Ex Libras @ Electric Circus, 28 April
It's beyond a poor turnout tonight at Edinburgh's Electric Circus, as a drunken (at best 'sociable') rabble sing songs over those of up and coming avant-rock South London trio Ex Libras. Admirably, the band soldier on, playing with the passion of a group desperate to communicate their alt-rock vision, one that is endearingly indebted to their post-rock elders, Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky and Kid A-era Radiohead.
They employ the beautifully simple, tried and tested quiet/loud/quiet formula, with soft yet eerie interludes pacing thick instrumentation. It's during these walls of noise that glimpses of Ex Libras potential are realised, as drummer Ross Kenning sweats out a fever in his power-math percussion and guitarist/lead vocalist Amit Sharma skilfully sculpts his wailing vocals into soundscapes reminiscent of Sigur Rรณs. Not quite there yet, Ex Libras seem on track to chisel out a nook for themselves. [Rachel Bowles]