Culture

March 19th 2011, Urban Factory
Within the annals of drum and bass, the Upbeats have carved out their own niche. A curious mix of everything from neurofunk to dubstep, the pair often defy expectations. From their initial success in 2004 with their self-titled debut recording, they have progressed to a far more complex sound.  Their sophomore (and high-concept) album Nobody’s Out There demonstrated their skill as producers and its horror-inspired follow up Big Skeleton took them in a new thematic direction.
 

This time around they brought their live show to Dunedin. Playing at Urban Factory on March 19, the duo were joined onstage by vocalist Jess Chambers as well as former Londoner MC LowQui and fellow DJ and producer Trei for a live rendition of tracks from their last two albums.
 

Perhaps it’s the fact they always get behind the decks as a team, but the Upbeats almost always manage to display a manic energy in their performance. This live incarnation, freed from the confines of pre-recorded material, didn’t disappoint. Heavy with synth pads, filtered guitar and a willingness to improvise, the Upbeats live is a worthwhile experience, serving as a demonstration of musical maturity and that the producer team are able to stand on their own in a live environment.

 
There has always been a curious dialectic operating within the Kiwiana 2.0 and digital-driven medium that is much of the drum and bass produced in this country. Everything which dimly lit night-clubs aren’t still permeates the sound: Nobody’s Out There featured a lush shimmering density that can only come from our forested homeland. Perhaps in a genre so often accused of being bland and samey, it’s an effort to become a distinctive entity separate from the digi-grunge of the UK sound.
 

So pumping out of speaker systems backed by visuals of the stunning New Zealand landscape, we see the collision of night-club and something far more tribal. “Thinking Cap”, played as a first encore, has this signature embedded in its minimalist drum-line and fore-fronted vocals.  Regrettably missing from the set-list was the oppressively heavy “Tonka” which always puts me in mind of the forest fire from Bambi, all the little critters bolting frantically from that oppressive synth-line.

 
All in all the Upbeats are worth a second listen, whether live or recorded.