I’m sure we can all recall being told the new dawn of music has come around, each decade brings a new band that then sparks a movement that fuels a phenomenon of innovation. Whether it be punk in ‘77, the electronic revolution or even indie sleaze, every now and again you’ll feel a shift in the opposite direction. It begins slowly in underground scenes and grows until it reaches the heights of the Pyramid Stage. However, sometimes you can strike lucky, you’ll stumble into a basement somewhere and be one of twenty people to witness a new sound’s beginning. I go to a lot of gigs and see incredible talent manifested in a plethora of different ways yet something about seeing SILVERWINGKILLER live feels like I’ve got ahead of the game. I’m sure this is the new sound, and we’ll be hearing a lot more of it soon.
I first heard of SILVERWINGKILLER through the grapevine of Manchester’s music scene. Their strong reputation seemed to materialize instantly and I kept hearing the name uttered alongside such praise that it quickly buried itself in my subconscious as something to keep a keen eye on. Despite this, as I’m in The Trades Club waiting for their set to start I don’t actually know what to expect. There’s been a recent increase in male-female electronic duos, the culture seems to have gotten a certain taste for them after the success of Fcukers, Bassvictim and Snow Strippers. I can agree that all share an addictive, sleazy sound that has breathed life into the club and rave scenes but SILVERWINGKILLER quickly proved they’re in an entirely different league. The Manchester duo is made up of Yushang Ni and James Baca, their live setup is charmingly raw with Yushang on vocals, James on drums and a laptop producing the electronics behind the bulk of their sound. Their songwriting and music is brimming with grit and character, it feels incredibly divergent from what’s coming out of the electronic scene and is exactly what these spaces have been missing.
As soon as they’re on stage the music is non-stop. It’s drum forward with beats that seem to swallow the room and fragments of electronic thrum that come together to lay a heavy backing for Yushang’s vocals. Yushang, born in Shanghai, splits her vocals between English, Mandarin and Shanghainese. This combination pushes the importance of cultural identity and connection in their songwriting, and it also just sounds damn good. Yushang’s spirited performance is laid over aggressive breakbeats and moreish dance elements that conjure up the feeling of a dank, packed out rave in an abandoned industrial block. Through flashing strobes that light up the blissed faces of the audience Yushang thrashes on stage, completely possessed by the music. In the most violent peaks of the sound she jumps into the crowd, places two hands on a man’s chest and shoves. Some are almost knocked straight on their arse. This is by far my favourite element of their live show and it’s such a simple yet effective stand. Yushang makes it clear that this is her show. If you’re a woman who goes to gigs at some point you’ve likely felt intimidated, unsafe or unwelcome in a moshpit and it fills my heart with glee to see a female musician take no prisoners and turn that attitude straight back onto the men.
Tracks like SHANG FILM and WORLDSTAR off their upcoming EP DESPERATE STRUGGLE bring deep international elements alongside their classic electronic fortitude. The fusion of grim, stripped-back Mancunian synthesisers with layers of disco and dance makes their whole set an instant crowd-pleaser. SILVERWINGKILLER bring unrivaled power and personality to their music and live show, their sound is already so distinctively theirs and it really can’t be compared to anything else I’ve heard. From start to end, the duo’s set never slumps in energy and is an almost constant celebratory barrage of noise – even in slower moments, such as in ⼈⺠公園 (PEOPLE’S SQUARE) which begins as an ethereal cocoon of vocals before it crashes back into the duo’s signature pugnacity.
The turnout for the gig is certainly not as intense as it deserves to be but the people in attendance are committed to their antics. A moshpit forms quickly, strangers collide into tight embraces, blown out pupils and toothy grins surround me as the crowd gyrates in musical mania. Most are already fans of the band, making the journey from Manchester to the Trades that night to follow the siren song of SILVERWINGKILLER. The two-piece has clearly culminated a cult following after sharing stages with bands such as Fat Dog, Machine Girl and Adult DVD. When they announce their last song a wave of bereavement falls over the room, yet we continue to dance, trying to escape the impending finale of such an emotionally indulgent night. The remnants of the music’s impact can still be sensed as people leave the venue, heads shake in disbelief and out of breath praise is sung in between drags of a shared cigarette.
I know I’m lucky to see SILVERWINGKILLER at this stage as their cult following will only build from now on – they’ve captured a sound and an image that cannot be ignored. Yushang and James are pioneering something the music scene has been waiting for and I can only assume the impact will be nothing short of immense.
Words by Poppy Cortese
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