Sound InPhotos: Nordic Giants - Brighton Concorde2

We're not sure if you've noticed, but we're fans of Brighton based band Nordic Giants. So much so that we left the urban sprawl behind for an afternoon by the seaside. The afternoon was cold, but we found refuge in the Pav Tav; oh the Pav Tav. When the evening came along, we thought we had prepared ourselves for Nordic Giants. We were wrong.
New light shows, new films and animations, a 12 piece orchestra and the loudest sound system we've heard in recent memory. Yes then, Nordic Giants were prepared for this huge homecoming show; we were merely willing spectators brought along for the ride.
In between being blown away by the audio visual monster that is the new 'Giants show, Braden managed to get some photos. They're below, along with their newest material. Enjoy.



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Nordic Giants @ Green Door Store, London

Image Courtesy of Brighton Music Blog

Nordic Giants are a post-rock duo from Brighton, and I was lucky enough to catch their last show in Brighton of the year at Green Door Store, supported by Curxes and Jake Emlyn. Green Door Store is a small, dark venue, which has seen a variety of bands pass through recently including Man Like Me and Palma Violets. Located just around the corner from Brighton station, on quieter nights it's easy to miss (I spent half an hour looking for the place, although that's probably more due to my terrible navigation skills and my phone's not so decent Maps app). Having little to no background knowledge of Nordic Giants, I expected the venue to be packed, as post-rock is supposedly on the forefront of today's popular emerging music genres, but it was dead when I showed up, and after conversing with one of the bartenders, it didn't seem like a huge crowd would turn up. I bought a drink (£4.10?!), made friends and caught a couple of support acts, the first being a Curxes, a girl/boy synth pop pair somewhat reminiscent of Summer Camp. Not what I was expecting, at all.

Image Courtesy of Sideways Glance

Jake Emlyn also played, an interesting, androgynous character from London, and a rapper/singer/songwriter, in love with Eliza Doolittle. I'm still not sure whether I loved or hated him, and it was during his set that I realised my camera was definitely, definitely not up to the job of taking decent photos in poorly lit conditions of constantly moving subjects. Nevermind, I guess I have some lovely pictures of the ground outside. Finally, Nordic Giants took to the stage wearing feathers and facepaint and not much else, surrounded by instruments and video projectors.
Put simply, were mind blowing and I'm not even a fan of post-rock. They had my full attention from the beginning to end and I can only compare what I felt to something like a religious experience; it was almost cathartic. Their captivating music is accompanied by a series of short films, which embrace all manner of issues, and easily evoke whatever emotions they desire.
Switching seamlessly between a variety of instruments, the duo at one point played a guitar with a stringed bow, perhaps the influence of Sigur Rós? Powerful, evocative, and mesmerising, if you ever get a chance, get down and see these guys.
You know when you can feel that a band is about to have massive breakthrough? Yeah. That. 

Jessie Chapman