Thursday, 8 March 2012

New Build // Live Review - Leeds Cockpit

Meet New Build. Made up from components of Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem, their first full album, "Yesterday Was Lived And Lost", was released on Monday on the band's own label. Before heading out to America and Europe to headline sold out shows the take to the road on a modest sized UK tour.


We caught up with Al Doyle earlier in the week ahead of the Leeds show. To read the interview click HERE.



*TO WIN a signed NEW BUILD album scroll to the competition at the bottom of the review*

                                                           
Having only played five live shows prior to this tour, some may say that we could expect to see a less than perfect performance by the super group. However, that was not the case. After speaking to front man Al Doyle pre-performance he promised us, firstly and foremost, “A lot of people on a small stage”. He also disclosed that “it'll be really loud, and tight.  Our rhythm section is really on point.” And we weren’t disappointed tonight here in Leeds. Al Doyle (Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem), Felix Martin (Hot Chip) and Tom Hopkins, aka, New Build were joined on stage by four more musicians and a plethora of instruments including numerous drum kits and a steel drum. Al was correct when he admitted the stage “looks pretty exciting before we even play a note, there's so much going on.”

New Build on stage at Leeds Cockpit
“Mercy” perfectly opened the set here tonight; its long building intro working to incorporate each member on stage, giving the audience time to take in their surroundings before the song fully kicked in. Each song is different and catchier than the previous. “Medication”, a “shorter pop-y one” Al admits, displays the impressive coming together of sounds and multi-layered harmonies that New Build encapsulate. After listening to the album over the past few days, seeing the songs live brings a new life to them and a three dimensional quality. New Build work to bring in diverse and, at times, unusual sound elements; the opening to single. “Finding Reasons” would not sound out of place on a computer game, while “The Third One” is extremely rhythmic and percussion based.


Al, who is a Leeds native, worked to bring everyone on stage together to work in perfect harmony. Acting as conductor the occasional nod or discreet look would set his band into motion with big build to the end of a song, or to end a track perfectly in-sync. With seven people playing a range of different instruments this was no mean feat, however was executed with perfect simplicity; the seven piece here tonight were rehearsed, tight and creating an impressive stage show. “Behind The Shutter” holds the place as crowd favourite this evening. Blending 80s anthemic style electro-pop with melodic rhythms and catchy lyrics it is the perfect song from beginning to end as it builds and builds. The entire set stirs the crowd to dance and you can’t help but move along to New Build.


Al Doyle on stage
From the first note to the end, the performance was rousing and eclectic. From upbeat melodies incorporating disco rhythms, to more sombre, slower tunes the band clearly have a firm hold on music and musicianship. New Build are a band that need to be experienced live. Playing in the intimate Cockpit their sound echoed through the room, much fuller and larger than the venue. With the band selling out these smaller shows both over here and in America, be sure that New Build won’t be playing to such small rooms for long. If there was one thing that Est.1987 recommend you do this week it is get down and see their live stage show; it truly is a spectacle.
*COMPETITION*


We have a SIGNED copy of New Build's album “Yesterday Was Lived And Lost”" to give away!
Here's how to enter-
1. Follow us on Twitter HERE-
2. Tweet us the following statement " New Build signed CD giveaway www.est1987.co.uk "
3. We will select one winner at random when the competition closes on Tuesday 13th March at 6pm [GMT] and they will be announced and notified via Twitter.

terms and conditions
-you must follow Est.1987 on twitter
-the cd can only be sent to a UK address
-multiple entries will only be counted once
-The winner will be contacted the day after the closing date via twitter to send us their postal address 
-there is one signed cd to be won