Music / Reviews
Review: Fine/bludud, Strange Brew – ‘experimental, ethereal and intentional’
The scene was already set as I walked into Strange Brew, with blue and pink lights glowing softly from the ceiling and shimmering off the venue’s trademark disco ball.
Hosted by Liner Notes and Fantôme, the night of dream-like musicianship was equally transformative, blending and melding with the mellow environment I found myself in.
Opening the night was bludud, a Bristol-based four-piece that blends stripped-back post-punk with artful instrumentation, infusing electronic samples for good measure.
bludud are an up-and-coming post-punk band from Bristol – photo: Caleb B-Smith
The band, who are in the process of producing their first record, managed to construct a sound that is both calm and impressively complex, traversing through soundscape and tinges of alt-rock noise to folky melodies and synths.
Vocalist Jackson Clark displayed an innate understanding of his music, layering spoken-word style vocals with gentle melodies and wonderfully poetic lyrics.
The whole band, in fact, demonstrated such a considered, intentional use of their instruments. While Jackson alternated between guitar, synths and violin, bassist Josie Marchant transformed her sound with a bow and, much to the surprise of many of the crowd, Mike Whittemore and Joseph Thomas would often switch roles.
bludud demonstrated a wonderful knowledge of their instrumentation – photo: Caleb B-Smith
Each move, each chord, felt purposeful and decisive. Even down to the hand-designed merch, which artist Ellie Carruthers tells me she made from charity shop shirts and hoodies, everything about bludud feels brilliantly DIY.
As I purchased my t-shirt and refilled my beer, Fine took to the stage.
An experimental singer-songwriter based in Copenhagen, Fine has a refreshing uniqueness that I have not experienced from a live performance in quite some time.
A softer counterpart to bludud, Fine combines folk-rock elements with a groove and lilt that feels simultaneously sensual, pure, dark and ethereal.
Fine’s songwriting has a refreshing and yet deeply familiar feel – photo: Caleb B-Smith
Musically, there is a serenity to Fine’s tracks that feels familiar in the world of modern shoegaze, reminiscent of the likes of Men I Trust, Slow Pulp or Cocteau Twins.
What stood out most, however, was the crystalline vocals and precision with which she delivered her lyrics.
Ringing out over smoky, pensive instrumentation, Fine’s voice had a timeless quality to it, gliding over runs and pseudo-angelic in range.
The whole night was a dreamy, ethereal experience – photo: Caleb B-Smith
The result was a layered, multi-faceted composition that was nothing short of hypnotic to watch.
Beautifully simple, but reinforced with layers of sound and feeling that create an all-consuming, transcendental soundscape, Fine is definitely a force to be reckoned with.
All photos: Caleb B-Smith
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