Edinburgh’s electronic jazz four-piece are joined by two guests on stage tonight, Mary Macmaster on the harp and Fraser Fifield on the saxophone and whistle.
Their set is defined by its unique drum rhythms, with two drummers sitting opposite each other able to play off one another and create a beat that not only sounds great but looks pretty funky too.
The jazz side is most obvious in the haunting saxophone, but their categorisation as electronic jazz misses out the uniquely Scottish feel given by the violin and harps, a side that really makes Hidden Orchestra at home on the Oran Mor’s stage tonight.
Highlights of the evening include definite crowd-pleaser ‘Footsteps’, a distinctly jazzy tune with a deep baseline and beautiful lyrics, and ‘Tired and Awake’, a heavy song that succeeds in suggesting its title to the whole audience.
Hidden Orchestra’s songs are all journeys from slow, deep beginnings to loud euphoric endings, and although the performers occasionally get so involved in the music they seem to lose the audience along the way, for the most part the crowd are as absorbed in the music as they are.
The encore, consisting of the original band minus their guests, ‘The Revival’ is a fitting finish, beginning with discordant chiming and ending with the two drummers displaying their prowess.
While the experimental fusion genres can sometimes be a bit hit and miss, Hidden Orchestra have it spot on, and the Scottish feel generated by the violin and harps gives it an extra something that many bands are lacking.
Their live shows are definitely worth seeing, especially for the additional musicians they invite on stage to add their own touch to the already brilliant songs.
Words: Katherine Haig
Photos: Gordon Ballantyne
