Bristol Friday 2nd April 2009
With Dirty Projectors, Polar Bear, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Matt Elliott, Nat Baldwin, Gary Smith, Silver Stairs Of Ketchikan
Mountain of 8 at the Arnolfini is a coming together of two of Bristol’s finest assets. The cutting-edge gallery and performance space is the ideal venue for the high-calibre, forward-thinking line-up synonymous with promoters Qu Junktions.
First off in the intimate dark room at the top of the Arnolfini is double-bassist Nat Baldwin. Tonight Baldwin’s frenetic plucking, snatched bowing, and percussive thuds are both expressive and challenging. Baldwin works best when he employs his voice as a counterpoint to his double-bass as on tonight’s closer Enter The Light Out. With its dramatic bowed bass and lyrical refrain, it sees Baldwin successfully harnessing his lust for the experimental within the accessible perimeters of song.
Downstairs in the auditorium, Swedish free-soul duo Wildbirds & Peacedrums deliver an exhilarating mix of blues stomp and vocal acrobatics. Mariam Wallentin’s vocal, somewhere between Nina Simone and Bjork, coupled with the innovative percussion of Andreas Werliin, creates a primal and surprisingly full sound. The duo are at their most potent when Wallentin allows her vocal to pick out a groove which Werliin then pounds into a mix of old-world soul and postmodern innovation.
Next, Polar Bear treat the auditorium to a textured set that takes in the various facets of their post-jazz arrangements. Their more experimental forays into free jazz are tempered by unique broken break grooves as on the fantastic tomlovesalicelovestom. Leafcutter John, on one occasion, leaves behind his distorted electronic samples to coax a surprisingly beautiful tone from a balloon. This is typical of Polar Bear’s innovative and playful music, which tonight succeeds in being both cerebral and body-shaking.
Brooklyn-based headliner’s Dirty Projectors take to the stage and strut through a superlative opening five songs of danceable, Mathsy, afro-blues. Dave Longstreth’s guitar work is full of flex and is the lynchpin of a more direct and rhythmic approach. Longstreth also orchestrates some incredible vocal harmonisation and interplay, in particular on Finches Song at Oceanic Park. Occasionally though, he tries too much, forces ideas, and instruments stumble over each other. There is consequently a mid-set lull when the textures and rhythms collide more than complement. However, overall much of the experimental flab is replaced by an impressive focus that makes this a fitting finale.
Tonight’s acts explore the overlaps and spaces in between musical structuralism and the avant garde; they each toy with traditional forms only to subvert them in consistently interesting ways. Mountain of 8 is testament to the vitality of Qu Junktions, and in turn, experimental music.
Published in an edited form at http://www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/2009/04/05/gig-review-mountain-of-8/
