Tag Archives: London

albums

Copeland

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copeland_1393426582_crop_550x550“Because I am worth it “

Alina Astrova is a tiny girl who likes to keep her distance. I saw her performing @Plastic People in Shoreditch last May, at the launch of her album ‘Because I Am Worth It‘, which she released by herself and not on any label, avoiding any patronising experiences.

Alina was born in Russia and lived in Estonia until the age of 17 when she moved to London to study art criticism at St Martins college. She became the vocalist of the duo Hype Williams (Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland) but she now performs solo under the name Copeland.

Tracklist /
01. Faith OG X 
02. Advice To Young Girls feat. Actress
03. insult 2 injury 
04. Serious 
05. Fit 1 
06. DILIGENCE 
07. Inga 
08. l'oreal

Alina uses minimal sounds derived from her environment.  The use of lurching synths stuck on the same two notes, a continuous high-pitched buzzing and the noise of rain on a window or a toy drum (maybe) describe her sound as experimental electronic, far from the easy listening category and she rushes to make that clear by using a sustained bleep in the opening track called ‘Faith OG X’.  She uses delayed drums to create a refracted club groove and she flirts with dub and hip hop  but always with a bass producer’s perspective.

She talks about her heartbreaks, the power of the feminine presence and contradictions of personality. In Advice To Young Girls, she encourages young girls to sneak out during the night put on makeup and take the city. In “Inga,” Copeland sings “The significance in what we do… everything’s being judged in numbers/ Looked at,”

Inga_Copeland_Luci_Lux_Electronic_Beats

I found her word-like vocals cold, almost unemotional and I was wondering if that reflects to her personality, but she did smile when I told her that I liked her album.

Her imperfect vocals , the atmospheric loops,  the familiar noises of the city , the sharp  use of synths, made me really love this album. If you disagree, that’s only your problem (or your prerogative). Because she is worth it,,,

gigs

Trentemøller, the band

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@TheForum, KentishTown, London

beatport-trentemollerAfter reading about Trentemøller coming to London for the first of his tour gig to partake in the LEAF – or the London Electronic Arts Festival, you find yourself buying tickets and anticipating for the date. That was still the mood I was in when I entered the Forum, in Kentish Town and saw a very nice mixture of people spread out in a great for gigs venue.

Mystical and misty atmosphere but a milder than expected and hoped for intro. Anders seemed disconnected from the crowd maybe anxious about his first of the planned gigs just after the release of his last album titled Lost.  Too many guitars on the stage and a half times visible base alongside with a great drummer and Anders in the middle with his deck and keyboards, a very unexpected rock band format probably influenced by their recent tour supporting Depeche Mode. Copenhagen vocalist Marie Fisker seemed to occupy a large part of the act, but undoubtedly a sexy talented part. Everyone including Trentemøller seemed to have equal place and time in the show making Trentemøller a band rather than a lone act which is rather weird, if you consider that Trentemøller is in fact Anders’ last name. You are certain that it wasn’t a good night for Trentemøller, when you pick Even Though You’re With Another Girl  as the most memorable moment of the night. 

The background setting with light and shape alternations alongside with the dance routine by the girls of the band made it clear that they really wanted the show to go well. However, in terms of getting to the crowd , it was a home victory for “dry ice” smoke effect against a rather awkward performance from Trentemøller.

I had a constant feeling of anxiety, as I was trying to convince myself to enjoy it. It was as if you were on a plane that was speeding on the runway but never took off. It wasn’t until the last twenty minutes of the performance that I decided to stop expecting the night to be better than it actually is and stepped back to enjoy the rest of it. A night of an uncomfortable performance by an otherwise brilliant artist.

D.

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