When aliens drift through far reaches of the universe, the ethereal sound of electro synth funk is what we can only imagine helps them to pass the time during intergalactic space travel. That theory may have been proven a few days ago, when Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) played at Brooklyn Steel, emanating frequencies which evoked a sense of extraterrestrial presence. The five-piece instrumentalists from Atlanta, Georgia, have been elevating consciousness since 1997, giving their own cosmic view of the world through many different soundscapes. Promoting their new album Chromalight on their 2024 US Tour, STS9 claims “The multi-sensory production set out to explore the connection between sound and light, the colors we associate with musical notes and scales, and how we can tap into the power of the harmony between them to create an intentional and immersive live spectacle,” when asked about the LP in a press release.

The lights went out and a brilliant blue glow illuminated the stage. In true maestro fashion, STS9 entered without speaking and dove straight into the music, letting the notes weave their story. The set began with a furiously played violin sample beginning a commanding “This, Us,” with Alana Rocklin (bass guitarist) laying a strong bassline and David Phipps (keyboards, synthesizers) using what sounded like a horn or saxophone filter for his keyboard. This tune was followed by a strong siege into the funky “Moon Socket,” with plenty of arpeggio play from both guitarist Hunter Brown and Phipps, and a short synth soliloquy from Phipps. The lights were nothing less than interdimensional, making us feel like this was a true close encounter of the third kind. Their set took a turn as they played more astral jams with a tune from their new album, Human Dream, and a groovement favorite, “World Go Round.” The most notable track of the first set (and maybe the night) was the fan favorite and set ending, “Modular.” This jam was an absolute journey – needless to say, set one had us out of breath and begging for more.

Set two kicked off with the trippy and contemplative “Sky High,” which included a DnB rhythm from Zach Velmer (drums), alien balloons from the crowd, and continued with non-stop play into “Balancing,” “It’s Alright,” and “Breath in.” We got a good feel of tribal funk from the saucy bongo fills Jeffree Lerner brought to “It’s Alright” and after the always uplifting “Breath In,” the Sectornaughts were ready to crank it up a notch. You always know the party’s about to begin when you hear spaceship sirens from STS9, and tonight was no different as the band jumped into a Peaceblaster classic, “Shock Doctrine,” which was followed by a massive DnB remix to Ramone & Emiglio and had the crowd absolutely rabid for the jazzy, DnB, funk fest that would ensue. The set ended with the unfinished Modular jam from the first set which was preceded by Click Lang Echo, another STS9 vintage track with heart warming lyrics:

“Day in and day out, in the lights and the sound, in the world in this place, it’s just me and you.”

In dramatic fashion, STS9 came back on stage where Velmer spoke about how happy and thankful the band was to be able to play for a packed Brooklyn Steel crowd. The encore included a bit of the old and new as they began with Haze from Chromalight and dove right into Peoples from Artifact, a now almost 20 year old album, to end the show. If you’re one to partake in an interstellar spiritual awakening, definitely check out STS9 at a venue near you!

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