It’s my first time witnessing local duo Falling & Laughing, and I must admit that it is something of a revelation. With a sound that falls somewhere between the sublime song-smithery of indie rock legends The Wedding Present and the minimalism of post-rock of Shellac, Falling & Laughing’s sound is a pleasing tension of opposites. Jangly guitars and lithe, vocals are tethered by pounding, hypnotic drums, while quiet sections are juxtaposed with loud, and the result is a sound that constantly repositions the listener. At the time of writing, it has been almost three years since the band’s last EP, and five since their last gig in Birmingham, yet there’s no sense of dislocation, and the band lock in tightly like a set of interconnected cogs. Apparently, it is the live debut for all the songs performed tonight, and they signpost a bright future, particularly opening track (titled 1959, I believe) that rocks with a distinctly Orange Juice/Josef K feeling. With the good vibes radiating from the stage, Falling & Laughing are an affable pair, and they’ve won many hearts and minds tonight.
Following their debut UK tour and a triumphant set at the premier post-rock festival ArcTanGent in 2022, Paranoid Void are back to build upon past successes, and a crowd packed tightly inside The Sunflower Lounge eagerly await their appearance. There’s a tangible buzz electrifying the air, that increases the expectation to an almost unbearable level, but the spell is broken when the band materialise with little fanfare and proceeds to dazzle the audience with their musical dexterity over the course of 60 shapeshifting minutes. The band’s latest album (Travels In My Universe) is an ethereal, otherworldly affair and Paranoid Void manage to recreate that aesthetic tonight. With their unusual poly-rhythms, this trio seem to alter the very fabric of time, and there’s an almost jazz sensibility to their sound that recalls Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew or Eric Dolphy’s Out To Lunch!, only filtered through a Japanese perspective. There’s a kind of controlled chaos to the band’s sound, as if teetering on a precipice, and it is to their credit that they keep it balanced in such a position throughout the whole gig.
With a crystalline sound that hangs like icicles glistening in the winter sun, the band deliver a set that touches all points along their career, but it’s tracks from the aforementioned Travels In My Universe that shine brightest. MEGURI has a razor-sharp guitar tone that slices the air, whilst bassist YU-KI is the elephant in the room and attacks her bass like a lead guitarist with some fine finger-tapping and nifty solos. However, it’s drummer MIPOW who drives the band forward, deftly mixing up rhythms and keeping time in metronomic fashion. But Paranoid Void work best in tandem and the chemistry they share verges on telepathy. Like a drop of rain falling in water then rippling in concentric circles, travel #dream is an expansive number that fills the entire venue and goes down particularly well, as does its companion piece travel #afterward. There’s no flashy props or gimmicks with Paranoid Void, just three women playing some of the finest math-rock. This stripped back aesthetic has the benefit of bringing the songs to the fore, and when the songs are this good, that’s exactly where they should be.
Live Report: Paranoid Void + Falling & Laughing
The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham, 22.05.2023
Photography: James Grant (Twitter/Instagram)
