When Chicago-based band IndigoSun took the Hangar 9 stage Friday night, the sky took on a different color.

The trio of Kyle Liss on keys/ synth/vocals, Steve Florian on drums and Mike Cantella on bass came together on stage to produce an uplifting message of love and dance, combining styles of funk, jazz and electronic music.

Florian said the band’s sound is difficult to describe because it encompasses a multitude of styles.

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“We combine a lot of different sounds and a lot of different genres,” Florian said. “The core of it is kind of like electronic-dance funk. It’s got this funky soul but it’s also got the electronic production. The goal is to make you dance.”

“Over time, we have all sort of embraced our own influences to create a new sound,” Cantella said.

As the band took its place on stage, the crowd began to enter the building. The audience was instantly transformed into a part of the music as the instruments came together to produce a sensual, uplifting rhythm. Liss’ auto-tuned vocals floated melodically above the audience, putting them in a trance until the urge to dance became entirely too much to bear.

This was the third time the band played at Hangar 9. Liss said the music scene in Carbondale never disappoints.

“This place is awesome; the venue is beautiful,” Liss said. “We discovered that we had a fan base that we didn’t really know we had. There is a really good vibe here, always.”

The band went through a shift in September when saxophonist Lucas Ellman departed. During his time with the band, Ellman split his time between playing and studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

“We were a trio for a long time because Lucas went to Berklee, so when he was in school, which was the bulk of the year, we would travel as a trio,” Liss said.

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Liss said the band has no immediate plans to add another element, but have kept the possibility in mind.

“We’re considering a fourth, but for right now we are just experimenting,” he said. “To strip it back down has really forced Mike and I to step out a little more and that has been a lot of fun to explore.”

The band released a seven-track studio album, “A Love Song for the Human Race,” Feb. 7. “Love” follows the band on their exploration of hip-hop and neo-soul. Liss said the album is meant to be an uplifting experience, with the ultimate goal being the unification of the mind with everything and everyone around listeners.

“We always strive to keep a very positive and uplifting message,” he said. “I am Buddhist, and Steve is as well, so for meditative experiences, there is a lot gained there that we try to bring music. There is a lot about unconditional love and about using the imagination to kind of see beyond the suffering we are seeing right now thus collectively creating a better world to inhabit.”

Florian said the band is working on another album to be released sometime this year. IndigoSun plans to take a few weeks off but will begin playing again in April. They’ll keep busy this summer, playing several festivals and a Colorado tour in early May.

Kyle Sutton can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter @KyleSutton_DE or by phone at 536-3311 ext. 254.