Not for nothing is Manu Delago known as a world leader in hang drum music. Now five albums in, he earned his reputation first by mastering his instrument, next by expanding its boundaries, incorporating techno and electronica into his playing. Touring his March release, Metromonk, in Brighton, he continues to explore the limits of his instrument, both live and on record.

Although touring with his band Handmade, he opened the show alone on stage, choosing as his opener ‘Between Oil And Water’, a minimal and eerie song from his new album. With a hang drum on his lap and one on either side, he used a rubber mallet to elicit a spooky whine from the instrument. It was a muted but utterly engrossing and atmospheric beginning.

The much brighter ‘Freeze’, Delago’s latest single, followed, a more straightforward fast-hands track that allowed him to showcase his more traditional playing. By the next track though he was back up to his tricks, using dampener pads on the drum to mute it, bend it, continually searching out new sounds. Here he was joined on stage by his percussionist on timpani, and the energy started to build, accompanied by an immaculately planned light-show.

The trio were completed when his violinist and keys player, Isa Kurz, took to the stage. Introducing the band one by one like this gave the concert a nice sense of growth, one that was compounded as the material moved away from the minimalism of the opening tracks. Adding more band members gave the songs more depth, but the choice of instruments kept the feel more or less neo-classical. However, increasingly as the evening wore on, the band brought electronic elements into play: the bass-drum effect and wah-pedal running through Delago’s hang-drum saw more frequent use, while Kurz looped her violin, and later pulled out an instrument I’ve never seen before – that looked like a sample-pad in the shape of a broccoli leaf.

The progression towards busier songs, made with more modern techniques, was no accident. Delago made the exploration of the clash between nature and technology the focal point of Metromonk, which, in vinyl form, contains a clear break between acoustic and techno on its A and B sides. He effectively translated this idea to his live show, doing so subtly enough that, unless you thought hard about it, you’d sense the movement only unconsciously. At the same time, it allowed him to cover the gamut of his material and showcase all the styles he explores in his records.

To close the show he brought it back down, inviting his support Pete Josef onstage for an absorbing and placid rendition of album opener ‘A Step’ – before he ramped the energy right back up for the raucous ‘Chimp Rave’, bringing the band into dance-music territory and completing the sense of momentum they had built. The juxtaposition was typical of Delago’s range: he’s able to play acoustic hang drum alone on stage one minute, the next he’s playing techno with a full band. When it comes to experimentation, Manu Delago is at the forefront.
Ben Noble

Website: manudelago.com
Facebook: facebook.com/delagomanu
Twitter: twitter.com/manudelagomusic