Crack

Since emerging with their debut, North, at the tail end of 2010, Darkstar have been on the receiving end of much adulation from the chattering classes. The Guardian called North, “the first great album of the Mercury year”, whilst also awarding early single, Aidy’s Girl Is A Computer, the accolade of Best Dance Single of 2009.

While the single was a classic slice of infectious and spacious post -dubstep and inevitably became a dance floor hit, for the album Darkstar took a different approach. While having the opportunity to churn out more of the same dance floor fodder, Darkstar’s debut album turned out to be a much more pared down affair.

Eschewing the possibility to DJ at every dubstep night in the UK with lofty ambitions, Darkstar took on vocalist, James Buttery, and released a much more song based debut album than expected. In the same vein, Darkstar are trying their luck as a dyed in the wool live act rather than the usual bloke pressing buttons on a laptop shtick.

Whilst admittedly admirable, this approach brings with it mixed results. Singer, James Buttery, has an undeniably transfixing quality about him as he stares out at the crowd from beneath his long lank black hair, flanked either side by two static figures on keyboards. Unfortunately, Cardiff Arts Institute is a venue prone to much chin stroking and blank staring and the band fail to establish a much-needed rapport with the audience. While North is definitely a dance record made for the sofa and not the club, it is possibly a record not made for the live
arena either.

Their cover of Radiohead’s, Videotape, goes to highlight how few get this kind of music right in a live setting and how good those who do can be. As their set of subtle, atmospheric numbers comes to a close, the crowd seem to be aching for them to reel out the stuttering excitement of Aidy’s Girl Is A Computer, which they stubbornly refuse to do.

While Darkstar may be odds on for a Mercury Music Prize nomination, it’s going to take some tinkering before their live show is garnering the same critical praise. Talk of an audio-visual show in the pipeline for the festival season may give the band a much-needed boost as a
live act.


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Words: Sean Griffiths

http://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/darkstar

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