I’ll be honest and admit to very limited knowledge of Vessels before trundling down to their show at our infamous Brudenell on Monday night. This was the start of their UK and international tour off the back of their 3rd studio album release in March of this year. Support came in the form of DJ sets from Will and Held and Alex Banks who were amazingly sustained in the familiar, quaint venue. With heavy bass and electronic vibes, the enthusiasm and raw talent of these warm up acts got the crowd into an ideal mindset with tentative dance moves filling the space. The new album, Dilate arguably brings the band up to date with a more electronic genre, synonymous with 65daysofstatic or Four Tet.

Following dismantling of decks and maneuvering of multiple synthesizers to a soundtrack of Daniel Avery, and keeping the lights down low, the main event were hotly anticipated. The five members emerged each clad in a different coloured t-shirt, and meandered amidst synthesizer, keyboard and drum kit, somehow squeezing in elbow to elbow to perform. With strong Portico vibes, they allowed the twangling and heaving of the sounds to direct the graphics projected onto the back wall. A live drummer really emphasized the complexities of the mish mashed beats and rhythms – truly sublime.

Most of the band members were bespectacled and relatively unbecoming, but each was totally immersed in their respective facet of each tune. Such teamwork and ingenuity, combined with fluctuating beats and rhythms lasted a mere hour, concluding with a brand new tune ‘because we are Leeds and you are Leeds’. It will be interesting to see where this tangent from their ‘post-rock’ origins will flourish – so far, so good. Keep your eyes peeled for further news from these Leeds lads!

Flora Tiley