George Ward
Freelance journalist and online editor for CLUNK. Can be found out and about in Bristol, finding cheap records or having a pint on King Street.
London 8-piece experimental band caroline took to Strange Brew for a gorgeously intimate set of new material
One of the most unique and subtly beautiful debut albums of the last few years came from a very big band called caroline. With 8 members, a whole variety of instruments and hefty runtimes, caroline combined post-rock, ambient, slowcore and many other experimental genres to lay down their cosy, melancholic and nostalgic sound.
Now, in the second of two shows in one of Bristol’s very best venues, Strange Brew, the band showcased their new material, set to be recorded in the coming months for their second album.
Unusually, caroline arranged themselves in a circle in the middle of the floor, ignoring the stage completely. All facing one another, the band were surrounded from all angles by their audience who, for the entirety of the show, were hypnotised into a completely impressive and respectful silence.
The first miracle of the night came in the sound of the venue. Quite how caroline sounded this good in this very unusual setup is a huge achievement by Strange Brew and the band’s team. The atmosphere created by the setup made for one of the most intimate musical experiences I’ve ever had.
This atmosphere really is very difficult to put into words. caroline’s sound is as jagged, experimental and rough-around-the-edges as it is delicate, fragile and soothing. The band are incredibly locked into each other’s performances, with very little conventional drum rhythms to guide them. Each and every member comes together in their performance, a dozing beast slowly breathing in and out in complete unison.
Yet despite this intense connection, the performance feels loose, free-flowing and completely natural. Just as you think you’ve finally figured out a rhythm or time signature, the band will effortlessly go against your expectation. They’re entirely locked in with each other and only with each other; it is our job to try and keep up with their journey.
Their new material is similar to their debut, with a few noisier and poppier cuts thrown in the mix. Catchy drum beats appear and disappear, violins screech as the band revs into emotional climaxes and even tinny breakbeat samples and autotune are experimented with too.
The complete silence of the room made every sound noticeable, bringing together every noise in the room into one subtle collage of sound. Objects quietly clattered, instruments were played as if only to the player tuning before a recital and vocals were shouted far away from the mic and whispered right next to it.
Seeing caroline live is a challenging, unusual but incredibly rewarding experience. I have very rarely seen a band use their space and set in such an intimate and effective way, making the tease of their new material all the more special.
Listen to ‘caroline‘ here: