Music > Live Reviews

Gnoomes

Norwich Arts Centre

by Lizz

27/09/16

A school night at NAC can often mean a smaller crowd, especially when you get into niche genres such as Russian stargaze/psych/ambient. Still, not a bad turn out for Gnoomes, straight outta Пермь

We've got two Norwich based support acts up first. Jaztec are a young duo who haven't been together too long, although you wouldn't know it from their performance tonight. Adding live sampled beats to tenor saxophone and keys, this a very cool, very laidback outfit indeed. Having said that, they keep it lively and varied throughout, and it's crafted with great care with a Mammal Hands-like to it at times. A sweet mix of hip hop, trip hop, jazz go into one delicious feast - check out their stuff on Soundcloud and see them live whenever you can.

https://soundcloud.com/jaztecmusic/albums

Collider, by contrast, have been together for many years, and Bill Vine, local sound wizard with so many strings to his musical bow that nothing from full on rock to deconstructed electronica phases him, is the leader of this pack. They bring the noise with drums, bass, sampler and electric guitar. A full on intense, whirling jam starts the set, leading into the epic Treehouse. Bill's vocals recall Thom Yorke, and there's something of The Cure in their quieter moments. It's an emotive and passionate set, and it's great to see all three musicians completely lose themselves in the music. Musically it's jagged and frenetic at times, with some lugubrious and grand passages too. Dinosaur is for me the stand out song tonight, and I look forward to checking them out again.

https://soundcloud.com/collidertheband

Gnoomes are an understated, modest threesome from Russia currently on a small UK tour. I always get excited to see a well stocked pedalboard onstage before a gig begins, and they don't disappoint with the effects tonight. Indecipherable but gently intoned lyrics float through on occasion but certainly don't dominate. There are great sweeping swathes of psychadelic noise, towering skyscrapers of piercing but soft, cloudy shoegazey guitar, with a driving beat behind it all. The interplay between the various energies in the songs, volumes and speeds seem effortless, and it all falls into an easy groove that flows smoothly between them.The drums are incredibly tight, almost electronic in form, which contrasts nicely with the silkiness of the rest of the music.

Overall, another great night of complex, well constructed, tuneful grooves at our beloved Arts Centre.