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support Kanaan
author AP date 24/03/24 venue Loppen, Copenhagen, DEN

Ah, vacation at last… That is, from my day job — for as far as reviewing concerts goes, there are few, if any true breaks during any given year. Thus having nursed away the hangover bestowed upon me by some holiday kickoff celebrations the day before, I am once again on my way to see some live music on this cloudy and chilly Sunday evening. The French heavy psychedelic rock trio Slift has very nearly sold out Loppen, so it promises to be steamy beneath the low ceiling of this iconic Copenhagen venue though, at least if, as I suspect, the band will be able to translate the sheer intensity of their latest album “Ilion” into the live setting. Before that though, we are to be warmed up by the Norwegian trifecta Kanaan, a new discovery for me in spite of the fact that multiple people have recommended them to me in the past.

Kanaan

Kanaan’s show begins with a frenetic, jazzy solo by drummer Ingvald André, which, in retrospect, is a presage of things to come. He is soon joined by bassist Eskild Myrvoll and guitarist Ask Vatn Strøm in an improvisational jam that seems to be a way for the three musicians to establish the symbiosis they need in order to deliver their best performance. It sounds a bit chaotic at first, but once that connection is created, the band immediately rolls out an infectious boogie, with a slick bass lead and harmonic guitar work that draw the first gasps of awe from the audience. Myrvoll explains it was a brand new track played live for the first time ever, after which the trippy second song once again pulls André into another universe. Apart from Kadavar’s Christoph ‘Tiger’ Bartelt, I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a drummer playing with as much gusto as André; his kit is shaking from the whirlwind of off-kilter percussion, and his face is emanating pure, unadulterated passion with each strike. And his compatriots are not far behind either, with Strøm ripping out one effect-laden, motley guitar solo after the other and Myrvoll regularly thrusting his instrument into the air in triumphant spirit. Indeed, as the more stoning third song “Return to the Tundrasphere” off the band’s 2021 offering “Earthbound” hits a deafening crescendo after a masterful build-up, the pair seems to be having the time of their lives, something that they are keen to emphasise afterwards as well. “We love playing in Copenhagen!”, Myrvoll enthuses, before the proceedings are brought to a conclusion with a highly energetic rendition of “Black Time Fuzz”, taken from 2023’s “Downpour” record — and it seems like Copenhagen loves the band, too, judging by the degree of applause and cheering that erupts in its wake. Kanaan may not be the easiest band to get into, thanks to the jammy nature of their material, but what they lack in accessibility they compensate for with wild and engaging showmanship.

Slift

It is clear that Slift are not about to be trounced by the opening act. Bathing in the abstract visuals cast onto the stage by two projectors, the three musicians instantly open the floodgates of energy, as the title track to the band’s latest album “Ilion” is unleashed. It is delivered in a loud and intense rendition that sends the crowd simmering, mouths agape in awe of guitarist Jean Fossat’s rowdy stage presence on the right. In between songs like that and the following “Nimh”, he doubles as the trio’s synth and effects alchemist, cooking up a flurry of ambient, psychedelic sounds that fill the transitions and thus sustain the immersive atmosphere conjured by the music itself. Slift were excellent at the 2022 edition of Roadburn where I was introduced to their craft, but it is an entirely different experience to see them in these intimate confines, where the temperature steadily rises with each passing song thanks to the somewhat unexpected moshing taking place all across the frontmost portion of the floor. Indeed, the title track from the group’s 2020 outing “Ummon” seems to be a fan favourite, bringing the audience to a boiling point, and then slowing things right down with a doom-laden finale. One of the early highlights for me personally arrives with the following “The Words that Have Never Been Heard” off the newest record — a dynamic, progressive song that ebbs and flows between the heavy and the contemplative, and sends Jean and his brother Rémi on the bass guitar into a frenzy.

The effective interplay between the two siblings, whether manifesting itself through their trading urgently yells or their feeding off of each other’s riffs, solos, and occasional improvisations forms the crux of Slift’s expression, though one should not ignore the creativity of their dummer Canek Flores either. His tireless percussive patterns deliver the groove that keeps the crowd moving, and there is a moment during the mantric “Weavers’ Weft” in which we also get to witness him in a state of rapturous trance, giving his kit a serious quality assurance test as the track collapses into an instrumental freakout. At this point the temperature near the front of the stage has reached a temperature that forces my hungover ass to retreat toward the bar, from whence I can take in the trident of somewhat more direct tracks off “Ummon” that follow. “Altitude Lake” tickles my affinity for a good stoner rock jam, while “Lions, Tigers and Bears” brings a classic punk vibe, albeit with the twist that it stretches into a winding mushroom trip of an outro. Certainly, the three musicians look like they’re high on their own music, lost in the groove, and expressing themselves with pure authenticity. It all culminates in an astonishing take on “The Story that Has Never Been Told” in all its monolithic, 12-minute glory, the span of which has me experiencing such a wealth of emotions that I am left completely overwhelmed (in the best possible way). It has been a spellbinding show by a band hellbent on redefining the scape of psychedelic music, and I think I speak for everyone in attendance when I say that we’re all counting the days to the next time that Slift decide to pay us a visit.

Setlist:

• 1. Ilion
• 2. Nimh
• 3. Ummon
• 4. The Words that Have Never Been Heard
• 5. Weavers’ Weft
• 6. Hyperion
• 7. Altitude Lake
• 8. Lions, Tigers and Bears
• 9. The Story that Has Never Been Told