The stage is awash with dreamy blue hues, and powerful laser beam lights as the artist known as Ghostpoet (better known to his Mum, who is in tonight apparently, as Obaro Ejimiwe) takes to the stage with a heavy rendition of Gaasp.
He’s an artist that it isn’t always easy to attach a pesky genre too, which is no bad thing. Along with a tight backing band, there are aspects of hip hop, trip hop even deep house in his sound.
But, at the heart of this mixed electronic sound, beneath the funky keys, and occasionally aggressive beats lies a first-class storyteller. Like predecessors of lyrical storytelling Roots Manuva and The Streets, his early work explores themes of city life, love and artistic aspiration. He is currently touring his second album, Some Say I So I Say Light but the set dips into highlights from his debut as well.
Cold Win and Them Waters are menacing and moody – there is a darker groove at work on the newer stuff.
Survive It is mellow and pretty, and the anthemic Liiines sounds even bigger tonight with a guest string section.
He stands on the stage in this beautiful old venue, beaming “London, I love you, I really do” I think he’d hug us all, if he could. A fitting hometown gig, for a London electronic troubadour.