Atlas Sound
Cargo, London
15/11/2009

Musicians pursuing a solo career in parallel to their main band often enjoy the freedom and the informality, but this is at a whole new level. Atlas Sound is Bradford Cox, frontman of Atlanta ambient punks Deerhunter, and he gets the deal straight away. “You guys are lovely, this is just like being at home and hanging out”, he says, one of many revealing insights amidst what is a spectacularly good set for such an economical set up.
Things begin with Cox joined on stage by Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier, singing her mantra-like vocals on new album ‘Logos’’ centre piece ‘Quick Canal’ over a pedal-looped guitar part that Cox creates before wandering to the drums to add a propulsive rhythm and improvised flourishes. But after that it’s just him, his pedals and his banter (and a teeny bit more drums). He specialises in combining gentle strumming and his familiar drawn out vocals with effects pedals that create gorgeous, dancing harmonies of guitar and voice. “I don’t want to be mysterious about this, it’s not hard to make music these days”, he says by way of effects explanation, “I just go where the music takes me”. And it’s a brilliant and inspirational place, as Cox’s magic is in using all these tricks not as gimmicks but to investigate genuinely novel musical landscapes. From thin textures with an effect that sounds like a desert wind is blowing through his vocals to a full-on symphony of noise blaring like a Deerhunter finale, he captures moods and atmospheres and throws them out in all their unique glory, but with a degree of fun that sees him taking requests and coming unstuck with a Pavement cover – “I think it’s A, oh, no, it’s not….”.

The man is full of musical ideas. Grab as many as you can.

Martin Cordiner