Thee Oh Sees "Lupine Dominus" track review

Thee Oh Sees track “Lupine Dominus” requires playing at full volume and directed straight into the inner most sound receptors of the ears. Its snarling garage-psyche with a savage drum beat that inspires gyration in every limb, sounding like a Flaming Lips tune on furious-fast-forward. The track starts with synthesizers at an alarmingly similar frequency to that of a dog whistle, screaming Gothic organs into life with the drums and bass breaking into a steady groove with wraith like vocals echoing and cooing above the fray. The song feels snappy sharp and succinct whilst it also having the sprawling quality of the vocals to add intimacy and depth, and off kilter moments that demand a second, third, fourth and fifth replay etching the song into the brains of its listeners. The track is also beautifully illustrated by a video in a sleazy strip-joint that seems to blend perfectly with the primal destructive urges the song encourages, exhibited in the eyes of the lust fueled revellers which are drawn to the gait of the dancers. Definitely the most exciting and intoxicating song I have heard in a while, truly one to blow the cobwebs out of many a dingy dance-hall.

Listen now on Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/thee-oh-sees

James Blake @ Gorilla, Manchester, 6/12/2012

When discussing James Blake he is oft interlocked with the term innovator and the sold out show at Manchester's recently opened Gorilla demonstrates how many hold him in high regard. Although charismatic would not be the right word to describe Blake, he seems at home and comfortable, although bashful, on the stage and voices how tonight’s date feels like a homecoming. The set-list draws heavily from as of yet unreleased material which continues in the dense piano driven electro from which he has made his name. The performance exhibits a luscious tapestry of sound with bass so inviting that it encompasses the body reverberating around one's rib-cage.  Blake shares his stage with two others, Rob McAndrews providing subtle guitar lines and samples and Ben Assiter sat behind the kit displaying marvelous mastery over his cymbals filling out the acoustic drums with electronic patterns and off beat stutters thrown in. The biggest cheers were reserved for self titled debut album material but as newer songs broke from Blake's auto-tuned crooning into high tempo club filling hits inspiring even the most reserved hipsters to display their finest two-steps. The night came to a close with an encore ending with perhaps his most well known song Wilhelm Scream which is truly phenomenal live stirring rapturous and deserved applause from the crowd. All that is left to be said is that with performers like James Blake around the standards of electronic music is raised considerably and hopefully a new album will be released soon and if the set at Gorilla is anything to go by it will be sublime.