Glitches' #DreamSofar

When asked what process they go through to create music, Glitches answers in two parts: a) moments of road-to-Damascus-like inspiration (rarely), b) hours of artless grind (mostly). An answer that, in being self-degrading and humorous, is one that you should disregard, for Glitches are a band of the highest quality and thus one to be taken very, very seriously.

This is not to say that everything Glitches says should be abandoned. Far from it. Whilst, for example, one might expect the three piece saying that they’re influenced by the Algerians and Moroccans who live in the ‘African mafia den’ below them to be another joke response, most probably at the expense of our gullibility, you’d be surprised. Not only do African-style beats keep their plucky first single, Leper, ticking along nicely, the band also made heavy use of them when performing their recent single, Warm Seas (which can be bought here), for those who were lucky enough to catch them at the London Sofar just before Christmas.

It’s actually in Warm Seas where Glitches’ high quality really shines through. Not because Mick supplies the funkiest of basslines, not because it showcases Robbie’s soaring vocal chords, not because it’s all held together by James’ percussion as well as it could, and not because it’s recently been favoured by both John Kennedy of XFM and Huw Stephens of BBC Radio 1, two radio heavyweights who’s primary purpose is to uncover the latest and greatest upcoming acts, but because it’s enormously different to Leper. If a band from Whitechapel being partially inspired by the sounds of Algeria and Morocco isn’t enough to prove the diversity, and thus talent, of Glitches, comparing the mysterious and epic of Warm Seas to the content, holiday vibes of Leper ought to do the trick.

Similarly to the way Glitches devote their many talents to producing such different tones for their two official singles thus far, they also do so by creating in ways that doesn’t include them writing songs, only further highlighting their diversity. The band are also, for example, organising their own live music events. Just as the diversity remains, so too does the quality – having previously been asked by promoters ATP to curate a headline show at the legendary Sebright Arms, by the looks of the line-up of Halcyon Nights XI (Beaty Heart, Ryan Philips of Cat Lovers, Jen Long of BBC Radio 1 and Glitches themselves, due to take place on March 7^th), the gang certainly aren’t hurting the local music scene.

What really seals the deal is, when asked what their dream collaboration would be, Glitches reply ‘Working with the director, Sergei Eisenstein, to create a modern score for his silent film, Battleship Potemkin.’ It must be said that a sure-fire sign of a band going places is when one can’t be sure whether the ambitions they express are to be taken as a joke or seriously. Probably best you go to see them fight their own battles (at the Old Queen’s Head in Hoxton on March 1^st and Birthdays in Dalston on April 17^th, with tickets for the latter available to buy here) and we found out what their #DreamSofar would be, then.

Glitches’ #DreamSofar would be:

Vangelis (Robbie, vocals/keyboards/samples):

‘My dream performance would be Vangelis. Specifically, I want to hear his album, Soil Festivities, performed from start to finish. I think that album really portrays a sense of wonder at nature. It makes me feel like I'm walking through an untouched forest which is awakening into the throes of spring. While he is more known for his soundtracking work, I have a particular weakness for these compositions. We try to create a cinematic feel in many of our songs, so he's a real inspiration. This album, in a Sofar Sounds session, with a good light show, would be mesmerising.’

Brian Eno (James, drums/percussion):

‘I'd like to see Brian Eno perform Another Green World at my dream Sofar Sounds session. I love how he creates soundscapes with interesting rhythms interwoven throughout. I would be fascinated to see how he would translate his music to an acoustic session, especially since working out this translation was what I enjoyed most when Glitches prepared to play Sofar Sounds.’

Mark Knopfler (Mick, guitars):

‘I would like to see Mark Knopfler performing Romeo and Juliet. He plays the guitar as if it were an extension of himself and, unlike many guitarists of his age, uses it as a vehicle for the song, rather than the other way around. Romeo and Juliet is a song in which the silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves, and Sofar Sounds provides the perfect environment to fully appreciate this.’

The Notorious B.I.G. (band choice):

‘All three of us would all definitely like to see Notorious B.I.G. We're all big fans of the rhythms and flow of rap, in particular the focus on building a powerful yet simple groove. In our opinion, Biggy's tracks are the best at doing this, especially Juicy where an infectious beat gels perfectly with his rapping style. To top it all, you just can't beat his lyrics; how often do you hear about butter and toast in a rap song?’

The Smiths (band choice):

‘We've also agreed on that The Smiths would perfectly cap off this Sofar session. Their songs threaded through so many experiences of our adolescence. The lyrics describe, so vividly, exactly what we've experienced about the love and longing of youth. Morrissey's histrionics would no doubt entertain. There's no chance in hell it would ever happen, but we can all dream, right?’