Soundscape duo mixes at the margin

The local experimental music scene extends an open invitation to everyone.

Metal Rouge will perform at ARTS Lab on Saturday at 9 p.m. The group from Los Angeles will appear with local duo Mesa Ritual.

Andrew Scott hails from New Zealand, where he met Helga Fassonaki during her three-year visit from the United States. After they formed Metal Rouge, Scott followed Fassonaki back to the States.

The pair have since been stretching their legs into the larger music scene, and this is their second tour.

"I think Americans might not even know how good it is," Scott said. "In New Zealand there are only 4 million people. There are that many people alone in L.A."

Scott said opportunities to tour in New Zealand are limited both by the number of people to perform for and the number of musicians to work with.

"It's kind of hard to play marginal music," he said. "What's great about playing here is that the places have so many different people. There's a scene in each city, and each city has its own particular vibe."

Metal Rouge has yet to go east of Las Vegas, Nev., Scott said. He said he is excited for the opportunity to see more of the United States, and he looks forward to playing in Albuquerque.

"In somewhere like L.A., where there are so many people and so much going on, it's kind of hard to get anything done," Scott said. "In smaller scenes, it's closer knit."

Metal Rouge's music is too complex to sum up, Scott said, because various genres are coming together due to file sharing and the Internet. Without a real catch phrase, Scott insists the music form is unclassifiable, at least on the present music scene.

"People ask me and I just say, 'I'm a psychedelic drone band,' or something like that, but realistically it's a kind of genre-less music," he said. "I think all music is becoming increasingly more genre-less."

Metal Rouge is inspired by Linda and Sonny Sharrock, John Coltrane and Angus Maclise, he said. They are currently working with the Not Not Fun record label in L.A.

"If there are any other musicians involved in marginal, experimental-type music in Albuquerque, I encourage them to come to the show just to say hi," Scott said. "We really love to meet and work with anyone in that area."

Metal Rouge

Saturday, 9 p.m.

ARTS Lab

131 Pine St. N.E.

Free, $5-$10 suggested donation