealingly twitchy art-rock."
Hank Shteamer, Time Out NY - Time Out NY
"Brooklyn art-punks Lycaon Pictus once would've fit just fine on Ralph Records, though how their deranged dirges creepy-crawl though post-nuclear slime owes as much to Pere Ubu as to Tuxedomoon.”
Chuck Eddy, Village Voice - Village Voice
"Without succumbing to comparisons (The Residents, Yello, Aaron Diskin) it is crucial that Brooklyn¹s Lycaon Pictus must be looked upon from within/out the context of the current musical landscape; Only in this sense will any accurate conclusions be drawn of Lycaon Mortis and Lycaon Diskis' queer and dramatic work. Pointless indeed to refer to pre-existing cultural blueprints for experimental and intensely personal work (Brian Wilson, Nico, The Last Days), yet Lycaon Pictus contribute an equally unusual perspective, one of man as wild thing, as untamed article, as beautiful and natural in the primitive yet elegant Œunexamined life¹. Human drums pound out smoke signals, effulgent bass chords are plucked and sneering political invectives are bandied about with conviction and élan. Lycaon Pictus are not The Strokes, they are not Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs. They are, however, the arrow of pride and success. Vive la pictus!"
Joshua Gabriel, The Big Takeover - The Big Takeover
"Dare to step outside of the monotony of your everyday music collection. The imaginative basement sounds on this full-length release from Lycaon Pictus are a journey through dark free-form harmonies, gritty synth drones and thought provoking humor about the everyday workingman's grind through existence. Heavily favoring the keyboard throughout, this three-piece dwells at the depths of emotions musically, before transitioning into bass guitars and beat box rhythms at a moments notice. All the while, these guys have created a conceptual soundscape that keeps you in for the finale."
J.C. Carnahan, Impact Press - Impact Press
"This local pro-wolf, anti-human synth-bass-drums trio keeps getting better - and scarier. Their new album features goth beatboxing, catatonic vocals, lyrics about cunnilingus, and a mantra-like theme song. Just listening to it could give you rabies."
Amy Phillips, Village Voice - Village Voice
"Two-piece Aaron Diskin and John Morton make up Brooklyn's own Lycaon Pictus. With this debut they showcase a wide range of talent and influences. The most prevailing influence sounds like a slowed down version of a Roxy Music vocal electro chant. Bridging a new sound with that of old post punk pioneers like Pere Ubu, they have crafted a new niche in music. Avant God has also made a name for itself in Brooklyn for throwing a series of happening parties."
Lio Cerezo, Crashin' in.com - Crashin' In
Discography
Rough Telephone EP - Dieyetribe Records 2002
Deviation Amplifier - Avant-God 2004
Personal Disaster - Avant-God 2005
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Aaron Diskin and Simon Marcus got their start with the New York art-rock group Challenge of the Future, which also featured Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. After the band dissolved, Aaron Diskin began to write songs for a new project. He recruited John Morton, a DJ who had been performing electronic music at NYC’s SoundLab parties. The product of this pairing was Lycaon Pictus, an avant-pop duo formed around the fusion of Diskin’s sensitive lo-fi 4-track songs and Morton’s electronic production. Lycaon Pictus’ soul-baring minimalist electronic emo music provided an alternative to the Garage Rock revival and Electroclash music of the time. Lycaon Pictus released the Rough Telephone EP, which the Village Voice’s Chuck Eddy listed as one of the top 10 singles of 2003 in the Village Voice Pazz and Jop Critic's Poll.
While recording their debut album, Diskin and Morton decided to invite former Challenge of the Future drummer Simon Marcus into the fold. The resultant full-length album Deviation Amplifier used a wide range of electronic and acoustic sounds to support Diskin’s songs. Lycaon Pictus were named “Best Local Emo band” in the New York Press “Best of Manhattan Reader’s Poll 2004.” The three then began refining their sound and their live show, eventually recording Personal Disaster in the summer of 2005. Lycaon Pictus’ cult-like following grows larger with the release of this new album.
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