Underground a bustling K-Road the Wine Cellar played host to Womb on Friday night, a three-piece comprised of siblings, Georgette Brown and twins Haz and Charlotte Forrester. Tonight, they celebrated the release of their new album, Dreaming of The Future Again. It’s poetic title was evidence of the thoughtfulness of the band in their lyric writing.
Support came from Samara Alofa. Alofa opened the evening with her gentle, serious and meditative approach to sound. Various instruments appeared and disappeared as Alofa intently delivered her evocative compositions into, what felt like, the deep blue sea and the shore edge.
I was a fan of Womb before I heard their music. I don’t know how they came up with a name for their band but this one says a whole lot without a note being played. In real life, they sound dreamy with vocals that delivered an emotional impact and percussion that I couldn’t stop wanting more of. As I listened, I thought of some of my favourite vocalists, PJ Harvey and Beth Gibbons, but perhaps it’s unfair to compare. Charlotte Forrester has a formidable voice and she delivers it with persuasion and playfulness.
She created the sort of mood that takes you from contemplation to heartbreak in a minute or less, especially in the track Oceans. The visuals matched the mood with Rothko-esque colours and shapes flickering across the crowd. They successfully captured our concentration and attention.
I’ve had the sixth track, When I See You, from their new album on repeat since I first heard it. Longing is what Dreaming of The Future Again is about and this song evokes that for me. With a seemingly effortless performance that comes from a lifetime together, Womb delivered a sound tonight that was soft, yet energetic and self-assured. This is a trio that will hopefully continue to hold onto their beautiful loud-slow guitar and sublime vocals in their compositions. I was alone in the crowd listening to them. It was a true joy to see them performing live.
Photo Credit: Ivan Karczewski / Kioui Pix
Womb Gallery
Samara Alofa Gallery
Photo Credit: Ted Black