list.co.uk/music AVANT JAZZ / POST ROCK SFD: STETSON – FOX – DUNN Summerhall, Edinburgh, Sat 29 Sep
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Previews | MUSIC
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SFD is the latest project from Canadian saxophonist Colin Stetson. His unconventional style (utilising a unique circular breathing method and slamming his keys as percussion) and forward thinking approach to jazz, post-rock and minimalism has seen him work with the likes of Tom Waits, Arcade Fire, Lou Reed, Bon Iver, the National, LCD Soundsystem and many more. Stetson has also produced a series of startling solo albums and soundtrack work. Most recently writing and performing the score for unsettling horror Hereditary. This Edinburgh show marks the only UK date for his new trio with drummer Greg Fox and bassist Trevor Dunn, a collaboration that fell into place naturally and instinctively. 'It was a bit of a strange meeting actually,' explains Dunn, who has played with the Melvins, Mike Patton and many more. 'A mutual friend was booking gigs in a small rock venue in Brooklyn. She put the trio together on a hunch. I only met Colin and Greg on stage that night as we were setting up. This type of situation is not particularly uncommon and has the potential to be awkward but we all had a lot of fun improvising and fell into some common ground immediately. Thus we decided to continue on our own.'
Their music is hard to categorise drawing on elements of improv jazz, instrumental rock and electronica. '[It's] maximalism,' says Dunn. 'I say that because there is some relation to minimalism in our limited used of colour and form, yet it is not lightweight music by any means. It tends to be somewhat fierce, loud and cathartic. Maybe there is more akin to staring into a bright strobe light as opposed to an Agnes Martin painting. That said, it is a very open repertoire and anything can happen, so my description of what has happened in the past may or may not apply.' (Henry Northmore)
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A L E X W O O D W A R D
FOLK / ELECTRONICA ALASDAIR ROBERTS, AMBLE SKUSE & DAVID MCGUINNESS Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, Fri 28 Sep; What News? is out now
‘Our live show is pretty much a feat of “can we do this?”’ says electronic musician Amble Skuse, who is describing the performing set-up around What News, her recent album in conjunction with renowned Scottish folk artist Alasdair Roberts and composer and musical historian David McGuinness, being performed this month as part of Sneaky Pete’s Central Belters series. ‘Our three different takes all try to weave something magical together; Ali brings a kind of timeless traditional ballad singer sensibility to the record, David roots it in this regency piano sound, then I swoop in with electronics and try to lift it up and make it fly through time and space.’ Such fantastical language seems fitting in describing the trio’s music, a selection of centuries-old tunes played on instruments assembled by McGuinness, all given a dream-like contemporary spin by Skuse’s laptop work. While Roberts and McGuinness were already working together, the latter heard Skuse’s work on her very first day living in Scotland – a composition of hers’ was being played by Mr McFall’s Chamber – and asked if she would like to collaborate with them.
‘I think it definitely helps that we're three very different musicians,’ says Skuse ‘Although I'm not sure we all made the same record, really. I received Ali and David's stuff already laid out, so I had to figure out what I could add. I listened to the tracks in my campervan while exploring lanes and mountains and lochs in Scotland, and decided I wanted to try to bring a sense of the magical.' (David Pollock)
BETA WAVES
Beta Waves are a new band from Dundee who have been gaining national attention with each single they have released. With a knack for locking into some very radio-friendly synth-pop grooves, this duo are poised to explode over the coming year. The List speaks to the band’s Dale Easson about their accidental formation and what audiences can expect from their live shows. How did you first get together? Beta Waves is a happy accident. I’d love to say it was very weird but to be honest, we started jamming with another couple of friends and it was turning into a jazz / blues-influenced band and the songs were 'vintage.' I got Harry involved after I met him outside a pub in Dundee and remembered he could play keys. But then bizarrely we found electronic drums and synths when the two of us had a jam (the other guys couldn’t make it this
time). Then later that week I ended up making two tunes, 'Love Love Love' and 'Let It Out'. And here we are less than a year later. LOL. Like some sort of Christmas miracle. How has the last year been for you? Pretty damn hectic. It’s been full of stress, happiness and sadness, but it’s all been worth it. We could never have imagined getting to where we are in such a small space of time, in the space of nine months we have went from playing our first show to family and friends to playing a massive festival like Belladrum.
What can people expect from your live show? Sweat and tears (mainly from Harry). I’d like to think we improve after every show, we also don’t like to do exactly the same thing twice so there will be subtle changes in each live show, that keeps it more interesting for us. (As told to Sean Greenhorn) ■ New single 'Love Love Love' is out now; Beta Waves play Kilmarnock’s The Dirty Weekender, Sat 24 Nov.
1 Sep–31 Oct 2018 THE LIST 77