This is cool. Instead of Solex supporting Yo la Tengo's 'Science' show earlier on they get to play a free aftershow set in the foyer instead. Essentially this means they have a more intimate setting and an audience made up of Yo La Tengo fans as well as some people who had been to see the likes of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
I've been a bit out of touch with Solex and I haven't really heard anything since their debut album in 1998 'Solex versus the Hitmeister'. One thing that surprised me is that I didn't expect them to be so good live. Whereas the early records give an impression that Solex = Elisabeth Esselink, they are very much a band tonight. Elisabeth sings, plays keyboards and triggers the samples, but her two partners (Robert Lagendijk on drums and Geert de Groot on guitar) really add to the mix.
Solex's music is bizarre in that it appears accessible and even poppy on the surface, but very complex underneath. Although they seem to be always getting compared to Beck they come across as fresh and original. There are a lot of cut-ups and syncopation, and some of the guitar work hints at Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, yet there's always a strong tune underneath and Elisabeth leaps around, enjoying herself like this is straight forward pop music in her world. A lot of the performance relies on samples and sequencers but the extraordinary (and real-live-human) drumming holds it all together brilliantly.
Most of the material seems to come from the last two albums 'Pick Up' and 'Low Kick and Hard Bop' and I guess I'd better add them to my shopping list. Tonight's brochure (this is the Barbican after all!) quotes the Detroit Times description of Solex as "Heavy orchestral cartoon music for carports." Tonight was loud complex pop music for concrete art centre foyers. However you describe it, Solex are better experienced for real. Don't miss them.
