Niclas Kjellström Matseke

Folie à Deux (with Sarah)

Folie à Deux (with Sarah)

Folie à deux : (English pronunciation: /fɒˈli ə ˈduː/) French'
“a madness shared by two / a shared psychosis"
DJ / Music Obsessive / Fashion Designer / Accidental Hipster Cliché.....

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Shabazz Palaces in The Twisted Pepper

Shabazz Palaces in the Twisted Pepper   

Seattle based rappers, Palaceer Lazaro and Tendai ‘Baba’ Maraire, better known as Shabazz Palaces, are new to my radar - but what an impression they have made. Their constantly surprising, subtext filled lyrics are atypically eloquent, and coupled with song structures that constantly ebb and flow in opposing directions, they are not your average rap couple. Also, they have dance routines. Mind blown. They played the Twisted Pepper on Friday night - and it was nothing short of awesome.  

Sidling onstage, cool as hell, bedecked in sunglasses and to a roaring crowds’ yelps of excitement - they began their set in earnest. Unfortunately, there were some sort of teething problems with their sound set up - to the point that the pair stand a few paces back from their african-print-sheeted drums and Ableton keypad as the tech team from the Twisted Pepper rush to fix the problematic lead that seems to be causing the trouble. Apologetic or bewildered - I can’t quite tell - the pair look at the crowd, who - in response - burst into applause and we-don’t-mind-waiting whoops. I think we have an understanding. The issue is sorted within minutes and the pair launch again into their set. One of the first songs is ‘Youology’ who’s’ snapping-noised start is mirrored by the thickest bass thud that you could imagine - and set-in syncopated rapping… 

‘searching blind / run behind / out of time / into fire / caked up in fake love to get you high’ 

…it’s so good. Filling out their set with ‘Recollections of the Wrath’ - with its female soul singing samples - and ‘An Echo From The Hosts That Profess Infinnitum’ - both tracks off their album ‘Black Up’  (which is epic, go buy) there isn’t a moment of wasted time between each song. Free-styled, improvised Ableton processes and live drumming, are twinned with maracas, dual clapping, thumb harps - and of course, succinctly worded, rapped lyrics. Their music, though thematically intense, is also whirring and sensual, and their voices velveteen. 

They both bounce and groove to their own constant beats, but when I realized that they have dance moves - routines even - sometimes even something akin to double dutch clapping, I could have quite literally jumped out of my skin. They are so fucking adorable, I could die.Their on stage symbiosis and relationship makes me jealous. ‘Free Press and Curl’ - a song with an undeniably catchy hook is next up, ‘I’m Free, I’m Free, You know I’m Free’, and that on the night finished with a bonged cacophony, was perfection, and performed to a crowd that seemed to know every lyric ver batim already. Always a good sign. The constant reverb and intensity isn’t something that I quite expected from this gig - the  album (and performance) vacillates in tempo from song to song, but the pairs’ stage presence has the whole room moving is a sort of collective wave on the strength of the beats. ‘Are You…. Can You… Were You? (Felt)’ - was the closing tune, and utterly perfect as such…. 

(Time / I understand it /  But I never choose it / I can’t explain it with words / I have to do it / The ship I came on here vanished /// It’s a feeling / It’s a feeling / It’s a feeling). 

Not. Enough. Superlatives. 

Posted in shabazz palaces the twisted pepper palaceer lazaro tendai Maraire youology recollections of wrath black up gig review free press and curl are you can you were you felt rap electro
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Overhead, The Albatross w. We Arrive Alive & Margie Lewis

Gig Fatigue. I think i’ve been suffering from it lately. But the Overhead, The Albatross / We Arrive Alive / Margie Lewis gig in the Twisted Pepper last saturday night I think might have been just the antidote. Thank fuck too, cause theres nothing worse than being gig-weary. I think I’m cured. 

Margie Lewis

Standing aside a table full of pretty looking analogue instruments, I had very little idea of what to expect from Margie Lewis, who opened the Overhead, the Albatross show in the Twisted Pepper on Saturday night with an equal measure of self-possession and hesitant nerves. Her set was a sort of mirror of this dichotomy.  Looping details from her expertly played antique instruments, the set at once verged on folky - with the inclusion of a thumb piano, ukulele, violin and an amazing, newly received table harp - and a more modern electro vibe. Her own vocals - which followed the same looping patterns as her plethora of instruments, was layered and vaguely pixie-esque in its delivery, though moved swiftly to shouted and static staccato moments - made all the more unexpected by Margies’ humble and adorable stage persona. The latter songs in the set - none of which had their titles announced unfortunately - were the more raucous of the short 20 minute display. Lewis finished off her set with a  song that layered vocals, programmed drums and more of her varied instrumentation, that brought a slight Biork reference to mind. Online, there is scant trace of Margies’ solo work, though you can check out vocals she did on this Bantum track here.

We Arrive Alive

This is an act that I have been anxious to see for a long time, but foibles of scheduling contrived to make me miss every gig they have played in the last few months. They are as great live as their recordings suggest. An onslaught of energetic and frenetic activity onstage, they seem to be many more than their 5 pieces - and filled the stage with rambunctious energy. Earlier songs in the set, such as ‘Slow Fall’, had great blocky drums and keyboard lines - and were cinematic in their soft and slow build. Though this theme lasted only a short two songs before it was announced ‘Sorry to all you ambient lovers out there. It’s all over from now on in’ before the quintet proceeded to launch into the more intense side of their 3 guitar, bass-y, drum driven mayhem of cacophonous sound for the remainder of their set. Their music is a constant build and relief of noise, and it is this juxtaposition of tension that heightens the senses. Grimey reverb, smashing guitar sounds and repetitive themes throughout songs make this band one that i will certainly be looking out for. If you need an introduction, check out ‘Walls’ from We Arrive Alives’ EP of the same name here. 

Overhead, The Albatross

Pure sonic aggression seemed to tumble down off the stage as the six lads that make up Overhead, The Albatross took over the space. ‘Pigonometry’ - one of my own personal favorites - was one of the first songs on the night, and is indicative of their seemingly frenetic, yet completely premeditated style of music, but other songs - such as ‘Liam Neeson’ -  with its Elton John-esque (yes, that is a term now) piano line - were equally as epic on the night and performed with such vigor that I was sure there would be some sort of unfathomable injury done to one of the lads as they mounted amps, whilst enshrouded in wafts of smoke that rose from the stage, backlit by the awesome lighting that makes me fall even more in love with Twisted Pepper stage shows every time. With grandiose and rhythmic instrumentation- their music is, for me, more akin to classical composition than anything else, though the inclusion of clicking and clunky guitar sounds and quirky vocal samples that catapult it very much into the 21st century. The show, at one point, seemed to be inspiring some serious three man love up the front, where arm in arm, a trio of spectators swayed in appreciative harmony to the music, whilst others held up homemade signs that read ‘something’, ‘something’ ‘LADS’ (though I might have missed out on other signs that completed that partial thought there - sorry). Finishing with ‘Flubirds’ in all its crashing drums, violin programmed, slow-headbang-inspiring glory, it was a great performance.

(Also, and this isn’t one of those throwaway ‘the band were crap but the venue was amazing’ comments - but holy shit - The Twisted Peppers’ lights are fucking unbelievable - Its a cracking venue.)

Posted in overhead the albatross we arrive alive margie lewis the twisted pepper instrumental indie classical review