Crack House Live At The Boileroom

Guildford based production house, Crack House made its formal debut this Tueday at The Boileroom. Bringing to the stage four artists that they have worked with, Crack House showcased the stand out sounds of Guildford's music scene, while advertising their live sound services and producing capabilities.

Since their genesis in May this year, they have focused on creating individual and personal recording experiences, facilitated by their close knit team of musicians and producers. In a town full of young musical talents, Crack House exists "with the ambition to take artists with amazing talent and ideas and help them create something they could be proud to show to the world" (quote taken from https://crackhouserecords5.wixsite.com/crackhouse).

Ran by James Starkey (management and marketing), Brandon Dowell (producer), Jack Cozens (producer), Cameron Day (producer) and Will Kenworthy (in house drummer), Crack House Live was a night of vibrance, artistry, passion and professionalism.

Harry Betts

Harry Betts opened the night with powerful vocals and a cinematic sound. His music is full of heart and is incredibly captivating, with an almost transcendental quality, taking you to a place of pure feeling. Balancing softness with intensity and the occasional (much beloved by me) raspy scream, Harry's voice holds its own amongst a band, and beautifully accompanies his solo moments on the keyboard. His cover of Radiohead's 'Exit Music (For A Film)' was perfection, and an exceptionally fitting choice considering that much of his original music feels to be straight out of a film score. This is especially true of 'Hall of Mirrors'', 'Tranquility' and 'One of Us', which I can tell are going to become the soundtrack to my November nights. They are available to listen to on Spotify, along with the rest of Harry Betts' dreamy discography.

boy blue

Rocking self-branded Dickies, Boy Blue fits seamlessly into the pensive and playful world of indie pop. Featuring self-contemplations and tales of unrequited love, his music is vivid and full of feeling. Through his covers of songs by Peach Pit and Boy Pablo, it is clear to see where Boy Blue's music intersects with that of his inspirations. His performance was confident and self-assured, brimming with good vibes and tongue-in-cheek lyricism; most notably during 'I Want You', an engergetic song with a sound alike JAWNY's 'Anything You Want'. In Contast, the mellower '20 Days' and 'Wrong Side Of The Railroads' (both available on Spotify) exhibit a tenderer side to Boy Blue's music. Here, the sentimentality in his songwriting feels sincere and vulnerable, accentuated by gentle vocals and stripped back instrumentals.

semwanga

True performer and crowd pleaser, Semwanga channels a combination of funk and indie hip hop into his lively performance. Much of his music feels nostalgic of the late 90s/early 2000s hip hop scene, yet is injected with modern influences. Varying from the swaggering 'All About The Funk' to the heavier 'Wake Up', Semwanga is incredibly versatile and playful with his sound, not restricting himself to one mood or genre. He even somehow managed to merge a funky, jazzy riff into The Proclaimers 'Im Gonna Be' which really got the crowd going (if they weren't already). Original songs, '5ft 10' and 'Driving in Circles' have an air of (the band formally known as) Easy Life about them, making them more chill, easy-going listens. Have a browse of their discography and see for yourself.

danny marriott

Closing the show with force, Danny Marriott delivered a high energy, fast paced, punchy performance. With dynamism and compelling stage presence, Danny Marriott have only improved since I saw them for the first time back in August (click here to read my past review). Leaning into the heavier, rockier side of their music, the band curated a stand-out set, featuring covers such as Sam Fender's 'Play God', as well as an impressive collection of original songs. As ever, my favourite moments in their performance are where they are able to really "go for it", whether that be through an emphasis on heavy drums or electric guitar, or through louder, more active vocals. With an ever growing discography Danny Marriott are defining for themselves a strong sense of self and an increasingly coherent sound.