Much of the joy and excitement of following the contemporary music scene comes from discovering new artists. Admittedly, 18 year old Låpsley isn't exactly unknown, having played Glastonbury last year and won inclusion in the prestigious BBC Sound of 2015 list. She's also gained recognition on Merseyside and from Radio 1 DJs; the song Falling Short has been played over a million times on Soundcloud. Yet, this was her first headline tour, which commenced only the previous night with a home date in Liverpool. I'd come to Salford on the strength of a Four Track EP, Understudy, with few preconceptions. The Manchester based producer Oceaan appeared to set the scene for an evening dominated by electronica. Oliver Caen's haunting, looped vocals, combined with deep beats and synths blended energy with atmosphere, and to my relief demonstrated this venue had sound of power and clarity. Another clue this was to be an cerebral and emotion experience lay in the Now Wave DJ's selection of Grimes as I entered the intimate venue.
I'd earlier Tweeted that Låpsley was a must listen for lovers of James Blake, with whom she's been compared in the blogosphere, alongside The XX and Majical Cloudz. Yet, when Holly Fletcher walked on stage and stood behind a microphone, it immediately became apparent that this was to be a vocal tour de force, not a sterile electronic gig. She may have produced the Monday EP in her bedroom, and it's difficult to imagine the pressure of expectation of a sold out tour, but this was not the set of a shy producer hiding behind a Macbook. Holly has a soprano voice of purity, note perfect with an almost physical presence. The drummer and keyboard player on stage remained in the background in both senses; there was no danger of the vocals disappearing into the mix here. The impact of the vocals reminded of London Grammar's Hannah Reid, and at times even of Adele.
Låpsley may have the option of future in mainstream pop, should she wish, but crucially her music is subtle, restrained and minimalist. Dancing is an exemplar of this delicate nuance, but a cover of Fleetwood Mac's Rhiannon displayed Holly's versatility. Understandably, Falling Short got the greatest audience reaction, though I was especially taken with the closing Station, with its use of alternate vocal pitches, faultlessly recreated live. The benefits of a classical training could be seen in the sensitive keyboard playing in a song such as the melancholy, delicate 8896, though like much of the 45 minute set, even this was above all a showcase for her voice. With such vocal charisma, and stage presence already, there was never a danger of the gig feeling like an artificial reconstruction of the layers of studio production. Yet whilst I hadn't expected a lengthy set, at times the songs came to a close all too quickly, just as I'd got lost in them. Perhaps this reflects the perspective of someone accustomed to four hour operas rather than that of a digital native, but the ideas have the strength to sustain longer development.
Indeed, Låpsley's extant recordings give only a hint to the ethereal live presence. Despite Glitch apparently living up to its name on the first show of the tour, this was a polished, confident performance with well considered lighting, exemplary backing, and the skilful concealment of any nerves. The necessity of introducing new songs such as Take A Minute did prove to be a little challenging for the audience; background chatter was emphasised by the bright acoustic of a metal lined railway arch. Yet, they confirmed a natural songwriter's gift for melody, alongside a poignant, delicate late night atmosphere. I emerged into the Salford evening impatient for an album release, but above all excited that I already have the opportunity to experience Låpsley again at Parklife in June. Given such a meteoric rise, I'm fascinated to see how she will have developed after even a short tour. In spite of the attention the EPs have brought, the revelation from this evening is confirmation of the emergence of a charismatic live artist. Seize the opportunity to experience Låpsley yourself before the inevitable move to far larger venues.
- Brownlow
- Glitch
- Painter
- 8896
- Rhiannon
- Falling Short
- Take A Minute
- Dancing
- Station
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