Emerging into the indie-folk scene in 2010 (becoming the very first signing to Communion Music’s label), Matthew And The Atlas have always gone about business in a minimal, no-fuss manner. A series of EP’s and two critically-praised albums (including last year’s Temple) have slowly built a reputation for heart-felt anthems that seem to live in the twilight, melancholy of mood without ever becoming maudlin. As they prepare to release another new EP, frontman Matt Hegarty has been playing intimate shows in tiny rooms across Europe. Tonight, the Unitarian Church in the centre of Brighton became the perfect venue in which to get up close and personal with this quiet master.

Support came from Emma Gatrill, one of the wider group of musicians within Matthew And The Atlas’ circle. Her clipped enunciation and minimalist style of harp-playing gave the set a haunting feel, while her style leaned more towards Celtic folk. Marcus Hamblett (session musician with the likes of Bear’s Den and Laura Marling) provided a gentle, driving energy through his subtle work on guitar and loop pedal. The title track from her current album Cocoon was a real highlight with an exquisite beauty, as was an interesting cover of Björk’s ‘Hyperballad’. The tiny church was an ideal setting for this delicate support set, and it was the perfect opening for Matthew And The Atlas.

Accompanied on this tour by Tom Heap (piano/double bass) and Alex Roberts (guitar), this current line-up of Matthew And The Atlas is deliberately stripped-back and designed to pull the listener in even closer. Opening with ‘Gutter Heart’ and ‘Nowhere Now’, the simplicity of the production provided a hypnotic setting. Hegarty’s deep voice provided the anchor to a beautiful harmony between the trio, and lyrics such as “Sometimes I need the dark, so I can see the light” resounded even more heavily with the audience in this close proximity. ‘Palace’ provided an exciting taster for their forthcoming new EP (recorded in Brighton with Clockwork Owl Studio), sounding more traditionally country in genre than they have in the past. The set still contained many audience favourites, but the intimate setting allowed them to breathe and move in new directions. ‘On a Midnight Street’ and ‘To The North’ lost none of their potency or urgency, and it was plain to see that the band were having a ball.

The intensely emotional ‘Within The Rose’ will always be a set highlight and tonight was no exception. With the setting playing its part, the even-more slowed down version performed by the trio was breathtaking in its beauty and vulnerability. Wisely never allowing the mood to become too downbeat, each track like this was followed with something energetic, such as a rocking version of ‘Temple’. Keeping it light throughout, Heap and Roberts were the perfect counter-balance to Hegarty’s intense focus. Roberts counted down each of the last few tracks before the encore and, as the trio left the stage, they stood in the doorway for a few seconds in full sight of the audience before returning. A wonderfully silly moment, preceding a perfectly pitched encore culminating in the banjo-led ‘I Will Remain’, an echo back to those “nu folk” days of 2010. A perfect track to close this special night on, with its question of: “Would you try to follow the roads I had to walk?” The long queue of audience members waiting patiently to congratulate and thank the band after the show would indicate that there will be plenty of fans following Matthew And The Atlas on this next step of the journey.

Jamie Macmillan

Website: matthewandtheatlas.com
Facebook: facebook.com/matthewandtheatlas