Banks – Koko, London 31/03/2014

The last few months have been nothing short of colossal for Banks. After the release of her highly successful debut EP London- named after the great city that it was written and recorded in- she’s been hailed as one of The Line of Best Fit’s own ‘Ones to Watch 2014′ and bagged third place on the ‘BBC Sound of 2014′ list. Her dark, sultry image perfectly matches the tone of her songs and has led many pleading for more. She has the world at her feet, but tonight’s performance falls two steps short of what she could really be capable of.

She saunters on stage, through a huge expanse of sound whilst a background of strobes illuminate her, creating the impression of a ghostly shadow. “Before I Ever Met You” begins in earnest, and the ghostly figure comes alive in all her transient beauty. She is truly mesmerising to watch, but there remains something that’s not quite come together just yet. It is as if the whole crowd is waiting to be struck by Banks, to be completely blown away, but it takes a while. “This What It Feels Like” begins promisingly, but doesn’t quite connect with the crowd in the way one would have hoped. It is an uncompromisingly sexy tune that should leave us gagging for more. But it doesn’t. And the set simply continues.

Until she plays “Brain” that is, which provides the highlight of the night. It’s at this point, when her nerves seem to have vanished, that Banks begins to excite and pull the crowd into her dark world of electronic grooves and lust. It erupts into an explosion of sound as it reaches the powerful middle eight and moves into a higher register, the moment of sublime magic we have been waiting all evening for.

Banks is at her best when the flashing lights are stripped away, and when the heavy bass that frequently outweighs her vocals is brushed off. She takes to the keyboard for “Fall Over”, and finally we get to hear the pure emotion and talent she really has. It’s truly remarkable, as the lyrics take on a whole new life of their own. The same can be said for her brilliant cover of Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody?”, where she even begins to have fun. “Warm Water” is simply backed up by a funky guitar part which lights up the room, Banks seeming more comfortable playing out the sultriness of the tracks. She has finally come alive.

She introduces new track “Goddess” by outlining its message of empowerment: “This one is about me releasing the sexy, powerful Goddess I’ve been trying to create. It goes out to all you ladies out there, because you are all Goddesses.” The fact of the matter is that Banks probably is a Goddess, but she needs to really believe it in order to convince everyone else.