Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff
Sat 23 Sept
While London’s North Sea Radio Orchestra are at root a classical music ensemble, there are many other styles within their orbit: pop, folk and avant-garde rock most prominently. Reading this, someone unfamiliar with the group might expect the results to be a watering down of the orchestral element, along with a reduction of what makes the other named genres appealing. Happily, they’re more innovative and savvy than that.
NSRO began to play live in small London churches 15 years ago, taking advantage of their cheap hire fees and sympathetic acoustics, and released their debut record in 2005. Before this, founder members Craig and Sharron Fortnam were connected to the British prog/psych/indie underground scene whose figurehead band is the Cardiacs. Some of that tricksy, baroque, wild-eyed spirit can be heard in NSRO’s albums, but transmitted via string and woodwind instruments and choral vocals.
As the size and makeup of the Orchestra has changed substantially over the years, so has its musical style. The first two albums, 2006’s eponymous debut and Birds from 2008, are flighty, flute-y, pastoral affairs with a tickle of Incredible String Band in some arrangements. I A Moon, released in 2011, adds synths and self-penned lyrics to create agreeably winsome indie-prog, while last year’s Dronne combines Berlin School-style 70s ambience and upbeat egghead pop to stirring effect. All of which should transfer to a suburban concert space very nicely.
Tickets: £14. Info: 029 2089 0862 (NG)