Music Reviews
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Camden Crawl
Strutting on stage looking like a cultish range of limited edition of goth barbies, you’d be forgiven for thinking that London based four piece Ipso Facto hold style in better regard, than say, substance . All sleek black hair, tiny frames, lace and velvet, they could quite easily pass for Peaches Geldoff’s favourite band with her new Horrors honed image. Digressions aside, Ipso Facto are quite the performers. ‘Harmonise’ has a saucy, strict military rhythm, and pure PJ Harvey inspired vocals. Suiting the packed Underworld’s dark surroundings perfectly, their mesmerising sound of psychedelia and garage, kinked with a slight and warped pop twist, never fails to impress. However, amongst a smattering of up-tempo eager kids, now is the time for Ipso Facto to lift the bar and really stand out.
Hatcham Social have such nice hair, and musically are pretty special too. A jumble sale approach of thrown together aesthetics and influences, a groovy bass line here, a screech there, a new wave drum beat there. Tonight, the orange glow of the cavernous small room at the Roundhouse, is a welcoming setting for their difficult and visible alienation to the crowd. The finely coiffed boys eye each other nervously. A total contradiction, they look uncomfortable with us, but perfectly in sync together, all this edginess masquerading some of the finest pop tunes around. The Horrors Faris produced ‘So So Happy Making’ is surely a contender for single of the year already.
No matter how much Eugene Mcguiness commands a persuasion to like him, plying our indie sensibilities with warm lager, it just doesn’t work. A nifty line here and there, a warm melody creeping into some moderately dark corner, he, unfortunately to admit, is nothing special. No matter how much he wistfully gazes into the distance.
Make Model on the other hand dazzle like focussed, possessed Glaswegian soldiers, purveying the battlefield of perfect pop with uttermost precision. The combination of wonderful girl/boy singing is electric, with Aimie’s sweet, Arcade Fire like, gorgeously high pitched vocals counteracting with Lewis’ call to arms below, especially on forthcoming single ‘The LSB’.
Reviewed by : Sarah Bates
