WAREHOUSE PROJECT: SOUNDS OF THE NEAR FUTURE
Victoria Warehouse, Manchester | December 13
On the same week 30 year old Steven Ellison – aka Flying Lotus aka Captain Murphy aka Brainfeeder’s label head – shared a shit load of free music from his cutting room floor and announced a new album for next year, he also headed up one of the most eclectic and exciting bills of this year’s WHP series. As crowds shuffle in from the semi-festive streets that surround Victoria Warehouse and an end-of-term carelessness fills the air, the man behind the AKAs and his cohorts have their work cut out.
The night started off with a set from encyclopedic rap/ RnB selector Eclair Fifi whose residency with Manchester’s own Hoya:Hoya made her presence in the long, smoky second room of Victoria Warehouse enjoyable for all of the city’s rap heads, whilst displaying a DJing ability that held up well against the night’s heavyweights. Then came the offering from LA’s Stones Throw juggernaut J-Rocc, who split the crowd with cuts from the ever divisive Yeezus but proved his status as one of the true original turntablists, with hip-hop purists left satisfied through his nods to work with Madlib on Dilla tributes and a proud flying of the unmistakable Stones Throw flag.
For many, the multi-instrumental jazz fusion of Thundercat was a low point of the night, a display which required considerably patience amidst a largely club-ready bill. He jammed (and we mean jammed), but his unbelievable handle of his pantomime-prop-sized bass guitar kept us entertained for the duration. He then reappeared as part of the Captain Murphy (Lotus’ rap alter-ego) live band, which saw the atmosphere considerably ramped up. His delivery has become as distinctive as many of his contemporaries, and at the end of the set he confirms that a Captain Murphy full length is in the works for 2014. It would seem Captain Murphy has made the full thrilling from unidentified blog-friendly side project to full on artist and if this live European debut is anything to go by, rap has a new and thrilling, yet familiar, contender.
Then came the much anticipated set from Flying Lotus (proper) where he cemented his status as one of the true great electronic artists of our time. Tracks from his own albums were met with straight fever and a mid-set dropping of Started From The Bottom demonstrated an acute and largely unparalleled skill of contemporary party starting. A headline spot fit for an artist that is still as unpredictable and exciting now as he was circa 1983.
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Words: Duncan Harrison
Photo: Sebastian Matthes
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