Photo: WENN
Glaswegian post-rock collective Mogwai rammed the Royal Festival Hall with a legion of die-hard, free spirited fans, who would follow them to the ends of the Earth.
The band, infamous for their transformation from low tempo, mesmeric sonics, to vehement, intermittently coarse, dynamic voluminous detonation, makes every second an ardent convulsion.
Performing predominantly material off their 2013 album, Rave Tapes, yet not disappointing with glimpses at their anthological wealth, which includes seven albums and a TV score for Les Revenants.
Preluding with gruff, commanding, compassionate Scottish spoken word, then amid no airs or graces, they launched into the first track ‘Heard About it Last Night’ – the opener from Rave Tapes.
An unadorned, ethereal keys intro, lead you into a false sense of security. Oceanic, somnolent sounds, with just the odd, off-keynote, which insinuated what was to come – a pulverising, electric bass and guitar quartet, with understated lead vocals, creating a ritualistic, therapeutic ensemble. As of then, the rock Gremlins were in full swing.
Later came ‘Deesh’, with its patrolling, morbid, yet entrancing euphony, which made even the synths sound organic. The audience were stunned, muted, as if gassed by the eight blokes on stage’s musical integrity, whilst the guitars and bass followed each other in a complex game of hide and seek.
‘Haunted by a Freak’, off their fourth 2003 album, Happy Songs for Happy People, introduced the refinement of a violin and was one of the more recognisable, conventionally melodic tracks of the set, not to deny the Mogwai-esk twists and turns. Eerie, experimental vocoder vocals, brought an archaic, futuristic flavour, like ‘Total Recall’ and Bjork birthing a musical love child.
The entire set entailed a solemn, sinister, nebulous seductiveness, comparable to a lullaby or the original fairytales about a loss of childhood innocence – casting warped darkness followed by Valium-like cuddles.
The unusual chords projected, mirrored an operatic crystal, which reflected unfamiliar rhythmic light. This was an illustrious night, which flitted between flight and fight mode, building up and climaxing over and over again, with ultimately satisfying multifariousness.
