Crushing, electronic beats and French horn aren't exactly readily associated with each other, but they might as well have been peanut butter and jelly Thursday night (August 11) as Marie-Hélène Delorme's FOXTROTT took to the stage for 45 killer minutes at Up Here Fest in Sudbury.
After a short instrumental interlude, Delorme and her backing band launched straight into "Shaky Hands," a lumbering giant of a song that made perfect use of its brassy and sassy accompaniment, and followed it with an exquisite one-two punch of "Colors" and "Mountains Rose High."
The set was populated almost exclusively by tracks from Delorme's debut FOXTROTT LP A Taller Us, a collection of peppy synths and texture-heavy percussion with an immediacy that sparks fire in a live setting. Delorme in particular was a dynamic presence, delivering her trademark soaring vocals and adding percussion and keyboards to tie everything together.
The highlight was undoubtedly "Driven," a bone-rattling mixture of live drums, beats and, of course, French horn, which created a rich rhythmic soundscape that delivered the biggest cheers of the night.
If there was a weak spot for FOXTROTT, it was perhaps their ballads; tracks like "Brother" sounded listless and uninspired compared to their more taut, upbeat material. Nevertheless, when Foxtrott were on their toes, they were a marvel to watch, and one of the best acts of Up Here Fest so far.
After a short instrumental interlude, Delorme and her backing band launched straight into "Shaky Hands," a lumbering giant of a song that made perfect use of its brassy and sassy accompaniment, and followed it with an exquisite one-two punch of "Colors" and "Mountains Rose High."
The set was populated almost exclusively by tracks from Delorme's debut FOXTROTT LP A Taller Us, a collection of peppy synths and texture-heavy percussion with an immediacy that sparks fire in a live setting. Delorme in particular was a dynamic presence, delivering her trademark soaring vocals and adding percussion and keyboards to tie everything together.
The highlight was undoubtedly "Driven," a bone-rattling mixture of live drums, beats and, of course, French horn, which created a rich rhythmic soundscape that delivered the biggest cheers of the night.
If there was a weak spot for FOXTROTT, it was perhaps their ballads; tracks like "Brother" sounded listless and uninspired compared to their more taut, upbeat material. Nevertheless, when Foxtrott were on their toes, they were a marvel to watch, and one of the best acts of Up Here Fest so far.
