Chromeo
Aah… the 1980s. Rabidly bonkers women prime ministers, Monster Munch, Rubik’s Cubes, Steve Martin being funny. Musically, an era of indisputable groundbreaking heavyweights and also some vacuous disposable tripe. Chromeo, an electro duo from Montreal, have decided to cobble together a mix from the latter.
Pentatonik - A Thousand Paper Cranes
Not one to rush himself, R. Simeon Bowring‘s one man show, Pentatonik have managed to churn out three albums in 15 years. More like a million cups of coffee (not to mention the Hobnob consumption over this time). He’s taken this Blue Nile-esque output rate to attempt to edge himself more towards the film score type of electronica rather than the more unashamed dance material of the debut album Anthology. It’s a risky strategy that doesn’t always work.
A Thousand Paper Cranes was inspired by a story of a 12-year-old Japanese girl who died from the effects of the Hiroshima bomb. It was her belief that if she could make a thousand paper cranes then her cancer would be cured. The influences of the Orient can be heard dotted around in ‘By The Sword’ and the title track amongst others and a generous nod to Ryuichi Sakamoto is no great surprise. … Continue Reading
The Mummers
August 29, 2009
It’s a world gone crazy when The Mummers get relegated to a supporting slot for a ukulele player and his band, but such are things in Amsterdam. So a bemused audience adjusts themselves for a performance by the Brighton orchestral octet at the unholy start time of 7:45pm. Like a Cinderella who got to the ball before the bar opened, Raissa Khan-Panni arrives on stage with her fellow Prom queens and kings and they proceed to tune up while we shift uncomfortably feeling comparatively under-dressed for the occasion.
The opening bars immediately set the tone for the barely full venue at we left in no doubt that, although this may not be the best of circumstances, we will not go home disappointed. The lushness of the album Tale to Tell is recreated immaculately by the ensemble of brass, strings and percussion. Khan-Panni lovingly conducts as she gives the songs the effortlessly lush voice they deserve. By the time ‘March of the Dawn’ is trooped out, this reviewer is getting more shivers down his spine than cliched platitudes will allow. … Continue Reading
Pet Shop Boys
June 22, 2009
You know it’s going to be an odd night: Pet Shop Boys fans, of all people, have taken it upon themselves to throw off the shackles of their designated seating and decide to pile to the foot of the stage the moment the lights go down. Appealing awkwardly to both the thumping Hi-NRG camp electro camp and melancholic wistful melodrama fans, the duo pull out all the stops to please all with varying degrees of success.
With a back catalogue so rammed with potential crowd pleasers such as ‘Heart’, ‘Left To My Own Devices’, ‘Go West’, ‘It’s A Sin’ and ‘You Were Always On My Mind’, it’s going to be nigh on impossible not to satisfy everybody at some stage. The ‘boys’ themselves stick to type and either a) stand behind a keyboard or b) hold a microphone and motion the songs along with the other hand. This while wearing an assortment of hats of varying taste. They wisely let dancers and a huge backdrop of interchangeable blocks and video projections provide the visual distraction. … Continue Reading
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