Celebrating the vinyl re-release of 2015’s Heart Map Rubric, and having wrapped up the recording of their third album, this was the perfect opportunity to catch The Fiction Aisle at a beautifully intimate show at Komedia Studios. The band is the brainchild of former Electric Soft Parade leader Thomas White, who has pulled together some of Brighton’s finest musicians into one of the most interesting prospects on the local scene at present. In a room sparsely lit by candlelight, anticipation was high from a passionate and vocal group of fans.

Support tonight came courtesy of Crayola Lectern, who were as delightfully eccentric as expected. There is something pleasantly hypnotic about the psychedelic gonzo approach of this trio, with leader Chris Anderson’s Estuary accent bringing character to topics such as people who “become assholes when they are behind the wheels of their automobiles”. There was a feeling of a music box being emptied with each track diverting down strange paths, as if the entire venue had been swallowed into a Monty Python or Yellow Submarine sketch. With perfect timing, just as it occurred to Brightonsfinest that this would probably be the kind of music that Wayne Coyne would love, they finished off with a cover of The Flaming Lips’ ‘Evil Will Prevail’. “I hope we have suitably 'warmed' you up” purred Anderson with a Sir Roger Moore raise of the eyebrow, as they left the stage before darkness descended and the main act arrived.

Somehow fitting seven people onto the tiny stage, with the band forming a horseshoe around White, the lighting was barely enough to see much more than silhouettes. Beginning with ‘Threnody (For E.A.)’ from last year’s Fuchsia Days, the eerie synths and Craig Chapman’s Leone-esque trumpet combined to deliver a highly cinematic feel in the opening moments. As White’s honeyed vocals soar, the lyrics of; “He is with me now/In dreams he gathers near me, and needs me, and feeds on me/Suddenly, I have a purpose” rose over a solemn and deafening drum beat. “Welcome to our midsummer jazz picnic in the bowels of Komedia, here’s another big summer hit” grinned White before ‘The Dream’ washed over the room. With the tight stage restricting the band into being largely static, White was the only one moving as he swayed and moved between the drums and front of stage. The musical style can be described as akin to Doves playing in a jazz lounge in the 1950s similar in style to The Last Shadow Puppets, but the genres merged and swapped seamlessly with ‘Sleep Tight’, climaxing in almost a prog-rock style. It was the performance of ‘Outskirts’, that allowed the evening to really take flight. This was indie-rock designed for the stadium masses, and up there with the best of anything in that vein from the last ten years. It stood out as very different to everything that came before or after and, with its evocative lyrics and big finish, is a tantalising glimpse of what could come with the third album.

Having such a strong track in the middle of the set felt like it could have been a slight misstep, as the following tracks struggled to live up to it but there were still highlights to come. A stripped back opening to their version of Camera Obscura’s ‘Country Mile’ was stunning with White’s vocals delicately wrapped around a simple slide guitarm while ‘What’s A Man To Do?’ had a ferociously heavy ending with three guitarists circling the drummer and jamming out great riffs. Moments like this highlighted the exceptionally tight and talented group of musicians this band possess, with everyone coming to the fore at times but retreating back into the shadows when required in a true jazz style. The most transcendent performance was saved for a cover of Judee Sill’s ‘The Kiss’. With no accompaniment bar a quiet backing track, it was a performance of delicate beauty and a perfect way to wrap up the evening. It’s a fascinating privilege to watch an artist like this, comfortable in his own skin and happily exploring new musical avenues. It will be thrilling to see what comes next for Thomas White and The Fiction Aisle, and down which path they choose to go.

Jamie MacMillan

Order a copy of the vinyl re-release of Heart Map Rubric HERE.
Read our review of the original release of Heart Map Rubric HERE.