This week has been about music from all over the world, emanating from a variety of sources. I've been having quite a good time, audibly.
First off, we have etherial electro Youtube phenomenon IAMAMIWHOAMI. The project of little known Swedish artist Jonna Lee, their creepily beautiful, symbol-rich videos have been snowballing the web for the past year and a half. On Wednesday, as part of the Southbank's Ether Festival, the collaboration appeared in their first UK show at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Please observe the incredibly crappy iPhone pictures below.
Sat in raked seating as if it was a play could have been detrimental to an act that makes you want to throw your limbs around in wild abandon - much like the white lycra-clad onsied body of Lee herself. But, thankfully due to the cult following IAM have engineered through their video narratives, everyone was into it. By the end, I, my friend, the goth girls to the left and the flamboyant gay couple to the right, were all standing and dancing madly in front of our seats - at least, our top halves were.
Check out their Youtube Channel for more joy.
Next up is the difficult-to-google band MADRID. A duo formed only in February of this year of ex-CSS founder Adriano Cintra and ex-Bonde Do Role MC Marina Velo. In the basement of some Shoreditch jazz club, with a diminutive audience of around fifteen, Adriano sits at a piano with a laptop close at hand. Like a Brazilian Lana Del Rey, Marina strums a base, glares at us (we are close by) under heavy make-up, and sways as if in a trance.
Between and behind them, a projection of a man in black, hidden by a black balaclava sits in (we assume) the white washed walls of some other basement, lit only by a bare, swinging light bulb, and accompanies them on drums.
There is no denying their super-hipster quality. They really are super-hipsters. But in her swaying, sad sexual lilt and surprisingly emotive vocals, Marina manages to say something true about love and longing. She was also pretty captivating, once you got over wondering if she was wearing a skin-coloured bra under that black lace top or not.
You can listen to songs from their debut album at their website. Or, alternatively, watch below.
Now onto some more independent releases:
DJ and former member of screamo band Cataract Falls, Chris Lawhorn has recently made a charity instrumental homage to Washington based rock band Fugazi. The album, Fugazi Edits, will be available on iTunes, Amazon et al, from 30th October. Sanctioned by the band and combining more than 100 Fugazi samples, the album will benefit two charities: one that works with senior citizens in Washington DC and another that provides global aid to those impacted by civil unrest or disaster.
Check out this sample below:
And finally, IAM inspired musician Robert Van Oz. He's totally independent/self-produced/all them good things. Check out his Youtube Channel for more.
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