I’ve been avidly watching Picture Book‘s progress since I first saw them play at a one day mini-festival in Liverpool nearly two years ago. They were on a line up with ten other bands, and in my eyes at least, blew the lot of them out of the water. They might not want me to remind the world of this, but back then they had slightly preposterous new-age stage names – Lady Aya, Master ToKo, Lord High Owl… I don’t even want to go there, thank the lord they are now using their proper names.In the meantime, they’ve got themselves signed to the newly rejuvenated Blue Horizon records, run by legendary talent spotters Seymour Stein and Richard Gottherrer, and are getting themselves around the festivals – this weekend they were on their way to Beach Break. Vocalist Greta Svabo Bech recently did guest honours for deadmau5 on Raise Your Weapon which is personal enough to get lighters raised aloft even in a warehouse before it descends into squelching dubstep; things are definitely going in the right direction. I caught up with them last week at London’s Borderline, where they were headlining a showcase event by Liverpool’s Institute of Performing Arts. It’s unashamed electro dance music, Dario Darnell and Lorne Ashley providing huge energy in the way of synth slabs and pushing beats. The counter, the thing that raises it above Ibiza standard, is in the vocal lines by Greta. Even at their most bounding and while you’re losing it on the dancefloor, she has a wistful and languorous drag to her voice that will pull you into the music as though you’d suddenly been invited into the VIP. While it appeals to the same fans (namely me) as Crystal Castles in their less screaming moments, it’s way less icy and hugely more personal. Without wishing to sound like one of those old gits who won’t look at abstract art unless the painter also has proven “conventional ability” – the thing with dance music is that it can be a bit of a technical bedroom production. I don’t know why but it’s still somehow impressive if dance acts can pull it off live. On the legendary Borderline stage, it was all the more special for being put together in front of our very eyes and ears. Greta added her trademark skeleton violin in the middle of the set, and in a room full of ‘industry’ they were being shown a lot of love. It was a short set – only four songs – but well rewarded my trip. Strongest song of the set, crowd pleaser and place to start, is Explosions, which you can stream on their website
Setlist – Feeling of a Lifetime / Sunshine / My Love / Explosions
