Recently two major events stood up among the hundred of gigs taking place every week in London: First of them, this year’s edition of The Ether festival, dedicated to music combined with multiple art disciplines, particularly technology and visuals. This year’s program saw Baby Dee collaborating with Current 93; Goldfrapp; Harmonia; Pere Ubu next to animators Brothers Quay, and superstar DJ’s Soulwax.
The second was a week full of cutting edge indie and electronica acts organized by promoter Eat Your Own Ears at the 02 Indigo, smaller venue than the arena, based at the former Millenium Dome. The Indigo, normally home to more established old glories, was given a facelift with the likes of Four Tet, Junior Boys, the Kompact label and RZA, all part of the impressibe line-up.
SOULWAX
Belgium superstars Soulwax were launching their own documentary, “Part of the weekend never dies”,. The grunge band that began in the ninetees and metamorphosed into remixers and DJS were last year nominated to Robers for his remix collection, “Most of the remixes”. Their career was celebrated with both a live gig and dj set with alter ego “2 many DJ’s” next some other top rank turntabilist (Riton, Tiga, Declan Allen..). A night in which both the band and the DJ’s showed the rockingly electronic energy they’ve been storming stages and dancefloors around the work with.
KELLEY POLAR
Kelley Polar was the star of the second night. He played second on a bill that began with DFA hopefuls Prinzehorn Dance School, and carried on with nu-disco DJ sets by Metro Area’s Morgan Geist for whom Polar did some string arrangements, in between live acts. The multi-instrumentist and singer showcased is 80’s techno-pop tinged album “I need you to hold on when the sky is falling”, one of the best of 2008 so far. Dressed in a sort of white space suit, matching the two accompanying musicians, he managed to convince an audience that had barely heard of him until then.
JUNIOR BOYS
Junior Boys were the other side of the coin, playing mostlyn the songs included in their latest “So this is goodbye” and some new tracks. But their sound was tired and somehow more mainstream, like they were trying to leave behind their icy minimal coolness and embracing a funkier and rather common orientation, without adding much beat or rhythm to it. The Canadian’s set was no short of disappointment.
METRONOMY
The night concluded with an excellent set by Devon’s three-piece Metronomy, the project of another remixer, Joseph Mount. The trio appeared in full nu rave gear, with their T-shirts with illuminated circles, introducing their long awaited second full lenght “Nights Out”, to be released at the end of June.
SCROOBIUS PIP
The last night of the EYOE Indigo program was dedicated to hip-hop, with a triple bill that started with last year’s sensations Dan Le Sac versus the rhymes and wit of bearded MC Scroobius Pip. The pair have yet to demonstrate they are no one hit wonder, after having failed to carry on their initial success with “Thou shalt always kill”. They came across as a very entertaining live act, Pip’s rantings against British rap followed by a track using Dizzee rascal’s “Fix Up, Look sharp” was the highlight, next to some other moments included in the duo’s imminent debut “Angles”. After them, an example confirming their opininion about British rap being crap, Killa Kela, as energetic as boring.
RZA
The star of the rap night was Wu-Tang member, RZA, who pleased his fans going through both his best moments as Bobby Digital (moniker under with he’s about to released a new album, “Digi Snacks”) and Recurring to both the Clan and Killa Bees franchises, even singing “Ice C.R.E.A.M. while allowing some girls from the audience to join him and onstage. A good time for followers of the Clan.
