Paer

While in high school during the late ’90s, guitarist Kyle Zender and drummer Hill Baker bonded over the likes of Miles Davis, Frank Zappa and King Crimson. It’s not surprising, then, that some of those influences (and possibly some newer stuff like El Ten Eleven) have seeped into their work as instrumental-rock duo Paer more than a decade later. The two make gripping music with just guitar and drums, but Baker also fills in the gaps by simultaneously playing keyboard and drums, creating a surprisingly full sound for only two people. With a good understanding of dynamics, they move skillfully from soft and restrained to loud and powerful and back again, as evidenced by songs like “Weight of the World” and “Windbreaker.”