ISLET, Divine Schism, Florence Park Community Ctr, 7/3/20
Along with Vic 20, Chip Taylor, Bellowhead, Jurassic 5
and Fixers (non-wankered version), Islet gave us one the truly classic Truck
festival sets, a decade ago. But, whilst
that gig was a fractal disco performed by howling cultists, a psychedelic
percussive clatter apparently intended to deter (or possibly invoke) demonic intervention,
over the years they have slimmed in size, and become more refined. The ritualistic impetus has survived though,
as they enter the venue tonight from the back, prancing lightly and tolling
sweetly sonorous bells, the effect of which is either fairy wonderland or Kesey
mushroom fayre, depending on your outlook.
It’s certainly not the sort of thing one usually witnesses in an
old-fashioned community centre, just next to the dartboard. Euphonious though this is, we are glad when
they take to the stage and prove they can be more than stoned and twee. In fact, so sharp are they that they are able
to salvage a potentially atmosphere-killing technical glitch with some smart improvised
patter, and the rest of the performance is no less focussed.
Islet clearly have a love for the brief pop song form, no
matter how obliquely they approach it, but despite this they share a trait with
many krautrock acts, being simultaneously warm and organic, and sleek and
other-worldly. They’re proud to tell us
that they’re soon to be supporting Foals – announcement embargo be damned! -
but they have more in common with an avuncular Glass Animals. The clipped bass, which could have come from
an unknown Northern soul album by The Free Design, and the loose grooves on the
stand-up drumkit make some of the tunes sound like early Ninja Tunes tracks
refashioned from moss and houmous, whereas ethereal moments have more in common
with one of Aphex’s selected ambient works.
There’s even a strange piece with lovely, liturgical vocals and cheeky
synth, as if the Catholic church had created a new ceremony based on The
Pepper’s novelty hit “Pepperbox”. Indeed the entire show, whilst never being
precious, has a wonderfully hieratic feel.
Perhaps everyone at the gig is married now. Perhaps we’re all converts, and just don’t
yet know what to. Perhaps, at the very
least, the next darts league fixture might feel that tiny bit more significant.
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