HANABIE // LAKE MALICE// ELECTRIC BRIXTON, LONDON
Hanabie: A cacophany of sound and colour.
⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)
The Electric Brixton shook under neon lights as Tokyo’s genre-bending powerhouse HANABIE. brought their EU/UK tour to London. The four piece Harajuku-core band was supported by Brighton’s Lake Malice, fronted by anime-inspired Alice Guala.
HANABIE PERFORMING AT LONDON’S ELECTRIC BRIXTON PHOTOCREDIT - MAY UDDIN
Guala and guitarist Blake Cornwall opened the performance with their typical alt metal sound, with a fusion of hyperpop brightness and hardcore aggression. For an opening act, they came armed with headliner-level confidence and versatility, with Guala’s voice switching from an angry-girl vocal melody to a throat-ripping scream to the tune of Cornwall’s layered guitar riffs. Despite the limited set, the band had no restraint when it came to making sure the audience had a good time, opening a circle pit with crowd surfers bobbing across the venue. As openers go, they were bold and polished, perfectly waking up the audience to prime them for the main act.
The fog lifted and the four members of HANABIE. Yukina, Matsurii, Hettsu and Chika burst onto the stage, greeting the crowd with infectiously high energy. From the first song, it was easy to understand why they’re thought to be “Harajuku-core”. The stage erupted in a collision of metalcore, punk and nu-metal with a bright, J-pop sparkle. The contrast between sweet and sugary hooks, feral growling and hard guitars created a boiling tension to the beat of melodic drums and a rumbling bassline.
Contrasted against the intensity were dance-ready choruses representative of their J-pop spark, as fans danced and moshed in the audience. It was quickly evident that what made HANABIE. so remarkable, was how they weaponise the contrast between sweet appearances and heavier sounds, yet still remaining equally sincere to each part of their aesthetic. Before the end, the group took a moment to drink with some of their staff, to commemorate the stop before continuing their set, before ending with an encore of “OTAKU Lovely Densetsu”.
From a technical standpoint, the mix of electronics and backing samples sat perfectly under the live instruments without overpowering them for a crystal clear sound. By the end, the band looked as exhilarated as the audience, who waved homemade signs with a few even sobbing. The show as a whole was a reflection of the band in the sense that it was unapologetically feminine, heavy, yet still infectiously fun.
Both HANABIE. in conjunction with Lake Malice turned the night into a transcendent collision of cultures and genres in a euphoric cacophony of wildly differing sounds, demonstrating the beauty that can come from creativity in the genre.
Photos and words by: May Uddin
