Often is seems the music of Micachu and the Shapes is labeled pop, albeit very experimental pop, because well, what else are you meant to call it exactly? It really does feel like what they create is like no one else around at the moment, with the only discernible feature being that they know their way around a melody, even if it is one integrated into a beguiling mesh of noises. Whilst band leader Mica has been keeping herself busy, including an award-winning soundtrack for auteurist sci-fi flick Under The Skin, its been a while since the group have released any new music so tonight is met with much anticipation over which route the band may take next.
Mica Levi’s sound has always been a patchwork of ideas and influences, but one that is so delicately woven it feels like it may come apart at the seams any moment. In contrast tonight’s live performance has a dirge and heaviness that feels slightly in opposition to much of the groups recorded material. For the first few songs the rhythms seem somewhat more straightforward and the guitar sound a bit too overdriven and imposing. It doesn’t stay this way for long however. Many of the songs played during the evening are full of inventive changes in rhythm and alien samples.
‘Low Dogg’, with its stuttering, buzzing synth like a jammed CD, sounds particularly strong, Mica’s guitar only serves to beef it up instead of drowning it out. Initially it’s a bit mystifying why the wall projection is two innocuous photos of drummer Marc Pell, but his performance tonight makes him worthy of the extra attention. He’s blur of flailing limbs throughout, his snare drum almost tipping over at one point from the veracity of his playing. The atmospheric new single ‘Oh Baby’ is one of the strongest of the night, built from just a moody, dubby synth and a stripped back half-time drumbeat, its strikingly uncluttered and Mica’s throaty and strained vocals sound at their most affecting when given enough space to breath.
It's an incredibly short and punchy set, many of the songs barely overstay the two-minute mark. Final song ‘Lips’ off their 2009 debut Jewellery is a minute long burst of staccato guitar strumming, aided by Mica slotting an ID card under her strings to mute them, turning it into an almost entirely percussive instrument. The show could really use more of this kind of thing. The use of limited resources in entirely unexpected ways really captures the oddball and outsider spirit of their sound.
Near the end of the show someone shouts out a request for ‘Holiday’ from 2012’s Never. “We haven’t practiced that one!” Mica explains apologetically. Their new album Good Sad Happy Bad, which is due to come out later this year, emerged from a recent spontaneous jam session between the musicians. After such a long time apart, its apparent they are still getting reacclimatised to their own catalog as well as playing with each other again. But this doesn’t prevent it from being obvious what you’re witnessing is a certain kind of brilliance at work. That new album can’t get here soon enough.
Louis Ormesher
Website: micachu.biz