Marrying intoxicating post-punk with a digital sensibility, Fufanu’s style of music lends itself to a live setting and the Nordics did not disappoint on the final leg of their UK tour. For every throbbing bassline and reverb-heavy guitar there is a smattering of beautifully crafted electronica to accompany it. On paper this shouldn’t work but, with their production background as a techno duo, the Icelandic group have perfected the merger of seemingly un-relatable genres. Add into the mix Kaktus Einarsson – a charismatic, intense frontman – and you have the recipe for a thrilling spectacle.

With the vast majority of the audience in the next room getting inebriated, the lights dimmed and arpeggiated synthetic noises rang out from the PA. But as the speakers grew louder so did the capacity of the venue. Einarsson then greeted every late arrival with a menacing stare as they walked through the curtain and into his line of vision. The trance-like soundscape then moved to an almost deafening level before it decelerated and the band erupted properly into ‘200 km/h’- a Japanese bonus track from the recent second album Sports. The pounding beat instantly won the crowd over before seamlessly flowing into the debut LP’s finest track ‘Circus Life’. “It’s time to put on my act/The show must go on,” sang the frontman as his stage demeanour alternated between Ian Curtis-esque cathartic dancing to a more punkish unhinged-aura.

Two bands from closer to home began proceedings earlier in the night. Codename Aquarius brought their obscure brand of art rock which featured TV on the Radio-esque fortifying beats, leftfield harmony-led frameworks and stadium-friendly choruses. Meanwhile, Hake’s invigorating psych-pop drew influences from the likes of Tame Impala and Warpaint, with the undoubted penchant for succulent melodical lines providing the basis for their compositions; which featured powerful drum patterns, enticing bass and complex guitar passages from the trident of six stringers. With only a couple of single releases between these two young Brighton groups, the core structures are in place for interesting releases as they head towards their debut EPs.

Prior to seeing Fufanu, I assumed the opening bassline of recent single ‘Sports’ was played on a bass guitar. I was soon proven incorrect as the synthesizer took care of that element, leaving the bassist to add another level of deep reverberation to the track and take it to a denser level than on record. The Neu!-esque composition had the crowd fixated and gained the biggest response of the night. However, for every intense, rhythm-led track, the band carry a more poignant counterpart such as the charmingly melancholic ‘Restart’- this song represents a tonal shift for the band and gains a whole new existence when played live, especially when the dance floor-friendly groove tightens its grip for the final three minutes.

The thumping house-like framework of ‘Gone for More’ also gained a considerable audience reaction before set closer ‘Your Collection’ took the band back into a raw punk mind-set, with all four members letting loose on the two chord framework, culminating in guitarist Guðlaugur Einarsson throwing himself and his instrument into the crowd for the final breakdown. With the bass deep, the drumming pulsating, the guitars sharp and the synth throbbing, a Fufanu live show leaves you feeling invigorated.

Paul Hill

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