New album “Crush Depth” was a year in the making, with the process likened to “giving birth to a 14-pound spiny lobster. Slow, agonising and bloody“. To celebrate their new arrival, Hackney’s Bocking Street Warehouse was transformed into the ‘Chrome Hoof Space Station‘, where we were told revellers would be “taken on an inter-planetary voyage of discovery through space, time and music”. They do like a bit of hyperbole do the Hoof, but the huge sparse warehouse was equipped with the mother of all sound-systems, designed to make your eardrums feel like they’ve been beaten by the combined forces of Bonham, Purdie & the Animal. Watch the video below for a flavour of the night, although the mega speakers overwhelmed my camera mic, requiring a few little audio snips and cheats.

At 1am the gurgling synth intro of “Crystalline” rings out & the massed ranks of the Hoof emerge through the smoke, resplendent in head to toe spangly cloaks… think Gandolf the Grey if all he’d had to magic up some clothing were leftover disco balls. The crowd roar approval as the “Temporary Secretary“esque analogue opening transforms into a full on horn and violin driven assault, as is the way with Chrome Hoof’s “take 5 genres, then mix thoroughly” approach to music.

At the centre of it all is Hoof & Spektrum lead singer Lola Olafsoye, often described as voodoo priestess/Grace Jones/dominatrix/sultry, she certainly owns the stage, but the rest of the ensemble are hardly shrinking violets.

Of the two founding brothers Leo & Milo Smee, its Bassist Leo who takes Chrome Hoof closest to the death metal sound of his previous band, Cathedral. Donning a metal mask pilfered from MF Doom’s dressing room, he roars his way through the full on doom metal of “Death is Certain?” ably abetted by Emma Sullivan who summons up a scream that would have the priest hurriedly unpacking his exorcism kit.

Elsewhere tracks like “Vaporise” meld funk, electro and more to have dancefloor lovers salivating. Where some groups flit between styles over the course of an album, Hoof will switch time signatures, five different genres and various rhythms in one track. Skittering R&B beats, thudding 808 acid bass getting down and dirty with the classically trained sounds Sarah Anderson on Violin, and Chloe Herington on Saxophone and “what the fuck is that thing that birds playing” (as the bloke standing next to me asked his mate… a Bassoon I believe).

Every album sees the Chrome Hoof clan expand and Iranian guitarist Kavus Torabi (below) seems a particular fine addition. According to Wiki (and its funny enough not to care if its true) he learnt guitar by inventing his own form of notation and using it to score out the theme from CHIPS. I was about to suggest his axe work has more grunt than Erik Estrada’s chopper, but I’ll swiftly back away from that analogy as the Urban dictionary informs me Erik Estrada is a sexual manoeuvre involving aviator sunglasses and motorcycle noises.

As if there wasn’t enough to keep your attention on stage, two dancers are positioned on plinths above the crowd. Their mission, to get the crowd moving (as if encouragement were needed) while wearing futuristic outfits picked up when the BBC called time on Sylvester McCoy era Dr.Who.

With a final flourish, the band bring out their answer to Maiden’s “Eddie” or ACDC’s inflatable uber-breasted woman, a 12ft tall chrome goat with metal hooves and flashing eyes. Previous incarnations of the goat were ritually sacrificed, but version 3 provides a suitable climax to the show and encore.

SECRET CINEMA – BLADERUNNER

A few weeks later a last minute trip to “Secret Cinema” offered an unexpected chance to see Chrome Hoof again. Secret Cinema started out as small wonderfully thought out word of mouth concept, enhancing the chosen film by screening it in a fitting venue or with a special guest and encouraging people to turn up dressed in the spirit of the film. So when they showed “Anvil“, they got the actual band to play afterwards. Initially one off screenings, they guarded the title of the chosen film and instructed the small number of attendees to “Tell No One!“. At the latest event, Bladerunner played twice daily for a week, and attendees can now buy t-shirts saying “Tell No One!“.

What hasn’t changed is the staggering attention to detail and inventiveness of the organisers. Its now become a kind of promenade theatre that Punchdrunk or Shunt might put on, immersing the audience in a world to wander.

Arriving at Canary Wharf, air hostesses welcome you to Utopia Airways ushering everyone onto buses while tourists and weekend city boys gaup at all the weird and wonderfully dressed people who’ve materialised in this mecca to money.

Each step of the way, actors playing parts from the film interact, so the bus abruptly stops and everyone inside is instructed to immediately draw the curtains. When most passengers respond by laughing, the “Bladerunner” screams to “shut them NOWWW!!”. For the rest of the journey he asks questions (as the film) designed to reveal if the chosen victim is a “humanoid”.

I’m not going to go through every detail of the experience as its simply too rich to cover in what’s ostensibly about Chrome Hoof! Suffice to say upon arrival at the hanger they’d chosen to show the film in, they’d recreated the Bladerunner world in its entirety. Midgets attack cars with baseball bats, hawkers tout carpets, film characters mingle, snakes and iguanas’ are offered to pose with, iris’s scanned, dancers writhe in-front of neon lights… its incredible. Enjoying the sun in the Warehouse yard I made the mistake of placing my pint on the boot of a wrecked car, only for a fleeing Zhona to send it flying while careering over the cars roof escaping a Bladerunner (as in the film).

Anyway, what band could they possibly pick to play Taffy’s Bar in a dystopian LA circa 2019… Chrome Hoof of course. So for all the twitterers and google searchers asking “Who were the band playing Secret Cinema…they were AWESOME”… Chrome Hoof is the answer!

Chrome Hoof – Facebook / Twitter / Buy the album + Tshirt

Look: RedBull sponsored photo gallery from the launch night

Secret Cinema Flickr set

Read: I Heart AU says Hoof raised the “live show to stratospheric proportions”

Spoonfed got hot and sweaty but loved the show.

Secret Cinema review

Listen:

Chrome Hoof – “ProNoid” (MP3)

Chrome Hoof – “DJ Mix” (MP3)

RedBull Academy radio has a superb recording of the bands Primavera Sound gig.

Watch:

Official film of Bladerunner Secret Cinema event

Even BBC News noticed Secret Cinema

After a hard & deeply thrilling day grouting bathroom tiles the option of sitting on my rapidly expanding posterior while watching a bunch of semi-celebrities playing terrible football on ITV seemed oddly appealing.   Thankfully at some point in the 2nd half sense prevailed and a quick dash to the Old Queens Head later I arrived in the nick of time to catch Meursault.

For this  “God Don’t Like It” organised free album launch five Scottish bands braved the Sassenach Capital.   Meursault’s timing couldn’t be better, the 2nd LP arrives as the buzz around the band reaches a new high.

And for once the excitement is justified – they may not be reinventing the wheel – but Neil Pennycock and his accomplices deliver on two fronts. They meld glitchy electronics to folk as well as the best of that genres exponents, but are equally capable of delivering a rousing tune stripped back to just banjo and vocal.  They seem to take a purverse delight in wrong footing the listeners expectations of which is the “Meursault sound”.

“Crank Resolutions” is from the laptop folk side of the catalogue and while I wouldnt quite agree with venerable blogger The Daily Growl’s description of it as “Song of the Year so far?”, its pretty special.

“William Henry Millar” is a tale of the Eighteenth Century politician, who unlike Lady Gaga was generally believed to be a hermaphrodite.  He also requested he be buried face down, 40 feet beneath the Earth. It’s an unlikely topic for a song that sets the audience off in a bout of joyful if slightly off kilter clapping along.

Before the closing number Pennycock shoots tongue in cheek glares at some in the audience unable to stop chattering. Live “One Day This’ll All Be Fields” improves on the recorded version, with the antique voice effect removed, and the crowd encouraged to add another dimension by sweetly singing along with the chorus. Its a fitting end to a short set, that certainly left me wanting more.

Meursault – Facebook / Myspace / Song By Toad Records
Meursault – “Crank Resolutions” (MP3)

Meursault – “A Few Kind Words” (MP3)

Meursault – “William Henry Millar Part 1″ (MP3)

Buy: Meursault – “All Creatures Will Make Merry” LP

Chrome Hoof’s new album’s been 3 years in the making so to celebrate its launch they’re throwing what promises to be one of the events of the year.

The Hoof live experience is the stuff of legend, a full 12-piece doom house electro-disco metal extravaganza, 30ft robots and a warehouse transformed into the Chrome Hoof space station for one evening. Simian Mobile Disco (DJs), Andrew Weatherall, David Holmes and Nathan J Wilkins are all on the bill plus extra special surprises on the night!

The Crush Depth party takes place at the Bocking Street Warehouse on the 4th of June. Tickets are 11 pounds and available here.

OR

WIN a PAIR OF TICKETS from Music Like Dirt courtesy of their label.

To enter simply leave a message via Facebook / Twitter / Comments at the bottom or good old fashioned email! On the 1st of June I’ll pick a winner at random. Good luck!

Chrome Hoof – Facebook / Twitter / Buy the album + Tshirt
Chrome Hoof – “ProNoid” (MP3)

Chrome Hoof – “DJ Mix” (MP3) – see bottom of post for tracklisting.

Track Listing:
1-Piramis – soha nem volt ilyen jo neked
2-Triumvirat – Illusions on a double dimple
3-Chrome Hoof – Towards Zero feat. J.P. Massiera
4-Whodini – Nasty Lady
5- African Headcharge – Some Bizarre
6- This Heat – 24 track loop
7- Visage – Night Train
8- Acid Junkies – sector 9
9- Kate Bush – sat in your lap
10- The Police – When the world is running down (edit)
11- Angletrax – Anorexia Nervosa
12- Chrome Hoof – Mental Peptides
13- Tontos Expanding Head Band – Birds Fly Free
14- Vangellis – Bacchanale
15- Blue Pyramid
16- Unique 3 – Theme (original chill mix)
17- King Crimson – Larks Tongues in Aspic

As lunchtime freebies go Musée Mécanique are a delight, serving up a beguiling mix of lush gentle folk pop, all laced with an air of nostalgia for the past, and perhaps the soon to be passed. Slimmed down to a 3 piece for this European jaunt, the lack of drummer and bass player doesn’t hamper their intricate sound. On either side of the singer an array of instruments, some seemingly homemade are strewn across two desks, with band members switching places at will. The clutter is added to by their decision to deconstruct the drum kit so upfront the singer operates the bass drum with his foot, the keyboard players toe flicks the high-hat, and stage left a spare tambourine is tied to a pedal under the desk of the guy with a melodica in his mouth.

Five years ago the core of the band moved to Portland, Oregon with a plan to write some songs. The resulting “Hold This Ghost” LP first emerged in late 2008 garnering praise from influential sites like Pitchfork. Theres a hint of pre Mr’s Robinson Simon & Garfunkel about some of the tunes although I dont recall Paul Simon playing a wood saw as vocalist Micah Rabwin does for their opening number.

As befitting a band named after a museum containing 200 coin-operated mechanical musical instruments and antique arcade machines the Musée sound is often wonderfully intricate.  Trinkets, xylophones, and ancient musical boxes layer upon each other momentarily transforming a sparse record store into a sepia tinged funfair. The audience listening while spinning on candycane stemmed horses from old merrygorounds .  It’s impossible to listen to “Our Changing Skins” without imagining a crackly old film containing some distant childhood memory played out in slo-motion.

They are equally effective when keeping it simple, “The Things That I Know“  begins with only a lovely plucked guitar line and Micah Rabwin’s sweet soft voice.  Its unusual to hear live music without the hum of people nattering at the bar but here there’s complete silence bar a clear guitar and voice. Exquisite.

Before making their exit the band reveal that their German record label thought it would be funny to book a big bright yellow 9 seater van for the tour. With only 3 members rattling around in it the band enquire if anyone fancies a trip to Brussels tomorrow? While I’d love to hear the album in full, I hear they do rotten caramel shortbread.

Musée Mécanique – Facebook / Twitter / Myspace

Listen: Musée Mécanique – “The Things That I Know” (MP3)

Buy: Musée Mécanique – “Hold This Ghost”

HibOO d’Live : Musee Mecanique “Things that I know” from Le-HibOO.com on Vimeo.

Kings Cross hasn’t quite shaken off its seedy air entirely but Kings Place on York Way is a good example of just how much times have changed. Certainly different to 14/15 years ago when I did a nights work as a cross between security guard and Satellite truck technician. That evening outside an Antipodean pick up joint, not unlike the Walkabout but without its air of sophistication was beyond grim. LiveTV! were broadcasting a dating show from within the sawdust floored cesspit, while I did my best to fend off aggressively beered up rugby types. The trip to the nightbus was obstacle course of discarded needles and the unwanted attention of drug ravaged prostitutes.

In 2010 the scene is slightly different, Kings Place, the first new public concert hall in London for 25 years has swapped the syringes for studious sophistication. The Guardian newspaper appropriately shares the building.
No chance then of the usual shoe sticking to floor gig experience for this the fourth night of Arctic Circles Bubbly Blue & Green festival. Gliding down the escalator to the subterranean concert halls the events theme of  ‘water music’, shipwrecks, rivers, waves and lighthouses is quickly apparent. Cutout fishes dangle above, watery textures project up onto the ceiling and two people dressed as Eskimo’s dangle sweets on the end of fishing rods to tempt the punters below. The Sone Institute play live watery soundscapes as we relax on comfy chairs, cup of tea tea in hand.  People are making origami creatures on a table nearby and the fishing couple above have cleverly attached a cam to the end of their rod, throwing a shimmery image of those below onto one wall. I’m starting to feel a little drowsy or at least more so than crowding round the bar deciding whether to have warm Carling, Carling or Carling.

Click here for a free 13 track compilation of artists who performed at the festival
Hamilton Yarns – “Search for the underwater town” (MP3)

It would be wonderfully dramatic to say the evenings performance is a once in a lifetime, one-off, never to be repeated experience, but strictly speaking its a two-off, (probably) never to be repeated which is special enough for me. Brighton based Willkommen records are cut from a similar cloth to Fifes celebrated Fence Collective, consisting of numerous bands, many with members in common who alongside their own LP’s seem to have the habit of interpreting each others work. The Willkommen Orchestra is made up of 20 musicians from four groups, The Miserable Rich, Shoreline, Sons of Noel & Adrian and The Climbers interpreting the songs of those groups en masse.
With a couple of dozen musicians on stage you’d be forgiven for expecting a battle of ego’s but the only evidence of such is a inadvertent slip of the tongue from The Miserable Rich’s lead singer James Malplaquet. Joking about the seething mass of ego’s present he introduced the section of Miserable Rich songs by saying “the next part of the evening features the music of MY group…” before swiftly correcting himself to a more “collective” description.

In truth the lack of arrogance seems at odds with the talent present, the 5 main vocalists take turns to spotlight their fabulously distinctive voices before shuffling off to shake a tambourine, provide backing vocals or guitar. The evening is a debut for The Climbers, the newest addition to the labels roster, although as is the Willkommen way they contain members of Sons Of Noel & Adrian, The Leisure Society and Miserable Rich. Tim West may be a low key front man but he’s assembled a cast of dozens to swell the anticipation for the May release of their 5 years in the making LP.

I’d been surprisingly underwhelmed by The Leisure Society supporting Alela Diane last year so it was a pleasure to hear Nick Hemming put his banjo aside for a moment and step up to the mic. Of the two tracks performed “In a Circle” (youtube) (if thats whats its called) was especially good.

The Climbers – Myspace / Facebook
Watch:
The Climbers / Willkommen Orchestra – “In a Circle” (Qik Video)
The Climbers / Willkommen Orchestra – “Anything” (Qik Video)
Listen:
The Climbers – “Uncommon” (MP3)

We unfortunatly missed Shoreline due to the ramshackle nature of Kings Place with the only open bar a floor up without a PA system to tell you the next performance is underway.

Shoreline – “Shipwrecked” (MP3)

I last saw The Miserable Rich completely accidently playing by the riverside under a Texan bridge as dusk fell and bats filled the sky, but this was the first time I’d heard their eagerly awaited new material. On the evidence of the four songs played the new songs are not as instant, less dark, but in the gorgeous at least “Oliver” may hold the promise of equalling one of the unsung albums of the last few years. James Malplaquet has an affecting voice at the best of times but when slowly intoning each word of “The… feast… of … Oliver” with the pin drop beautiful accompaniment of the choir its enough to make a grown man weep.

The sound produced by all present, brass, woodwind, string, piano, choir is at times overwhelming. Scanning the stage your eyes and ears pick out individual elements within the collective whole, whether that’s the ever present bearded Will Calderbank dashing between Cello and grand piano or the accordion player. The layers build and build into a glorious swell of sound but its the quieter moments that send tingles down the spine. The sweet voices of the choir softly sending out the lyrics with minimal accompaniment.

The Miserable Rich – Facebook / Twitter
Listen: The Miserbale Rich – “Knife Throwers Hand” (MP3)

Watch: The Miserable Rich / Willkommen Orchestra – “Unknown” (Youtube)

My knowledge of The Sons of Noel and Adrian’s music was limited to their scene stealing covers of fellow Willkommen artists, but here they stole the show with their own material.  Jacob Richardson’s (above left) voice is no where near as gravelly as Joe Cocker, but its the closest comparison I have to get across the mixture of roughness and soul he brings to bare. That alone would be perfect enough but in the sweet angelic lilt of Catherine Cardin he has the perfect foil. A bit of googling after the gig reveals what I should have guessed, she’s got a solo project linked in to Willkommen, Redwood Red.
The evening ended all too soon with “Damian” bringing every musician and instrument on stage to play in a joyous wall of sound. The audience left Kings Place torn between preserving the privilege of hearing a rare never to be repeated performance, and the knowledge that it would be a criminal not to capture something this beautiful for posterity.

Sons of Noel & Adrian – Facebook
The Miserable Rich – “Boat Song (Sons of Noel & Adrian mix)” (MP3)

Willkommen Collective – Facebook

Buy: Willkommen Records shop

Look: Just For A Short While’s superb flickr set of photo’s from the evening
Fionchadd has over 200 pictures in her Flickr set

Read:
The Line Of Best Fit has a review and some fabulous pics

Listen:
Download two excellent Willkommen compilations packed with covers and oneoffs – Willkommen Collective Vol 1 / Willkommen Christmas 2008
Laish Quartet – “In The Morning” (MP3)

Laish Quartet – “The Sleeper” (MP3)

The Leisure Society – “Pancake Day” (MP3)

Watch:
The Leisure Society – Lovely fan made video

The London Snorkeling Team

The London Snorkeling Team create cocktail, crime, space music they imagine happened sometime in the 1950s at a party for experimental scientists with an obsession for cartoons. It sounds a bit like the theme music from Inspector Gadget as played by a cocktail band.

The Line Of Best Fit were less than impressed describing them as  “little more than a surrealist experiment in bad jazz, am-dram and overhead-projector storytelling, one has every right to feel blighted.”

The London Snorkeling Team – “Samuel Langoustine” (MP3)

Myspace / Buy beautifully packaged Audio Recording and map

Back in 95 when Skee-Lo’s infectious wish that he was a “a little bit taller“ was flying up the charts, I couldn’t help but think if he actually was he might quickly wish to be diminutive once more. It’s true that at gigs being 6ft 6″ means unless Magic Johnson’s up the front you can pretty much see from wherever you choose to stand. The downside (apart from the guilt when someone 5ft stands behind you) is its difficult to blend in.

And so it proved at Jay Electronica’s first UK gig since “Exhibit C” transformed him from the internets hottest rapper to a Hot97 featuring, itunes destroying mainstream star. Oddly a lot of the publicity heralded the night as Jay’s UK live debut despite him playing here a number of times as far back as 2008.

(VIDEO BELOW From HigherPlane.net)

Looking dapper in an immaculately tailored suit, like Louis Farrakhan guesting on Mad Men, Electronica is witty, engaging and utterly at ease on stage. Early in the gig he jokingly asked if we’d mind if he had a Jack Daniels to ease his nerves. Pouring himself one he asked if anyone else wanted a glass to which an American on the balcony yelled down “Yes, Up here”. Later he admonishes him for asking for more, calling him a “rude American” while pouring him another anyway. After running out of glasses a girl at the side of the stage requests a swig to which Jay goes to enquire if she’s got cooties… before saying what the hell I’ll just catch whatever you’ve got.

All very amusing… until midway through he set Jay abruptly stops and staring straight at my head poking up above the throng declares “this guy here is the only person still making me nervous“. To general chuckles he wanders over and enquires my name, “Leon!!”…oh Neil he says when corrected.
“Neil, Why are you making me nervous?” he gently demanded. At which point Id love to say I came back with a witty retort, but no I just stood and let my cheeks cycle through a variety of purple tinged shades. “Are you here with your girl?” came the next question… “no“… “then why are you making me nervous…if it isn’t because you think Im going to steal your girl!?” Clearly by now he’d taken pity on me and in his best Dick Van Dyke accent declared “Im only joking… what a handsome bloke!“… clarifying as he walked away “but not in a gay way!“. And who says Americans don’t do sarcasm!

Enough of the stories you might say, what about the music?! Well, you can’t really describe Jay Electronica live without the stories, because frankly there are lots of them. He could clearly earn a crust as an after dinner speaker, but some might say they came to hear the man’s MUSIC not his anecdotes. Its difficult to criticise too much though when you look round and see a mass of smiling faces.

Also for a long time it seemed like Jay may not actually turn up. It was a thankless task for the two support acts in front of a crowd who clearly only wanted to see one person. Fatima at least tried, and her fine voice is worth seeking out in more favourable conditions, especially as she already has quality material with Floating Points, and her vocal on Shafiq Husayn’s wonderful “Lil Girl”.

DJ Benji B entertained the crowd with some choice tunes while the announcements that Jay was 10 minutes away, almost here or in the building became increasingly desperate as time ticked on. It was almost 11pm – the time the gig was supposed to finish! – before Jay finally appeared on the gantry above the stage to much applause and more than a little relief. Later it transpired that it was all Gilles Peterson’s fault as Electronica had been busy watching Arsenal lose, and Giles was responsible for switching Jay’s allegiance from Chelsea in Makalele’s days to the Gooners. Jay researched the crowds allegiances by measuring the boo’s as he mentioned London teams… obviously Chelsea received the largest chorus of disdain.

One of his numerous unreleased tracks “Dear Moleskine” got the evening started. Its typical of Jay’s leftfield nature that the track first leaked as part of a trailer for a supposed feature length film featuring Electronica exploring the globe talking to characters like Monks at the Bodinath Buddhist Temple in Kathmandu. Unreleased or not, the crowd knew every word, mouthing each one along with Jay.

Overall he performed surprisingly little of his own material, he rapped some Nas and early in the evening a heartfelt tribute to J Dilla.
Asking the crowd to imagine Dilla in hospital wired up to machines with doctors telling him by rights he should be already be dead. Such was Dilla’s love of working on his music, Jay said, that instead of feeling self pity he asked for his MPC to be hooked up by his bedside.
With the “Waves” beat playing he asked everyone to take out a lighter/mobile anything that shines and hold it up in respect of Dilla. For a minute or two he just zoned out as it played telling us to feel this beat is being communicated to you from his death bed. It might have been moving but unfortunately an argument was breaking out next to me between some girls up the front and a very young inebriated young black boy cruelly trapped in the body of a white boy from Surrey. They reasonably objected to his constant “brapping” and gesticulating with his hand onto their heads.

Next came one of the most memorable moments of the evening as Jay asked if anyone wanted to come up and try some rhymes over the Dilla beat. I think the look on Jay Electronica’s face in this photo says it all about how shocked he was at just how good the young guy (North London MC Mangaliso Asi) who volunteered from the side of the stage was (see this bit and the much more on HigherPlanes superb video Pt2).
As Jay said “Normally when you pull people up on stage they might be wack, but Gilles, Gilles Peterson you’re in the building you got a play this man on the BBC. Give me your scouts honour youll play him!”

One person posting on the Brownswood forum objected to the very idea of inviting “civilians” up on stage:
“If I wanted to be kept waiting, 25 quid lighter and shouted at by a member of the public, I’d buy crack round the back of Lidl“.

I have to say I’d have liked it if Electronica had performed more tracks, but I wouldn’t have swapped that for the genuine sense of not knowing what might happen next. Would he rap accapella, serve drinks, discuss politics, jump into the crowd, tell jokes? I’ve not seen a performer break down the barrier between Star and public as much as Jay did and that can’t be a bad thing.
In the picture above he announced he’d been writing his own opera, and began delivering lines in baritone Italian! I’m sure I was the only person who didn’t see it coming, but I remember for a split second thinking “jesus he’s got a great voice“. At that moment of course he moved the mic away from his mouth while the singing being played by DJ TJ the King continued. Does anyone know what the track was called?? Jay did say, and even asked if anyone spoke Italian and knew what it meant. A quick witted audience member replied “playo Exhibito C-o“.

It would be dishonest of me not to mention the one moment in the show that made me uneasy. When with grins on their faces Jay and his DJ said they had a theory they tested at every city on tour, and that is, its a fact that “every woman loves to be strangled during sex“. Some girls like to be strangled a bit, while others love to be really throttled! They then asked for all the ladies in the place who liked to be choked during sex to put their hands up and shout… a gaggle to the side of the stage thrust their hands up while the line of girls in front of me kept theirs firmly crossed.
Its not really for me to say whats right or wrong sexually, and frankly whether this particular music blogger either enjoys, has indulged in or is disgusted by a bit of rougher sex is not really relevant. All Im saying is it felt unpleasant, the atmosphere changed for a moment, and for what its worth I thought it both a wrong and degrading generalisation but hell thats just me! He did say he was only joking…

Back to the music! His production on “Queens Get The Money” gave Nas the “Electronica” sound, and he returned the favour here, performing a cover of Nas’s “My World” track. As usual he teased the audience asking if there were Nas fans in the building, hinting he might make an appearance… a trick he tried again later with Jay Z.

The “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind” sampling “Pledge“ that first brought Jay to everyones attention back in 2007 was another highlight. As he did on numerous occasions throughout the night he cut the music, slowed everything down and recited the lyrics crystal clear to little more than the sound of others in the audience whispering the words. It’s a pet hate of mine that HipHop, a genre that more than perhaps any other should be about the words is often lyrically unintelligible live.

Predictably it was Exhibit A & C that really had the Jazz Cafe jumping, C being so good he played it twice, but the gig never really ended in a traditional sense. Yes he said goodnight London, and thanked us all but instead of exiting stage left he told everyone to head to the afterparty at MoMo’s, and then stepped down into the audience. There he stayed for at least 45 minutes, posing for pictures, signing, giving advice, even asking if anyone wanted to rhyme over some more beats while he worked the crowd. The lady who took the mic gamely kept going for a minute or two but realising Jay wasnt going anywhere gave the mic back to the DJ after cheekily advertising her myspace.

There are artists with a 10th of Jay Electronica’s talent who wouldn’t even consider “wasting their time” mingling with the fans for a minute let alone an hour. A guy wearing a tie suggested swapping and within moments he had Electronica’s no doubt expensive tie round his neck while Jay carefully knotted his “new” one.

So mission accomplished, London charmed, hit record No.1 under the belt… now the tricky part, matching the hype and delivering that long promised, long delayed LP.

Jay Electronica – Twitter / Facebook

“Last night We SMASHED #LondonTown! Good Morning!”

Listen:
Jay Electronica – “Act 1: The Pledge” (MP3)

and rather than post “Exhibit C” here’s the original track it samples:
Billy Stewart – “Cross My Heart” (MP3)

Watch:
Jay Electronica – “‘Dear Moleskine’, ‘Abracadabra’, ‘Dimethyltryptamine’ and ‘Exhibit A’ (HigherPlane.tv)” (Youtube)
Jay Electronica – “Part 2 of HigherPlane.tv’s compilation of the night”
Jay Electronica – “Eternal Sunshine (Live @ Jazz Cafe) (Youtube)
Jay Electronica – “Exhibit A (Live @ Jazz Cafe) (Youtube) / Alt Vid (lower quality)
Jay Electronica – “Exhibit C (Live @ Jazz Cafe) (Vimeo)
Jay Electronica – “Jay invites Mangaliso Asi to freestyle for him” (Youtube)

Look:
Absolutely fabulous pictures from Atribecallednext… Brilliant.
My Flickr set of pictures from the gig

Read:
Overrating The UnderRated’s comprehensive review (must read)
HigherPlane was called a “rude American” by Jay but got served Jack Daniels by the man too!
YinnYang posts a detailed gig review and a Vimeo video clip

Having only managed to get in by queing up at 7pm I can report its changed very little bar a lick of paint and a lot more Energy Drink related cocktails. Its a decent small venue and could have sold out many times over given the embarrassment of riches on the bill.
I missed several acts because the upstairs was so rammed security greeted you at the bottom of the stairs with a “Sorry Sir, Its one in – One out“.  So GhostPoet, Elan Tamara, Nailah, and DOP will have to be caught another time!

But as Gilles himself says in his look back at the night, its not every awards show where you get “800 odd people cheering the fact that Harry Whittaker’s latest is number 4 in the jazz chart! It makes the the whole thing worth it just for that…”

Lee Fields & The El Michels Affair

At a little after 1am, the star of the show strolled onto the stage. Diminutive in form but a colossus in charisma and vocal talent, Lee Fields is the successor to the soul crown once worn by James Brown.

His backing band – made up of members of El Michels Affair & The Meehan Street Band – had already warmed up the crowd with 3 stonking slices of wah wah and brass.

Looking dapper in a suit Fields was relaxed, in command of both the stage and the full house.  Word for word renditions of his latest album were belted out by the crowd, Love Comes & Goes, Honey Dove and of course the modern classic “Ladies”.

The only act of the evening to get an encore, Fields departed sweat dripping down his face. The front row reached out to him as he worked his way along them, clasping and shaking every hand. If this is a short Lee Fields set, look out for the full tour coming soon.

Lee Fields & The Expressions – “Honey Dove” (MP3)
Lee Fields – “Let A Man Do What He Wanna Do” (MP3)
Meehan Street Band – “Make The Road By Walking” (MP3)
El Michels Affair – “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” (MP3)

Facebook / Myspace / Buy the Album – Because Lee tells you too (and its fantastic)
Watch: “Ladies (Live @ WWA 2010)” (Youtube) / “Ladies (Live @ WWA 2010)” (longer Youtube)
“Love Comes & Goes (Live @ WWA 2010)” (Youtube)
Official Live video for “Love Comes & Goes” (YouTube)

Robert Glasper Trio

Prior to the gig The Robert Glasper Trio wouldnt have been the first name I thought of as show stealing but the man was bested only by Mr Fields.

Not only is he an incredibly gifted keyboard player but if the music every dries up he could have a lucrative second career in stand up.
Accepting his award for “Best Jazz Album” Glasper had the audience in stitches, feigning tears, and giving thanks to “big po… who’ll be coming out of jail soon“. He also thanked Gilles for incredible support saying he was so upfront he was playing tracks before he’d even finished writing them… “How’d you play that tune, I only just finished playing it!”

Over on the Brownswood noticeboard reaction to his set was justifiably euphoric “glasper converts ahmad jamal into stakes is high or Radiohead’s everything in its right place into maiden voyage its really the best jazz i’ve heard live in about 10 years”

The Trio were shorn of regular drummer Chris Dave who missed his flight from New York, and so Joshua McKenzie stepped in at the last minute. “I only met this guy today” said Glasper as a very cool looking McKenzie adjusted his kit.

He needn’t of worried as the trio proceeded to “tear the roof off“, if its possible to tear a roof off while sat at a fender rhodes? McKenzie’s drumming was phenomenal, or at least it was to these untrained ears… K magazine’s reviewer thought otherwise writing that the “flashing grin and blurred arms, failed to mask the lack of real polish.”

Robert Glasper – “Maiden Voyage” (MP3)
Myspace / Facebook / Buy
Watch: Robert Glasper Trio – “Live @ WWA2010″ (Youtube)
Accepting the award for Best Jazz album of 2010 (youtube)

Andreya Triana

Earlier in the evening Andreya Triana performed a beautiful acoustic set accompanied by her NinjaTune labelmates, Fink on guitar and Bonobo on Bass. The stripped down sound allowed her gorgeously relaxed voice to be enjoyed in all its glory.
Andreya Triana feat. Fink & Bonobo live @ WWA2010 by Brownswood

Bonobo feat. Andreya Triana – “Eyesdown (Warrior One Remix)” (MP3)
Twitter / Facebook / Myspace

Floating Points Ensemble

I should have been finishing this rather than watching the Brits!!! more to follow

Floating Points Ensemble – “Live in Session @ Maida Vale” (MP3)
Floating Points Ensemble – “Post Suite (Maida Vale session)” (MP3)
Twitter / Facebook / Myspace
Fatima (vocalist with FP & Shafiq) – Twitter / Blog / Myspace

Theophilus London

Wall-E on the Brownswood board: “Theophilus London was a strange one. I struggled intitally, particularly when he came out and started banging the drums like that bird from the Ting Tings. THEN, real energy followed, and he defititely knew how to hype a crowd. I wasn’t familiar with any particular tune, but eventually I got sucked in“.

Theophilus London – “Enjoy The Sun” (MP3)
Theophilus London/Jack Penate – “Pull My Heart Away (remix)” (MP3)
This Charming Mixtape – FREE mixtape download
Twitter / Facebook / Myspace / Blog
Watch: Live @ WWA2010 (Youtube – mobile phone)

More WWA 2010
Watch:
Elan Tamara – “Oranges (Live @ Worldwide Awards 2010)”(Youtube)
Nailah – “He Speaks (Live @ WWA 2010)” (Youtube)
LeFto Films video highlights of the night (Youtube)
Gilles Peterson announcing Award Winners

Look:
Kameral’s WWA 2010 Photo set
Spine Magazine gallery / R1 photo gallery

Read:
Gilles Peterson’s review of the night

And finally those awards in full

Track of the Year 2010
1. Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo [Hot Flush]
2. Floating Points – Vacuum Boogie [Eglo]
3. Zed Bias feat. Tawiah – Further Away [CDR]
4. Shafiq Husayn feat. Fatima – Lil’ Girl [Plug Research]
5. Darkstar – Aidy’s Girl Is A Computer [Hyperdub]

Album of the Year 2010
1. Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics – Inspiration Information Vol. 3 [Strut]
2. Martyn – Great Lengths [3024]
3. Lee Fields – My World [Truth & Soul]
4. Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro – Tradition in Transition [Tru Thoughts]
5. Mos Def – The Ecstatic [Downtown]

Jazz Album of the Year 2010
1. Robert Glasper – Double Booked [Blue Note]
2. Matthew Halsall – Colour Yes [Gondwana]
3. Carlos Niño & Miguel Atwood Ferguson – Suite For Ma Dukes [Mochilla]
4. Harry Whitaker – Thoughts (Past and Present) [Smalls Records]
5. Build An Ark – LOVE Part 1 [Kindred Spirits]

Maida Vale Session of the Year 2010
Floating Points Ensemble

John Peel Play More Jazz Award 2010
Four Tet

Lifetime Achievement Award 2010
Gil Scott-Heron

As it turned out it was more like 20 minutes than an hour. When the doorman taking my 3 quid asked which of the six bands I’d come to see, I should have guessed something was amiss from his oddly sarcastic “lucky you” response to my answer.

But then anyone who’s listened to The Melting Ice Caps, or his previous band Luxembourg would expect nothing less of Shah than to translate the melodrama of his recorded output to his live performance. The five singles released by The Melting Ice Caps over the last year or so continue a fine English tradition of lyrical intelligence, angst, and song craft.   There’s a dollop of Stephen Morrissey and a hint of Hannon’s Divine Comedy in Shah’s tales of romantic misfortune. When the character in “A Good Night” questions whether Shoreditch people really are wankers before retreating home to re-evaluate his Pet Shop Boys album collection, its clear David may himself own a few Tennant/Lowe long-players.

It’s not just the influences that hark back to the 80’s/90’s, despite all bar one of the 5 singles being released solely as free MP3’s they return to a pre-digital time when you’d get your CD or 7″ home and be almost as excited about flipping it over to discover the B-side as you were the A. The Melting Ice Caps seem to have intentionally translated the 7″ A and B-side experience to the digital realm. Like Oasis (and this is the only similarity between the Caps and the bickering brothers) some of his best material is to be found on those “beautiful B’s“.

Arriving at the gig late, the set is already underway, and David’s bemoaning the nights organisers for being a total shambles.

The Good Ship in Kilburn has one of the most unusual stages in London, sunk down several feet below the rest of the venue. There’s room for maybe 20 in front of the stage, but everyone else leans over the banisters and admires the performers bald spots. I was going to compare it to a Victorian dog fighting pit, but I dont think they featured much oak or a “toilets this way” sign. It’s the first venue Ive been to where the band is invisible from 95% of the building.

Shah is alone on the stage, accompanied only by a DVD backing track with the video for each song projected onto a screen behind him. The gaps between songs are brief David explains gesturing at the DVD player because I’m being controlled by that machine.
Nevertheless he still finds time to loudly declare “I’m never playing this place ever again” between “Mise En Scene” and “Through A Prism“. The latter being the first and only time a lyric about not wanting to move to Poland has been set to a bosonova rhythm.

“So it didn’t take you long
to get over me and act like nothing’s wrong.
Well, it makes me wonder if you ever cared.” – “Hard To Get” by The Melting Ice Caps

“Hard To Get” couldn’t sound more like the Pet Shop Boys if Shah had a morose bloke in an ill-fitting Issey Miyake jacket standing behind him prodding a Fairlight. Perfect timing given the Boys 20 year run of faultless pop lost its way a few albums ago, and shows little sign of returning. Shah emotes every lyric with a drama, as if the tiny stage were the Palladium, his voice soft at times, soaring at others with a mixture of torch singer and crooner akin to Marc Almond at his best. My favourite bit though is the shoe horned rhyming of his “local”, where he doesn’t drink as it messes with his “vocal”… pause “chords”. Its hard to explain why it’s so good, have a listen!

The Melting Ice Caps
Myspace / Facebook / MeltingIceCaps.co.uk / Last.fm

Listen:
The Melting Ice Caps – “Selfish Bachelor” (MP3) – Highly Recommended
The Melting Ice Caps – “A Good Night” (MP3) – Recommended too
The Melting Ice Caps – “Hard To Get” (MP3) – You guessed it… Recommended

Download ALL 5 Melting Ice Caps singles so far for FREE inc. Artwork, videos, and B-Sides at the following pages:
Single 5 – “Being No One”
Single 4 – “Mise En Scene”
Single 3 – “Like A Souvenir / Birthmark”
Single 2 – “Selfish Bachelor”
Single 1 – “Hard To Get”

More:
“The Soft Close-Ups” Myspace – David Shah’s other band
Luxembourg – David’s former band 2001-2008

Look:
A very nice set of pictures from the Good Ship, Kilburn gig

While changing DVD’s David apologises for clearly not being as cool as the previous band who were given “much longer than me“, and decries the place once more for not letting him do the advertised full set. From above the sound guy silently glares down fuming while the audience make gasping “ooooh he’s so naughty” faces and beam as the thudding bass of current single “Being No One” starts up (inexplicably not fighting Dizzee Rascal for the No.1 slot).

“If you clap really loud they might let me play one more song… then you should all demand your money back“

With a final swipe and the backing of as rapturous applause as 25 people can make, The Melting Ice Caps end the set with “Selfish Bachelor“, the diamond in a jewel encrusted crown of bittersweet pop songs. It sometimes feels as if Shah would be a star of Morrissey-esque proportions in era that treasured intelligence more. Even his DVD player seems to suggest he’d be better off a decade or two ago, flashing up “ALBA DVD” in huge lettering on the screen at one point (For readers under 30, Alba were the own-label badge of Dixons electronics in all 80’s/90’s). On the other hand Jarvis Cocker, the most recent erudite and witty lyricist/performer to be taken to the nations hearts toiled for 15 years in obscurity before being declared a national treasure!

Pointing to the projector screen David explains “I used to have a band called Luxembourg, and these are my scrapbook cuttings from then… this song is about me“. Delivered with Shah balancing atop a small bar stool “Selfish Bachelor” is as magnificent as it tragic, albeit with a knowing wink. “I don’t have a life and I don’t have a band anymore” he declares beautifully while behind him images of his former group flick across a stage set-up for a full band including a drum kit sat silently. The upside arrives with the thing most acts lack, the killer end line… “but I’ve got all these songs“!

Being No One (Video) by The Melting Ice Caps

Grace Jones, Andrew Motion, The Royal Opera House, Thom Yorke, Shane Meadows… all at Latitude this weekend and I’m working so i’ll probably miss them all (not that Im complaining).
On Friday night Ill also be trying to look inconspicuous on the Film & Music stage having volunteered to do a bit of filming for Indie Ghetto (I didn’t notice the Pet Shop Boys were on at the same time when I said yes!!).
Back in January as part of a feature on DIY Music TV for BBC News, I hung round a gents toilet for a couple of hours to film Dan & Rick the makers of Indie Ghetto – a video series featuring indie acts recording hip-hop cover versions.  The clip above has La Shark covering Always On Time, and Alexis tackling Trick Me.
For Latitude, Indie Ghetto are going Live, with a host of guest acts trying their hand at the hiphop classics.  Turn up at 10.00 (Fri) to see among others, Alan Powell giving love for Beyonce (see below) and 21 poets covering So Solid.
Hip-Hop purists should probably look away!

I was going to do a preview to the festival but then I discovered the Ipswich Calling website.
Visit it for myspace/google/amazon links to every band playing, along with performance times for all the stages.

Latitude 09 – Website / Twitter updates

Unofficial Latitude site / iphone artist list by stage site / Calender for weekend including create your own personal festival plan option.

Drowned In Sound’s excellent Latitude preview / BBC Suffolk Latitude

Latitude Twitters:
BBC Suffolk / Writer Jon Ronson / Mark Thomas / Comedian Robin Ince / Maggie Philbin
You can also follow Music Like Dirt but to be honest I won’t be spending my whole time tweeting (and my phones battery will be dead by Friday night). See this amusing post on the Latitude forum for an alternative view of twitter.

A few Latitude related MP3’s:

Hjaltalín – “Traffic Music” (MP3)
Jeffrey Lewis & Laura Marling – “Brain Damage (Eminem cover)” (MP3) – Jeffrey replaces the ill Lightspeed Champion’s Harold & Maude covers set.
PolarBear – “David (Player Piano mix)” (MP3) / “Creatures Of Habit” (MP3)
Alela Diane – “White As Diamonds” (MP3)
DM Stith – “Pity Dance” (MP3)

But Latitude is about more than just the band stages:
Jeremy Warmsley and Little Words will be playing the songs of Tom Waits and Daniel Johnson
Poet Nathan Jones teams up with The Wave Machines
Jeffrey Lewis gives a lecture on The Watchmen
Pre-release screening of Shane Meadows “Le Donk” followed by Q&A with Shane, and Paddy Considine.

Endorsements from established stars are a double edged sword, its an easy sell for press coverage, but it can put off younger fans. After all, they may be musical legends, but it doesn’t mean theyve got taste! Has Morrissey ever championed a band that’s been anything other than unremittingly awful.  So its to Fanfarlo’s credit that they’ve survived David Bowie declaring them his new favourite band, and made “Reservoir” an album tailor-made for the end of year best of lists.
Its also one of an increasing number of releases to be available in a ludicrously luxurious special edition. “Reservoir” comes in (deep breath) a beautiful linen box with foil blocked mask imagery, a second CD, fold out art, song lyrics, AND… a board game! Its gorgeous but we can’t be far off the point where special edition releases have to be delivered by articulated truck (The Pet Shop Boys special edition cost 300 quid and formed an 8ft tick).

The Vibe Bar is playing host to 5 nights of Levi’s Ones To Watch branded gigs and as such is packed and as one twitterer charmingly put it “Sweatier than serena williams’ vagina“ (I initially read it as, the gig was “sweeter than…”, which is marginally less offensive). It’s a young fairly typical Brick Lane crowd, one man has a 12 cm kids plastic giraffe glued to the side of his hat. For a second I thought perhaps he doesn’t know, he’ll get home, see it in the mirror, and think “why did no one tell me!?“.  Either way the audience had a good 5 years on the kids spilling out of the Macabees free gig at Rough Trade that I ambled past on the way (but congratulations to them for finishing their 11+).

On stage Fanfarlo are attempting to break the record for most instruments on an East London stage, but the mandolin, clarinet, guitars, melodica and various drums make a wonderful racket.  I must of course make a compulsory mention of their similarity to Arcade Fire and Beirut. Its undeniable that if you like those bands you’d be foolish not to give Fanfarlo a listen, but thats not a bad thing and it’ll be the quality of the songs that keeps you listening.

Highlights from their album like “I’m a Pilot” cram more instrumentation and multiple crescendo’s into 5 minutes than others do into entire careers. Stomping piano and percussion drive the song up to its bell and string drenched finale. During “Drowning Men” singer Simon Balthazar and the keyboard player pummel a drum centre stage before proceeding to hit any surface they can find to crack out a rhythm (watch it on my sound distorted iphone clip at the top of the page).

Employing great wit my gigging friend and I remarked how the bespectacled keyboard player looked a bit like Jeremy Warmsley.  We were slightly surprised when during the closing “The Walls Are Coming Down” Balthazar introduced the “magnificent Jeremy Warmsley“.  Warmsley then took up a more prominent position to help lead the final singalong cacophony that is “The Walls Are Coming Down“.

Fanfarlo – Myspace / Twitter / Blog
Fanfarlo – “Im a Pilot” (MP3)

Fanfarlo – Spotify mixtape (click link)

On a slight side note, long time readers of this blog may remember Rachel Kichenside both from her work with Stickboy and from her cheerleading in the blog comments on any Stickboy posts. Well, her band Run Toto Run have become something of a hype machine / youtube sensation courtesy of their cover version of Passion Pits “Sleepy Head“. The video has that lo-fi spontaneous charm of the best youtube hits.

Run Toto Run – “Sleepy Head” (MP3)
Run Toto Run Myspace

The crowd pushed forward for headliners Passion Pit, and they were bellowing approval by the end of The Pits first tune. Theres no doubt that on record two or three of Passion Pits tracks are fantastic examples of pop rock electronica, both credible and crossover. Live I was slightly underwhelmed other than on their more recognisable tunes, although this may have had more to do with the soundman who buried the distinctive falsetto of lead singer and Rory McGrath lookalike Michael Angelakos deep in the mix.
Thats not to say there weren’t highlights. “The Reeling” with its huge 80’s keyboards and kiddie choir chorus rocked the room, and “SleepyHead” is quite simply a piece of songwriting brilliance (as evidenced by Run Toto Run’s brilliant cover version).
“I’ve got your number” was for my money the best on the night, combining the electronic beep and cheap keyboard charm of Hot Chip with The Postal Service. The people in front threw their heads back, eyes shut to scream out the line “Have you seen me cry, tears like diamonds?” While the chorus had them shouting along, the skittering beats and wonderful computer riff had them dancing.
I was slightly distracted by three utterly hammered pink shirted rugby lads in front of me who blocked views, spilt beer and stumbled about throughout the gig.  My friend made his summation of the night, muttering as Passion Pit finished “I’m not sure what was more irritating, the idiots in front or the band“. Harsh, very harsh!!

Passion Pit Myspace / Twitter / Blog
Passion Pit – “The Reeling (Maida Vale Session)”
Video of Passion Pit in Session on BBC Radio 1 + Video mix

The Fly review of Passion Pit @ The Vibe Bar