Photo: Miles Welstead
There’s something serene about letting yourself get taken away by the music when you’re watching Warpaint jam – though ‘listening’ would probably be a more appropriate word than ‘watching’. It’s hard not to close your eyes and just leave the world behind when the LA four-piece hit full flow.
We caught the all-female line up touring third album ‘Heads Up’ at the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh. It was a completely indulgent performance, and we mean that in the most satisfying way.
The group conjure up an incredible atmosphere the second they break the silence, simple yet carefully placed drum beats tying together dreamy guitar work, at times precise, at others entirely improvised.
They kick the set off slow and sensually, with ‘Heads Up’, ‘Bees’, ‘Hi’ and ‘No Way Out’. It’s hard to believe it’s just the four of them up there on stage. The sounds they produce are at times otherworldly; completely encapsulating the audience before bringing them back with toe-tapping loops much easier to track back to their LA roots.
We caught the all-female line up touring third album ‘Heads Up’ at the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh. It was a completely indulgent performance, and we mean that in the most satisfying way.
The group conjure up an incredible atmosphere the second they break the silence, simple yet carefully placed drum beats tying together dreamy guitar work, at times precise, at others entirely improvised.
They kick the set off slow and sensually, with ‘Heads Up’, ‘Bees’, ‘Hi’ and ‘No Way Out’. It’s hard to believe it’s just the four of them up there on stage. The sounds they produce are at times otherworldly; completely encapsulating the audience before bringing them back with toe-tapping loops much easier to track back to their LA roots.
The vocals float over the instrumentals, complimenting but not leading them. They waver from chants and near sinister harmonies to almost indecipherable moans.
‘Whiteout’ follows and is five minutes of pure instrumental wonder with soft vocals occasionally chipping in. The lights and slight mist of the room compliment the hypnotic performance, wavering between genres throughout; almost always oozing a sense of unconscious illumination.
The regular set comes to a close with ‘Love Is to Die’, ‘New Song’ and ‘Disco//very’. Their return to the stage with ‘Intro’ and ‘Keep It Healthy’ is our peak of the show; rugged instrumental awe; simple yet spellbinding and completely original.
They close with ‘So Good’ and ‘Krimson’; two songs which perfectly showcase their sound – not quite rock, not quite dance, but comprised of elements of each.
For us, the group are at their best when jamming spontaneously; letting the music do the talking and becoming as absorbed in their own sound as the audience is before them. A fantastic showcase from Warpaint, and a joy in which to get entirely lost.
4/5
Stuart Kenny
‘Whiteout’ follows and is five minutes of pure instrumental wonder with soft vocals occasionally chipping in. The lights and slight mist of the room compliment the hypnotic performance, wavering between genres throughout; almost always oozing a sense of unconscious illumination.
The regular set comes to a close with ‘Love Is to Die’, ‘New Song’ and ‘Disco//very’. Their return to the stage with ‘Intro’ and ‘Keep It Healthy’ is our peak of the show; rugged instrumental awe; simple yet spellbinding and completely original.
They close with ‘So Good’ and ‘Krimson’; two songs which perfectly showcase their sound – not quite rock, not quite dance, but comprised of elements of each.
For us, the group are at their best when jamming spontaneously; letting the music do the talking and becoming as absorbed in their own sound as the audience is before them. A fantastic showcase from Warpaint, and a joy in which to get entirely lost.
4/5
Stuart Kenny
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