It’s been a while, but back in January 2013 with skronk and skree, and a new format for the blog.
Noteherder and McCloud
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The first Noteherder and McCloud starts slow vibrating washes of electric swamp with skittering soprano sax pausing for occasional languors, before getting up with a noisy switchback over bass drones and some proper skronking and ending with a grumble off between the pair.
The second Noteherder & McCloud set took me by surprise by starting with some whistling birdsong before electronic burbles transformed into staccato bass with Chris saxing at full throttle with noise stabs sliding in sawtooth. It degenerates into squeaks and pops before coming back for a little full throttle action and close. I can’t comment on _minimalVector’s visuals, as I was looking the wrong way, but I’ve heard they were immersive to the point of overwhelming: sliding across two walls like slippery nightmare woods.
EMB Ortolan
EMB Ortolan has a nice guitar chime loop with jazz cymbals to start, looping most satisfyingly before bringing in church bells and playgrounds, a gloriously excessive piece of uber guitar riffery upsets things and pulls it back to another understated guitar loop with annoying HF feedback whistling under it. Paul then did a reprise of his quiet Aural Detritis piece with the light sensitive devices. A brave decision in the infamously loud Green Door Store, but one that worked well – very subtle and understated, and making good use of the sub bass available in the large PA. Finishing with a low level blistering and shortwave conversation.
Cosmonaut Transfer
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Cosmonaut Transfer ended the night with their space age tomfoolery, slowed down vocals and Tangerine arpeggios start the set in the right mode, Dave’s guitar flying fluid lines and trills of sustain while disappointingly the space helmet stays on the floor this time. The arpeggios wind down into speech and swirls and Nick brings out the violin and we all get a bit more abstract until the Krell monster from Forbidden Planet puts in an appearance and the arpeggios return with a more propulsive beat than previously and we’re off to Mars for the climax.
