Words and photos by Kenzie Trikouros
On a radiant, warm July evening, post-punk band Rotoscope rocked George Street Co-op with a stripped-down, atmospheric set that captivated the crowd.
Known for their experimental sound and dynamic performances, the band brought electrifying energy to the intimate venue.
Their unique blend of noise rock, psychedelic influences, and post-punk vibes kept the audience engaged from start to finish.
Who is Rotoscope?
All hailing from New Jersey, the guys bring their distinctive sound to the New Brunswick basement show scene.
Alessandro Barlotta is on drums. Nachi Anand sings and plays guitar. Logan Mele plays bass guitar and Jack Engdall plays guitar, synths, and vocals.
“Logan and I have been recording music together since we were 15,” Jack said.
The others knew each other through Instagram and other mutual friends.
Nachi got everyone connected and suggested they get together to see what could happen.
The four played in Alessandro’s basement for hours, jamming from nothing but a mutual passion for music.
“Not even wearing earplugs,” Jack described.
After playing so well together, they decided to form a band.
Nachi said, “We had a very extensive naming process for the band.”
Their group chat blew up with over 200 messages back and forth. Band names like “French Girls,” “Cloud Operator,” and “Psychic Eye” were being tossed around.
“It was just a stream of consciousness,” Jack said.
Nachi saw a film called A Scanner Darkly. He said, “In the bio for the movie, it said, ‘a film that uses rotoscope animation,’ and I was like—lightbulb!”
In the group chat, Nachi texted, “Rotoscope,” and immediately everyone was on board.
Rotoscope’s first live show was on December 9th, 2023 at The Room, a local New Brunswick venue.
In their early shows, Rotoscope embraced a blend of noise and psychedelic rock.
As they continue to perform and record, the band is refining their identity, gravitating more towards a post-punk sound.
Jack shared, “We’re starting to focus in, but post-punk is the easiest way to describe it.”
Their music features driving bass lines, jagged guitar riffs, and atmospheric synths, creating a dynamic contrast between raw aggression and moody, immersive soundscapes.
ROTOSCOPE EP
Rotoscope released ROTOSCOPE EP in April of 2024. Kicking off with “Intro,” the album offers three tracks that showcase the band’s distinctive sound.
All three songs pull the listener into their world, with the final track, “River Breather,” taking a moody, atmospheric journey that captures the band’s edge and intensity.
Nachi wrote “River Breather.” He had the lyrics and chords in his back pocket for about a year before giving it to the band to play.
“I like it because the song is all different modulations of the chord, E major,” Nachi added.
When asked about the lyrics he said, “Sometimes, you get a little too high and you start seeing stuff. I guess, like… you know?”—and we all laughed.
The lyrics for “River Breather” are:
“Just let me breathe this river in and I’ll try again, try again
Lamps of coral and a mummified cat both inside my tent, inside my tent
And your soul cannot feed your stomach,
Mimics in the grass behind a pillar
We played a game with ramps and bills under fireworks, fireworks
Five rabbits in the grass, each one skinnier than the last
And your soul cannot feed your stomach,
But it’s only you, yes it’s only you, only you”
“River Breather” is a testament to the band’s collaborative spirit. Each time they perform it, the song takes on a new life, evolving with each grouping of shows.
“I love ‘River Breather’ so much,” Alessandro said passionately.
Nachi said, “The studio version is nothing like how it sounds when we play it live… [The song] is at its best on acoustic guitar.”
Nachi’s solo project, Ihcan Ihcan, delves into indie and space rock elements that subtly influence Rotoscope’s sound. “River Breather” captures those same atmospheric buildups and deep vocals that are typical of Ihcan Ihcan.
Jack also has a solo pop project called APOCALYPSE, with similar sounds to Rotoscope.
It is a killer song. Wrapping up the EP with a song like “River Breather” leaves the listeners wanting more from Rotoscope.
“Intro,” the introduction to ROTOSCOPE EP, was written in one night.
“I wrote the riff the night before [we recorded] with a friend of the band, Jessie Sayner,” Jack said.
The track is not just an introduction to the EP, but an invitation to step into the band’s sonic world.
The second track, “Same Sound,” was also the product of a quick songwriting process.
Together they thought, “We wanna be like the “LCD Sound System” and write a dance song.”
Alessandro said, “Literally in 45 minutes we had a song.”
The song was originally called “Dance Song” before it was “Same Sound.” It reflects the unifying rhythm that ties their experimental styles together.
“Even from the very first practice, we have successfully played from nothing,” he added.
New Brunswick and Beyond
The New Brunswick show scene, which brings in a great portion of Rotoscope’s audience, is a thriving hub for bands and underground venues.
The basements may be hot and loud, but they’re packed with passionate music lovers eager to embrace every performance.
The electric atmosphere is one thing that is hard to find anywhere else.
“You encounter a lot of genuine people who support you,” Jack added, “Our biggest following is out of New Brunswick, I really appreciate the active scene.”
Rotoscope played at an intimate upstairs venue at George Street Co-op, a natural food market and cafe.
They prepared a stripped-down set that was only practiced an hour before show time.
That rehearsal was an important moment for these guys. Alessandro, Nachi, Logan, and Jack felt that they sounded better than ever.
Logan said, “It’s kinda scary being that tight in practice before a show… what if we used up all of the good energy?”
It was the type of rehearsal they walked out of smiling ear to ear.
“We clicked in a way that I walked out thinking, ‘I have been playing music with these guys for only under a year and that’s the best we have ever played together,’” Jack added.
Some songs were new, and some were old.
Jack said, “We have had these [songs] floating around for a while, but this is the first time we are playing it live.”
Due to the intimate venue, Rotoscope had to adjust their set.
“We can’t be too loud, so we moved to make it moody and atmospheric,” Nachi said.
Jack also created a projected visual to be displayed on them, setting the mood. The last song in the set was 12 minutes long. Their performance enchanted the audience from start to finish.
From basements to markets, and even to The Stone Pony stage, Rotoscope has brought their raw, dynamic sound to every corner, leaving a lasting impression wherever they play.
As bands or musicians, everyone has aspirations. I asked the guys, “What is your dream venue to play in?”
Alessandro answered, “The Red Rocks,” without hesitation.
“Madison Square Garden– sold out,” Nachi said.
Some of their other answers included Union Transfer, Baby’s All Right, and (jokingly) they added Pompeii or the Catacombs to the list.
Nachi said, “Being more realistic for the next year or so, the Starland Ballroom.”
Memories are formed at each show. Logan and Nachi share a favorite memory of hearing their songs mastered for the first time.
“I was just driving down the road listening to our songs, it was the best,” Logan said.
Jack and the others recalled the rehearsal from only hours prior being one of their new favorite Roto-moments.
As Rotoscope’s journey unfolds, they remain focused on creating dynamic, memorable music while dreaming big for the future – as all bands do.
Listen to ROTOSCOPE EP wherever you get your music, and be sure to follow Rotoscope on Instagram.
Thank you to Alessandro, Nachi, Logan, and Jack for your time– I enjoyed sitting down with you guys!
Rotoscope recorded a ROTOSCOPE EP set with The Nest, New Jersey’s own Tiny Desk concert. Check out the video here!
Words and photos by Kenzie Trikouros. If reposting, please credit @kenzcat3.jpeg and @almostfamouszine
