Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation @ Soup Kitchen, 1 Mar
★★★★
Currently touring their second album Mirage, Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation are gaining a following on the back of their hypnotic psychedelia, now regularly heard on BBC Radio 6 Music. In a concise set at the Soup Kitchen, though, the six-piece reveal that there's a crisper edge to them too.
Led by the reverberating voice of lead singer Öhrn, The Liberation’s smooth wash of colour takes cues from Can and krautrock, as a kaleidoscope of cells or planets is projected behind them onto the wall of Soup’s basement. Their sound works on both micro and macro levels: it can lull you into a contemplative trance or help your mind transcend to an altogether larger place.
The chiming guitar of the band’s latest single Sister Green Eyes relies on maintaining the trance while Rainbow Lollipop has a jammier feel. Starting with an undulating synth line, it eventually kicks into a groovier beat as Öhrn takes her mic from the stand, her mysterious French whispers guiding us on an adventure tour around our own minds...
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