Cassette Electrik Pre-Single Launch Party

5 stars (out of 5)

0


First things first – the venue. Industry is far enough away from central Hoxton to avoid the “coolest of the cool” mentality of Hoxton Square and the downstairs area is full of people who are genuinely interested in the music. The stage is fairly basic, but the sound system is excellent and the staff are well-organised and friendly – you even get your drink in a proper glass (or bottle).

On to the music. First up were Looptron, who sound exactly like a band with that name should sound and who get all the benefit of a sound system which is set up perfectly to deliver the rich synth sounds and pumping bass. The material is all pretty strong, the performance is professional and a partisan crowd give it a great reception. Pretty good start to the evening really.

After a few 80’s electro tunes (including “Let The Music Play” by Shannon – great tune), it’s live time again with Miss Davina Lee. This is a more traditional band line-up and they play a well-received set with bags of enthusiasm, in fact a little too much enthusiasm at times which leads to a few ragged vocals towards the end of the set. Davina’s voice has more character than most of the current crop of Lily/Kate wannabes, leaning towards a Lene Lovich sound at times. This works while the band stay tight, but fragments a little bit under pressure towards the end of the set. On the whole, a good crowd-pleasing set.

Cassette Electrik start the set slightly unconventionally by introducing the video for the new single “28 Days” before launching into the live set. From the outset, it’s clear that this is a band who are on the way up and the most obvious indication of this is the self-confidence and assurance with which they approach this gig. The beats and basslines are crystal-clear throughout and Lucy’s vocal performance is self-assured and note-perfect, even when harmonising with recorded vocal tracks on a cover of “New Life”. This set felt like a celebration of moving up a gear, despite the small venue setting and shows that they are ready to perform on a bigger stage and will benefit from the chance to use better lighting to improve on a visual appearance which is already very striking. Great set and a really good night out.

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