Barbican Centre, London
“This is our last show for a while so enjoy it tonight.”
Years ago, Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye met within the walls of the Barbican Centre. What sparked a kinship, birthed an indescribable partnership which has since conquered the world through their debut LP, I Love You Jennifer B, tonight returning to familiar grounds for their last foreseeable show.
“Swallow me whole and pummel me down / And like a needle, I’ll arrive into the steeple”, the first words uttered by Ellery as the first ominous guitar chords reverberate stutteringly through the Barbican. Beset by technical failures at the set’s inception, the enigmatic nature to such an act withers for a moment, before the brandished beats and sonic backbone is eventually provided by Skye, perched amongst his throne.
Particularly within the safe-seated arrangement on offer tonight, the audience remain puzzledly transfixed, engulfed by the looming opener ‘Neon’ yet perturbed at the established and ‘orderly’ fashion of the Barbican - for even the explosive recital of ‘Debra’ fails to grapple those into a keen frenzy (as would have certainly been the case elsewhere).
Whilst the sweetened, crooning bells and whistles embellish such breakout tracks as ‘Jennifer B’ (and more recent ‘Good Girl’), it’s not until the arrival of more acoustic-led tracks where proceedings take an uplifting turn. Supported by an eclectic 7-person-strong string section (plus percussionist), ‘Glasgow’ comparatively fares better in its sweeping arrangements and luscious sense of profound depth as the reminiscence to Carole King emanates beautifully (“In that moment I am so alone”). Venturing into the smorgasbord of sounds at Skye’s disposal, such small tweaks on display tonight (plucked harpsichord tones within ‘Angst') remind us of the eclectic aura pertaining Jockstrap thus far: to expect the inspiringly unexpected.
As Jockstrap’s set matures, the aforementioned percussionist also bends to their fastidious sonic-fuelled will, garnering a sumptuous atmosphere which flavours the sweetened waters of ‘Lancaster Court’ and ‘Greatest Hits’. Chimes, cymbals and timpanis offer their cacophony of sounds to the elusive fray, furthering the extraordinary depth of this duo’s work - invariably feeding you a treasure trove of sounds seldom enmeshed together - ultimately on their boldest display tonight.
The apex of which arrives at ‘Concrete Over Water’ which supremely balances between the traditional instrumental world on-stage with the modernism of Jockstrap’s sounds of late. Conglomerating abrasive synth lines, booming bass drums and drastic string usherings is no easy feat; superfluous in nature yet orgasmic and entrancing when met within such an arrangement, reverberating relentlessly as we (ironically) sit amongst this concrete building elevated over water. Whilst the finale of ‘50/50’ invites a 20-foot stone figure onto the stage, the audience feel equally obliged to at last arise and amass towards the front, revelling in a blaze of glorified dance-fuelled electropop concluding this indelible evening.
After the rock dust settled shortly thereafter, Jockstrap remained triumphant: defeating the monolithic stone figure and solidifying their fanbase at the helm of their homecoming show. Such minute intricacies tucked into every crevice (Ellery’s elusive vocals; Skye’s bells and whistles) proved dead and buried at certain moments, lost within the capacious, overwhelming nature of the Barbican. Having produced one of the most eclectic LPs of last year (furthered within their latest remix LP), Jockstrap leave us for now with a repertoire which most acts would spend a lifetime salivating over - who knows what might take hold beyond this concrete building where it all began.
7.5/10
Jockstrap's latest LP, I<3UQTINVU, is out now via Rough Trade Records and can be found below.
Photo is courtesy of Burak Cingi whose work can be found here.