Worldwide Awards - A Reflection

Music

On Saturday Giles Peterson hosted his 9th Annual Worldwide Awards, an event created to celebrate the best in emerging artists and new music. Focusing mostly on electronic music; Giles Peterson’s wide ranging tastes (as is evident from his Worldwide Festivals and radio shows) brings together an eclectic mix of genres to create unique line ups that blend acoustic acts with cutting edge DJs.

Arriving early at Koko in Camden; one thing immediately evident from the diverse collection of punters was how far Giles Peterson’s influence has spread. The crowd wasnt the trendy pilled up mid-twenties clientele so prevalent at his festivals; but mostly indifferent looking bearded men in their mid-forties, drinking beer and looking uncomfortable when people danced. Truly a fashionable crowd if ever there was one; it seems that with all the hype surrounding Giles Peterson its almost inevitable that he will soon take up the vacant mantle of spiritual successor to John Peel.

To be fair, its not without reason. Hes got an ear for great music, builds distinctive line ups with fresh artists and is always two steps ahead of current musical trends. This is none the more obvious than with his opening act Andrew Ashong:

His was an acoustic set with two backing singers; filled with warm swirling melodies and nebulous harmonies. The inherent beauty of the songs were brought out in the simplicity of the performance, like an audio version of fresh fish that only needs a bit of pepper and lemon to make it taste amazing.

Next up was Jimi Tenor, looking resplendent in his neon blue suit:

His sound was like a 60s jazz flashback, with lengthy solos and charismatic crooning but with modern pop tinges here and there. Jimi is obviously a character, and I think the set up of the awards (15 to 30 minute slots each artist) made it harder for him to get his whole personality across. A lengthier set would be interesting.

Then one of more popular names on the bill took the stage, rising star Valerie June:

Immediately charming the audience with a solo banjo introduction, she drawled through a Black Keys-esque collection of bluesy rock, and looks destined for pop star status in the very near future.

Next up was The Internet, the impossibly cool neo-soul band of Odd Future affiliation:

To be honest these guys were the weakest link of all the live acts. Technically they were all good musicians and the singer had a great voice, but they didnt seem to engage with the audience at all and the songs were too dense and came across muddy. Maybe that was something to do with the sound but all of the other acts sounded a lot more crisp in comparison. That didnt stop everyone going wild for them anyway, as obviously anything to do with Odd Future is gospel and shall not be questioned.

Then came the turn of star act Jonwayne:

Fuck I love Jonwayne. Rolling on stage with a baggy tee, tracksuit shorts and sandals (fucking SANDALS); he ripped through his set dropping banger after banger, controlling the mic like Hagrid from Harry Potter if he was possessed by MF Doom in his prime. He has that mix of quirkiness, arrogance and humility that always goes down so well with British crowds and the loudest reactions were reserved for his set.

Last of the live acts was a band called Swindle:

Of all the live acts definitely the most lively, they whirled through a furious blend of Jazz/Garage/Dubstep fusion. And although on paper that sounds like a version of Hell, played live it came across really well, especially with support from the live drums and brass section. They finished on a high, supporting a cheeky cameo from Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Omar and his single The Man:

Throughout the night the live acts were interspersed between a really strong, varied collection of Djs. Highlights were Toddla T, Dj Lefto, Mount Kimbie and Cid Rim. The last act were a DJ duo Kyodai, playing out the rest of the night with a spirited tech house set.

Here is a full list of the winners:

TRACK OF THE YEAR

1. LONE AIRGLOW FIRES

2. Mount Kimbie Made To Stray

3. James Blake Retrograde

4. Chvrches Recover

5. Philip Owusu Good Night

6. Osunlade Dionne

7. Grandbrothers Ezra Was Right

8. Tigran Hamasyan & LV – Road Song

9. Omar The Man

10. DJ Rashad Drums Please