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Review: Arc De Soleil, Thekla – ‘There’s magic in the melodies’
Composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Kadawatha started producing tunes as Arc De Soleil six years back. Now a sell-out crowd bobs along beside Bristol Harbour — a testament to the project’s soaring success.
Kadawatha dominates the limelight with equal parts sumptuous skill and self-assurance. His infectious, funk-laden guitar melodies mesmerise from the jump.
It’s easy to get lost in the rhythm. It’s easy to fixate on his fingerwork. It’s easy to enter yet another colourful daydream during a psychedelic downturn. Quite frankly: it all seems oh so easy for him.
is needed now More than ever
Arc De Soleil: groovy, fuzzy, soulful, psychedelic
You don’t have to dig too far for inspiration. The jovial, noodling guitar turns are reminiscent of The Spotnicks, and comparisons to Khruangbin seem inevitable, especially given the reach of their sound now.
I saw the Texan trio in London late last year — instrumentally exquisite, no doubt, but some of the magic was lost in the magnitude of the auditorium. No such qualms tonight. Thekla suits these grooves and fuzzy, soulful songs to a tee. I’m 97 per cent certain Mark Speer would be nodding his floppy little wig along.
Big hitters include The Thief in Marrakesh and Got Caught in Amsterdam. These riffs are tighter than a parade of elephants down Christmas Steps, but they loosen the crowd right up. Carefree euphoria is the order of the day.
Thekla’s rolled off its dock. You’re on a journey, and this fella’s at the helm, steering the voyage between your ears and down memory lane. Where to next?
Chameleon Sunday is a languid, wavey wonder. Those fun high-pitched whistles make the whole shebang feel spacey. And so many of the tracks have a filmic feel. Listen to Live Jam in Polynesia and tell me you’re not in a Tarantino-esque transition. Tell me you’re not in an old-school cop flick.
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All the while, Arc De Soleil seems far from a solo mission. The band plays its own slick, pivotal part, with throbbing basslines underpinning the main attraction and drum beats trickling across each track in perfect time.
Much of the merit is in the simplicity of the beats, but the devil’s in the details — clickers attached to the sticks complement already sensational snare, and the bongos never miss an opportunity to add texture.
Speedier drum turns include the snappy hi-hat work on Marappa, and heaps of tracks use chimes and effects to heighten the music’s exotic edge.
Some of the tunes do sound a touch similar. Saying so wildly undervalues their nuance, but it’s a point you can realistically level. The motifs are comparable in Strolling Sloth and The Local Police, for example, but the latter slows it down and makes it moodier.
The recordings of Mumbo Sugar and Sahara Cowboy are kindred as well, yet the band keeps things fresh, ascending from the faintly familiar opening of Mumbo Sugar into a thrashy, psych-rock episode. Captivating? Yes. Debilitating to my eardrums? Also yes.
The band will release a new album later this year
Vocals are a rare specimen amid these bouncy, mercurial melodies. When they do come, they plug a vague gap and add depth, shifting tunes from straight funk to the realm of invigorating dad rock. (The War on Drugs came to mind on a few occasions).
Ghost of Fatalia features Kadawatha’s hushed, husky voice, as does a brand new track. And there’s the news! After six years and a scintillating string of EPs and singles, Arc De Soleil will release an album later this year.
Slap that one high on your list of records to look forward to. No doubt it’ll get your feet moving and mind wandering in equal measure.
All images: Samuel Fletcher
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