Review: Glass Beams at The Rechabite

Glass Beams at Rechabite
w/ Sui Zhen
Saturday, June 29, 2024

Having only released two EPs, the first, Mirage, in 2021 and their second, Mahal, just months ago, Glass Beams seem to have come out of nowhere. But the group has already gathered so much interest and hype that they are selling out shows in minutes and seem to be the hot ticket of the town wherever they play, from London’s EartH Theatre to our beloved Rechabite in Northbridge.

Such hype is rare for a band that is largely instrumental, which brings to mind the popularity of Canada’s Holy Fuck. Though the psychedelic trio from Melbourne have an electronic edge to their music, their sound focuses on a meld of eastern instrumentation, melodies and rhythms that hark back to founding member, producer, and musician Rajan Silva’s Indian heritage. Playing incognito behind golden masks, the identity of the members is otherwise a mystery, which has added to the band’s mysticism and intrigue.

Sui Zhen opened the show with her own DIY brand of electronic music. Using a Roland Juno, iPad, midi keyboard, shakers and a pink Stratocaster, Sui opened her show with a drone note and sung her delicate delayed-effected vocals over the top before bringing in a drum loop. Her set built as her songs became more intricate, singing and manipulating sounds as she played, reminiscent of early Grimes.

Although her performance came across as quite shy and modest, she was confident and precise, gently gesturing her hands to the lyrics and engaging the audience in her quirky, cute manner.

On theme with the chain-style masks that Glass Beams wear, the backdrop of the Rechabite was covered in shiny 40-foot-high chains. As the darkness rose to gold, the three veiled faces took the stage. Each member chanted into their microphones to build into their first song, Mirage.

Their professional image and stage appearance have been crafted into well-presented branding. A clever stage set of gold lights and a reflective backdrop seemed to fit the music perfectly without ever being over the top. Occasionally silhouetting the performers in darkness against just the gold backdrop was very effective.

The energy ebbed and flowed as they played through their EP tracks, their mastery evident by building from simple beats and grooving parts to intricate solos and intense beats.

With so many sounds going on from only three musicians, one could think they were employing the use of backing tracks, but after closer inspection of their onstage equipment, you could see that the extra eastern drum sounds and percussion were being played live by the drummer, as his kit was a meld of traditional drums and percussion instruments like djembe and chimes.

Glass Beams have a strongly defined sound that borders on the edge of surf guitar, eastern traditional, and electro groove. They stayed well within their lane and provided a solid night of great music for the engaged crowd. After a short encore, the band returned and closed out the night, which, towards the end, felt more like a dance party than a concert.

Not a word was spoken; they had come to do what they do, and they did it with precision, style, and groove. With only two releases under their belt, it will be great to see what they come out with next.

ANTHONY JACKSON

Photos by Adrian Thomson