Syncopated beats, samples and sounds from outer space—the Bangerz produce music that resonate with every ear they infiltrate.

These six guys from East Side San Jose were just a crew that started DJing during lunch at Silver Creek High School. They began playing the club scene, winning battles and major turntable competitions, and released their debut album in 2003. That album, a collection of experimental electronic music made its way into the hands of the Jabbawockeez, a dance crew that has their own show in Vegas—MUS.I.C. [muse-eye-see]—now in its third run.

And now, these six East Side boys are back, this time dropping their first single off the Jabbawockeez album—“The Robot Remains”—on iTunes today.

“The single is the flag over the new movement with the Jabbawockeez,” says DJ Cutso. “It’s the Jabbawockeez produced by the Bangerz. It sounds like death.”

The new song to the much anticipated follow-up to the 2003 VI.R.US album is described by Cutso as a strong song—heavy but not without pop sensibility. It’s catchy and unconventional, with minimal vocals.

“We all do our side projects and as a crew; we were silent for some time,” says DJ G-Wrex. “This is us saying to our fans out there, ‘We’re still here.’ Hopefully, people will feel that shit.”

It’s been a long, colorful road for the Bangerz. For those that have been following them since their beginnings 12 years ago, the group will always be the Fingerbangerz Crew, but regardless of name changes, things are just getting better.

“Hopefully, this will be a seed planter,” says DJ Squareweezy. “This is what Voltron can do.”

The group considers itself lucky to have met the guys from the Jabbawockeez when they did. Both groups were starting out and when the Jabbawockeez dance crew heard a few choice tracks off of VI.R.US, the future was laid out.

“It was a shot in the dark,” Cutso says of the debut album. “It was a complete turn-tablist album. No one was on that at the time. We really weren’t sure if people would get it but the Jabbawockeez got it and provided a visual.”

The dance sensation on MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” kept audience glued to the screen and the Bangerz provided the soundtrack.

“They were huge,” Cutso says of the Jabbawockeez. “It’s been a fun experience and we had no idea where this alliance would take us.”

The Bangerz provided exclusive beats for the dance crew, and the two became one.

“The Jabbawockeez gave us a mainstream audience,” Custo says.

Not that the Bangerz didn’t already have a cult following. Each of the six members has put out solo albums, remixes and have toured all around the country—some around the globe.

But the moment when the guys realized people were paying attention was at a gig in Fremont.

“Hundreds of people were there,” Cutso says. “It was a showcase for church talent. Some of us used to be part of youth groups. There were six turntables and the screams from the crowd were deafening. It was definitely a landmark gig.”

The idea of six talented turn-tablists working together may be hard to understand—with side projects and adequate space always being an issue—but the guys are down to earth, most still living in San Jose and working in the Bay Area.

“Before being a DJ production crew, we are a family,” says DJ Nick Ngo. “We’ve been with each other for 12 years. We might like different things but it’s six of us coming up with a style. All of us know what good music sounds like. This album is made up of just that—various sounds.”

The process goes something like this—someone starts with a beat. This sets the tone for the finished product. It gets mixed up, put on a disc and then sent along to the next guy and so on.

“At the end of the day, this is our passion,” says DJ Replay. “It’s what means the most to us.”

And the guys want to be very clear about one thing.

“Our sound is a product of our environment,” Custo says.

“We were never held back because of our location,” Squareweezy says. “You make a lot of noise, it doesn’t matter where you’re at. People will pay attention.”

San Jose doesn’t always come up at the top of the conversation when it comes to hotbeds for music and art and culture, but the guys assure us that it’s here. It always has been.

“A lot of outsiders don’t think of San Jose as a music center, but the Bay Area is the epicenter,” says DJ Goldenchyld. “And if anyone wants to battle, step up.”

For more information, visit www.thebangerz.com or look them up on Facebook under the Fingerbangerz Crew.

Story by m. flores