TEKE::TEKE/Trophy Husband MA

Psychedelic rock group TEKE::TEKE is intimately familiar with duality, of splitting reality between past and present, complex melodies and hushed interludes, intense action and lingering response. After building their sound through careful assembly of countless splinters of Japanese folk, psychedelia, Brazilian surf rock, and other far-flung touchstones, the Montreal-based seven-piece band indulged in and learned from stretching out in free-floating experimentation on the road. Now releasing their sophomore album, Hagata (due June 9 via Kill Rock Stars), TEKE::TEKE moves fully in the space between, embracing the power of mythic pairings and identities lived at once. Matching muscly intensity with moments of cloudy meditation—like a world-class high jumper finding bliss at the apex of their leap—the group frames expressive compositions with regal flute, rich horns, ecstatic guitar, and a thumping rhythm section.
 

In the depths of the Berklee practice rooms, Trophy Husband MA’s original formation came about from a happenstance jam. The band's guitarist, Donny DeFala, called a song by Animals As Leaders, and only Ben Heck (drummer) was able to keep up. From there, Max Kozol was asked to fill out the low end, creating the core members of the ensemble. Trophy Husband MA has since gone through many iterations, including a large horn ensemble and comfortable dorm-room shows, to finally settling on its current iteration: progressive funk. This style is a combination of modern progressive metal with Chicago-esque funk vibes to make the music more accessible to the modern listener. However, the sound needed an extra piece, prompting the band to bring in Dan “Chef” Zahal on Chapman Stick who added extra synth sounds for a "video-game" aesthetic. At the beginning of 2024, Tyler Cantrell also joined the group, adding an additional layer by utilizing a Kemper to create synth-guitar effects.

Trophy Husband MA is now solidifying their position as a mainstay within the Northeast DIY scene. Notable shows for the group have spanned venues such as Landmark Americana (Glassboro, NJ, with Kiaura Rose), Rockwood Music Hall (Boston, MA, with Mingko), The Bug Jar (Rochester, NY, with KINDOFKIND), and The Fuze Box (Albany, NY, with Glare) at the venue level. However, this has not stopped the band from attacking within the underground scene, leading them to play in many notable DIY venues with 100–200-person crowds moshing to funky prog. Notable locations include Beatroot (Boston, MA, 225-capped show with Bonginator), The Furnace (Burlington, VT, 250-capped show), and Ceaser’s Palace (125-capped show).

At the beginning of 2024, Trophy Husband MA released "Scenes From A Waffle House" as the first single of their upcoming album Trophy Husband Hates You. The album will contain seven genre-bending tracks that show the evolution of the band's style, musicality, and humor. Additionally, the album will feature several guest soloists. This includes Israel Strom (who performs as Louis Cole’s live keyboardist and has 46.2k followers on Instagram as of February 2024) on "Scenes From A Waffle House." Their second single is set to release this month (March 2024), with the full album release date to be announced later in the year.