The latest instalment of the Diesel:U:Music Friday showcase welcomed the young 50 Bones label to the Dalston hang-out.
As we arrived we tip-toed our way through swarms of people busily mingling on the warehouse stoop, understandably catching the last rays of an incredible hazy evening. Yet as the sun sank behind east London’s towering new-builds, the studio upstairs steadily filled out to the chink of cold beers and tipsy banter.
And it was Cabin Fever who kicked off proceedings with an intimate one-track-only acoustic number. Being unfamiliar with the band’s output, it proved to be a nice little taster of their lo-fi talent, but it was an all-too-fleeting moment to make sound judgement – unfortunately time pressures meant they never got the chance to play a set proper.
The next in line were Lost Boys, and to be honest with you I have to rely on the opinion of others here and say they were “pretty damn good” – catching only their last song, what happened before that was a complete blur as the distraction of the neighbouring Guitar Hero booth had got the better of me. Oops, apologies Lost Boys.
We Have Band are riding a wave of buzz at the moment, and having fulfilled a hectic gig schedule over recent months (which included an appearance at the official Clash SXSW showcase in Texas) they deliver a mini-show for D:U:M which confidently winks with a composure that you only really see after extensive on-the-road experience. A characteristic perhaps lacking in the night’s other performers.
What strikes me about WHB though is that while they are not breaking major new territories musically or stylistically – the DFA t-shirt clinging to bass player Thomas says it all – they are superbly balanced and waste little with each track. Perfect post-punk-funk pop structures driven by thick disco basslines and simple vocal chants that manage to function equally well whether played out live or on wax.
The evening’s session came to an applauded end with their new single ‘You Came Out’, and if you missed it first time around, jump back to our track-of-the-day feature where you can stream for free. Just click HERE.
Diesel:U:Music can be found online HERE.
Words: Ian Richardson
