Cate Le Bon, Koko, gig review: Captivating and unarguably inventive
There is such drama to her haunting music that it leaves an unsettlingly effect
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Watching Cate Le Bon is comparable to being swept up in a category five hurricane and being dumped unceremoniously back down to earth. She sings with such intensity and there is such drama to her haunting music that it leaves an unsettlingly, completely beguiling, effect.
Le Bon has been repeatedly compared to the hypnotic wintry sounds of Nico and there is still much of that languid starkness there, but the Welsh singer has a morbidness that is all her own.
“Wild” was performed with perfect abandon; the band played to a slow hypnotic beat before ending with a dramatic, all-encompassing finale, as clips from The Exorcist were projected in the background.
“I Think I Knew”, sung with Perfume Genius, was less obviously macabre, but still with a sweetly uneasy appeal; psych-folk sirens echoing throughout. “Cuckoo Through the Walls” is similarly eerie, with wide doleful vocals that seer through discordant guitar clanging.
There's an unpredictability to Le Bon that makes her captivating to watch.
Half way through one track she dropped her guitar to the floor in a way that would make most musicians shudder.
She's confusing, complicated and unarguably inventive.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments