The bedroom musician has become commonplace over the years with the advancement of digital music tools and platforms. Yet there are few that actually make it from the four small walls to the four large walls of a venue, in front of many, few that are able to translate those intimate creative pieces into a captivating live performance. East India Youth, aka William Doyle, is one of those performers and musicians.
Standing behind his starship control board, strapped with a bass at times, styled in bespoke suit attire complete with tie pin, his fingers and head worked furiously, as if possessed by Mozart, filling Heaven with glorious notes from his debut album Total Strife Forever, sounds in the form of “Glitter…”, as the screen and lights behind and surrounding him danced along.
Doyle’s skills at elecrtonic composition and crafting of dreamy melodies and mood are but one facet of his talent, which extend to his serenade and lyrical prose. Hearing and feeling the words from “Dripping Down” stream from the speakers was sheer delight, “You may be moving at glacial paces / But you’re not melting / Wrapping your arms around all of the concrete / You love these buildings now…”
Following with what could be considered the love ballad of the set, “Looking For Someone” is defiant, making more of a power statement than a plea.
And with the light comes the dark in the form of the steel rimmed title track “Total Strife Forever.” The stars seemed to align when the chorus “Heaven, How Long” emerged in said Heaven club, followed by the blur of his hair and head moving at light speed.
To wrap up this night, East India Youth introduced a new song “Carousel,” bathed in light and overall Sinatra persona, presenting a tease of what’s to come with his next album.
The Mercury Prize nominee is currently on a short U.S. tour before he returns to the U.K. to finish off what has been a busy 2014 with over 50 gigs:
November 18 – The Chapel, San Francisco*
November 20 – The Echo, Los Angeles*
November 22 – Glasslands Gallery, Brooklyn
December 4-7 – DRILL, Brighton
December 11 – Soft Future 2014, Canal Mills, Leeds
*With Gruff Rhys
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