UKNW SOUNDS : HEYMOONSHAKER (UK)
The oral appliance is thought to be the most enigmatic instrument of human function. Speech is its base, it’s “hobby.” But when you move away from it’s primary use a little, we are surprised and overwhelmed by the amount of sound abilities it can produce. Lacking the ability to sing like a lyrical god, others take the alternative route and find themselves excelling in the imitation of a beat-box or scratches. In an eternal fascination, the human beat-box has evolved over 700 years, from the ancient Indian kannakol “bobos” Londoners are surging amongst those on Brick Lane.
The duo Heymoonshaker is one of these followers. I hereby appoint Andrew Balcon, a blues singer and guitarist and Dave Crowe the human beat box and harmonicists. As a result of a trip to New Zealand Mr Balcon met this genius beatboxer. This unique blend quickly stimulated public interest. By focusing on the exclusive genre of beat-box blues, they conquered the festivals of street musicians (who indeed they are) and released Shakerism in 2013 which included seven explosive tracks ready to blow it up.
Il n’y a pas un seul titre qui se différencie l’autre tant leur art est en fusion permanente. On citera l’excellent Cream F Feeling qui s’accompagne d’une clip vidéo toute en sobriété, ainsi que les excités Ten Letter Word et Part 1. Comme il n’y a pas de fumée sans feu, la sensibilité a aussi sa place dans ce monde de brute, avec Devil In Mind et Premature Blues qui rappellent ce dont le blues a fait cadeau à la musique populaire, un rythme syncopé et doucement sauvage et terreux singeant l’origine champêtre des chants de travail des populations afro-américaines.
With two mouths and a guitar, hip-hop/ dubstep / blues mix of Heymoonshaker is like the secret ingredient of the finest jam. Incomparable and timeless, they play and uniquely shape the old and new, the young and old, the liquid and aqueous so that finally Crowe can say: “To be honest, I don’t have any idea what that fucking sound is.”
Julien Catala
