Sound Tribe Sector 9

While some bands rock for a cause, and many rock just because, Sound Tribe is among a select handful that rock for healing -- though healing what, exactly, is uncertain. Sound Tribe Sector 9 isn't in the biz to achieve world domination; rather, the five-piece has formed a sort of musical commune, with a new-age/Zen approach to creating art. "We feel that a new understanding of vibration could usher in the next evolutionary step for this planet," reads the band's press kit.

STS9 broadcasts its nouveau-hippie worldview on its latest release, Offered Schematics Suggesting Peace, the group's third full-length on Atlanta's Landslide Records. The album abounds in live, dance-oriented music that's marked by loose, skittery drumming reminiscent of free jazz. Swirly, purring flute (courtesy of Kofi Burbridge), muted guitar, keyboard, and enthusiastic djembe and tabla accents all contribute to the electro-noodling whole. You can almost smell the patchouli, can't you?