Connan Mockasin
Fabric, London
02/09/2011

Kiwi musician Connan Mockasin is finally getting his chance to headline his way around the UK after some slots supporting the likes of Warpaint. But first, a warm-up in London’s respected dance superclub Fabric, where tonight Erol Alkan is curating. And Mockasin’s luscious psychedelic-pop is every bit as dreamy and ethereal as could be hoped; as ghostly, sprawling guitar rhythms slip over soft, slow beats with Mockasin’s bizarre vocals floating over the top.

It’s quirky, it’s endearing, it’s the washed out flavour of Brian Wilson, it’s a little bit entrancing and it’s completely out of place. Regardless of how gloriously otherworldly songs like ‘It’s Choade My Dear’ and forthcoming single ‘Forever Dolphin Love’ are, we are in the middle of a club that just minutes ago was playing pounding, glitchy electro. Phantasy labelmate Stopmakingme has the crowd whipped up into a fizz of excitement, pure energy and ferocious movement. Next door, Jarvis Cocker is playing fast, funky beats, hints of acid rock and a touch of psychedelica. So the whipped-up dancers look bemused when Mockasin comes onstage with just the traditional instruments – not a deck or synth in sight. Some take pleasure in slowing down, swaying back and forth in the dazzling sounds, but for many the change in pace is just too much for 1am and they wander off to pastures new leaving the rest of us to drown in Mockasin’s enchanted waves of sound.

Louise McHenry