By Georgia Smith
Manchester-based five-piece Ingrénue recently tore through the Peer Hat as they released their new EP ‘Mixtape For Saving The World’, in a sweeping, energetic blend of pop-rock that kept the basement dancing from opening to ending.
Openers Onion Mash and Lute set the pace with their respective blends of melodic metal and prog-rock, with Onion Mash offering their fast-paced and gritty riffs, and Lute their meandering, highly structured instrumental focus. Assured, confident stage presences immediately lent the night a promise of freshness and unarguable skill that commanded the attention of the crowd from the very first songs. A solid, accomplished glimpse into the Manchester rock scene birthed an energized, receptive vibe for headliners Ingénue to tap into with their performance.
Starting with some of their older songs, the female-fronted, often genre-defying five piece Ingénue seemed immediately comfortable on the stage; conversing with the crowd, offering insights into the meanings and processes of the tracks as they performed them.
At once relaxed and collective yet confident and bold in sound and action, Ingénue with their gritty-edged, seamless blend of almost pop-elements and rockier backing seemed comfortable and accomplished enough to command the room’s attention with a focus on the pure enjoyment of the experience. Never predictable in their direction, Ingénue led their audience through the liquid guitars and lilting vocals of dreamy semi-pop into the layered, technical tightness of distorted psychedelic rock. A quiet power, an energy that kept the room moving and headbanging even in the softer tracks.
Tapping into this latent power with much-applauded anti-Tory sentiment lent Ingénue’s performance a sense of useful, righteous anger which elevated this rocky sound and propelled their stage presence and accessibility even further. They possessed a fullness of sound only made more impressive by the segues into its source.
Following on from the performance of their existing tracks- among them the standout performance of ‘Would You Kindly’, a track of attitude and collapse into tight rock sections from lilting, wavy layers- came the triumphant launch of their EP songs; beginning with opener ‘Moon Physics’. Having already energized their crowd and driven excitement for what was to come, the tracks of ‘Mixtapes For Saving The World’ were echoingly well-received. The guitar performances of ‘Moon Physics’ stood out here, mesmerising in skill and tightness as though they could never have performed apart.
With this newest offering, Ingénue showed the unique and infectious artistic chemistry of their lineup and allowed it to seep thoroughly not only into their performance, but into those experiencing the sound and range unfold as the new EP tracks melded seamlessly with their existing sound. The ripping, bolder musical backing over the lilting and dreamy vocals promised that this EP would remain as free and meandering in sound and style as the start of the performance.
‘Moon Physics’ was followed by an instrumental cover that flawlessly showcased the skills of Ingénue’s guitarists, a flowing, almost aqueous offering that filled the venue with trance-like attention. Capitalizing on their rapt audience, Ingénue collapsed the high technicality and instrumental focus into their second EP track ‘Fuzzball’; a much faster, grittier track with melodic, almost euphoric choruses. The undeniable quiet power of the band and their performance meant ‘Fuzzball’ rose with the crowd, a stamping rise to thick, funky rhythm; tight sections and harsher rock back into the light meandering of the choruses that were rousingly well-received and demonstrably easy to dance to.
In a demonstration of their available range of sound, Ingénue performed a track with the opening promise of a metal breakdown. The harsh vocals were almost surprising considering the mostly dreamy, clean performance so far, and yet were again undeniably successful as they ground against the grating thickness of the guitars and fresh fury of the drums to the small pit that had blossomed at the foot of the stage. It was a refreshing offering, rejuvenating the never-predictable experience- bright and bold in its anger and refreshing in its measured carnage. Almost funky in places, and retaining the catchiness of the chorus, the dip into the heaviest phase of the night and out again was a teasing admission of Ingenue’s constant motion and connection with their receptive audience. Lots of stylistic changes denoted an impressive range of success, whilst always sounding and appearing like a natural, unstoppable progression.
The final track of the EP, ‘Desert Rock Anthem’, was a finely tuned pinnacle of Ingénue’s musical style. With guitars sweeping the ceiling and bass thick through the audience, layered main vocals with newly harsher backing, the final song of the EP seemed a culmination of the night’s elements, a final destination on the journey of musical elements and performative styles. Psychedelia dropped into carnage that again, swept the room, pierced through with haunting layered vocals and lightning guitar duos. Ingenue’s own personal enjoyment of the success of this experience was palpable- their collected stage presence giving way to the relieved triumph of a successful performance and loud, excitable reception.
A bewitching encore showcasing the feminine vocals and accomplished guitar solos ended the night- a fluid, changeable experience and ever-exciting showcase of new music. The venue being a small, low-ceilinged basement made no difference to the elevation of experience and vibe that this EP release had generated, and both Ingenue and their audience seemed to leave on a refreshed, dreamy parting thanks to the soul and power present in not only the performance, but in ‘Mixtape For Saving The World’ itself.
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