MICACHU AND THE SHAPES and JOYFULTALK at the Garrison, Friday, November 20. Rating: NNN
It was a night of deconstructed pop and lo-fi electronics at the Garrison, although the two acts took very different approaches to that concept. Nova Scotia’s Joyfultalk opened up the night with a set of improv-heavy live experimental electronic music, using a mixture of cheap toys and boutique gear. Their instrumental set was one long jam, often lurching and discordant, but occasionally solidifying into carefully structured melodies and driving rhythms.
Headliners Micachu and the Shapes also bring a loose improvisational feel to their songs, but with a punk energy. Their recordings have featured a wide range of quirky instruments, but as a live band they strip it down to just Mica Levi’s distorted guitar and growling vocals, Marc Pell’s insistently robotic drumming, and Raisa Khan’s minimalist synth riffs. While this gave some material a much more assertive feel, it also felt like the subtle atmospherics of the recordings were missing. This approach only really worked with the most overtly rhythmic songs, and those moments were strong enough to compensate for their less focussed jammy side.
benjaminb@nowtoronto.com | @benjaminboles
