Music / Cuban
Review: Ibeyi, The Louisiana
Given that this may have been their last tour on small stages with audiences up-close it was almost a shame that the 20-year old Diaz twins who make up Ibeyi had so much fun at the Louisiana. They appeared after a set from Alani that started a little rockily but settled into something stylish. Her material had real Piaf/Brel cafe quality, regretful songs with dark narratives belying the clear assurance of her vocals. She closed with Circles, a ‘carpe diem’ homily that could have been a Judy Garland number from a lost 40s musical, smoothly done to Rob Updegraff’s beautifully restrained guitar.
This gig was sold out weeks before Ibeyi got the UK media consensus as this year’s Hot New Thing, thus giving the 120 or so crowd bonus hipster points for knowing a good thing and catching it quickly. Given the rich production sound of some of their tracks it was a surprise (for me at least) that they do it all themselves: wild haired Lisa singing and playing keyboards, bun-sporting Naomi singing and playing electronics and acoustic percussion.
Singing in English, with occasional bursts of Yoruba, there’s a Bjork-like honesty to their self-expression in songs like the painful Mama Says, a childs-eye view of a parents grief, quickly followed by the even rawer bereavement of Where Have You Gone? It was a relief to hear them move on to the gospel optimism of I’m On My Way and The River, Lisa’s adept piano offset by synth bass while Naomi’s cajon filled out the sample pad loop.
They had the precision of sound of a good studio engineer throughout, meaning that the music was powerful without being loud. The growling bass intro to Faithful could have slipped in from a dubstep classic, adding a nightclub sleaze to the passionate lyrics. But what was most impressive was their personality and presence and it was actually the acappella moments that seemed the most affecting, the two standing side by side and almost singing to each other like sisters in private might. The final number, written in Yoruba, was delivered like that with the sisters eventually leaving the stage to sing their way through the audience. It was a welcome gesture to a highly satisfied crowd but not one they might find easily repeated when they return (as they surely must) to play the bigger venues around the country.
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