Babel, and Cajita

The summer's surprises usually fall into two categories: the loud, flash, sexy ones (think The Darkness, Blackbud, The Subways); or the quiet, strange, intense ones (think Badly Drawn Boy or Damien Rice). Based on both this showing and the surrounding hype, both Babel and Cajita could be the champions of the latter category in the summer to come.



Seemingly stitched around their Asian singer, Cajita's craft is a curious mix of live and looped, folk tinged with Squarepusher style electronica. The multi-layered guitars generate gentle accompaniment to half-ballads, with muted trumpet, half-live beats, and a light touch of percussion adding texture. Occasionally they cut loose with some more energetic riff work, while bass and keys get a bit of a look in, and 'Lacrimose' in particular really captures the attention of an otherwise indifferent audience. At present a seemingly undecided Cajita could go two ways. As a live electronica outfit comprising coruscating collections of bleeps and bleats building up to trumpet blasts and funky bass-lines they could sooth and seduce the 3 am crowds. Or else, they could have acoustic tents across the land in the palm of their hands should they wave a sad goodbye to their most entertaining laptop player and bring in strings, sitars and some gentle drumming to best make use of the intense and intimate nature of the songs.

Which is exactly what Babel have; with an edge. This is no soft folk - they even look hard, their bald, bearded front man bearing the serious, earthy air of one who is no armchair auteur.



They begin with the pounding, organic 'Jugs' that sees the use of hand claps and shakers alongside 12 strings and fiddles. Basic to basics, and brilliantly so. Forceful and articulate, the leads voice is unique and knowing, instantly believable. The accompaniment is both virtuoso and sympathetic; subtle switches between rods and sticks on the drum kit, a swapping of 12 string for standard 6, lending expert textures to compliment the mood of the lyrics. Rarely slow and sedate, Babel's brand of folk-rock, for want of a better term, has an urgency and pace to it that could energise and invigorate any crowd, and in their front man they have an icon of intensity shot through with reluctant stardom. If they get the bookings they surely deserve this summer, make sure you catch them.

FUTURE GIGS

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