While trawling through an Excel spreadsheet the cells of which were stuffed with unthinkably dubious band names and unheard of genres for this year's Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition, a certain someone from Lewisham seemed to have got everything right. His name was Kwes, and having nominated him, he sent a winsomely appreciative email over saying the live show wasn't ready as he'd recently been employing his own two hands as merely helping hands, producing a slew of other artists and acts including Elan Tamara (for whom he also provided live bass) and DELS amongst others. He also travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo a member of Damon Albarn's superproducer troupe that compiled the phenomenal Kinshasa One Two LP, although it seems as though he's now ready for public consumption having re-uploaded songs and snippets of to his Soundcloud. While they may be the same pieces to have filled a few spreadsheet boxes all those many moons ago, being exposed to them again after all this time feels like being reacquainted with long-lost love for which any hope had been all but abandoned. Canary is an atmospheric affair, shuffling rhythms and toyish synth melodies contributing to the waxing and waning of the multi-genred track.
The plinking, subtly menacing Hearts In Home is the only fully formed, and indeed extended track available thus far, and sounds like Fuck Buttons jamming with TV On The Radio, imaginatively re-envisaging The Prodigy reproducing a twisted lullaby.
It's the dreamy, scatty scrap that is Hundertwasser that carries greatest promise however, imaginative, emotional, and engrossing now as it was way back before the latest Worthy Farm-based improprieties.
Finally ready to step out from behind the mixing desk, Kwes plays his live debut at the Shacklewell Arms on November 28th. £5 advance tickets can be acquired here, while the Facebook event can be found here if, you know, you're wanting to inform all of your inevitable attendance and whatnot.
