southern records

Southern's nowave-disco-prog-acid-orchestra, Chrome Hoof have managed to compress all the manic energy, tight prog chops and disco-ball hedonism into the most unashamedly enjoyable gig you'll see this year. Part dizzying instrumental mastery, part mind-buggering sci-fi fantasy, part big band ferocity - all incredible. You've most likely heard of their legendary live shows: a veritable orchestra of musicians decked out in futuristic monk's robes kicking it like some unholy hybrid of Sun Ra, ESG, Goblin, Parliament/Funkadelic and Black Sabbath. Their rep for the live shows doesn't just come from the costumes, stunt men, props and mayhem. On drums, we have a burnt-out raver (who's convinced the best years are yet to come) with an insane drive to nail the ultimate disco beat (however much it seems to elude him) mixing it up with stuttering progressive break-downs in some unholy time signature. Add a bassist, whose fingers blur like knitting needles on cheap speed - pulling up low end from the very foundation-stone of the cosmos, together creating a furnace of restless disco-grind. Now bring in the rest of the band armed with bassoon, sax, trumpet, keyboards, violin, cello, percussion, samplers, guitars, bass, drums - and five or six vocalists tackling sprawling, obelisk-like arrangements with consummate ease and attention.

About the Brothers Smee - Leo and Milo - from which Chrome Hoof spawned. A little background into their prog / doom / disco sound: In the early years, Leo was rocking to Motorhead, Sabbath, Maiden and (how dare we reveal) Whitesnake: heavy riffs, sodden in bile and downward spirals. Later joining Trespass, then cult doomers Cathedral - who he still plays for. Milo, on the other hand, was developing a taste for groove-based music - Acid House, Hip Hop and Disco. Going on to produce freakbeat electronics and remixes under the name Kruton, and starting 5 Mic Cluster (later to sign to Output Records) with fellow techno producer Mark Broom. Their common ground came through their love of forward thinking bands such as Faust, King Crimson, This Heat, Brain Ticket etc. They have been consolidating seemingly opposing influences ever since - and perhaps best crystallizing their work with the mon-u-frikking-mental Pre-Emptive False Rapture album.

June

5 - GB - LONDON - Coronet

August

7 - GB - EASTNOR - Big Chill Festival

Chrome Hoof's records are available from the Southern Webshop.

Thanks for reading!