Gorgon City at the Roundhouse

Widely acclaimed dance-duo Gorgon City, consisting of producers Kye Gibbon and Matt Robson-Scott, is breaking out of obscurity with this February’s UK, US and EU Sirens tour. Tonight’s performance at the Roundhouse in Camden sets the tone for an energetic new chapter.

They’ve come a long way since their first collaboration almost three years ago, back when their debut hit occupied the seventh place in the UK Indie Chart. Following a period of experimentation with remixes, featuring a spectrum of prominent artists from MNEK to the Klaxons, Gorgon City has secured a place on the UK garage scene, and won’t be disappearing from sight any time soon.  Tonight’s set is punchy, vibrant and redolent of earlier electronic groups such as The Prodigy, with tracks sharing stylistic parallels with contemporary acts such as Hot Creations.

The staging aspect of the performance is itself ambitious, contributing to a cool-but-grimy ambience that lends character to the act but detracts from the purity of the performance. Rhythmic and grungy, Gorgon City is distinctive but not unfriendly, an act better enjoyed on the radio or in the background than over the course of an evening in one (albeit atmospheric) room. Despite anticipation following the success of their 2014 single Ready for Your Love, much substance is lost to style.

The impact of their more popular tracks is compromised by their late appearance in the set and an elusive apathy behind their delivery. It could be said that the act keeps its velocity largely as a result of variety: their big hits featuring vocalists Kay B, Zak Abel and Lulu James. It is this feature that lends the set individuality and texture, salvaging an act that achieves little more than a fun sense of nostalgia.

Alice Gormley

For further information about Gorgon City and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Ready for Your Love here: