24 July 2010 (gig)
17 July 2010
This year, at the Larmer Tree Festival, something incredible happened: this occasionally jaded and bored reviewer witnessed something that only happens once in a while - the birth of a new style and type of music so fresh, it nearly defies definition. Looking around for a distraction to fill in a gap, I found myself at the Big Top tent, the "third" stage , awaiting a group receiving critical acclaim, yet still lacking that buzz that precedes "the next big thing". Dizraeli is an award winning poet / rapper, and has put together a band of his own to back him in the shape of Small Gods.
The band comprises seven members, starting with Dizraeli himself, and complimented by a variety of skilled musicians, including the excellent Lee Westwood on guitar, additional vocals by Cate Ferris, and the incredible beatboxer/double bassist Bellatrix. As a complete unit, the band pulls of a feat that sounds nearly impossible on paper: the perfect blending of hip-hop, folk and blues to create music that transcends definitions and breaks musical barriers.
If it sounds like I´m waxing lyrical with fanboy adoration, believe me when I say I approached the tent with a lot of scepticism and doubt. Often we are pushed bands as being truly unique, when the reality is merely a small twist on an established genre. However, from the first notes played (from the haunting and ethereal track, "Maria") everyone in the tent was carried away by the beauty of the sound, and swept up in the tale of broken hearts and poor lovers. It came as a total shock - groups with rappers, scratch DJs and beatboxers rarely produce such deep music. It really is no exaggeration to say the boy has a way with words too - Dizraeli won several awards in the last few years as a poet, and he has honed his skills to a razor´s edge.
The band really do appeal to all comers, veering from tragic ballads to jaunty, sing-along titles such as "Engerland", described by Dizraeli as "our version of the English national anthem - you know, the one called Vindaloo". Containing such lyrical gems as "the week after that perhaps you´ll get a job in Lidl, you can stop believing, but you can´t stop the drizzle ", it presents a cutting blow to the UK psyche, yet wraps itself in a catchy bassline and infectious hook that had the tent (and assembled crowds outside it) bouncing and singing along in no time.
The Small Gods skill in building layers of complimentary sounds mustn´t be overlooked either, as many tunes are down to the abilities of the group as a whole. Whether it´s Bellatrix beatboxing an intro, or Cate blending soulful overtones to a chorus line, every note seems to have been carefully planned and included, resulting in fat-free music that really shines in any environment: I have since picked up the album, and can say it sounds just as good in my car as it did on stage.
Swerving from the soulful to the sublime, Dizraeli and the Small Gods quickly managed to turn a few people into a full tent, and then have all the entrances packed too, such is the quality of their music. The beautiful blend of good music and Dizraeli´s powerful lyrics manage to turn the simplest story into an epic, and leave the best impression on the listener. My personal favourite track was "Maria", but closely followed by the lovely harmonies of "Take Me Dancing", and even that was shadowed by the sheer fun of "Good God", with its brilliant message about beliefs, coupled with an audience-splitting singalong.
See? It´s tough to choose from such a line-up, and the best I can say is, get to see these guys as soon as possible, as they really should be the Next Big Thing. At the very least, visit the Dizraeli website and have a listen to a couple of tracks, and I defy you to prevent your toes from tapping. "Folk-hop" is here to stay, and I´m a big convert - I´m already checking out some of the respective side projects and ideas that the band seem to be pursuing between Small Gods tours. Five very well deserved stars indeed.
