DJ and producer Whethan has a nice way of applying the warping pitch-melting effects of AutoTune and other sound-editing wizardry to percussion sounds, giving the backing tracks on his music a woozy liquid sound, as if someone were playing a drumbeat on a metal pan with water sloshing around in it. It’s trippy. It’s abstract. But it’s also clubby and twitchy.
Whethan (the stage name of Ethan Snoreck) released the song “Superlove” (featuring Oh Wonder) a few months ago. It’s an appealing, vaguely Latin song about the mystifying and fickle powers of attraction — about going from “zero to ‘let’s go.’” On other tracks, like “Aftertaste,” Whethan lets slinky guitar, plinky keys and fingersnaps create a spacious atmosphere. He takes staccato pitches, whistles, weird bubbling tones and turns them into melodic hooks.
Snoreck is 19 years old. He was touring with the Chainsmokers while he was in high school.
Whethan performs at Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven, on Thursday, Sept. 27, at 9 p.m. Tickets are $22 to $25. toadsplace.com, 203-624-8623.
