Stacks of bodies sharing perspiration and anticipation were packed into The Hi-Fi for an evening of bustling indie-pop. Django Django’s followers represent more than just one ‘in the know’ sub-culture; fashion displays included floral patterns and tight denim as well as night on the town elegance and some more casual attire, allowing for maximum bodily elasticity.
The Scottish foursome’s electronic infused art-rock was flappingly loud, but the sound was like an outstretched hand, not a thwack to the eardrums.
Django Django’s psych-melodies, clever chord progression mounted on piles of synth, and rotating rhythms construct a world you can potentially lose yourself in. Utilising every available digit, tonight they efficiently charted the fibrous terrain discovered on their debut record. Whether it were forming a three-way keyboard belt or Frisbee-ing around percussion implements, each member was at all times contributing to the voluminous arrangements.
Buzzing synths are the preeminent portal into Django Django’s curious universe and keys master Tommy Grace wove a foundation of patterned soundscapes. Intent focus was required from drummer Dave Maclean in order to execute the limb-slinging that comprises the songs’ rhythmic mobility. His agile drumming was enhanced by a track of sampled percussion and an array of maracas, vibraslap, coconut shells, and oversized tambourines, which were dexterously occupied by other band members. Singer Vinnie Neff was in top vocal form and his Telecaster clearly stated itself midst the bountiful percussion and bassy synths. Neff and bass player Jimmy Dixon’s prevalent Pink Floyd harmonies gave an element of mystifying colour to the somewhat reticent vocal personality of songs such as Hail Bop and Firewater.
In a recent interview, Neff told me that the songs are constantly evolving and tonight they elaborated on many songs with detailed electricity. The melancholy Love’s Dart was given extra punch by a humming synth backdrop, while the Dick Dale derivation Life’s A Beach was emphatically raw. Elsewhere the Krautrock-indebted psychedelia of Storm had a paper and pencil modesty, rather than cosmic grandiosity. The slightly kitsch Skies Over Cairo could have completely carried you to the celestial space evoked if it weren’t for the incessant beat reminding the body to get moving. They didn’t seek to enact an ecstasy fuelled club scene but the stomping Default certainly induced an outbreak of thrusting frivolity.
It was evident Django Django relish the ambitious tasks that ask for their active attention and the spontaneous freedom allowed the show to unfurl into something electrifying.
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
LOVED: Their custom made shirts – dark blue with broad white brush strokes pointing in a different direction on each one.
HATED: There was scarcely any breathing room inside the sold out Hi-Fi.
DRANK: Firewater.
