MOGWAI EVERY COUNTRY'S SUN Rock Action Records. Post Rock. Listening Format: CD Scotland's Mogwai are considered to be one of the pioneers of the Post Rock movement, with classic, genre defining albums under their belt such as 'Young Team', 'Come On Die Young' and 'Happy Songs For Happy People'. If you claim to know anything about Post-Rock you'll probably know this band pretty well. Their '90s and early '00s output has all been very solid. In fact I even really enjoyed 2011's 'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will'. However that album was really the start of a slippery slope for the otherwise untouchable band. They began to put out a release every year, whether it be new full length albums, remix albums, compilations, live recordings, and a few soundtracks ('Les Revenants' actually being a sombre discography highlight). Whilst Mogwai remain a devastating live force, it would be easy to accuse them of oversaturating an already stagnant genre with too many releases. Aside from Godspeed You! Black Emperor (who really take their time between releases), Post Rock really isn't as exciting as it was 10-15 years ago. Explosions In the Sky and Mono are also retreading the same old ground, Sigur Ros are putting out good material but with large gaps between their new material, some bands like Tortoise have changed style completely. So perhaps the leaders of the genre ought to be lighting the way in 2017? Sadly this is not the case. Other than the departure of long time guitarist John Cummings, there are absolutely no surprises or fresh ideas in store for Mogwai, following the disappointing 'Rave Tapes' and the fairly decent but nothing to ride home about 'Atomic'. Opener 'Coolverine' is enjoyable enough, but really just Mogwai by the numbers at this point. 'Party in the Dark' at least stands out with the use of lead vocals. The track especially reaches back to 2001's 'Rock Action' record which experimented with Alternative Rock and Pop songs, but even still, Mogwai have executed these ideas with a far better impact in the past ('Hunted By a Freak, 'CODY'). 'Brain Sweeties' tries to go for something epic, textured and pounding, but just sort of ends up being pretty, but lacking any real sense of weight or drama. 'Crossing the Road Material' is a particular lowlight in Mogwai's entire back catalogue. This track is so painfully by the numbers and middle of the road, that I think they were actually aware if it when they came up with the title. It's really about as generic as Post Rock gets, It could have been made by some indie YouTuber in one of those "how to make a Mogwai track" kind of videos. The rest of the album is genuinely so bland and uneventful, that I am even struggling to think of anything to say about it. Fortunately it does end on a stronger note with 'Old Poisons' belting out roaring, doomy guitars, but even this track sounds awfully reminiscent of 'Bat Cat' from 2008's awesome 'The Hawk Is Howling' album. At its best, 'Every Country's Sun' is mildly enjoyable and sophisticated. If you have never heard Mogwai or Post Rock before then, sure, I guess it won't be a horrible listen. But honestly for those who are more than experienced in the wonders of the genre, and this very band, then this album really is struggling to say ANYTHING remotely fresh, interesting or inspired. Mogwai have sadly become The Fall of their genre. This decade they have felt it acceptable to put out a release practically every year, recycling the same ideas and sounds over and over. 'Every Country's Sun' feels like the absolute nadir in their discography. There are so many all too familiar sounds, ideas and motifs that it is starting to border on parody. This album is so generic, so limp and so uninspired that it is somewhat sad to experience. I still maintain that Mogwai are a great band, in fact a groundbreaking one at some point, but now they are going for quantity over quality with seemingly no shame. Mogwai really need to take a hiatus, take a few years out, gather some stronger ideas together and then try again. It is sad to listen to a band who clearly have so much talent and good ideas in them, content to just knock out sub B-side quality material. This is the sound of a great band batting way, way below their potential, and seemingly feeling more than happy to do so. 4/10.
BRAND NEW SCIENCE FICTION Procrastinate! Music Traitors (Self-Released) Emo, Alternative Rock, Post-Hardcore. Listening Format: Digital BRAND NEW Brand New, BRAND NEW Brand New, BRAND NEW BRAND NEW!!!!! DROPPED RIGHT OUT OF THE BLUE!!! NOW IT'S TIME FOR A REVIEW... When you think of the word Emo, it conjurers a lot of images, some of them are perhaps even derogatory or completely misguided. I remember as a teenager hearing At the Drive In, REM, Bright Eyes, Elliott Smith AND My Chemical Romance get described as "Emo"... But if there is one thing I know for sure, when referring to Emo as a music subgenre, Brand New are one of the first bands that should come to mind. This seminal New York formed band really are one of the most important Alternative Rock acts of the noughties. Their first album was released in 2001, and their previous release 'Daisy' bookended the decade in 2009. After that there were a few tours, and a few re-issues and archival releases, but just a week ago, Brand New's fifth album 'Science Fiction' dropped out of the blue, self-released by the band digitally, with physical releases due to follow. Their first album in 8 years! So what can we expect from a BRAND NEW Brand New album in 2017? Recently their fellow peers American Football returned with a new album after a 17 year hiatus, and it was met with a very lukewarm reception from fans and critics. I personally thought it was great, but surprisingly the prospect of a more mature and grown up American Football fell on deaf ears. The Emo kids have now become Emo adults with families and houses... The natural expectation for Brand New's return would put them in a similar scenario. These guys aren't kids any more. They are all grown up and have very much matured, and this is the direction their music will move in too, right?! Their last album 'Daisy' injected more Post-Hardcore elements than ever, and was a rather visceral record, but Brand New have always shown a maturity in their writing too, with some exceptional Folk influenced ballads to their name. "Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis' am'right!? Naturally 'Science Fiction' is by far their most mature and downbeat album to date. Long gone are the silly overlong song titles. Lyrically this is a very introspective record. Musically there are a lot of moments that verge on Indie Folk, with the Post-Hardcore side of the band taking much more of a backseat. 'Science Fiction' opens with a really ominous, crackling spoken word sample, as if you'd accidentally put on an old Godspeed You! Black Emperor record! It's actually a fantastic way to set the tone, as 'Lit Me Up' evolves into a slow-burning, spacey dirge filled with atmospheric reverb guitar. 'Could Never Be Heaven' is a straight up Folk ballad something (early) Sun Kil Moon might have written. Stand out 'In the Water' combines those acoustic guitar driven verses with loud, explosive guitar choruses, but has this late 70s "Ditch Trilogy" Neil Young kind of swampy feel going on. 'Science Fiction' is very much a laid back, restrained and reflective record, but the whole band still sound incredibly emotive and impassioned. As always, Jesse Lacey's vocals are show stealing, emoting so much raw feeling, and increasing versatility. Though the overall tone of 'Science Fiction' is downbeat, sorrowful, dark and languid, there are still some bright, colourful and energetic moments on the record. 'Can't Get It Out' is a massive uplifting and anthemic song. It almost has that whiff of being a festival flag waver sing along, with this huge chorus punctuated with pounding drums and roaring guitar power chords. It's a simple, radio friendly gem of a song. 'Same Logic/Teeth' is brimming with ferocity, one of the few times where Lacey reaches for those yelping Hardcore influenced screams. Whilst 'Science Fiction' is a fantastically bold and consistent record, it isn't without the occasional stumbles in its hour long run time. "451" is a little too upbeat for it's own good, with this sort of Americana country ramble vibe going on. 'Desert''s falsetto harmonised vocal chorus comes across a little too over the top, but I guess every classic Emo album goes FULL EMO at some points, eh!? The album ends on a breathtaking finale, 'Batter Up'. A slow, dreamy, atmospheric Post-Rock track reminiscent of Mogwai's classic 'CODY'. This beautiful, softly sung gem reads like an epitaph and is such a sad, genuinely tear-jerking and powerful way for such a seminal band to bow out.
'Science Fiction' is strongly hinted to be Brand New's final album, with one last hurrah tour to follow, and not only is this a fantastic and logical way to go out, but it was totally worth that long wait too. Dropping it for free online was a neat little surprise for eagerly waiting fans. Brand New have delivered with a heavyweight album that has enough justified gold on it to be able to pull off that feat. It's no wonder why music fans are going absolutely crazy with joy at the release of this album. Some long time fans may lament the lack of the more fiery side of Brand New - There are is certainly no 'Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades' or 'Gasoline' on this record. But what we have hear perfectly reflects where this band are at in 2017, and the personalities of the band members nearing 40 years old. 'Science Fiction' is a deeply spun and involved record that reveals more and more colour and personality with each listen. Brand New have successfully created their most mature, sincere and introspective record in their discography, favouring sadness, beauty, texture and solitude over their more in your face moments of the past. It rings with just as much passion and true emotion as anything they have done prior, perhaps even more so. I personally can't wait to hold a physical copy in my hands. Brand New. 'Science Fiction'. A near perfect way to end a saga. 9/10.
ARCADE FIRE EVERYTHING NOW Columbia Records Alternative Rock, Art Pop, Electro-Funk, Disco-Pop. Listening Format: CD Arcade Fire are genuinely one of my favourite Alternative/Indie Rock bands, especially of the past 10 years. I was fortunate enough to hear them right from the start when their self-titled EP first came out, and I remember the video premiere of 'Power Out' back in the pre-YouTube MTV2 days. I've enjoyed following this band throughout my twenties and I feel like they have always been flag wavers for forward thinking, grand, majestic, bold and ambitious Rock music. Their first three albums in particular are already classics of the genre and era in my eyes. I actually really enjoyed 'Reflektor' for the most part too. Previous album 'Reflektor' saw a step into a more Electronic direction, with influences of Disco and Funk popping into their sound. I guess the whole Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams thing made a huge impact around the time. Arcade Fire also enlisted James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem fame to add his magic touch. Though the album received mixed reviews from fans and critics, Arcade Fire have decided to delve even further into the realm of Electro-Pop, Funk and Disco with their fifth full length, 'Everything Now'. Even before this album came out, a big chunk of their fanbase seemed to let out a collective groan, but surely such an innovative band can't sink that low... Right!? From the first listen it is obvious that Arcade Fire have been listening to a lot of Abba, Talking Heads, Bowie's 'Young Americans' and even more LCD Soundsystem. 'Everything Now' is their most overtly Pop-centric, commercial and radio friendly album to date. In particular it sounds worlds away from the band who made the dark and brooding 'Neon Bible' album. Regardless, I think 'Everything Now' gets off to a fairly good start. The title track and lead single is so uplifting, boombastic and catchy. The chanted chorus will get stuck in your head, and the production is fantastically layered. Certainly Arcade Fire doing what they do best. The funky as hell Disco grooves on 'Signs of Life' actually work really well. There is such a strong influence of Abba, Chic and even Donna Summer on this track. There are even FREAKIN' AIR RAID SIRENS in the mix! Perfectly nostalgic, and yet refreshingly modern too. Second single 'Creature Comfort' kicks off with an infectious Goldfrapp-esque Electro groove, but is sadly let down by some really cringey lyrics. "She dreams about dying all the time / She told me she came so close / Filled up the bathtub and put on our first record"... Ugh really Win Butler? That is some bad self-congratulatory fourth wall breaking. The whole song's lyrics about self harm, suicide, depression and body dysmorphia just come across so obnoxious and over the top when paired with such a happy, bouncy melody. The song also suffers from adding too many layers. The amazing Electro-Funk groove of the intro could have easily have carried the song, but the layers of synths, Regine Chassagne's high pitched backing wails, and a glockenspiel melody that makes it sound like an '80s Christmas song... It's just loses any sense of subtlety. 'Chemistry' has to be the worst song this band have ever recorded. Like... What even is this?! How did it make the final cut of the album??? It's a proper cat-sat-on-the-mat happy little ditty that makes MGMT sound like Pink Floyd. 'Infinite Content' is another painfully underwritten song that suddenly brings in these Punk-influenced guitars sounding absolutely nothing like anything else on this album, and it just sounds so amateurish and far too polished, with all the edges rounded off... 'Electric Blue' is the token song with Regine Chassagne on lead solo vocals (there's at least one on every Arcade Fire record) and this is one of the better songs here. The funky disco grooves are back and actually suit the shiny production style they are going for, unlike the horror of 'Infinite Content' (which lasts less than two minutes long by the way). 'Electric Blue' has a catchy stomp with an icy high pitched wail that works really well, I could see this being a hit in Indie Rock club nights. Again it reminded me of Goldfrapp. What happened to Arcade Fire only sounding like Arcade Fire eh? I don't want to go on describing every track on this album. What we have here is an incredibly mixed bag of songs. There are tracks that I genuinely enjoyed and feel fit in with the aesthetics and vibes that Arcade Fire are all about, but for the first time on an Arcade Fire, I'm hearing tracks that are genuinely terrible, underwritten, amateurish and directionless. A big surprise from such an accomplished band five albums into their journey. Arcade Fire are lucky enough to be in one of those rare positions, where they have complete creative control of their sound, have headlined Glastonbury Festival, and continue to have strong album sales. They've had a similar amount of critical acclaim and simultaneous chart success as Radiohead before them. A band in this incredible position should not at all be simplifying their sound and aiming to make their most radio-friendly, Pop and commercial sounds yet. This is the exact point where Arcade Fire should be dropping their most experimental, abstract and challenging material yet, like what Radiohead continued to do after the success story that was 'OK Computer'. I'm pretty sure that no Arcade Fire fans wanted them to make this kind of record. And whilst the final results are far from being horrible, in fact I've enjoyed a good chunk of this record on a superficial level, but Arcade Fire have such a strong reputation to uphold. I really feel like Arcade Fire have just sold themselves short with this record. We all know they are capable of SO MUCH BETTER, they've proved it again and again in the past. 'Everything Now' is pretty mediocre, forgettable and just way too simplistic and middle of the road for a band of this stature. An absolute missed opportunity and a lack of ambition or direction completely haunt this record from start to finish. It's not bad, but it is also so far below all of their previous efforts that it is almost painful... 5/10.
CHASTITY BELT I USED TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME ALONE Indie Rock, Jangle-Pop. Hardly Art. Listening Format: CD
Chastity Belt are a quartet from Seattle, Washington, the home of Grunge, which is ever so slightly channeled in the aesthetics of their sound. This is their third full length album and what I believe is the boldest and most distinct record from the all girl band yet.
Chastity Belt on the surface have a lot of 90s throwback vibes that recall bands like Pavement, delivering slacker vibes with plenty of ragged, jangly guitars and a lo-fi, rough around the edges, scuzzy sound. There are many points where vocalist Julia Shapiro will drift out of key or go slightly flat, but in that magical naive way where it doesn't at all offend the ears, similar to bands like The Raincoats or The Vaselines. Whilst the album doesn't offer much in the way of variation, it does offer lots of heart, and the entire set of songs carries a lot of vibrance and momentum. Even though the production sound isn't particularly bright, the compositions and performances themselves are full of colour. The chiming guitars and hazy vocals in particular add such dreamy and pleasant feels.
From the rockin' opener 'Different Now', to the slowly strummed dirge on 'Used to Spend', the album thoroughly evokes an urgency, rawness and passion that shines the whole way through. Ultimate proof that great performances and heartfelt songs can make up for a lack of technical finesse. Recommended for fans of The Dum Dum Girls, Best Coast and Waxahatchee. 8/10.
CIGARETTES AFTER SEX CIGARETTES AFTER SEX Indie Rock, Slowcore, Dream Pop Partisan Records. Listening Format: CD
Cigarettes After Sex are a Texan formed Indie Rock band who are releasing their proper full length debut album. The band have actually been around for a while now, with their self released demo appearing in 2011 which didn't make such an impact. However their 2012 EP fared much better, with the track 'Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby' becoming a slow-burning hit. The band kind of went dormant for quite a few years, but a reissue of said EP last year renewed interest in the band who had started touring once more. Cigarettes After Sex now seem to be picking up their momentum faster than ever before and are starting to see the attention they have been looking for. For those who have known of the band's work before this album, you'll hear that almost nothing has changed in their sound. Even in the years following that 2012 EP, Cigarettes After Sex haven't added or subtracted anything. Their sound has that 90s throwback that is especially popular this decade. In particular they seem to take influences from the lesser known "Slowcore" movement of the early 90s. Their stark, stripped down and bare-bones sound is especially reminiscent of early Red House Painters and Low records (particularly 'Down Colorful Hill' and 'I Could Live In Hope' respectively). However Cigarettes After Sex are nowhere near as harrowing, melancholic or doom-ridden sonically or lyrically. But the comparison comes from their slow jangly music that is so bare it has nothing to hide. There also seems to be a strong influence of early 90s 4AD acts such as This Mortal Coil and Cocteau Twins too (in fact 'Each Time You Fall In Love' has a very similar sound and melody to Cocteau Twins' 'Pitch the Baby'). Cigarettes After Sex admirably have nothing flashy about their sound. The drums are mostly hi-hat and snare, the guitars slightly reverberated, but their sound is just as raw in approach as it would be on stage or in the studio. Absolutely no studio trickery or effects sound like they have been added in post. In many ways this makes the band sound completely genuine and honest, but such starkness could be a turn off for some listeners.
The album has a few really strong songs, kicking off with 'K.' which is as strong an opener as their best known hit 'Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby'. As I said before, they sound EXACTLY as they did when they released that song 5 years prior. Greg Gonzalez's androgynous voice is just as bittersweet and inviting as always. Perhaps the true star of this record. His vocals are just so warm, emotive and passionate without really even trying. He rarely feels to the need to elevate his voice or push his vocal chords in anyway, always revelling in a laid back, chilled out hush, much like the band as a whole. Cigarettes After Sex are a band that never introduce a heavy riff or even a loud build up in their songs. Their music is almost calculatedly brittle and laid back, like the band sat down the entire time they wrote and recorded these songs. Single 'Apocalypse' is another huge hitting and emotive song that was effectively released as a promotional single. I particularly enjoy 'Flash'. A rare time where the band mix up the formula a bit. The song revolves around a beat similar to Massive Attack's 'Teardrop' and shows a dub influenced bassline.
The problem with Cigarettes After Sex being so strictly chained to a specific sound is that the album really lacks any variation. Even if I think back on Red House Painters' debut as a sonic comparison, they also had a fairly strict vision for their sound and approach, yet still managed to hit us with a curveball with the brilliant 'Lord Kill the Pain', a faster tempo song reminiscent of REM. All ten tracks on this album have almost the same approach, structure and aesthetic running through them. I feel like even just one or two curveballs or surprises would have benefited this record. After multiple listens, my excitement for this record started to wane. Their 2012 EP lasted 18 minutes long and was built on 4 incredibly strong tracks. But transitioning over to an entire full length record and keeping the same strict aesthetic has made for a much more difficult listening experience running at 45 minutes. Unless this is your absolute favourite band or sound in the world, enjoying the entire duration is going to be tough. In fact the longest and slowest song 'Opera House' is the lowest point on the album.
'Cigarettes After Sex' is ultimately a solid, passionate and very focused debut. The band have clearly made no compromises in their sound and their vision and delivered more of exactly what made their 2012 EP so popular. There are a few genuinely stunning tracks, and they certainly have a down to earth sound and delivery that will hopefully tug at your heartstrings. But I can't deny that I really wanted to like this album more than I did. It really is a one-dimensional affair that just about pulls through into moments of greatness, although the overall consistency of their EP was better. If you are new to this band though, it's definitely one I would recommend. They are certainly one of the more interesting Indie Rock bands I have heard this decade. For a debut full length, it just about works, but I'd like to see this band think more outside of the box in the future and take me to different places with their sound. 7/10.
This weekend I ventured down to London to attend Field Day 2017, which boasted one of the best lineups of the year. The festival is mostly dedicated to Electronic music, but also covers great acts in Hip Hop and Indie Rock too. Definitely the kind of festival for eclectic music fans to venture to. With such a strong lineup there were inevitably some brutal clashes with Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus, Run the Jewels, Slowdive, Thee Oh Sees AND King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard having their sets all crossover on different stages. I wish I could have cloned myself and seen them all, but here is what I did get to see on this beautiful day in Victoria Park.
Methyl Ethel
My first act of the day was Australian Indie Rock quartetMETHYL ETHEL who provided an upbeat and lively performance to match the glorious sunshine. Their guitars had light touches of reverb creating light psychedelic vibes. Laid back mid tempo drums gave them that chilled out slacker vibe. Vocalist Jake Webb was a strong vocal point, with a bubbly and slightly twee sounding vocal, performed with great confidence. After sticking around for a few songs, I went to check out ABRA on the Resident Advisor stage. Instantly I was drawn in with the duo's massive, pounding bass heavy beats that shook the ground around me. Their Trap influenced Alt-R&B grooves really hit hard. Abra herself oozed so much confidence as a vocalist, with a sugary sweet singing voice. Definitely one of my favourite discoveries of the day with a sound fans of FKA Twigz and Jessy Lanza will probably enjoy. Certainly one to look out for.
Bristolian's BEAK> were a fine highlight in the Moth Club tent. The band is a side project lead by Geoff Barrow of Portishead fame. Beak> are highly inspired by Krautrock acts such as Can, locking into funky, repetitive grooves, with wild electronics and scatty guitars often searing away over the top. The tent was absolutely packed out to get a glimpse of this band and it was hard to even get inside. Instead I went back to the Resident Advisor tent to watch FOREST SWORDS. The scouse Electronic producer (real name Matthew Barnes) brought his Ambient Dub productions to the stage, with a live bass guitar player added to the equation. Barnes himself also added live guitar on a couple of tracks. The use of background visuals was quite striking and his beats sounded loud and pounding through the immense sound system.
Death Grips
There was no time to spare once Forest Swords had finished, as most of the Field Day crowd dashed to the opposite end of the park to the Crack tent to secure a decent spot for DEATH GRIPS. Even half an hour before the Sacramento trio hit the stage, the tent was practically full. DJ ESTHER JOY did a solid job of warming up the crowd, but the anticipation was so high that I think most people were staring at their watches, glimpsing towards the backstage area eager for the trio to emerge. Death Grips even teased the crowd by doing a brief linecheck of 'Guillotine' before leaving the stage again, sending the fans into a pre-emptive mosh. Finally Death Grips came on, and Field Day 2017 became a completely different beast, with a mosh pit so ferocious you would think Slayer had taken over the festival. Gone were the chilled vibes that Methyl Ethel began the day with. Death Grips force-feed a crowd with so much visceral, blood pumping energy. Flatlander's dense and noisy samples and synths, Zach Hill pounding the drums like they insulted his mother, and MC Ride's manic vocal acrobatics all converged perfectly to deliver one of the most vital, free-form and passionate expressions of the entire festival. The crowd were truly swept into a frenzy of ugly, unforgiving and blunt chaos as Death Grips blasted through discography highlights such as 'Come Up & Get Me', 'No Love', 'Hot Head', 'Guillotine' and more. In particular 'Giving Bad People Good Ideas' and 'I've Seen Footage' commanded the crowd to go fully insane. Certainly one of the main draws of this year's Field Day.
Following this breathtaking performance was a more controlled chaos. The Bleep Bandstand was situated right next to the Moth Club tent, and two very different but equally influential artists were playing at the same time. To my left was MIKE PARADINAS, best known as his alias U-Ziq (part of the 90s Cornish Acid scene with Aphex Twin), and founder of Planet Mu Records. And at the same time to my right was the last remaining member of SILVER APPLES, a man who pioneered Electronic music and breakbeats in the late 60s. I was so intrigued by both artists that I felt the need to zig-zag between the two. Silver Apples presented a rather crass and primitive approach, paving lots of wild oscillated sounds across his canvas. But ultimately I found myself more drawn to Paradinas, who was rocking the joint, belting out such a well crafted array of glitch, breakcore and ambient techno mastery, that it is puzzling that his name isn't as revered as his friend and collaborator Richard D James.
S U R V I V E
Back over at the Shacklewell Arms tent was S U R V I V E, who were another huge highlight. The US quartet are signed to Extreme Metal label Relapse Records, but perform Dark Ambient and Synthwave music heavily influenced by the works of John Carpenter. The way that the four synthesizer performers played off each other was something magical. Visually the way the quartet appeared on stage was reminiscent of Kraftwerk. They had a great knack of veering off into solo sections, but often coming together to create wondrous harmonies of ice cold synths. Their music speaking in unison, creating language out of synthetic sounds. The band are best known for contributing to the original score for the hit Sci-Fi series Stranger Things, and their own music away from that defining score was fairly similar and just as enticing to listen to. Before making my way to see one of the big headliners, I popped in to catch the end of CLAMS CASINO's set. I only caught the last few songs and yet still I left with a huge impression. Clams Casino had the entire tent packed to brim delivering a ferocious approach to hard hitting Trap beats. So many people were getting their groove on to his hard sounds, bringing such a Gangsta boogie to Field Day that drove people wild. Closing the Resident Advisor tent was one of the most anticipated acts of the entire day. FLYING LOTUS not only brought an incredible visual and light show, but his sound was deafeningly loud and just sounded massive. FlyLo played a lot of new material, even slipping in some currently unreleased material from his upcoming score for Kuso (the film Ellison directed). A trap rendition of the Twin Peaks theme was an unexpected delight, and he also performed a lot of retro video game inspired pieces, with numerous beats that sampled different Silent Hill games, and an amazing rendition of an iconic theme from Final Fantasy VII. FlyLo weaved them together through many of his most incredible album cuts into an unrelenting flow of jazzy and funky Hip Hop/IDM fusion. The vibes inside this tent were unreal. I wish I could have stayed for the whole set, but I had to leave after forty minutes to ensure I got myself a good spot in The Barn for the big headliner...
Flying Lotus
Richard D James, best known as APHEX TWIN was clearly the act most people came to see. I saw so many people donning his iconic logo on their shirts and there was such a positive buzz in the air. As you can imagine, he delivered one of the most dynamic lighting and visual crafts of the entire festival. So many coloured lasers and dizzying strobes were used. There were amazing visuals on the screen such as cartoonish images of the queen, Nigel Farage, Theresa May and... Chris Evans... with Richard's famous creepy, distorted face super imposed over the top. And at times people in the crowd were even filmed up close, but with that haunting face super imposed over their own faces. Aphex Twin performed for an incredible two straight hours. There were probably a lot of young people who were seeing Aphex Twin for the very first time (I think he last played the UK five years ago). Old school fans will know that he doesn't play the hits live. No 'Come to Daddy' or 'Windowlicker', but he did sneak in a more obscure cut 'Audax Powder' from the Polygon Window album. Aphex usually will create a unique live experience of material that even die hard fans have never heard before. Aphex truly pulled out all the stops. The first half hour was particularly doomy, and horrifying, favouring slow, warped beats and chilling horror synths. But the show gradually got a lot more playful, as Aphex moved into those classic Cornish Acid Techno vibes. He showcased some of his Drill & Bass sounds reminiscent of the 'Drukqs' era, and even some more colourful and accessible spots. He would often break people's expectations by dropping in something like an old school Hip Hop beat here, or a jungle tune there, or a straight up Dub piece. But as a whole it felt like Aphex was drawing from just about everything he has delivered over his vast and ever changing career. His set was constantly changing up at an ADHD pace, so there was always something fantastic for our ears to feast on. Originally I had planned to watch an hour of his set and then go and catch a bit of Run the Jewels, but I felt so engrossed and mesmerized by what Aphex Twin was performing, that I just could not leave. Aphex Twin delivered a true masterclass in all the things that make Electronic music interesting and innovative. His set finished on devastatingly loud lashing of bit-crushed noise and wild Industrial beats with a vocal sample screaming "FUCK OFF" repeatedly. A darkly humourous way to end a two hour colossus. As the music died down and the floodlights came on, Richard D James waved goodbye to the crowd with a big smile on his face, leaving chills down my spine as rapturous applause engulfed the massive Barn stage.
Aphex Twin
Sadly Field Day 2017 left on a sour note as news started to break that a string of terrorist attacks had broken out not far from the venue. Fortunately nobody at the festival was directly affected and hopefully everybody made a safe journey home. But aside from this, Field Day 2017 will be remembered for being well organised, full of dedicated music fans who were well behaved and contributed towards an incredible vibe and atmosphere across the whole day. For eclectic music fans, Field Day offered what will easily be one of the best lineups of cutting edge artists this year. I had a truly fantastic time!
Dystopian Future Movies are a Post Metal trio from Nottingham, although with such diverse sounds and influences, there is no easy way to describe this band, so I thought I would ask them directly! The band have two fantastic EPs under their belt and are gearing up for a UK tour with Fvnerals starting in October and a debut full length to follow!
I chatted with Caroline Cawley, Emily Azadpour and Bill Fisher about Irish Folk music, Nottinghamshire and of course, dystopian future movies!
How did the three of you come together to form Dystopian Future Movies?
Caroline: I had been writing some basic song ideas and looking for a drummer to collaborate with when I met Bill. Emily and I had been friends for a while, she had always wanted to play bass... So with similar taste in music it made sense for us to get together.
You have a diverse sound that takes elements of Post Metal, Atmospheric Rock and Indie, how would you describe your sound in your own words?
Bill: Caroline describes it as ‘detrimental’. Not detrimental to anything, just ‘detrimental’. Which somehow does make sense.
Caroline: I think our sound is dark, atmospheric and dynamic. The melodic vocal brings a spooky element, it hooks you into the darker elements.
Who do you consider to be your biggest music influences?
Caroline:I heard everything from Rush and Thin Lizzy to Julie Tzukeas I toddled round my house from a very young age so I have a broad palette where influences are concerned! The delicacy and heart on sleeve nature of contemporary Irish folk music was something that made a massive impression. My dad and I would travel to see Mary Black in concert when I was 9 years old and I'd sing every word. Herinterpretations of Noel Brazil’s Sparks Might Fly and Columbus have stuck with me since I was a small child. Heartbreaking and vulnerable lyrically, a wistfulness drawn out by her pure vocal. I am drawn to troubling chords, dissonance, whether in subject matter or musically. Crushingly heavy riffs were something I got into more as teenager.Memorably, hearing a track called All Is Forgiven on San Francisco band Jellyfish’s second album blew my mind wide open and showed me that intense melody can be fused with cacophonous noise to incredible effect.
Bill: Drummers that have influenced my approach to this band would include old favourites such as Billy Cobham and Jimmy Chamberlain, and notably Hozoji Matheson-Margullis of Helms Alee, who has a really unusual approach. Caroline always frowns at straight rock beats, so I’m always looking to add something more off-kilter. Bill Ward said he tried to play like an orchestral percussionist, thinking in terms of dynamics and texture, which I try to apply to this music. When we get to the arrangement stage in DFM, I try to keep Hounds of Love (Kate Bush album) in mind. It’s sonically very different, but the structures are often based around one pattern or riff which repeats and builds to awesome crescendos.
Emily:That’s a tough one! I grew up in a small seaside town in Scotland where dance music was popular, along with Britpop.. It was only when I left for university that I was introduced by friends to a whole new world of other genres. Neil Young, Nirvana, My Bloody Valentine, Jeff Buckley, Pavement and the Pixies are just a few of the bands I remember coming to quite late on, hearing them for the first time and feeling an affinity with that music that I’d never felt before listening to anything else.
DFM is based in Nottingham, what is the music and arts scene like there?
Emily: There is a thriving independent music and art scene in Nottingham. We have some great DIY venues including the Chameleon, JT Soar and the Lofthouse in collaboration with passionate local independent promoters such as Buttonpusher, I’m Not From London, Default This and Thee Cosmic Goat. Nottingham feels like a very exciting place to be creating music at the moment and we feellucky to be part of such a diverse yet inclusive and supportive artistic community.
Your latest EP "NYD" is fantastic, how did you find the writing and recording process?
Caroline: Thank you! NYD was written very quickly in one sitting. It came from a very raw place lyrically and seemed to just flow out of me that morning as I sat strumming a melody I had come up with a few days previous. It evolved an apocalyptic ending when I took it to Bill and Emily at band practice. Hopefully the emotional confusion of the song comes across in the ebb and flow.
Bill: NYD and Nova were both recorded with Joff Spittlehouse in The Old Library [in Nottinghamshire] which has a large theatre room. This gave us great natural reverb and thus a huge drum sound.
Emily: After recording the first four track EP ourselves, it was a new and exciting experience to work in another studio with someone else engineering. It was interesting to have the input of someone outside of the band and discover the different ways that could influence the recording outcome. Joff was amazing, very patient and accommodating, we really felt at home recording in his studio.
Name some of your favourite dystopian future movies, and can you explain how they influence your music?
DFM: La Jetee (the precursor for 12 Monkeys), Brazil, Children of Men, Blade Runner, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Dr Strangelove and Network are a few that come to mind. Movies such as this have a sinister edge, they have a visual as well as a sonic dissonance. There is notable light and shadow and we feel that contrast is similar to our musical dynamic. People have described our music as cinematic or like a soundtrack. Maybe we will have the opportunity to work on a movie in the future.
Bill: It’s really the feeling that these types of film create which is similar to our sound. Darkness, epicness, claustrophobia, ‘detriment’...
What else influences you outside of music and film?
Caroline:Words. Patti Smith’s Just Kids came to me at a significant turning point in my life and threw some doors open for me. Having surrounded myself in other people’s art; be it film or music all of life, after reading that book I suddenly felt capable or that anything was possible and that maybe my own artistic story was just beginning. I think as I've gotten older I've realised that self expression, creativity and the self-awareness they bring are fundamental to our happiness and functionality. I am also hugely inspired by the kids I teach. My class are only 8 and come from very diverse cultural and religious backgrounds but amid the current political turmoil; the hope, enthusiasm and accepting nature of my kids is a much more positive reality to get up for every day!
Emily:Lots of things really! Friends, teachers, films and books that I stumble upon or people recommend. I developed an interest in photography relatively recently having lived in Berlin whilst studying a Liberal Arts course. I was introduced to analogue photography and discovered a love for the dark room and the feeling that film photography evokes. Livingin Berlin was very inspiring to me because of how rich the city is in terms of culture and history. That whole experience was very influential, I met some amazing and inspiring people and rediscovered a desire to be involved in doing something creative as part of a group. That want had lain dormant for a long time and I hadn’t realised how much it was lacking in my life. I’m so happy to have the opportunity to play bass with two of my closest friends.
You have shows announced all over the UK, what are you looking forward to most on this tour?
Emily: Playing some of our new songs and trying out a new set. I am really looking forward to seeing parts of the country I’ve not seen before. Hanging with Fvneralsagain, of course!
Bill: We’ve not played many southern venues before as our previous tour was just the midlands and the north. It will be great to be touring with Fvnerals again as they are awesome people and an amazing band. You hear nightmare tour stories where bands fall out but everyone involved is really chilled and genuinely professional.
Caroline: We both really like each other’s bands and it’s pretty exciting to see one of your favourite bands play every night and watch them evolve.
Your music is available digitally and on CD. Physical music is seeing a welcome resurgence now, what are your personal favourite formats to listen to music on?
Caroline: As I was growing up it was tape and then I moved on to cd when I could buy music myself with pocket money. Over 15 years I collected hundreds of CDs! Because I mainly listen to music on the go now, it’s mainly digital. I do really miss the artwork and liner notes, when I can afford it, I’d love to buy my favourite albums on vinyl.
Bill: We are going to release our first album on vinyl.
Caroline: We have already discussed the artwork, I’d love to include the lyrics.
What does the future hold for DFM, and what are your plans after the tour is finished?
Bill: We have just recorded our first full length album in-house [home studio] and it is sounding massive! It is due for release on CD and vinyl early next year. We will tour and do some festivals on the back of that release, hopefully in Europe.
With all the uncertainty in British politics right now, do you feel like a dystopia lays in our future, or are we already in a dystopia?
Bill: The prophesies of many dystopian movies and novels have undoubtedly come true however we are still fortunate enough to be able to create art and music. May that continue.
...And to leave on a more positive note, what would each of you describe as being your perfect day off work?
Bill: Sitting down in a sunny beer garden.
Caroline: Amazing live music, nice beers, great friends and laughter.
Emily:I like to nap, daytime naps are good, and food, so those things, preferably with good friends in the sunshine near the sea and a dog or two.. Thank you to Dystopian Future Movies for taking the time to chat. Here are their upcoming tour dates!
