Lighting up the room like its Oxford Street at Christmas.
With the decline in music sales artists and promoters now have to draw the masses into venues by offering more than ever before. One option currently growing in popularity is the audiovisual show – employed to add extra stimulus to electronic music gigs which can otherwise be rather bland if the producer insists on standing behind a laptop for the whole night. Amon Tobin has wowed those lucky enough to see him at the Roundhouse, and DJ Shadow recently amazed the crowds with his Shadowsphere at Bestival. Now it’s Daedelus’ turn to prove what those lazers can do.
First up though comes support from Tru Thoughts' own The Hidden Orchestra who come fully equipped with two drummers. Rather than just doubling up the beat, one plays the main beat whilst the other adds fills, the two sets of rhythms accompanying and complimenting each other throughout. I've been known occasionally to dabble in banging the skins and have often wished for four arms to be able to play the patterns and rolls I hear in my head. These guys have the ability to play like that.
They treat us to a fantastic ‘drum off’ and take turns in playing solos. The other two members manage to skilfully juggle programming, bass and violin duties between themselves to complete the broken beat electronica jazz sound, much like the bastard child of Quantic, Red Snapper and Wagon Christ.
It’s not long before the screen in front of the stage rises to reveal a wall of mirrors, twenty four in all, placed in eight by three formation. Daedelus appears from the wings and approaches his monome board (an audio interface used to trigger his music). As the first sounds emanate, lasers fly at the wall of mirrors, each moving independently and refracting the light to all corners of the venue. It’s as though the light show's designers, Emmanuel Biard and David Leonard, have stretched out the surface of an enlarged mirror-ball and placed it vertically behind the musician.
Daedelus plays a mixture of his own material plus remixes of a few tracks to spice up proceedings. It’s a much harder set than anticipated, ranging from heavy dubstep bass to hard techno, and the light show combines with the music to give a truly unique experience. Daedelus’ concept is simple yet extremely effective.
From here, Luke Vibert gives us a full retrospective of the use of the Amen break, from hip hop numbers like NWA's ‘Straight Outta Compton’ through electro, rave and all the way to jungle stalwarts like Rufige Cru’s ‘Terminator’. Melding classics like ‘White Lines (Don’t Do It)’ with edits of his own ‘I Love Acid’ and ‘LFO.’ and blowing the dust from old school rave gem ‘Trip II The Moon’ by Acen, he splices them amongst a plethora of wonky breaks and beats. He then ends the set with the heaviest jungle track I’ve ever heard and the most warped use of Amen break in existence. I ask a few people around me if they know whose track it is but we are all left none the wiser.
The Soundcrash nights always bring in a great crowd – friendly and easy going, which I presume is due to like-minded tastes in music and possibly our similar outlooks on life. One example: as he tries to leave, Luke Vibert is quickly collared by eager members of the audience. A true gentleman, and fitting with the friendliness of the event, he thanks them all with great warmth and charm, spending time chatting to them each individually. There’s not a frown in sight, and that – combined with the amazing AV show – ensures we all have just the kind of fun everyone wants on a Saturday night.
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