London five-piece Milk Disco return with a new edition to their run of curated shows.
Milk Disco have started to carve out a reputation as one of London’s best new live bands, with a run of curated shows around the capital, we visited east London boozer the Sebright Arms to witness ‘Welcome To The Milk Disco #4’.
Opening proceedings on the night was Norwich’s Ellie Bleach, who played a set full of delicate and jovial synth-pop. Her unique, and very British brand of off-the-cuff lyricism recalls Courtney Barnett‘s early output. Next up were Big Tears, the London-based duo upped the tempo with their 80’s inspired synth-pop, early in the set playing recent release ‘Dive‘, a tropical, emotional roller-coaster of a song. With driving tunes cut from the same cloth as Depeche Mode or Tears For Fears, the anthem-laded set blew away any Sunday afternoon cobwebs with frontman Kieran McLoughlin’s heartfelt vocals shining equally as bright as the bands excellent production.
Introducing his set with delicate keys which then fell into distorted electronic textures and warped vocals, Jerskin Fendrix turned the room on it’s head flowing through tracks such as ‘Manhattan‘, and past, present future heavy hitter ‘Onigiri‘. His ‘new songs’ were very warmly met from a crowd of spectators now assumingly turned to fans.
Fresh off the back from a support slot with recent Domino signees Sorry, the distorted electronic minimalism/ experimental jazz newcomers Jockstrap played a set jammed with off-centre pop, vocals ranging from delicate perfection to the strange, with touching live violin to boot. It’s not hard to see why the four-piece are one of the most exciting new live prospects on the circuit. Following this, and playing cuts from his upcoming release with Tape Club Records, Suitman Jungle, one man in a suit playing jungle music, lit up the the east London basement with a skilled set of stand up drum & bass and jungle providing yet another genre-spin on this excellently varied line up.
The nights headliners are fast becoming one of London’s most talked about new bands, with just three songs released to date, a section of tonight’s crowd still manage to echo back the opening lyrics from Milk Disco‘s first release ‘Welcome To The Milk Disco‘. The bass-driven groove and off-kilter guitar racket of the track epitomising what it’s like to be young, broke yet full of life in modern day London. The bands frontman Matt Robinson spends the set caught between moments of lyrical intimacy and all out turmoil as he swings from the venue’s ceiling fittings through most recent single ‘Weekender‘. The intensity of the set never drops as the band fly through the thoughtful yet contorted ‘Twisted Wheel‘ ending with sure-fire future hit ‘Take Me Back To Your Place‘ bringing ‘Welcome To The Milk Disco #4’ to a close with rapturous applause. Until next time.
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Big Tears – ‘Dive‘ – Driving 80’s feel synth-pop excellence
Jockstrap – ‘Charlotte‘ – Breathtaking intimacy and haunting electronic minimalism
By Karl Johnson
hardofhearingmagazine.com 