ELECTRONIC-MUSIC SMORGASBORD WITH TOTAL LIFE, RELCAD, AND WIDESKY
The tiny, vanguard internet station Hollow Earth Radio hosts a stacked bill tonight. As mentioned here many times before, Seattle's Relcad (Alex Duff) has been producing some of the region's most transcendently beautiful and rhythmically righteous techno over the last half-decade, peaking with last year's Anonymous City (Pleasure Boat Records). Get into it. Widesky (Seattle sound designer Seth Chrisman) conjures pristine nature images with his vast, vaporous drone tapestries; it's (mostly) serene drifting music for sensitive souls. Fresh off his tour opening for Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Total Life (Growing guitarist Kevin Doria) threatens to make the space/time continuum bulge with the sort of all-encompassing drones that force you to contemplate ultimate matters. Total Life's music is a cement mixer chanting "Om" to infinity, a perpetual machine churn that centers you like the best meditation session. Bring your attention span. Hollow Earth Radio, 9 pm, $7 suggested donation, all ages.
TORONTO DUBSTEP DUO ZEDS DEAD ARE SO DYNAMIC
One of North America's most popular dubstep acts, Toronto duo Zeds Dead have reached that exalted state where they can remix tracks by deceased legends (Nina Simone), living luminaries (Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Massive Attack), and hot current artists (Major Lazer, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs). Despite being so gosh-dang marketable, Zeds Dead aren't hacks. They show a studious aptitude for dynamics, combining crisp, booming beats and requisite colonic low end with glittering textural detail and melodic verve. When the whim takes them, these dubstep dudes can also work in the trap and drum 'n' bass styles. With Paper Diamond. Showbox Sodo, 7:30 pm, $31.50 adv/$37 DOS, all ages.
DARK SYNTH MAGUS SSLEEPERHOLD
Austin, Texas, synth magus Ssleeperhold (José Cota, ex–Medio Mutante, current member of BOAN) makes a welcome stop at Therapy, a minuscule bar on Broadway that's starting to make moves on the electronic-music front. Ssleeperhold coaxes dank swirls of synth gas that'll have you feverishly flashing back to John Carpenter and Goblin soundtracks for movies that make your blood scream. It's tenebrous, broseph. Speaking of Goblin, I thought Troller would sound like a tribute to that Italian group's 1976 LP, Roller. They're not quite that sublime, but Troller do peddle an ethereal, brooding breed of gothtronica that'll make your eyeliner slide down to your toes. Finally, Airport and Hair and Space Museum remain two of Seattle's most reliable exponents of dark, ramrodding disco and astral ambient music, respectively. Treasure them. Therapy, 9 pm, $5, 21+.