Piling into the basement of The Muddy Puddle, a venue nestled in the heart of Stoke Newington, the audience for Talkine are engulfed by an oasis of burnt orange. The beautiful wall tapestries paired with the soft warm glow of shaded lamps created the perfect space for modern jazz to envelope us. The band, comprised of vocals, keys, drums, upright bass, electric guitar and vibraphone (…naturally!) launched into their first song ‘Burnt’.
We all settled into our seats, getting cosy in the intimate venue and the opening vibraphone melody lulled us further into our relaxed states. Suddenly the rest of the band joins with a huge sound, hammering out the captivating 15/8 groove. The band quickly created an awesome high energy which was kept at a consistent, head-bopping level through to the final note.
This song lets us know who the band are: a group of highly talented individuals who find ways to blend their unique sounds and play tightly with one another. Their individual soundworlds stem from a range of genres and inspirations: Amy’s airy yet soulful vocals are reminiscent of jazzers Lianne La Havas, Esperanza Spalding, and Rachael Price (Lake Street Dive); guitarist Harry’s sound is indie/alternative such as Tom Misch and even nods to Radiohead at times; keys player Will and bassist Rory have very trad jazz sounds (Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk) whilst drummer Anmol feels big and pop/rock-esque (Clem Burke of Blondie). They blend their styles cohesively for a fresh new sound.
Amy, the co-leader of the group as well as co-writer, vocals and vibes player, turns to the audience after a triumphant opening number and welcomes us to the venue and to the EP launch event. The crowd is already in a great mood having been graced with ‘Burnt’, and Amy ramps up the feel-good atmosphere by making us all giggle with her infectious wit and personality. She explains the next song ‘Time Machine’ was written in just five minutes. The gentle, swinging 3/4 guitar-voice ballad allows us to sink back into our chairs, sip our drinks and sway to the hypnotic rhythms. As Amy’s lyrics switch from asking her lover if they would go back to the time they met her or to the time they left her, the mood shifts and we get a more lilting 6/8 feel driven by the keys and drums as Amy explains “time passes on”.
After a beauteous a cover of Elbow’s ‘Mirrorball’, Amy and Rory begin the next song with a sparse bass and voice arrangement. It perfectly reflects the sentiment of the track ‘Be Right Here’, which Amy explains is about feeling lonely in a crowded room. The fragility of the opening is then added to by the other band members creeping in slowly, musically representing the Amy “fading into the scenery”. As the vocals shift from uncomfortable, relatable lyrics to gorgeous vocables, the natural response is simply chills. Amy’s voice can soar to great heights in a very agile and surprising manner. Bassist Roy added lower harmonies from the back of the room, locking eyes with Amy, adding to the theme of friendship in the song (“take my hand and anchor me/Now I know I’ll be fine.”) Will’s soulful solo in this was also breathtaking.
The fifth song of the evening was entirely improvised! The band joked about being nervous to try writing on the spot in front of an audience: their nerves were unnecessary. Impressive is an understatement for this song. With Will taking the lead, the band created a tune that sounded entirely rehearsed. Amy found her way through the song, floating over the band writing lyrics of a journey, wondering where her destination may be and how she will get there. The band communicated to create seamless chord progressions and chord changes, writing a clear structure as they played. This remarkable spontaneous work was followed by another cover. Will opened Lucy Rose’s ‘Could You Help Me’ with the iconic piano riff that took social media by storm earlier this year. The band put their signature stamp on this song, playing it at a rather speedy tempo creating a raucous soundscape for each musician to showcase themselves within. Between Harry’s incredibly energetic guitar solo and Anmol’s clicky, counter-rhythm-filled drum solo, the band took this experimental folk track and made it their own mad, perfect thing.
The penultimate song Talkline gifted us was their debut single ‘Song for a Sign’. The beautifully striking opening piano riff in another irregular metre (7/4) was once again hypnotic. Amy showcased her lower tessitura in this track. The arrangement of the end of this song felt gritty with the powerful drums and skilful guitar solo, bringing the Radiohead comparison and possible influence to the forefront. Much to the audience’s disappointment, the band took us into their final song, ‘Orbit’, which is also the closing track of their EP. Will and Amy duetted across the room, looking into each others’ eyes as dear friends, it was a truly special moment to be part of. Watching Amy sing and play vibraphone was also a magical thing to witness, and a first for me! She makes it seem entirely effortless as her two instruments weave in and out of one another. As the band “go round and round in orbit”, the song gently comes to a close and the band are met with well-deserved ferocious applause.
Check out Talkine’s self-titled EP out now everywhere!
