Something of a coup for multiple promoters Synergy, Eat Your Own Ears and Optimo, this event put together two of Birian’s best DJs and two of the finest electronic musicians in the world into an epic night in one of Glasgow’s best venues Mirrorball I arrive in time for Nathan Fake, one of the of the best of the current breed of techno producers , and already the crowd are going crazy under the largest mirrorball in Europe at an extremely early hour (is it only 7.45?). Fake produces washes of gauzy sound punctuated by soaring chord progressions over a 4/4 beat. The effect is a deep, emotive cathedral-like sound, where the whole church dances.
His label boss on Border Community and mentor James Holden comes on with some more conventionally technoid sounds, which I mainly miss unfortunately. There’s hot debate amongst the crowd as to whose going to steal the night, many people here having split loyalties.. Everybody loves Four Tet, but can he follow such two such pounding sets? And how will Caribou’s psychedelic experimentalism be too much for the dance- crazed crowd?
Fout Tet takes to the stage and drops the tempo with Sprit Fingers, which is as gorgeous and impossible to dance to as ever, but then plays one of the hardest sets I’ve heard him play, all angular rhythms over splayed beats, and absolutely hypnotic. How can Caribou compete with this?
Effortlessly, as it turns out.
His new album swim may be the most electronic, most technoid thing he’s done in years, but it’s still more fluid., more subtle than most dance music, and recreating it live will be a challenge. Then, Dan always likes a challenge. Beneath customary psychedelic projections he turns the highlights of Swim into extended instrumental jams, with enough of a visceral kick to keep the audience on their feet.
The last time I saw Caribou in this venue they were supporting the Go!Team, Dan Snaith worried that the projections weren’t working (they upstaged the main band effortlessly). Tonight the four piece take the stage with confidence, Dan’s delicate vocals floating above the barrage of effects and drumming. He still hands out vocal duties on the soaring Jamelia to bass player John, who we are told has just escaped hospital with a swollen neck to carry out his vocal duties, not that you could tell. You sometimes get the idea that Dan is more comfortable sitting down and double drumming, or playing with a melodica than singing, but. I think he’s come to the terms with the fact he’s a considerable songwriter. Older tracks such as Melody Day are recreated in their symphonic, psychedelic splendour but it’s the closing electronic double whammy of Odessa and Sun that has the crowd going mental.
All in all, a perfect end to a night with something of a festival atmosphere.
Words by Brian Beadie
