Darkstar and Vision Air (Workman’s Club)
Review by James Hendicott
Vision Air – made up of Richie ‘Jape/ Redneck Manifesto’ Egan and Niall ‘Redneck Manifesto’ Byrne – are nothing if not stuffed full of potential. The local legends newest incarnation, though, is a far cry from what we’re used to from the pair: Vision Air roll out a mellow form of slow electronica, rarely topping 40bpms, and tonight it’s heavily weighed down with a host of technical issues. Sadly, with three or four minutes chunks of the set destined to be nothing more than computerized backing beats, Vision Air’s set shows only sporadic moments of class. The crescendo-driven peaks lose their impetus without their cleverly constructed build up, and while you’d be a fool to write off anything this pair do, we can certainly expect a lot better than this in the future.
If dance-based genres are all about building an atmosphere – and we’d certainly argue they are – than hardcore dubstep act Darkstar have inserted themselves right at the very peak of the genre. Tonight is their first performance in Ireland, and standing quietly under dimmed lights, front man James Buttery is hidden by the shade of his hoodie. A stark and symbolic figure, he’s holding a crowd far bigger than a ‘first time appearance’ band can reasonably expect comfortably in the palm of his hand.
Darkstar’s brand of dubstep is extreme: nail-hard beats delivered at around 30bpms against a backdrop of tonal chirps and atmospheric static that might repulse in small measures, but when constructed into a full set takes the mind on a wondering journey, head swaying slowly while a gloomy tinge seems to take over the place. Darkstar don’t have a lot of options when it comes to set list: debut album North is aired here in almost it’s entirety, cleverly woven together into a startlingly tight and affecting rhythm that washes over the listener. It often lines up with the heartbeat, perhaps even adjusting the listeners pulse with a subtle alteration of pace or quick moment of melodrama, and links delicately with slowed-down bridges and near-silent rhythms.
The highlights come in the form of the well-honed singles, nicely morphed and reset for a live setting. ‘Gold’ and ‘Aidy’s Girl Is A Computer’ are both outstanding, while the title track kicks in with the most delicate of jerks, looping and stuttering to an oddly emotional Everest of a peak.
Writer James Young told us last year that the tracks from ‘North’ are the first tracks he ever wrote. Considering his group are already able to translate those early efforts into a live set that gives their dingy brand of dubstep a soul that many dance acts are so notably lacking, it’s difficult to look past the idea that we have a genuine superstar on our hands. For now, those of us who made it tonight can simply revel in experiencing a night that – should it prove to be the start of something huge or just a blissful blip in the radar – will live on long in our memories regardless.