HEALTH’s performance at London’s Oval Space was loud, pounding and intense. HEALTH released their fourth album, ‘Vol. 4 :: Slaves of Fear’ recently to favourable reviews, continuing to gain traction in the noise-rock scene. This was also the first album without guitar and synth player Jupiter Keyes, who’s been with the band since their inception in 2005. Despite no Keyes, HEALTH shines on Vol. 4 and delivered a fantastic album. HEALTH’s London performance was a somewhat intimate show to their last London show which was the O2 Brixton. The Oval Space is a much smaller warehouse-style venue making a perfect…
Author: Hugo Beynon
Gazel gave us a rundown of what her new album was going to entail with an intimate show at London St. Pancras’ Old Church. UK/Turkish singer-songwriter Gazel has just released the acoustic video for ‘Pointing At The Moon’ and draws us into her genre-bending and Middle Eastern sound inspired from her roots. Her music, a unique blend of Middle Eastern, electronica, pop, and folk, makes her really stand out with lots of potential as an emerging talent. Her philosophical references are something that really separates her as a unique artist and make me really excited for her debut release. Gazel’s…
The Residents gave a stunning performance at St. George’s Church in Kemp Town, Brighton earlier this month. A curious mix of eccentric costumes, video intermissions, and minimal lighting, juxtaposed with the Church’s traditional Christian surroundings created an eerie and whimsical atmosphere. 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the band and their UK tour made a strong point of celebrating it with four special dates in London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Brighton. The Residents’ career has seen over 60 albums and a large output of videos and films, with over 10 DVDs being released. This tour is in support of their latest…
The Manchurian trio Gogo Penguin gave an incredible performance at what must have been their biggest show to date at the Royal Albert Hall. The group has gained plenty of attention from critics with their unique take on jazz, influenced by elements in minimalism, electronica and modern classical giving them a new edge within modern jazz. The combination of minimalist piano with busy drums and bass lines give an unparalleled listen and the interaction between all three is a joy to watch and listen to. Space is filled or left open appropriately and nothing ever sounds overdone despite the business…
Two years ago, I saw Japanese psych-rock band Kikagaku Moyo in a half full pub in Dalston where they were touring their 2016 album ‘House in the Tall Grass’. They performed a pretty great show. This time around they really outdid themselves, playing an even better show at a sold-out Scala. With an album out earlier this year, Kikagaku Moyo embarked on the biggest tour yet, with London their second date on the European leg of the tour. They had improved their performance ten-fold since I last saw them in Dalston, revelling in the energy from the much bigger crowd,…
The Melvins, arguably one of the most important underground bands through the late 80s and 90s, released their 21st studio album ‘Pinkus Abortion Technician’ in April this year. The album didn’t offer too much in the way of the Melvins exploring boundaries like they have done fantastically in the past, but it does offer some good listening, noticeably their cover of ‘I want to hold your hand’, the early Lennon-McCartney single. The band is credited for being one of the first grunge bands pivotal in the influence of Nirvana, Soundgarden and Green River. They also have been instrumental outside of…
Yazz Ahmed’s unique sound and extraordinary band was enjoyed last week at the Guildhall School Music Showcase, offering the audience the opportunity to experience Ahmed’s blend of ‘psychedelic Arabic jazz’. Last year, she released the album ‘La Saboteuse’ resulting in rave reviews and several awards. The album draws on influences from her mixed heritage, exploration in sound design and electronic elements, and easily earns its label of ‘intoxicating and compelling’. This was the second time I had seen Yazz and was just as impressed this time around. Although she was performing with only half her band on this occasion -…
After seeing Canshaker Pi earlier this year at Brighton’s Great Escape festival in May I was really eager going into their co-headline gig with Avalanche Party at The Victoria in Dalston. The Quartet, based in Amsterdam, played a near-capacity show at Brighton’s Komedia and thrilled the audience with their signature creative dissonance, playful pop writing, and fun lyrics. Tonight’s performance was a slight let down. Having replaced their drummer and second guitarist/ vocalist it became apparent this had dampened their energy on stage with the quartet resembling four deer caught in the headlights for the majority of the show. They…
Anna Pancaldi’s new single ‘Peace’ leads her to a new direction and sound. Described as a ‘foot stomper’ track, it has more of a classic indie-rock feel as Anna experiments with new instruments and it follows effortlessly from her bold previous offering ‘What I’ve Become’. Anna comments on these new changes to her music, “A challenge at first but now an exhilarating awakening having discovered and then explored the electric guitar. ‘Peace’ is my first ‘foot stomper’ track which I think will surprise listeners who’ve been on the journey with me so far. It feels a bold evolution for me so here we go.”…
Yussef Dayes gave a fantastic performance at a sold-out, overflowing Scala, gifting the audience with finger blistering drum solos with all-round great performances from his band, as well as special guests, Alfa Mist and Mansur Brown who joined for several songs. Yussef Dayes’ set, which we were told was mostly improvised, was splitting at the seams with creativity and musical intention. Dayes’ drumming is incredibly busy and can be somewhat compared to drum n’ bass, or jungle drumming, for this setting it works surprisingly well proving a focal point in the music. Rocco Palladino on bass was in great support providing a…