Expo '70

Experimental / Ambient / Psychedelic

Kansas City, MO

Billboard

Expo '70 is the main driving improvisational essence of Justin Wright. Having started the project in Los Angeles in 2003, Wright has pushed his project to new levels, releasing a number of albums as cdr's and 2 full-length albums. Expo '70's first album "Animism", which debuted in 2007 on Kill Shaman, is an eclectic mix of krautrock, ambient drone, space exploration and minimal compositions. Comparisons range from Brian Eno, Ash Ra Tempel, A.R. & Machines, SunnO))) and Earth, but not directly sounding like any of those artists in their entirety.

Wright's recent release "Black Ohms" on Beta-lactam Ring Records bring new life to the term drone. A world of sounds that catches the listeners subconscious and drifts the listener to alien lands and foreign terrain while maintaining a dreamlike quality with shifting melodies and moods. Mostly comprised of single guitar improvisations, Wright manifests rich textures and brooding low end passages full of energy that tend to sound like long synth compositions akin to early Tangerine Dream and early minimalist composers like Terry Riley.

Expo '70 recently completed a West Coast tour, playing a sold out show in San Francisco with Wooden Shjips and ARP. Accompanying Wright was Matt Hill, a local Kansas City musician who studied at Berkeley College of music in Boston. Hill contributed bass and analog drum patterns underlying Wright's ability to work up these long rich drones into what some might reflect a classic rock band. The life show consisted of the two sitting indian style in front of their amps, forcing audiences to sit along with them while they build soundscapes. With a blast of smoke from a fog machine, the canvas way layed for them to rise up and get into so Pink Floyd and Hawkwind-like sonic psychedelic playing with Hill looping bass lines and Wright catching a wave of melodic of guitar soloing.

Wright designs and packages most Expo '70 releases himself building an aesthetic around the project as a long lost relic from the 1970's underground music scene. Wright will be heading to Bordeaux France in part of a festival revolved around the celebration of French Psychedelic music which started back in 1968. This 3 day festival includes acts from France and all over the world. Some act include Gong, Wooden Shjips, ARP, Psychic Ills, The Telescopes, Lee Renaldo and many more. Wright is proud to have Expo '70 included in this event.

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Re Gen Magazine reviews Black Ohms Nov 25

Minimalist and trance-inducing to the core, Black Ohms is space music at its best, subtle and tripped out without being aimless, and is sure to appeal to fans of Fear Falls Burning, Robert Rich, and Steve Roach.