Preview: Sounds From The Other City 2015, Sunday 3rd May

The May Day Bank Holiday is approaching this weekend and that can only mean one thing. Well, depending which century your traditions are originate, it might mean a few other things, from pagan dancing to International Workers’ Day, but for Chapel Street in Salford it can only mean one thing, and that’s Sounds From The Other City festival.

The annual new bands knees up is once again the highlight of the long weekend, commandeering the Sunday by booking in some of Greater Manchester's finest pop pickers. This year, those directing proceedings hop from the buzz band heavyweights at Now Wave to seasoned niche indie selectors at Bad Uncle and Comfortable on a Tightrope, via the pathway of dependable promoters at Hey! Manchester, Grey Lantern and Fat Out, round the record label corner to Gizeh/Little Red Rabbit, Red Deer, Sways, Samarbeta and Tru Luv, and back onto the main road blockaded by visual delights at Video Jam and the comic timing of Sham Bodie. And breathe.

Under those umbrellas, or rather in those venues, you’ll find many of those currently orbiting at the centre of Manchester’s creative universe rubbing shoulders with handpicked touring acts to set your ears ablaze. Ex Easter Island Head’s collab with the BBC Philharmonic Ensemble is sure to be a standout, and you won’t go far wrong with Naked (On Drugs), Paddy Steer, Liz Green, Jane Weaver, Black Josh, Acre Tarn or many more, but roaming around is always a sure fire way to see something unexpectedly great.

Venues-wise, meet at the Islington Mill wristband exchange from 3pm and float whichever way the musical breeze blows you.

Words: Ian Pennington

For tickets and more info: soundsfromtheothercity.com

Sounds From the Other City 2014, Path Two

Double digits. SFTOC is 10. A coming of age? Never mind the sentiment, is the event any good? Each year has seen a development, a willingness to tinker with an arrangement that keep it fresh and vibrant, judging by the number of people in attendance.

At Islington Mill, Yiiikes TV are unveiling their version of Blind Date, with guests hoping to unlock the secrets of someone else’s “treasure chest”.

Bands are appearing in a nearby brewery, and a marquee has been erected outside The New Oxford. It forms a dual role of being the place where short films are having a new soundtrack created by local artists, whilst also being a communal meeting point and hub to move around.

On the basis that you need to try something to see if it’s any good, acoustics within The First Chop Brewery come across very well, at least in the case of four-piece Babe, whose intriguing mix of David McAlmont style vocals, warm electronic beats and relaxed style tempt an unfamiliar crowd to move along nicely.

If we are to be invaded by aliens then the future is bright. Not orange, but silver and perhaps white, going under the names of the Volkov Commanders. They’re a friendly bunch, ever willing to help you around and create fun, celebrating the vibrancy of the first festival and still as valid.

If you had merely heard Thomas Long singing rather than witness the person live, then the cracked, rich, deep vocals could conjure up an image of a mature, ageing person reflecting on the hardships and experiences he’s endured. Needless to say, that image is nothing like the person sat down in the New Oxford. There is a connection with the past in his lyrics, an acknowledgement of other people’s struggles. Full of emotion and passion, he slips in a line that suddenly drags reality into view: “This set is dedicated to Steve Lloyd”. Gone but not forgotten.

The event is a satisfying mix of known local acts alongside the lesser known. This means that local favourites such the Young British Artists turn the Old Pint Pot from a near-empty venue to one that is rammed, whilst attendance for other, unfamiliar acts still have a decent turnout.

Audio-visual goings on at St Philip’s Church join a host of acts that you wish you could fit into a crammed itinerary, but there’s always next year. Roll on May 2015.

Words and photos: Ged Camera

Sounds From The Other City 2014, Path One

There are various ways of approaching Sounds From The Other City. First and foremost, as an open-minded musical explorer keen to turn your ear towards the innovative sounds on offer; some with, others without an airtight route plan for the day. You can also join the team of volunteers who will have the benefit of seeing many of the positive responses while also glancing at a small section of the hard work that goes into staging the event. Or be more proactive as a hands-on reveller taking part in the Volkov Commanders’ fancy dress theme of giant, colourful helmets.

Then there’s the perspective of the many musicians themselves, who’re often living round the corner from you in this city or the other city and just as keen as the rest of us to see their fellow sound merchants in action. For me, wearing a reviewing hat, there are too many highlights to see through one pair of eyes, so we’ll feature more reviews of the festival over the coming days.

The event has gradually migrated from its original location, based around the crossroads where Chapel Street meets Bloom Street and New Bailey Street, to now centre on the organisers’ arts grotto Islington Mill. It stretches from Uni of Salford venues Maxwell Hall and Peel Hall at one extreme to the fledgling brewery First Chop and Bexley Square at the other.

Having narrowly missed the excitement emanating from Islington Mill’s Gallery space during the Blind Date game show revisit (more on that later), Bexley Square is where my journey through the day began. Seasoned pros in the audio visual matchmaking game, Video Jam had again amassed a healthy mix of musicians and filmmakers, including Mike Halpin’s live sampling of bicycle sounds to accompany Cote D’Azur and the FX pedalling, eyeball helmeted trio who tampered with their own voices in scoring The Summoning, a film depicting the aforementioned Volkov Commanders in action. Later on, O/L/A’s beautifully nuanced live soundtrack of a section of Baraka was a fitting curtain closer for this gazebo stage.

Deli Lama’s stall offered vegan nourishment outside another of the festival’s venues, The New Oxford pub, where Easter guitarist Thomas Long performed a few songs from his band’s forthcoming album, capturing the breadth of Idlewilderness and trad folk in his emotive delivery. Later the Carefully Planned Festival favourite Tekla found herself performing from the same seat in intimate surrounds.

In an instance of film translated to real life, The Summoning by Volkov Commanders manifested itself as a parade from the Old Pint Pot which I’m told later snaked past St Philip’s Church and the Angel Centre, where Deep Hedonia’s AV sermons and Tru Luv’s dream pop hopefuls were staged respectively.

Inside the Pint Pot was the other end of the noise spectrum as Mistoa Poltsa’s 12-stringed audio anarchy blitzed through the rafters. On this stage Kult Country also unleashed layered soundscapes in the name of psychedelia.

Back at Islington Mill were the Grumbling Furs, who were a departure from Mind On Fire’s usual bookings, sounding as they did like 80s pop fed through stabbier soundscapes. Only their prolonged ambient waltzes diverted from visions of the last dance at a high school prom movie – perhaps following ‘Forever Young’ in Napoleon Dynamite.

In the gallery, the Blind Date matchmaking from earlier in the day heralded some indifferent results as two pairs recounted their days together. Then, on The Word variety show, the John Cooper Clarke influenced Thick Richard spat his venomous tales about bus seat MCs and hypothetical obituaries for Bez, before sack-wearing band Horrid answered questions. Other 90s TV shows rebooted for the occasion include Stars In Their Eyes and Family Fortunes, pitting contestants inside a giant TV box by virtue of some thinking that was decidedly outside the box and very at home in the world of SFTOC.

The First Chop Brewery made its SFTOC debut with aplomb. Many of its patrons went away more smiley than one of the venue’s featured acts, Happyness, whose conversely moody outlook was potentially prompted by their US college indie rock tinted specs. By the time its in-house band Karate 5 took to the stage, the brewery was left with only two ales on tap – down from nearly ten at the start of the day. Exclusive event ale TOC was one of those devoured.

Back with Karate 5, they were one of the highlights. In Denis Jones’s ‘Beginning’, perhaps his most widely known song and formerly a regular set-closer, he sings of a “super band where they all lend a hand”. In a sense Karate 5 is the realisation of this vision as he lines up alongside members of Honeyfeet, Walk and Cat In Paris to form a boogie jam band capable of instilling rhythm into even the weariest of jivers. Led by Rik Warren’s husky tones, their rendition of Ann Cole’s ‘Got My Mojo Working’ saw no foot remaining unmoved under the arches.

Back at Islington Mill, Pete Herbert and later the El Diablo DJs were stepping up the groove that Werkha and 2 Billion Beats had earlier set in motion. The rest is a joyous daze.

Words: Ian Pennington
Photos: Ged Camera

Early bird tickets are now available for next year’s event here.

Interview: Veí

Jonn Dean has been a constantly shifting musical experimenter during his time recording and performing music from a Manchester hub. An electronica project took the backseat while he played keyboards with local alt-rock group Kin, but since they disbanded Veí has moved to the fore.

The name itself is curious enough without introduction to the open-minded approach to musical composition lying beyond. Even the name ‘Veí’ has evolved during its lifespan, as Dean explains. “I started working on my own material whilst I was still playing keys for Kin, but I was quite keen to start writing with someone else rather than it remain a solo project. I worked on a few tracks initially with Paul Mckie (formerly of From the Kites of San Quentin) and I was trying to think of a suitable name for the collaboration. As we lived opposite one another at the time I thought it would be interesting to see whether the word 'neighbours' had a quirky ring to it when translated into another language. The Catalan word for neighbours is 'Veïns' which I loved instantly and we stuck with that.”

He continues: “When Paul became busier with Kites and wasn't available to continue with the project, I was curious to know what the singular of Veïns would be, so Veí was born. The notions of producing electronic music and writing and performing under a pseudonym have always felt synonymous to me, especially given my influences, and I enjoy the association with the actual meaning of the word – everyone is someone's neighbour.”

His tracks have been included on compilations and a debut digital EP, Thank You For Talking, was supported by forward-thinking music collective Mind On Fire. It could be said that recorded music is all about capturing a moment to be repeated as an exact copy; a live show is about recreation of that in person. Veí has until recently struggled with this dichotomy and there were always issues with preserving his improvised live show as a recording, given that reproducing the same song was a rare occurrence. That EP now remains distinctly in the past as Dean has adapted his live show by trimming down the wealth of flashing LEDs and bulky hardware at his disposal in favour of a simpler – and easier to control – laptop-based set-up. “I love improvised music and the processes associated with it,” he states, “but I personally feel that in the long run there is only so far you can take it.”

There was also only so far he could go in the eyes of local promoters. Veí’s name would often adorn posters as a warm-up act, meaning that only the early birds into any show would see his set. Given his proclivity towards ambient orchestral arrangements and only small remnants of recognisable individual songs, it was not surprising that he would precede more uptempo acts. Nowadays, tracks are still modified onstage, but the level of control is higher with a more stable groundwork laid.

He admits that the equipment progression has afforded him more freedom then before and has in turn affected the recreation of tracks for an audience. “My old live setup was primarily based around limitation. With the set-up I put together it meant that there were things that I couldn't do easily, but that in turn forced me to be creative and think of ways around those shortcomings and also focus on the things that I could do well with it.”

“Instead of improvising and creating tracks on the spot I've been focussing more on writing and production values from the outset of a track. I'm still experimenting of course, but I feel that now I can capture that experimentation before anyone else hears it and add it into my work, rather than getting lost in the moment of an improvised show and not being able to recreate it.”

It was a Now Then Manchester gig in December 2011 that became the first road test for that new, less improvised set using laptop software, supporting thebrokendoor and Jason Singh at a show, ironically, focussing on improvised and semi-rehearsed musical accompaniment to previously selected films. Although uncertain at first, he can reflect on having made the right move. “I felt at first as though I had abandoned my roots to an extent, but the tracks were really well received and I felt like I had definitely made the right decision.” His selection was a walkthrough for the Limbo computer game and the differentiation from the rest of the show in terms of improvisation mattered little, as Branching Dialogue’s reviewer afterwards expressed “an urgent need to buy the game and to see every gig Veí does from here on out”.

There will be another opportunity to witness that particular show, as he will perform to the same video clip for the Soundtracks From The Other City stage at this year's Sounds From The Other City festival in Salford. As no stranger to cinematic and musical cohesion, he will also take on the final segment of a combined re-soundtracking of 1980s sci-fi film Dark Star at Dulcimer bar on Sunday 22nd April, with his set following instalments by Christopher William Anderson and Yes Blythe.

The switch was in part due to an affiliation with the new Baptists & Bootleggers label, which provided the platform for his new production ideas. “I had been thinking about switching from improvisational shows to writing some actual tracks for a few months anyway,” says Dean. “But when B&B asked me to do the EP I thought that would be an ideal opportunity to make the transition.” His physical self-titled EP launch at the start of 2012 was a part of the launch of the Baptists & Bootleggers label as a whole, where his performance acted as further evidence of his move away from the unplanned and chaotic constructs of old.

The show later saw Borland (who will next perform at Antwerp Mansion on Thursday 26th April) and Go Lebanon tread the stage; the former shrouding the room in dry ice, leaving only their candlelit corner of mystical noise-craft as a visible reference point. Their audio reference points sway all the way from vocal parts as heavily encrypted by effects as Animal Collective to an incongruent rendition of Rod Stewart’s words in ‘Da’ Ya’ Think I’m Sexy?’ – and all backed by steadily mellow ambient duskiness to match the artificial atmosphere. The latter takes on a military guise both in terms of costume and their satirical humour (playing a “song about men who touch things they shouldn’t – called ‘Sarkozies’”) for a set of angrily cranked up injections of tinnitus. It is a show indicative of the variety of genres encouraged by the Baptists & Bootleggers label.

For example, another of Veí’s involvements with B&B was contributing one of the five tracks on the main launch record, ...Of The Wolves, which comprises a multiple arts smorgasbord centred around Dante’s Inferno, the 1930s film based on Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. His fifth of the record – an interpretation of the same 8 minute 12 second visual clip selected for each musical act – is named ‘Decaying Bodice’, a typically serene piece of music even in response to a film whose fiery despair erupts loud and ferociously through the other musicians’ versions. It is almost detached from the imagery; accepting of the depicted hell and tapping into a quiet place, watching the bedlam from afar. Such is the paradox of Veí; a neighbour by name, but with a street to himself where music is concerned.

That isn’t to say he doesn’t have influences. Radiohead was a noticeable starting point with Kin, while his Veí EP nods towards Four Tet in parts. Dean also cites Bjork, Baths, Aphex Twin, James Blake and Amon Tobin.

He first became involved with the label after being introduced to its co-founder Callum Higgins at the launch event for a Mind On Fire and OneFiveEight collaboration, Hear No Evil, See No Evil, the CD for which features tracks by both Veí and Higgins’ solo music project, Yes Blythe.

“After meeting Callum at the launch, one of the MOF boys informed me that he was doing a soundtrack project and put me in touch again. As I was only using hardware with live improvisations at the time, I recorded 'Decaying Bodice' pretty much the next day, which was well over a year ago now. I knew there were plans to release it and I was really interested in the idea that it would be a compilation of tracks all inspired by the same piece of film. I didn't know at that stage that they were looking into the Umbro Industries bursary or that they would ask me to write an EP to coincide with the launch, so when all that came together it started to gain momentum and become very exciting.”

Since that meeting and subsequent support, Veí is growing in confidence and looking to the future. “I just wanted to show what else I am capable of. I still use elements of my old methods in the writing process but for now I definitely feel as though I'm moving in the right direction and don't plan on taking a step backwards.”

Words: Ian Pennington
Photography: Paul Green
Sunday Soirée poster design: Craig Brown - Beards Club Illustration
Now Then B&B poster design: Hattie Lockwood
B&B logo courtesy of the B&B label
Rod Stewart sourced from the internet

Veí will perform next at Dulcimer bar in Chorlton as part of a Now Then Manchester and Baptists & Bootleggers co-promotion featuring three electronic musicians re-soundtracking the 1980s sci-fi film Dark Star. He will take on the final section of the film, after Christopher William Anderson and Yes Blythe have performed live soundtracks the first two thirds. The gig takes place on Sunday 22nd April from 5.30pm.

Sounds From The Other City 2011, Sunday 1st May

This year’s Sounds From The Other City (SFTOC) festival sees that elusive guest not immediately associated with previous Bank Holiday Sunday afternoons in the Chapel Street locale; clear skies and sunshine. The blustery, extrinsic seaside breezes are forgivable given the lengthier-than-ever linear perimeter near the River Irwell (wind direction permitting).

The Islington Mill hub is the first stop on everyone’s SFTOC journey but with so much booked in to see it’d be hard not to plot your own unique path from there. First step along is a quick dip into the ground floor gallery space where Sonny Smith’s abstract ‘100 Records’ exhibition is housed. The jukebox centrepiece holds all the aural results of a project that has imagined, designed and storyboarded a century of conceptual musical acts. Browsing the end products of record sleeves and biographies, it’s easy to see how the lines of fact and fiction may have been blurred, while a satirical angle could lament the aesthetic roots and reasons behind musicians’ practise, as opposed to music for music’s sake.

Scheduled as festival starters, but over 30 minutes late on the HearHere / Bad Uncle stage, Dr Mahogany’s Goat Circus have a useful template for diminishing any such sardonic cynicism. A fluid sextet filed under jazz/world, they set the benchmark for the United Reformed Church’s Soundtracks From The Other City premise by composing beside a film, Baraka, which features scenes of expansive landscapes, terraced Asian paddy fields and a choreographed seated dance. Although unintentional, there’s an appealing audio/visual synchronicity early in the set as images fixate conga drum-led eyes, but the grip is loosened as they drift between songs, such as the Doors-esque rhythms of ‘Stomping Foot, Clapping Hand’, and interconnecting improv.

From then on there’s a sense of déjà vu as the aural weapon of choice is the sampler. The Mind On Fire curated Salford Arms begins with synth/drum duo Vieka’s glitch-hop under distinctively enunciated vocals (think caro snatch or From The Kites of San Quentin), who’re hampered a little by unwanted amp feedback and lead in with coin jangling samples similar to Pink Floyd and MIA. The subject of money is an appropriate topic for another band reliant on synthetic sound snippets, Money, who embellish atmospheric guitar effects with backing visuals of their own. Lyrical content with a mortal preoccupation is enhanced by a tortured delivery akin to The Walkmen’s records, while thudding bass à la Joy Division permeates the misty introspection.

Waiting next to the nearby grassy verge is a testimony to the eclectic nature of the festival. The Rhythm’N’Blood Mobile dubs lo-fi saxophone over bluesy tape recordings including ‘All Along The Watchtower’. Rumours have it that he lectures at Salford University and serenading passing punters as a one man band with a backline of four mini amps strapped to a trolley is an endearing hobby.

Where do you go from that? As it turns out, Day For Airstrikes is where to go. Back at the United Reformed Church, DFA are backed by Rita, Sue and Bob Too; managing to pinpoint a climactic ending as the film pauses with the male protagonist in mid-air, leaping towards a bed with Union Jack duvet. Planned or otherwise, it works well (and can be listened to here). And they’re another succumbed to the lure of sampled structures; replacing post-rock guitars of old, but maintaining their same slow builds towards apocalypse. A stark contrast to Veí, whose downtempo sampling orchestra transforms the Salford Arms into a meeting atrium for hollow glockenspiel clacks, disparate ivories and lonely strings.

Too much perambulation would seem wasteful, which is exactly what strides down to Peel Hall conspire to be as Willy Mason’s lure is strong enough to force a one-in-one-out scenario at which the queue doesn't look promising. One punter describes the show as “underwhelming”, but that really depends on your expectation ahead of the performance of one man and a guitar. The next stop certainly isn’t underwhelming. Easter have been causing a stir amongst post-rock purveyors and some good old-fashioned axe duelling belittles the need for rhythm guitars as instead intricate noodling harnesses the roaring feedback.

Another genre shift back to laptop connoisseur Neko Neko. His squelchy electronic samples solder to Moby-esque ambient soundscapes, while submerged progressions of swooshes and minimal percussive stabs sink indolently before giving way to melodic harp twinkles.

Denis Jones then tackles the Soundtrack stage; an improv whizz in his natural habitat. Opting for a simple film tracking ball bearing movements, Jones also opts for simple, steady loop layering patterns with acoustic guitar undercurrents and gradual introduction of electronic manipulations. The occasional recognisable songs, the typically soulful ‘Clap Hands’ being one, are supplemented by onstage collaborator David Schlechtriemen (aka The Pickpocket Network), who adds a disco remix monotony to the live compositions; the pair facing each other with gadgetry primed, evoking Fuck Buttons or worriedaboutsatan.

The finale is littered with uptempo electro of various persuasions. Capac at Salford Arms and Islington Mill festival-closers Anchorsong and D/R/U/G/S all sail aboard the good ship synth, navigating a sea of processed beats, while sandwiched between are Fixers and Rainbow Arabia. Firstly, Oxford’s Fixers take on a soundtrack to looped cuts from Mariah Carey’s Glitter by pounding their combined keys, and yet more samples – this time directly influenced by the post-Animal Collective acclaim boom. If SFTOC is an indicator for the sounds from all other cities bubbling under the mainstream radar then there’s plenty more sampledelica (?), samplecore (?), to add to this generation’s synthetic symphonies.

Apt then, is Rainbow Arabia’s headlining jaunt at the Old Pint Pot. Signed to revered German electronic music label Kompakt, the Afrobeat disco duo show themselves to be infinitely more energetic than a jaded and weary crowd; vocoded vocalist Tiffany Preston gyrates between elevated archways as her husband Danny operates a mini electronic orchestra. It’s an engaging spectacle for the Pint Pot’s poky viewing confines, which you’d expect given the endorsement from youtube-bothering politico MIA.

Words: Ian Pennington