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Tag Archives: gig

Review: Fossil Collective at The Prince Albert

19 Sunday May 2013

Posted by Yoga Panther in 'Critical Wave' reviews, Arts, Music

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

folk, Fossil Collective, gig, indie, Joe Banfi, rock

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They’re perfect listening for a lazy Sunday morning, a relaxed evening by the fire and could probably cure a hangover. It was no surprise then that a chilled ambience filled The Prince Albert in Brighton for Fossil Collective. People were even sitting down. You could tell it was going to be a very folky night.

There was great support from Joe Banfi, a dead ringer for Ben Howard (also under Communion Records), and just as vocally beautiful. Banfi’s voice had an edgy, croaky quality, which perfectly complimented his intriguing folk-meets-grunge style. Particularly memorable was his latest song ‘Nomads’ where the delicate piano and guitar plucking builds into an eerie tribal drumming noise complete with ringing electric guitars and Banfi’s husky howls.

Joining us for week two of their 60-date tour of the UK and US were Fossil Collective, an indie folk two-piece composed of David Fendick (vocals, guitar) and Jonny Hooker (vocals, drums). While the Leeds band take inspiration from Simon & Garfunkel and Fleetwood Mac, their overall sound is reminiscent of more contemporary artists. Take the harmony-rich sound of Fleet Foxes and the beautiful melancholy of Bon Iver and you’ll have something that resembles Fossil Collective’s meticulously crafted folk.

It was a nice touch that they played their recently released album ‘Tell Where I Lie’ in full from beginning to end. Sort of. They switched the first two songs around so that they started off with ‘Under My Arrest’. This yearning ballad combines fluttering guitars and romantic violins with a haunting chorus where ‘Under My Arrest’ is repeatedly sung in an arpeggio style against complementing chords. Just mesmerising.

They probably went for this ordering so they didn’t peak straightaway with their next song, which was, hands down, their best. ‘Let it Go’ is a perfect example of David and Jonny’s stunning harmonies, and their Fleet Foxes-esque ‘hoo-ing’ between verses. Full of imagery and metaphors, the lyrics portray a fading romance with lines such as, ‘We were an island, you were than one that broke away’ and ‘We started something, tried to make a fire without a flame’.

The theme of love and nature is dominant through the album and continued into their next track. ‘Boy with the Blackbird Kite’ is punctuated with that familiar harmonic ‘hoo-ing’, while there seems to be a more hopeful feeling towards relationships: ‘Let’s fly above the landscape/ There’s a horizon that’s always in sight/ We’ll go straight up and skywards/ We’ll always be just like two birds in the sky.’

Next was the first single to be taken from the album, ‘The Wolves’, which evokes a sense of urgency as they sing ‘The wolves are coming out/ Light a fire when you see them all arrive’. I particularly liked how it all came together in a folk-style electric guitar solo. ‘Brother’ is a melange of sound with echoing guitars, pretty piano and lush trumpets which seemed very Bon Iver, as did the delicate acoustic intro and high-pitched vocals of ‘Monument’ which followed.

Then came the first song they ever wrote, ‘On and On’, with its convinced tone that ‘you are the one’, before ‘When Frank Became an Orb’ which they wrote on the same night. This track brought more angelic ‘hoo-ing’ as it depicted tales of sorrow. A whispery, stripped back ‘How Was I to Know’ followed, and they brought the show to a close with ‘The Magpie’. Another favourite, it starts as a laid-back, acoustic track until the chorus pushes the tempo for some atmospheric pitch-bending ‘ohh-ing’ and a crescendoing outro.

By performing their album it brought to life the true work of art that is ‘Tell Where I Lie’. It demonstrated how the album draws you in with the catchy ‘Let it Go’ and keeps you listening attentively to the less immediate tracks that grow on you over time. Fossil Collective are definitely ones to watch. If you can’t catch them on their tour, they’re playing Green Man and End of the Road festival later this year.

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Review of United Ghosts at Sticky Mike’s

05 Sunday May 2013

Posted by Yoga Panther in 'Critical Wave' reviews, Arts, Music

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

band, Brighton, electronic, gig, Music, shoegaze, United Ghosts

facebook.com/unitedghosts

It was one of those gigs where you don’t really know what to expect, you haven’t had much time to research the band or listen to their songs, and then you turn up and…wow.United Ghosts blew me away with their, excuse the pun, haunting performance and as soon as I got home I just wanted to listen to their songs over and over.

The support band, on the other hand, I knew quite a lot about – the guitarist being one of my journo buddies and writer for Critical Wave, Cai Trefor. Brighton-based Classic Plastic formed only last summer but they have been relentlessly gigging in and around the seaside town. They’re even due to support Bloc Party and Everything Everything at Scala this week.

The Beatles-inspired foursome played a strong set of melodic indie tracks, kicking off with ‘Fun Fun Fun (On The Reservation)’ an upbeat little tune about the American Indians being relocated. ‘Her Face’ was a personal favourite with its chilled out vibe, echoing guitars and of course front man Alex Hill’s stunning vocals. Radio and Youtube hit ‘Bucket and Spade Escapade’ soon followed with mischievous guitar riffs and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, while the catchy ‘Not The End of The Film’ would have fit perfectly into an episode of The Inbetweeners. These guys are definitely going places and if you’re a fan of The Smiths, Blur or Pulp, then their Britpop-esque style will be right up your street.

On came headline act, United Ghosts, an LA four-piece whose style has a myriad of influences from Kraut-rock and electro to psychedelia and shoegaze. But by no means did they just gaze at their shoes. The band formed of Axel Steuerwald (vocals, guitars), Sha Sabi (vocals, bass), Jason O (guitars) and Sean Burgess (drums) brought waves of energy to the gig, filling every nook and cranny of the intimate venue with their dream pop sound.

Beginning with album opener ‘Echo Lake’, inspired by a lake that was drained in their area, they set the tone for the evening as its dreamy atmosphere washed over. The rocked-out ‘Sparks From A Cold Star’ was like a road trip adventure, while things got eerily electronic as they played ‘The Revolution Waiting’ with its pitch-bending synths and ‘Modern Crime’ with its mysterious droning loops.

Throughout the set, founding members and co-vocalists Axel and Sha complemented each other perfectly with their mesmerising male-female harmonies. Effortless and balanced, this is something that they have sustained from day one – Axel said that the first time they met and played music together they instantly gelled.

A standout track was ‘Unhypnotized’ which starts out as simple yet infectious bass riff, reminiscent of Muse’s Knights of Cydonia, before layering on the equally catchy deep guitar notes and twinkly undertones, until it becomes an ethereal resonance. Sha and Alex took a verse each before uniting in the chorus for a chilling display of their vocal chemistry. No one could have unhypnotized the audience.

Next up was their first single ‘Holes into the Night’. Released in 2011 it was an instant radio hit and gained so much positive response that it propelled them into creating their 2013 self titled debut album. With the propulsive beat, heavenly melodic textures and satisfyingly crunchy bass, I can see why. They ended with ‘Mainline To The Sun’, the B-side of the previous track which juxtaposed a sinister baseline drone against a hazy, laidback rock tune.

Overall it was like listening to alternative bands on the radio in the 90s but with a euphoric electro twist. Watch out, these guys will haunt you.

– Published on Critical Wave

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Review of The 1975 at Green Door Store

07 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by Yoga Panther in 'Critical Wave' reviews, Arts, Music

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

band, gig, gig review, The 1975, The Green Door Store

541365_10151274733812321_1593997909_nSex, chocolate and indie-pop. Of course I’m referring to the music of The 1975, who are on a roll at the moment with three EPs under their belts, copious radio exposure and a debut album on the way.

The Green Door Store was host to two four-piece bands from opposite ends of the country; playing at home were Brightonian pop rock group The New Union who whet our appetites for a feast of musical talent from Mancunian band The 1975.

Adam (guitar), George (drums) and Ross (bass) took to the stage as turquoise beads of light from the disco ball bounced around the room. The hoodie-clad musicians were then joined by ominous lead vocalist and guitarist, Matt, dressed in black from head to toe. This contrast of pop-esque lighting with their dark demeanour reflected their music style – a blend of synthy pop rock with themes of fear, sex, drugs and death.

Nevertheless, his vocals were effortlessly sharp, if not a bit more edgy with a cold. You know how singers sound brilliant on the record but rubbish live? Matt is one of the rare exceptions. As they played their latest single ‘Chocolate’ I could not help but compare the milky treat to his smooth, dreamy tones.

“We done an album pretty much,” was Matt’s opener for new track ‘Settle Down’ from their debut due for release in spring. After a selection of other non-EP songs which kept the crowd entertained, came the one what we’d all been waiting for. ‘Sex’. This track from their second EP of the same name really got us going…and Matt’s mane whipping.

The foursome rocked the risqué track as Matt sung, “But if we’re gonna do anything / We might as well just fuck / She’s got a boyfriend anyway,” seemingly implying that he can fill the gap, as it were, in her love life. During the interlude of ethereal, echoing guitars Matt head banged and jammed with guitarist Adam before singing the end of the song with his back to the audience. The wine had obviously impaired his sense of direction.

The female fans were suckers for his bad boy persona and Matt was pestered by gaggles of them for autographs and photos afterwards, ehem, myself included. After a cheeky snap I told him I was writing this review, to which he replied: “Ah excellent, don’t say anything bad will you?!” I think I’ve kept to my word, not that there was anything negative to report. When I asked him to sum up the gig, he exclaimed: “It was very warm!”

Well, whether he meant the temperature or the reception from the audience – he was spot on!

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Joker review

12 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by Yoga Panther in 'The Badger' articles, Arts, Music

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Tags

audio brighton, bass, club, DJ, dubtep, gig, Joker, live music, Music, The Vision, Tron

Audio is the perfect venue for dubstep. There is something about being in a smoky underground club with like minded individuals raving to heavy bass. Previous producers and DJs to grace its decks have included the likes of Scratch Perverts, SBTRKT and none other than Rusko. Ever since I attended Audio’s Supercharged night to see Drumsound and Bassline Smith I have been hooked. After seeing the excellent line-up for 2012 I didn’t hesitate to head on down to see Joker drop some beats.

With tracks from his new album, The Vision, along with his own remixes, and some mainstream dubstep for good measure, the gig was absolutely buzzing. Being right at the front, next to the massive speakers, you could really appreciate the seriously heavy bass (it made the hairs on my arms vibrate) and examine Joker’s mad skills close up.

This Bristol-based producer emerged on the scene during the purple (post-) dubstep movement. Joker (Liam McLean) infuses dubstep with grime, garage and R&B to create a fresh take on the genre. Dr Dre, G-Funk and Benga are among his influences, as well as video game chiptune music.

Joker started making music at 14, was DJing regularly a year later, and was dubstep’s greatest hope by 18, being named ‘2009 King of Bass Music’ by XLR8R Magazine. Since then he has churned out a stream of successful singles each one better and quirkier than the last. Now at just 22 he also has a debut album under his belt: The Vision.

His album has arrived after years of delays and false starts. It is definitely more pop-orientated than his previous work, with its countless featured artists and electro tones. Perhaps he is trying to follow the blue print set out by artists like Deadmau5, Daft Punk and David Guetta who have amplified their success by becoming part of pop-culture.

The first single on the album, Tron, with its synthetic wobble and thumping bass pulses, is the most heavily dubstep focused, and a classic Joker track. His next single, and my personal favourite, The Vision (Let Me Breath) featuring Jessie Ware, is excellent in so many ways; the jagged edge synth lines, the sonic twists, and the fattened up arcade game timbers. The final and most recent single On My Mind featuring William Cartwritght has a staccato synth beat reminiscent of Justin Timberlake’s My Love, further emphasising an attempt to mainstream. However the lyrics, “Rumour has it that you want a man with a big di-di- (wait for it) digital following” seems slightly out of place as it is presented without a hint of humour.

There is no denying that Joker works wonders on the dancefloor with these more upbeat tracks but the rest of the album rewards chilled out, funky tracks like Milky Way, My Trance Girl and Electric Sea. Slaughter House offers a crunchy synth melody, while Level 6 as the name rightly suggests, is an example of Joker’s obsession with video game loops, bringing with it a sense of nostalgia.

The Vision is definitely worth a listen, and if you’re a dub fan eager for more talent like this, live and up close, a trip to Brighton’s number one bass night is a must. This week it’s Emalkay and coming soon are Feed Me, Dub Phizix and the legendary Rusko will be returning on 21st March.

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Sam Graham Yoga Teacher

I'm Sam Graham – a yoga teacher and content editor with a love of Japanese culture.

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