Young Fathers & Law // NAC - 08.02.2014
Second Pony Up hits the target.
Down to the Arts Centre for the second Pony Up event.
Opening act LAW is Lauren Hold singing and playing guitar over beats and samples. Visually arresting with shaven head, in electric blue trouser suit and boots, LAW boasts a strong and distinctive voice. Together with the juddering, jarring, industrial music, this is heavier than LAW’s recorded work and is surprisingly reminiscent of Heather Small fronting Nitzer Ebb. (7/10)
Young Fathers are one of those groups whose back-story could over-shadow the music. Based in Edinburgh, the core trio have different backgrounds. Alloysious is originally from Liberia. Kayus was born in Scotland but has lived in the States and Nigeria. G is from the Drylaw scheme.
All three can rap like demons but also have strong and melodic singing voices. Kayus in particular has a deep, rich croon. Employing beats, samples and loops with a live drummer, like LAW this is harsher and heavier than may be expected from new album 'Dead'. Songs like 'War', 'I Heard', 'Get Up' or standout 'Low' are experimental hip-hop recalling Dalek, Massive Attack or Bambaataa’s work as Time Zone. At times this was stunning. (8/10)
Pavlis
