Phoning it in

Dispatches from the back of the venue

Genre: Dreampop

  • My Bloody Valentine

    My Bloody Valentine

    My Bloody Valentine on a short tour, their first in 7 years and if I’m not mistaken this is their first time back in Manchester since 2013. Famously MBV are not known for their productivity. To put this in perspective, since they were last in town, the musically incontinent antipodean psych-rockers, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have released 27 studio albums. MBV have teased new EPs, or a new album but nothing has emerged since. So why are they here?. No new music, not even a reissue (they’ve done that – a few times). Maybe something was planned to coincide with these dates (it wouldn’t be the first time). But here they are anyway and it’s a chance to give this uncanny and massively influential music an outing, and judging by the number of younger folk in the sold out venue, a chance for new fans to experience MBV live for the first time. Make no mistake they ARE a big deal – and to a new generation of Indie pop crazed youngsters, they are as significant as The Velvet Underground or The Stooges or The Ramones were to MBV. This gig sold out within minutes.

    Before all that there’s a support act and a chance to scout out the vast and confusingly branded Factory International Aviva Studios Warehouse as it currently known. It’s not designed exclusively for gigs – It is a multi-functional performance space that can be fitted out for all manner of theatre and art productions. For gigs it can transform into – er –  a massive 5,000 capacity room – double the size of it’s nearest rival for standing only (Manchester Academy) and effectively a giant black box with a stage at one end (disappointingly low considering how much ceiling there is – the sight lines are poor for anyone under 6 foot). Bands could do more with this space but, especially if they’re touring regular enormodomes (as MBV are) it’s not really feasible to rearrange their setup to make the best of the Warehouse. The sound is really good though, the vibe is relaxed and I’m pleased to catch most of the support set by Maria Somerville without a load of blokes chatting and buying their pre-gig beers.

    Hailing from Galway, Maria is signed to 4AD and has a striking and imaginative new record ‘Luster’ to promote as well as an excellent EP of remixes including one by post-rock legends Seefeel which you should stop reading this and go and listen to right now: 

    I’m really taken with her short set which switches between more strident, grungey shoegazey noise, delicate ballads and feedback drenched outré-rock. Maria is touring in her own right next year and I will definitely go see a full show. 

    It’s fair to say MBV have always been a tricky proposition as a live band. To try and recreate their music, particularly from 1991’s peerless ‘Loveless’ onward (which makes up half the 19 song set) has always required pushing the boundaries of what technology can do – particularly at the intense volume levels that they notoriously insist on (free earplugs are available). It is a balance of sweet, delicate and vaporous melodies versus total obliterative noise, arsequake bass and thundering rhythm. Incredibly difficult to pull off and one wonders if the pathologically perfectionist Kevin Shields is ever truly satisfied with what they can achieve on stage, in the moment without endless studio tinkering. But he’s here, they’re here – let’s see it- and hear it – VERY VERY LOUD. 

    Part of the appeal of MBV was, like The Velvets, they always looked the part- like A Proper Band – a not a ‘lad band’ either – a band of cool boys and cool girls. On stage is the same line-up since 1988 – the one that was on the front of NME and Melody Maker and on my student digs wall – looking effortlessly hip and somewhat slightly dazed – Colm Ó Cíosóig- at the back clattering the drums as only he can, Debbie Goodge stays close by Colm – locked in, driving the music on  – operating heavy machinery while maintaining the scaffolding for Kevin’s wayward wall of sound. Belinda Butcher lurks on the opposite side to Kevin, killer heels, inscrutably cool and seemingly unfazed by the sonic mayhem emitting from his corner. Shields, as ever, has a vast bank of amplifiers teetering behind him and wanders in front of it looking like the proprietor of a particularly chaotic guitar shop. Everything has to be just so. More of this later. 

    The opener ‘I Only Said’ suffers somewhat amid a gloopy mix while the state of the art PA and music technology tries to make sense of the amount of sonic information pouring off the stage – however, once Colm clicks the count in for ‘When You Sleep’ everything bursts into technicolour. It is loud, as per, but it’s not just noise and waves of guitars – there is a really hefty bass and kick drum. You can dance if you want to.

    Unlike previous occasions I’ve seen them there is one key new element… the vocals are almost audible over the wall of guitars. Not so much that you can hear the words (you can’t really hear them on the records either) but enough that we can hear Belinda and Kevin softly cooing to each other whereas previous performances have been almost instrumental as sound engineers wrestle with the volume balance on and off stage. You can sing along if you want to. 

    Even MBV can’t work miracles but when it works, it really works. The (new) light show and the vastness of the venue and the mostly excellent sound system make this immersive as it can be. ‘New You’, a perfect pop moment from their 3rd LP provides some light relief and there are even harmony vocals. ‘Thorn’ and ‘Nothing Much to Lose’ showcase the more freewheeling, scuzzier period when they were no less innovative but more ‘pedal to the metal’ and sound suitably immense – full of dynamics.

    When it doesn’t work they fail admirably – ‘Who Sees You’ is an overlong and ungainly mess. ‘To Here Knows When’ – one of the most extraordinary and hallucinatory records you will ever hear is gamely chased around the stage but they fail to capture it’s elusive beauty – eventually drowning under a mudbath of atonal guitar Fx. Hats off for trying though (and by the way Kevin has a new hat perched on his long gingery locks- which makes him look a bit like either Noddy Holder or Ian Hunter). 

    ‘Soon’ is dedicated to fallen Stone Roses bass player Mani (Kevin’s bandmate during the 00s when both joined Primal Scream – Mani nicknamed him ‘Bagpuss’) and sounds spectacular with the underpinning Balearic beat right up in the mix making things get very baggy indeed..and then half way through the power goes in Kevin’s corner. And suddenly the gig has crashed. Switch it off and on again…

    We can still hear the backing track and I wonder if they’re going to riff on the Andy Weatherall mix until it grinds to a halt. A small battalion of technicians flock around the stage while Kevin, very quiet up till now, somewhat surprisingly takes it all in his stride chats to the audience and talks about the state of the world for a bit like he’s at an open mic night. They get the power back on and have another bash at ‘Soon’ and it cuts out again almost in the same place. There’s a long break while they try and get his vast rig of amps and gizmos to power up again and – as they scurry around trying to get all this…stuff…to work I find myself wondering what it is really for… is it a pose, it it a wind up? Is it just part of the t’s and c’s…the notoriously hermetic Kevin will tour but there are strings attached, and cables, and plug and pedals….a tech spec that is the stuff of nightmares for the people behind the scenes but – maybe that’s what he needs to get him on stage and ‘feeling it’ and creating all the control he needs over his frequencies I guess. Who knows. 


    Eventually it all crackles back to life – just in time to complete the set but there’s a sense of the spell being broken as they launch into an endlessly churning, almost feral freak-out of ‘Wonder 2’ and the traditional closer of ‘Feed Me With Your Kiss’ and ‘You Made Me Realise’ which infamously has the white/pink noise middle 8 that can go on indefinitely.. it might still be going on for all I know – reader, I had a train to catch. I hope I didn’t break anyone’s reverie as I made my exit – I was enjoying the noise bath too. 

    So, as ever, a mixed bag of mayhem ranging from totally thrilling to totally frustrating but never less then totally unique. It was on a far bigger scale but similar to if you’d seen them in a scuzzy Indie club or Camden pub in the late 80s. My Bloody Valentine are MY BLOODY FUCKIN’ VALENTINE and we should treasure them while they exist – especially for the younger ones in tonight who really did get the authentic experience – and who knows when some of them might form a band too…put me on the guest list if you do. 

  • These New Puritans

    These New Puritans

    It’s fair to say I was an early adopter of TNP. Initially they had some of the hallmarks of what I call Lamacq Rock ™. Evening Radio 1 friendly, signed to Domino, and with neo-post-punk sound that got them bracketed with Klaxons, LCD Soundsystem et al. The drummer was a model for brands like Dior and Prada. So far, so late 00s Indie Pop. But from the off there was something otherworldly about them. I saw an early gig back in 2008 and there was definitely something going on, a certain intensity and seriousness, whatever it was…they meant it. It wasn’t this gig but it went something like this: 

    In fact the clues were all there – they sure weren’t The Kaiser Chiefs. And sure enough 5 critically acclaimed albums later, here they are at the White Hotel which is already packed to the rafters, rapt and ready. Now settled around a core of twin brothers Jack and George Barnett they have evolved into a band that can be comfortably filed alongside the unfathomable fringes of the mildewy English underground alongside This Heat, The Work, Robert Wyatt, Anthony Moore, Scritti Politti, imperial phase Talk Talk, Bark Psychosis – you know ‘that lot’. This is deadly serious music but with a yearning melancholic edge and a very appealing musicality and melody. They also like beats, some tracks are underpinned by a lurching, hip hop influenced, massive attack thwack (which they were always doing from the early days).

    Tonight’s set draws on the delicate but bracing new LP ‘Crooked Wing’ along with choice cuts from their modest but tightly quality-controlled back catalogue. We get everything from piano driven, post-Industrial ballads like ‘I’m Already Here’ – to a thunderous, tub-thumping ‘We Want War’. Twin Jack is an engaging vocal presence – besuited, sometimes donning a Bowie-esque trilby, throwing some shapes and generally making an effort to put a bit of a show on and ‘project’ (readers of this blog will know how much I appreciate that).

    The sight-lines in the ‘orrible ‘otel mean it’s hard to see what else is going on but there are mallet instruments, a tabletop guitar thing and lots of electronics and percussion including the obligatory chains for someone to rattle. On previous live occasions they could be a little dry, a little studied – often swelled to 10 or more musicians, depending on the budget. Tonight they perform as an economical 4 piece, in a packed club rather than a more theatrical setting – and far from being limited by the more minimal approach they really shine – the songs get a chance to roam more than usual – like ‘V – Island Song’ which extends it’s beautiful organ coda out so we can bask in it for a few more minutes. They’re ‘a band’ tonight rather than the twins and some hired hands.  

    It all comes together with the closing epic ‘Organ Eternal’ – interlocking Steve Reich keys, gradually building percussion and lightning bolts of guitar that builds slowly into a series of crescendos and waves that far outshine the (already excellent) LP version. Toward the end, they borrow a neat trick from Kraftwerk and each Puritan steps away in turn takes a bow, leaving the stage to the others to keep the eternal groove going until there is just one Puritan left to decide when to take us out of the stratospheric orbit back down to Salford. This is the best performance I’ve seen them do. Coherent, connective and definitive. No encore. Less is more. They really should play more. Catch the 4 Piece Puritans if you can. 

  • Milan.W and Tristanne

    Milan.W and Tristanne

    I first became aware of Milan W. (aka Milan Warmoeskerken) when the Flemish polymath was awarded 2024 album of the year by Manchester’s enigmatic Boomkat – an online record store that can be relied upon to sift out record releases that no algorithm on earth would put your way. They praised ‘Leave Another Day’ to the heavens and rightly so and I’m intrigued by the chance to hear this curious, immaculately crafted and otherworldly music performed in a basement.

    Support comes from fellow Belgian, Tristanne who is quietly poised behind a keyboard – occasionally switching between flute and adding her own vocals. Like the headliner she’s worked in multiple genres too – including some quite strident, jazzy pop but tonight -performing solo – the focus is on drifting, dreamy ambience with lots of cinematic and orchesral colours which sets the mood just right.

    There’s a respectable sized crowd by time Milan takes to the stage joined by a keyboard player and a seated, acoustic guitarist. The performance is entirely drawn from the ‘Leave Another Day’ record and what is remarkable is how this minimal setup can completely convey the hazy mood of that record. It’s a studious, focused performance – no great theatrics or stage patter – just excellent musicians playing with elegance and care. The interplay between the two guitarists is where the magic happens – weaving lush harmonics between them and filling the grotty Soup cellar with sonic cathedrals of sound particularly as the acoustic player flips between pkaying through an echo machine and a bit of frippertronics with a e-bow. It’s intricate and delicious. Musically I’m reminded of Les Disques Du Crepuscuile label of the early 80s particularly the likes of Antena, Tuxedomoon and Manchester’s own Durutti Column – and indeed a wondeful eveing provided by our Belgian Friends.

    It does make me wonder what Milan W will move on to next, whether he’ll make more records in this mode or whether this was something of a one-off. If the latter, for all it’s rather low key atmosphere this was something to treasure.

  • Peel Dream Magazine & Tulpa

    Peel Dream Magazine & Tulpa

    It’s a warm balmy evening and so even though it’s Monday there’s lots of people enjoying the last rays on Stevenson Square (you take your beer garden opportunities when they arise round these parts) but that hasn’t put off a decent crowd descending the steps into the grotty but welcoming Soup cellar – amid the scuzzy, graffiti strewn vibe (CBeebies GBs I call it) the aircon is on, the vibe is cool and slightly damp – and there’s some suitably summery rock action going down.

    First up, from Leeds, Tulpa who I’ve not had the pleasure of seeing before. They’re a four piece and I’m immediately taken by their sound which has some bendy Kevin Shields guitar noise mixed with post-punk dynamics and, importantly, catchy and memorable melodic drive. What really gets them extra points is they do something too many young bands shy away from – they aren’t afraid to get a good head of steam going and keep it locked rather than switching to the next song. Tulpa let the instrumental sections of the songs go round a few bars to give time for some nice, grungey riffage and let the twin guitars ring for a bit – not to the point of self-indulgence or (god help us) ‘jamming’, but long enough to have impact and reel the listener in. It works and they have the audience right on side. They’ve got some great material, they’re cool, they play with quiet confidence and verve. My guess is next time I see them they’ll be headlining – they’re very good indeed.

    Up next, from LA, Peel Dream Magazine. I’ve been very much enjoying their records and this is my first time seeing them live. Their music takes some cues from shoegaze, dream pop, Avant pop and the smarter, quirkier end of the American songbook (Van Dyke Parks for instance). It’s very cleverly produced, enigmatic and quietly remarkable. They have some obvious influences, they clearly have spent a great deal of time poring over the back catalogue of Stereolab (seems a reasonable way to spend your time) – but they do it in such a way that they add a whole new dimension of their own. I like it when I hear an artist reimagining music I grew up with in their own image and taking new steps those artists didn’t take. PDM have a habit of homing in on elements in music that I really like that makes me think “oh you’re hearing that the way I hear it”. PDM are so good you can imagine them being cited as an influence by future artists. That in fact, is how Pop history works kids.

    I do wonder how they might translate their elegant, multi-instrumental music in a low-budget live format. With the best will in the world, I doubt it would be financially viable for PDM to bring a vibraphone player (never mind said instrument) on a short European club tour. The answer is to take the songs and reframe them for a 4 piece guitar band – and it works a treat. They do use a bit of ‘track’, just to add some keyboard backing which the drummer fires off from his pads. Much like High Llamas (who they don’t imitate but share some musical DNA) the songs are good enough that they can stand up with a basic band format. This gives a different spin on the songs compared to their records – in fact PDM positively rock out at times, particularly when leaning into their earlier, louder songs.

    There’s a really good crowd in, in spite of the not entirely Pop-friendly Monday night and outdoorsy weather. PDM leader Joseph Stephens is a man of few words, and has said he doesn’t like gigs where people are talking. Fortunately tonight, in our musty cellar underneath the Northern Quarter people are getting into it, we’re all on the same page and, for both bands it’s very much a Listening Room.

  • Pale Blue Eyes & Shaking Hand

    Pale Blue Eyes & Shaking Hand

    The Devon / Sheffield crossover Dream pop combo delight a Wednesday night crowd in Manchester

    Support comes from Shaking Hand who I’ve already seen at one of the excellent Hot Take band showcase gigs at Yes Manchester. They strike up an unhurried, circular groove and there’s something immediately appealing about them as the venue fills and people gather to listen rather than ignore, as can happen with supports. We’re in good hands with this unassuming 3 piece – guitar / vocalist playing distinctive weaving guitar parts, a drummer pattering away with jazzy flourishes but with a pleasing kick, and a bassist who frequently doubles as a twin lead – playing the higher register of the instrument. They have a post-rock edge to them, a little bit of Slint or early Tortoise perhaps, or the fabled Leeds band Hood and while the pieces they play are enjoyably drifty at times – they aren’t averse to wrong-footing us with a sudden tempo change, a burst of noise, a scrape of strings here or a cheeky rhythmic curveball there. They wear their guitars well, they play studiously but with a confidence that suggests they know how they good they are- I like them a lot and, judging by the applause, everyone else does too. There appears to be no recorded material available but hopefully they’re busy in a studio somewhere bottling that magic.

    On to the headliners. I’m a bit behind the curve with Pale Blue Eyes but Piccadilly Records piqued my interest and I’ve been enjoying their latest record ‘New Place’ which it turns out is their 3rd album so I’ve some catching up to do. For a band who trade in dreamy, shoegazey pop they have a disarmingly chummy and light hearted air about them – in fact their footwear remains un-gazed at and they spend most of the time looking and grinning at each other and the audience – it turns out PBE here to have a good time and so should we.

    The band have toured with Slowdive and they share a love of using guitars and keyboards to create a sea bed for the songs to float on but they have their own distinct sound that is sparkly, upbeat and distinctly pop-tastic. Lots of major chords, and at times this sounds like ‘The Big Music’ – think Simple Minds in their early 80s pomp but also informed by Stereolab, and the locked groove of Neu! or La Dusseldorf – but just when it seems they might lean a bit too much into that well-worn trench coat – they pull out a moody, slower number or throw in a gorgeous chord pattern or bassline that has their own distinct stamp on it. They have art college roots – and drummer Lucy, it transpires wrote a thesis about Cabaret Voltaire – so, again, we’re in safe hands and these people know what they’re doing

    There’s something very appealing and convivial about PBE – there is a husband & wife duo at the core (Matt and Lucy), who have relocated from Devon to Sheffield and the new record which is informed by upheaval and loss – and it’s hard not to be moved by the joy emanating from the stage – they feel like one of those bands that will inspire a certain amount of loyalty (I’m thinking of Sea Power who they’ve supported) and they’re going to be a bit of a regular fixture. I’m on board!

  • High Llamas & Novelty Island

    High Llamas & Novelty Island

     

    We covered High Llamas recently and if you read that review you’ll know we werent about to pass up the chance to see them again as they enchant the people of Liverpool, for the first time in 15 years

    First up though are Novelty Island – the “surreal pop project” of one Tom McConnell who grew up between Newcastle and Liverpool – two tough port cities at opposite ends of the North with huge cultural and musical identities and a lot of inspiration to draw on.

    I was only dimly aware of the band before so I did some homework and listened to a recent release ‘Taped Over’ on Bandcamp which is a really smart record full of glorious, breezy pop hooks but with a woozy, sun-baked electronic edge and those little killer chord changes I always look for in songwriting. There also seem to be some interesting graphic nods to railways and rainbows and geography, this is sure to be good. I make sure I arrive on time to see them.

    I wasn’t sure how this would be presented – maybe a couple of musicians and a laptop – so I’m surprised to see Tom has brought a 6 piece supergroup with him – so many that their drummer is relegated to the side of the stage, on the floor and completely out of sight – we can only just glimpse some sticks flailing behind a speaker stack. Drummer and band take all this in their stride and deliver a thoroughly enjoyable set as the venue gradually fills up. I get to hear the full-band version of what Novelty Island do – big, bold and fully arranged songs like ‘Cowboy on a Bicycle’ and ‘This Bird’ – this is mighty fine stuff.

    There’s an obvious Beatle influence but specifically they remind me of the good bits of the 1970s George Harrison records (that is meant as high praise). I get also a hint of the more adventurous 70s songwriters like Andrew Gold and 10CC spring to mind – and maybe Andy Partridge’s more kaleidoscopic moments and definitely the Irish band Pugwash. This is a great fit for a crowd here to see High Llamas and they go down a treat. I pick up a cassette copy of ‘Taped Over’ at the merch table which seems apt – I now need to work my way through their expanding back catalogue , and so should you.

    High Llamas – much like the support act, tend to be regarded as a solo project for Sean O’Hagan but in fact the same core line up has been there throughout – and here tonight: Marcus Holdaway on keys, Jon Fell on bass, Rob Allum an drums. They’re joined on this tour by O’Hagan junior, Livvy who provides vocal and percussion support making this feel like even more of a family affair. For all of the complexity of the music, the performance is unassuming, informal and a little raggedy. Sean wrestles with a malfunctioning Sampler, has a minor wardrobe malfunction and while tuning-up and recounts a few past tales of mishaps at gigs all of which adds to the charm. The venue, while delightfully laid out and atmopsheric does have a bit of a flaw in that you can hear the band downstairs during quieter moments – which reminds Sean of playing in Seattle downstairs from a very loud grunge band and asking them to turn it down because “we were playing banjos!”.

    The crowd are very reverent, particularly for Liverpool who can be a right chatty lot at times- High Llamas don’t come around very often and people want to just drink it in and listen- but it’s an evening full of joy and each song is met with hearty applause. Like with the Hebden Bridge show ‘Hey Panda’ makes up a lot of the set. It’s the most critically acclaimed Llamas record in many years so I suspect most people know the songs now and it makes a great centerpiece for the set – combining, as it does, the typical baroque pop of Van Dyke Parks or Fred Neil with Sean’s fascination with contemporary hip hop & R&B. The other key work on display is the underrated ‘Snowbug’ which Sean has said is his favourite album and gets 4 tracks in the set – definitely one for a reappraisal.

    The set is pretty much the same as Hebden Bridge last year – complete with ‘Jackie’ (from ‘Here Come the Rattling Trees’) becoming an unlikely audience participation number. They encore with the song that nearly got Sean a job producing the Beach Boys – ‘Checking In, Checking Out’ .Unlike the last time I saw them this is planned and they have worked out the middle 8 and added a lovely coda for the audience to join in again. They could have played another 90 mins and still not run out of fantastic songs, such is the High Lllamas songbook, brimming over with quirky, curious song cycles and skewed grooves.

    A wondrous gig with a very appreciative crowd applauding one of the finest and most idiosyncratic songwriters of our times and his brilliant band in a city that knows one of those when it sees one.

     

  • deary

    deary

    This is the (all lower case) deary’s first gig in Manchester and there’s a full basement and a definite sense of anticipation, I’ve certainly been looking forward to this one. It’s hard to talk about this band without mentioning their influences which, as part of the Sonic Cathedral roster, they wear loud and proud. Yes they do sound a lot like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine but really, by 2024 those bands have become as influential as Joy Division, The Cure, Can, Kraftwerk, The Velvet Underground, Love and The Doors were on previous generations of shy Indie kids. The fact is, a lot of young bands have embraced the pejorative ‘shoegazing’ tag and are running with it and making it their own – and unlike the 1st wave of shoegazers there are no NME journalists demanding they stop and be more like Guns N’ Roses (this actually happened).

    Let’s just accept that the NME journalists and Ladrock cheerleaders lost – Shoegaze/Dreampop is firmly established as a genre – but a template and jumping off point rather than a set of rules (aside : I’m on a Canterbury Scene Facebook group which eternally ties itself in knots debating what is, and what isn’t ‘Canterbury’ like some creaky old arts committee deciding what can be allowed into the catalogue raisonné – it’s both tragic and hilarious – I suspect the same goes on with Shoegaze/Dreampop). In which case, it’s no good just having some FX pedals, nice guitars and ethereal vocals – it becomes about the songs and fortunately deary have songs to burn and melodies to melt your heart.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-RgOyTrYlE

    I’ve loved their two EPs so far their self titled debut and the latest ‘Aurelia’ are magnificent and we get highlights from both tonight. They also have presence and a touch of magic about them and as they start their set with the aptly named ‘Heaven’ and get into their stride there’s definite intensity to them which crackles through the room. Brilliantly, the audience is rapt and it’s one of those nights where there’s nobody nattering and everyone seems to be hanging on every minute – even when they’re tuning up for the next song as if we all know we’re witnessing something very special.

    deary’s secret weapon is rhythm and the core of the group, Dottie & Ben are joined by an excellent drummer and bass player who bring that to the fore even more than on their records and it’s a joy to watch them at work – it reminds me of when My Bloody Valentine veered toward dance music on ‘Soon’ and maybe Massive Attack’s songs with Elizabeth Fraser – deary have yet to make an LP but maybe that’s something they might expand on. A stunning gig that flew by in a heartbeat – can’t wait to see where they go next.

     

  • Seefeel

    Seefeel

    I first saw Seefeel 30 odd years ago supporting Cocteau Twins and was immediately grabbed by the fact that while they presented as a traditional 4 piece guitar band, they didn’t sound like a ‘beat combo’ at all – swirling, looped sounds, distant vocals mangled so the line between voice and synthesised sound becomes blurred, and great thwacking bass (memorably played by Darren Seymour – twirling it around his head like it was a majorettes baton). Truly in a class of their own and I’ve been an avid fan ever since.

    The band have returned, sporadically over the years, and got some critical reappraisal recently with the material they recorded for Warp records being reissued as an excellent box set complete with a wodge of unreleased gems that – unlike a lot of ‘extra tracks’ are well worth your attention. Seemingly out of nowhere, a new mini-LP ‘dropped’ earlier this year on Warp. ‘Everything Squared’ is delicious and bridges the gap between the billowing clouds of looped guitar and sub-bass of their earlier stuff and the spartan, icy plains of their mid-period work.

    A gig by these is a rare thing indeed and with no danger of a moshpit I get down the front for the full arsequake bass experience and perhaps to try and figure out how Seefeel works. They’re down to a 3 piece tonight with core members Sarah Peacock and Mark Clifford joined by a bass player (I didn’t catch his name and this reviewer thought it was a returning Seymour?) and while the bass stays firmly below head height you could lie down and take a nap on the colossal subsonic waves coming off the stage.

    The set opens with ‘Climatic Phase’ from their debut ‘Quique’ and it is one of those goose-bump moments as they gradually build the track up from looping samples, fragments of vocal and guitar building toward the dub bass and everything locks in. They still sound like nobody else. The set mixes those early Too Pure tracks with a selection from the new record and you can’t see the join. It’s a privilege to watch them at work, up close – and it’s not as if we’re seeing behind the curtain as I’m none the wiser how they make a few FX pedals, some guitars, a laptop and some singing sound so other-worldly.

    It’s a relatively short set but warmly received by a very attentive audience of old heads and few curious pop-crazed youngsters who hopefully leave inspired like I was 30 years hence. Leave ’em wanting more I guess, and we do. Their is talk of a new full length LP and apparently Mark Clifford only puts out a fraction of the material he records so hopefully I will have my atoms rearranged by Seefeel again before too long. Majestic.

     

  • Immersion (Colin Newman & Malka Spigel)

    Immersion (Colin Newman & Malka Spigel)

    While sensible people are staying home with the immersion on, I’m braving the sub-zero ice and snow ‘cos Immersion are on.

    Last time I saw Colin Newman on a stage he was fronting his day-job band, Wire, at Band on the Wall just before Covid curtailed their touring plans in 2020. With the band now seemingly on hiatus (check out Matthew Simm’s Memorials and Graham Lewis’ latest – both mighty fine ) Colin and his partner, musician and artist Malka Spigel have been keeping very busy with a weekly radio show and reviving Immersion which started 30(!) years ago as a way of exploring the duo’s fascination for club music and electronica. I saw them play a mesmerising set at Wire’s ‘retrospective’ comeback at the Royal Festival Hall in 2000 (we only have this excerpt:)

    – and tonight’s set up is very similar – a bank of electronics and the duo silhouetted against a video projection except tonight, they are facing the audience. There are songs too, with vocals from both and Colin occasionally reaches for a guitar and Malka is bashing away at a Korg synthesiser with considerable gusto – so although the austerity budget didn’t stretch to bringing a live drummer over for the tour, it makes this feel like a gig you can engage in rather watching some laptop jamming.

    There are familiar, signature drones which remind you of their initial incarnation and the downright essential ambient classic ‘Low Impact’ but Immersion has morphed into something more open-ended and actually very danceable – there are beats galore and trouser-flapping bass as well as some very enjoyable detours into kosmiche musik and Dreampop (if we need to get into genres).

    There is an airy, almost new-age positivity about Immersion which might sound a bit flowery in less talented hands but with two of the coolest musicians on the planet in charge who know of what they sing/speak, it works and the audience response reflects this right back – all smiles. The audience is a mix of people of a certain age but also curious younger folk who are enjoying the hefty basslines and beats these two, ridiculously youthful 70 year olds are firing off and we’re all moving with them. Immersion are bringing their sound and art to your town – go and see them!