Photo: Rui M. Leal / WENN
Last night saw SBTRKT take to the coveted iTunes stage, following on from an expertly crafted warm up set from Jamie XX. For fans of the masked production marvel, it has been a long awaited return, a long wait for new material and the results have more than lived up to expectations. His iTunes show however, was a different matter.
Proceedings got off to a strong start with XL label mate Sampha emerging to perform ‘Never Never’ proving that together, they are a force to be reckoned with. As ever, he was in incredible, pitch-perfect voice – sending ghostly chills around the iconic hall.
However, this is where the first issue with the set began to arise. Once Sampha had retreated backstage (he would later be dragged out again and again during the show), everything began to feel a little uneven. There’s something strange about featuring live vocals on some songs and triggering them on others, including Little Dragon’s on ‘Wildfire’. It's a dynamic that sadly creates an effect of emptiness by comparison, ultimately detracting from the live element. This is perhaps a problem of the increasing need for collaborations on dance albums, exacerbated by the current trend live replication.
Despite this, it was extremely impressive to see some of the songs reconstructed. SBTRKT spent the show expertly conducting his band, gesturing to them at times while straddling multiple controllers and electronic instruments with expert energy. To be honest, it looked exhausting, and is a testament to his dedication as an artist to blur the lines between the studio and the stage.
The best parts of the show were a series of lengthy and intricate breakdowns infused in the versions of the tracks. Bringing in a tribal vibe, they took the originals and transformed them into extremely progressive constructions that were impossible not to get caught up in.
An impressive showcase for what can be done with electronic performance, it was full of highs and lows. It was easy to lose yourself at moments, but easy to get bored in others. By the third or fourth time Sampha was wheeled out, all the surprises had been spent. A great set, let down by not quite being able to recreate all of the true magic live.
