April 23, 2002

Kosheen : London Brixton Academy

Tonight's set reaches its nadir with an extended version of new single 'Hungry'...

As Zero 7 and Groove Armada ably proved last year,
eclecticism can be an over-rated virtue: a little bit of jazz, a little bit of breakbeat and a little bit of drum'n'bass sometimes add up to a whole lot of nothing.

Like their coffee table-adorning contemporaries, Bristolian trio Kosheen make music that is undeniably eclectic, yet utterly bland. Their debut single 'Hide U' may have been an impressively menacing bit of urban pop – but recent album 'Resist' steered way too close to the middle of the road.

Live, it doesn't sound much better. Set against cheesy, insipid musical backing, Sian Evan's brass-lunged vocals seem coarse and jarring. After decidedly ropey karaoke versions of '(Slip and Slide) Suicide' and 'Catch', tonight's set reaches its nadir with an extended version of new
single 'Hungry'.

Ultimately, Kosheen can't help but bring out the snob in you. Though their music draws from many diverse sources, you suspect it's created with one simple goal: to soundtrack the nation's waterbirths, dinner parties and yoga classes. Oh yes – Kosheen are aiming to be the new Faithless. The sad thing is they'll probably succeed.

Niall O'Keefe