New music guide The Neu Bulletin (7th August 2015)

Spanning across six venues, Visions Festival - entering its third year - remains a staple for one-offs and first glimpses. Alongside chances to see Holy Fuck and Jens Lekman make rare UK appearances, it’s also a prime opportunity to see 4AD signing Pixx, Madrid favourites Hinds, expectation-defying punks Ho99o9 and DIY staples The Big Moon before they all break big.

Two weeks ago, wedged in the middle of a bill containing Spring King and Yonaka - two of the most talked-about new acts in the country - Drones Club tried to steal the show at a DIY Presents gig.

Dressed in boiler suits and fronted by two limb-cracking dancers, they did everything but stick to the norm. Leaning more towards the provocative than the eye-opening, their early-days slot had plenty in common with rule-breakers The KLF. One thing was clear - this was wildly different.

‘Without Sky’ falls more in line with tradition. Pointing towards the future, it nevertheless links up with Hot Chip’s dancefloor-alighting antics or the industrial punch of Factory Floor, each bold move lined with a funk lick. Chances are Drones Club are going to be a love or hate it outfit. But their ambition is already making waves, and ‘Without Sky’ shows they’re going the right way about making an impression.

One-man ticking timebomb NAH always threatens self-destruction. Back in May, he played one of Brighton fest The Great Escape’s most glueing sets, appearing before Ho99o9 in a night devoted to in-your-face expression. On stage, he spends his time thrashing to pre-loaded samples, his drum-kit taking centre stage before being violently shaken. With new album/mixtape ‘LIGHT AS FUCK’, he ties himself to the hyper-digital screams of Death Grips without repeating tricks. Like if The Avalanches had spent their last ten years in Room 101 before breaking out to tell the tale, there’s a reign of terror racing through this resplendent frenzy.

Tags: Drones Club, Listen, Features, Neu, Neu Bulletin