- As the archetypal underground/experimental label, there's been a lot for purists to grumble about of late with regards to Warp Records. But while it's undoubtedly true that their reputation isn't at the lofty heights it used to be, it's also all but inevitable that an imprint's manifesto will change over time. With this in mind, I wasn't expecting, say, a surprise Boards of Canada set, but I was still taken aback when, upon entering at the start of Battles' slot at the Warp20 event, I beheld some two thousand or so punters packing out Coronet's immense main hall.
The scale of the endeavor was, nonetheless, matched by an impressive roster, and a Warp Records concert (as it would best be described) was an interesting proposal at the very least. At most, it was, for me, a match made in heaven: my favourite label at my favourite venue. For those who haven't been to the Coronet, it's similar to a number of live music halls (theatre-style setup, standing downstairs and seating on a balcony, with a few back rooms) but for a club, it's pretty unique, and firmly epic on some nights. The one thing that lets it down is the sound upstairs, as the speaker stack points downwards, and if you're up for a sociable mong in the dress circle (cool, huh?) you'll have to expect a healthy dose of resonance. (You can sometimes actually hear the lighting scaffold vibrate.)
Photo credit: Chris James Edwards
Battles seemed to have a kind of sympathy for this, and the walls of distortion they constructed played through the venue rather than just the rig. Shifting in and out between chaotic experimentation and resolution, between ideas that were at once off-key but then tuneful and familiar, they had a kind of duality hidden beneath their rawness. Finishing with a snippet of "Atlas," they diversified the night rather than bringing it down, which happens all too often when a band plays in a club.
The "Best of Warp compilation set" honours went to Strictly Kev, who came through in fine style, seamlessly mixing Plaid's "Abla Eediao" (6/8 time) into Aphex Twin's "Start As You Mean to Go On" (fast 4/4) through Autechre's "Cipater" (um, both) in a deliciously intelligent, tasteful and at times full throttle celebration of the good ol' days. Flying Lotus did a decent job too with "Come on My Selector" by Squarepusher raising raucous cheers amidst a mélange of grungey breaks, although it's hard to forget his drift into buzzsaw house near the end. Passing through a more sparsely inhabited room with Jackson of Computer Band fame pushing his trademark chopped-up sound, my reaction was more "Meh" than the "Yeah!" I was hoping for. The bass was lacking and, as with Nightmares on Wax earlier on, it was a diluted version of what he's like on disc. Maybe, as with Nightmares, I should have been more patient, but there were more pressing matters to attend to in the main room with Plaid's Classics set anyway.
Photo credit: Chris James Edwards
Kicking off with more ambient fare such as "Ladyburst," they soon moved into darker spaces with spacious pads, moody, throbbing foundations, and their trademark bell sounds, marrying high production value with cavernous techno aesthetics. The visuals were excellent throughout: mathematical algorithms, gritty images of a girl in a shower and digital error screens all featured, in the custom that would be expected considering Warp's illustrious video heritage. At this stage only the stalwart were left to hear their fantastic "Eyen" see us off, beautiful and reflective.
So, yes, they've succumbed to their own popularity, but despite the touristic vibe of the night there was still the undercurrent of unpretentious appreciation that marks the electronica scene, for which Warp Records remains the main ambassador.