Music / Electronic
Review: Iglooghost, The Lantern
Iglooghost, or Seamus Malliagh, is something of a teen prodigy. By the age of 18, he had already released his Chinese Nü Yr EP on Flying Lotus’ acclaimed label, Brainfeeder.
In late 2017, his first album arrived, Neō Wax Bloom. A bafflingly proficient release, with its own meticulously crafted aesthetic. The record’s gatefold sleeve comes adorned with the friendly little cartoon wizards and worms, for which Iglooghost has become known, and at the centre of the crystal clear vinyl, a track list composed of a fictional alphabet. It’s a strange, and sugary universe, entirely constructed by Malliagh.
Newcomer Kai Whiston was supporting, showcasing his luscious and aggressive production style, colliding big trap bass hits, with jarring FX stabs, and a gothic sense of melancholia. 2018 should be a great year for him.
is needed now More than ever
Compared to Whiston, and other contemporaries within the experimental sphere, Iglooghost’s sound is far more joyous, and colourful, perhaps more akin to PC Music’s SOPHIE. It’s a hyperactive, maximalist amalgam of millennial culture, drawing influence from trap, grime, 80s Japanese music, IDM, and video game soundtracks. There is also an underlying organic theme, with plucked string sounds, and the occasional bumble of a dry saxophone.
The opening section of White Gum sends the audience tumbling into a sonic aurora borealis. Glittering melodies burst, and synchronise with the shifting cartoon visuals. 808 kick drums hurtle into the walls, and Malliagh’s boyish frame bounces from side to side. He is in himself, cartoon-like, wearing a multi-coloured turtleneck, a bucket hat, and thick black-rimmed glasses.
After a brief encore, Kai Whiston returns to grab as many people as he can, and pile them on to The Lantern’s stage, it’s supports creaking as Iglooghost fires out one more. After two hours in this charming, fantastical world, the rainy streets outside of Colston Hall feel comparatively plain.
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