Evangelical chaos: Melt Yourself Down live in London

28 April 2016, 15:55 | Written by Russell Warfield

(Live)

(Melt Yourself Down)

It's no coincidence that their recent live album was recorded at the New Empowering Church. Melt Yourself Down shows have an evangelical feel.

The spiritualism continues tonight (27 April) at Shapes in East London. Kushal Gaya addresses us as “brothers and sisters”, leading impassioned calls and responses, and there's a simple hedonism to their propulsive swirl of African jazz, whipping people into a state which is half-frenzy-half-trance.

The material of their first record is punchy and direct. Tonight, airings of favourites like "Kingdom Of Kush" are received as you might expect, with flailing limbs and pumping fists powering alongside the peppy, dueling saxophones and clattering carnival rhythms.

New material offers darkness and deeper complexity, however. Time signatures awkwardly lurch; sections break into utter chaos. These slower, driving grooves offer a challenge to the dancer, but showcase a new maturity to the music of Melt Yourself Down as they release their second album this week.

Setlist:

Big Children
Bharat Mata
Body Parts
Kingdom of Kush
Communication
Dot to Dot
Jump the Fire
God of You
Listen Out
Camel
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We Are Enough
Fix My Life
(Release)