Brandon Lewis – Drumming as a Melodic Instrument

In “Sparkling Psycho”, Brandon Lewis flips the conventional approach to drumming, transforming his kit from a mere timekeeper into a dynamic melodic instrument. Rather than leaning into the cymbal-heavy, effect-driven style often favored in floating, open-ended jams, Lewis offers a refreshingly grounded yet still unconventional approach. His drumming is not about repetitively anchoring the groove or relying on rhythmic ostinatos; instead, he crafts intricate phrases that breathe alongside the harmonic shifts happening within the band.

What stands out most in Lewis’ performance is the way he uses his kick drum. Rather than simply locking in a standard beat or serving as the backbeat, his choices in kick phrasing become part of the conversation, responding to the evolving harmonic landscape created by Yamamoto’s synthesizer and Tezil’s shape-shifting basslines. His kick doesn’t just mark time—it acts as a voice, expressing itself melodically and rhythmically, moving in and out of sync with the rest of the ensemble in a way that feels like a carefully woven dialogue rather than a mechanical pulse.

In the space between Lewis’ kicks, his snare and tom work adds texture and dimension, carefully complementing the floating, unstructured melodies without overtaking them. His phrases come across like musical sentences rather than mere rhythmic support. The way his sticks carve through the air, leaving space between hits, allows the overall texture to breathe, making every strike feel intentional and carefully placed.

This approach gives the drums an emotive quality—his kit doesn’t simply punctuate the music; it becomes a part of the unfolding musical story, responding in real-time to the harmonic and textural changes occurring around him. The drumming feels like a dialogue, an ever-evolving narrative that contributes to the piece’s fluidity, rather than being relegated to a static background role.

Brandon Lewis’ ability to treat his drum kit as a melodic instrument in “Sparkling Psycho” is a standout feature. By focusing on phrasing and dynamic response to the harmonic shifts of the ensemble, he crafts a drumming style that feels like a voice within the musical conversation—a subtle yet impactful element in an otherwise fluid and ever-shifting jam.