southern records

When a twenty-legged tribe like Chrome Hoof takes the stage, you know there's a party coming, even if you haven't heard a single note from their deliciously warped Southern debut Pre-emptive False Rapture. It's not just the hard-hitting 70s disco beats produced by the Smee brothers. It's also the fact that there are so many musicians on stage (plus two dancers off-stage!), like a post-apocalyptic retinue fallen from the stars and ready to spread its bacchanalian message.

Chrome Hoof prove to be every bit worthy of their headliner status at their Camden gig on Thursday, 7th August, and it's so refreshing to see a band that puts as much heart into its song writing as into its image and live performance. The entire gang turns up in chrome-covered, hooded monks' robes (of course...) and psychedelic glitter. Visibly stage-wise and comfortable, they ooze heaps of charisma and play a fluent set, propelled by a drummer who knows how to thwack his kit good and proper. The orchestral section - including bassoon, trumpet, violin, etc - is as much in rock'n'roll mode as everyone else. And front woman Lola Olafisoye is so mesmerising to watch, she could tame a herd of stray bulls with her glance alone.

The set gets heavier - and more celebratory - when towering bassist Leo Smee (ex-Cathedral) puts on a gladiator's helm for "Death is Certain!", a groove sludge fest of a song, where he gets involved in a growl-scream duet with trumpeter/vocoder-manipuator Emma Sullivan. The crowd loves it so much that people start getting hurt, but the high spirits are not dampened as Chrome Hoof rein in the violence by switching back to prog-disco before leaving the stage.

See it all in magnified form during the Hoof's festival appearances this summer and you'll be inadvertently joining the sea of fans echoing Olafisoye's trademark "Hoof! Hoof! Hoof!" bark.

Both Chrome Hoof's latest album, Pre-emptive False Rapture and the limited edition 12 inch single "Pronoid", which can be heard here, are available to buy now from the Southern webshop.

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