Limbo night of Electronic acts

Limbo – Pleasance Theatre , Edinburgh 24/10/13

Being an Electronica fan I was quite excited about the prospect of tonight's line up, all Electro artists from Glasgow/Edinburgh.

First up Glasgow based Engine 7. The duo Producer Alan McNeil and Glaswegian but based in London Marie Claire Lee. Main man takes the stage creating ambient electronic soundscapes while visuals are projected onto a screen behind. Its all atmospheric and music to soundtrack a cool indie movie. Singer Marie Claire Lee joins him while the first piece flows seamlessly in to the next. She swoons and sways along like a snake in a trance to the charmed beats from McNeil, she floats in and out from the Mic, adding loose lyrics. Unfortunately I couldn't quite make out the lyrics, maybe the sound levels were out, but the beats were loud, I like. In the last tune I can make out a chiming melody like a ice cream van at the Sonar festival, the lyrics are more prominent and I hear a touch of Bat for Lashes lead lady Natasha khan in Marie's vocal style. Some great pieces of music and production.

Speaking to Marie before she told me the new album is sounding cool and she's excited to get it out. What I've heard tonight I’ll be getting my hands on a copy. Nice start to the show.

http://www.engine7music.com/

Shona Maguire quietly takes her place in front of her table of electrical tricks. Holding the Mic “Hello, I am Plum “ then joking “I'm sounding like a comedian “ Meadow of Weeds is first. Shona has recently defected across the border down to Brighton to spread her seed in pastures new. Since being there she's had a few mishaps happen to her; one falling off her bike and injuring her wrist, so unfortunately we don't get the full Plum experience moving between Bass and Acoustic guitars. Before she was like a mad professor, now more of a one armed D.J/vocalist. Having said that she still provides a great show, adding warmth and charm when she makes a mistake, laughing and telling us what she has done wrong. The beats and tunes are still there, especially the excellent new material from her new E.P : Betsy Thunder (see my previous review). Catapult takes us to new highs with it's spine tingling xylophone melodies and thunderous bass all mixing in to the electrifying set with tunes from The Seed ( last album ). She banters with her old sacked producer ( in joke ) Martin who's sitting in the audience and tells us her dad loves that new track Death becomes a Bow who says it like "take a bow". It's an uplifting piece of Electro pop. Last tune Smile she introduces us to her favorite song to play live, it certainly has brought smile's to the faces of tonight's crowd. A Electronic artist/Producer with bags of talent and a favorite I never tire of seeing live, especially nice to see her back in her home town.

Check out her website, were you can download a free new tune http://plumtunes.com/

Little Buddha I have been looking forward to seeing for a long while and they don't disappoint with their Bass heavy sounds and tight production from main man Grant Tyrie , keyboardist of three years Fergus Black and lead lady ( slightly scary ) Vampirish looking Kat McDonald who jokes and banters, but leaves us all slightly unnerved.

Mcdonald sings the songs like she's providing the soundtrack for a Tim Burton animated Movie or theatrical musical. Hints and nods to Massive Attack and Portishead on Life Support with its Trip hop stylee and dark Noir-ish overtones, slightly Electronic/jazz with more focus on the bass wizard trickery . I'm loving their set until just before the last song an emotional Grant takes the Mic and announces "This will be our last gig. I've loved being with the band and partner Kat making music together for 15 years“ All very sad and slightly uncomfortable for the audience, also a shame as they looked like they were getting somewhere with recently being featured on BBC radio live in the Edinburgh Fringe. I'm glad i got the chance to see them live and they will be missed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01dvn85

Finally it's up to head-liners Conquering Animal Sound to pick us back up. The Electro Duo consisting of Anneke Kampman and James Scott create strange other wordly experimental Electronic music. The petite Kampman live on stage is a intense force, moving back and forth and confidently singing in to the mic like the more adventurous sound of Bjork. Scott provides minimal sounds and gentle comments between songs, saying the set will consist mainly of music from the second album and a few new tunes.

At times it's a trance like experience, especially on one of their new tunes with it's hypnotic beats and ending with it's “I did not look like me mother” lyrics. They’re a intriguing live act but unfortunately not captivating enough for me to last out the full set.

http://conqueringanimalsound.co.uk/listen/