Loud, live and bangin’
Some words and pics from Alan Dearling
Parastatic and Warm Parts provided metronomic sonic bombardments of kraut-influenced, psyched-up electronica at the Golden Lion upstairs in Todmorden, courtesy of Dark Matter Promotions. The whole night reminded me of my university days in Canterbury as the 1960s morphed into the ‘70s. Hawkwind loomed large on the sonic canvas in those far off days. And they were deafeningly, mind- and brain-numbing…total aural assaults on the senses…
Certainly both Warm Parts, who opened proceedings, and Parastatic, who headlined, are proponents of long barrages of electronic beats, pile-driving drums. Warm Parts from the Calder Valley, are just developing their own original sounds. Kind of early Floyd experimental electronica… “Set your controls and take off into the skies and then the stratosphere.” Repetitive percussive drum beats, swirling sounds of warm organ parts and whirling guitar riffs, with added unearthly touches of theremin from Rachael Elwell.” Mesmeric and slightly Eastern raga-tinged.
Warm Parts inform us that they are, “Here to Warm all your Electroshoegazepsyche Parts”
Special Square. Live recording from rehearsal session at Robinwood Mill. It is dedicated to Billy Glue in the Robinwood Mill Studio. https://www.facebook.com/61556010254617/videos/512538141562529?locale=en_GB
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Parastatic, according their promo literature, “…are three friends from the North East of England with a love for Krautrock, shoegaze and post-rock music. Since their birth in 2010 they have sporadically released music that fuses motorik grooves with thumping synths and magical guitar sounds.”
For their live show, and their new album, ‘Concrete Reborn’, which is being promoted on this tour, a focal element is the sung/spoken word performance from Valencia-born, Newcastle-based electronic and spoken word artist, Late Girl. The album image is one of brutalist architecture and that translates into the new music. It too is guttural, with Late Girl offering a brooding presence towering over what the band call their, “Shoegazing Post-kraut meanderings.” The wall of pounding sound they create provides what NME refers to as, “Total obliteration of the senses guaranteed.”
‘Concrete Reborn’ is capturing plenty of attention from fans and the music media.
Jim Trainer: “Love the tracks I’ve heard so far. Reminds me a little of what Bob Calvert brought to Hawkwind.”
Sparse guitars, floating words, fuzz and more fuzz…. Coupled with Late Girl’s sometimes apocryphal delivery, for instance during the title track:
“Monumentality, modern mentality, function and form, concrete reborn.”
Prog magazine: “…well-judged dynamism that remains compelling throughout.”
Parastatic – ‘Tear it down’ (Feat. Late Girl): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp3_Bptt1aM
From Facebook: @highlandgnome proclaims:
“Amazing song just heard it on 6 music. Ozric Tentacles meets Psychedelic Furs. Fantastic.”
Overall, it was a night of sonic and visual intensity, and at times, fearsomely-awesome, if that conveys any kind of sense at all.
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