Gazelle Twin / Scanner, Cafe OTO, London

In a most modest fashion, Graham Lewis has been billed as the opening act for tonight’s event at Cafe OTO. The Wire bassist is debuting a singular, fifteen minute (or so) piece solo. His laptop and box of musical tricks are laid out on a simple wooden desk with chair, leading the organisers to describe his attended set-up as “professorial.” His jugular pulse is his most visible animation as his set begins through several minutes of intriguing soundscapes, occasionally with a nautical feel. It culminates with an eerie slow-marching drum beat – like an amplification of his aforementioned pulse - back-tracking his solemn vocals.

There’s more repetitive groove within the noise of the second performer, Klara Lewis – more regular in its loops, her samples provide form, structure and the implication of a specific pace without the need for beats or percussion. Her work is more next generation with a modern feel, relative to the previous set (somewhat unsurprisingly, perhaps).

Whilst the Kingsland Road plays host to this evening’s show, it is much more to the music of Land Observations. Their album, ‘Roman Roads IV – XI’ is conceptually based around a number of key pathways forged by the once great Roman Empire. And now a road that is more commonly known as a pathway connecting many of London’s currently celebrated small music venues – from Shoreditch, through Hoxton and Dalston, to Stoke Newington - is also the inspiration for Land Observations’ set opener, ‘Before The Kingsland Road’ before we are taken on a global historical trip with samples and guitar.

Tonight, a collaboration of sorts between Scanner and Gazelle Twin - taken via Wire - closes the event. Scanner is a lone figure on stage as he morphs an extended live remix of Gazelle Twin’s cover of Wire’s ‘Heartbeat’ – yes that’s right; a special live performance of a remix, of a cover, of a song. Strange images – perhaps internal organs - are projected behind the performer as the sounds writhe in their own intensity. Elizabeth Walling’s back and lips – complete with red lightning flowing through her - make a cameo appearance on the screen at the rear of the stage as her “like a heartbeat” vocals resonate round the room. And with this, a fitting homage finale to an evening of bravely naked sound-scaping music, at a most relevant and wonderfully intimate venue.