Only inches away from the seated Zs at their record release party at Knitting Factory, I couldn’t help but think of John Zorn’s legendary band Naked City. Along with Bill Frisell (guitar), Fred Frith (bass), Wayne Horvitz (synth/piano), and Joey Baron (drums), the avant-garde sax player created some of the most original and unpredictable compositions of our time. Nothing ever fit within any confines of a genre classification, and that’s the sign of something original.

While Zs aren’t quite as all-over-the-map as Naked City, the dynamic nature in which their songs slowly build through textures and then erupt with fury is where I heard a connection between the two bands.

Seated in a circle facing one another, the pair of guitarists and drummer provided an immensely precise platform for the more free form bursts and squeals of Sam Hillmer’s tenor. Each member displayed an immense level of skill on their instrument to a level of jaw-dropping proportion.

Zs performance was yet another reminder that Brooklyn’s music scene is far bigger than the crop of indie pop and shitgaze that gets all the attention from the indie blogs. We’re currently witnessing a movement of adventurous musicians exploring a more diverse terrain of music along the lines of experimental jazz, metal, folk and other genre-less domains. Since the days of birthing Jazz and punk, NYC has always been a place for discovering some of the most audacious sounds, and musicians like Zs, Extra Life, Larkin Grimm, Mick Barr, and Stars Like Fleas are continuing that legacy.

For many bloggers, seeing a band like Zs play 45 minutes of instrumental compositions would be like an 10 year old watching 8 1/2, which is why their incredible new album New Slaves will likely go overlooked by a majority of the industry.