Emancipator performs at 9:30 Club on Feb. 3, 2018. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

Emancipator delivered to a packed 9:30 Club on Saturday, making his fifth stop of a 25-city tour to promote his newest album, Baralku, which released from his own label, Loci Records, this past November.

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the downtempo DJ and producer regularly sells out venues across the country, and his 9:30 Club performance was no exception. He harked back to his college jam band days in his live performance, honoring the need for structure while allowing room for improvisation. With his five-piece ensemble band, Emancipator artfully balanced seamless instrumentation with each crowd’s unique, vibrant energy.

Listen to the latest music by Emancipator on Soundcloud:

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Falling in love with hip-hop, jazz, and world music (while learning violin), Emancipator has been honing his sound since his highly acclaimed 2006 debut, Soon It Will Be Cold Enough. In the decade since, his unique amalgamation of styles has generated steadily escalating buzz.

Catch the buzz yourself. Emancipator, aka Doug Appling, is on a US tour through March 31, when he wraps it up in Portland. Here are some pictures of Emancipator performing at 9:30 Club on Feb. 3, 2018. All photos copyright and courtesy of Ari Strauss.