Reviews

Doomed Nymph at The Basement

On Saturday, students from the University of York packed into The Basement to watch a trio of their own home-grown talent. Alternative rock 5-piece Doomed Nymph headed up a bill that also featured solo acts Weirdly Warm and Sam Huntley in a night that brought a fresh sound to the York music scene.

Photos and written by Graeme Smith

Starting the night, as if to ward off casual listeners was soloist Weirdly Warm. Armed with only his voice, an electric guitar, and an array of gizmos, he created what could only be described as ‘anti-music’ by choosing a sequence of minimalist harmonies over melodies. As beautifully experimental as early Pink Floyd, Weirdly Warm drew influences from early 90s avant garde and at times also sounded like American indie rock band Girls.

With a change of pace, acoustic singer/songwriter Sam Huntley took to the stage. Sam had a stand out voice and a lyrical sentiment that got the more romantic in the crowd swaying their heads along.His set included stripped back covers of Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men and Mr. Brightside by The Killers, but it was his original stuff that really captured the listeners, particularly tracks Moments, Thousand and Chasing Dreams.

 

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Weirdly Warm

 

Finishing the night was Doomed Nymph, a genre-defying 5-piece featuring guitars, bass, drums and a Korg keyboard. Frontman Callum Alston had previously penned an electronic EP Roses and Nettles over the summer, but the live set was a departure from that and introduced a more melodic indie sound with the band set up.

 

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Sam Huntley
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Doomed Nymph

 

Underpinned by a darkly Gothic ethos, Doomed Nymph walked the line of different styles. Opening dirges gave way to an acoustic section where the band was reduced to two for Something More. Then things changed to an upbeat, grungy sound that would play well on a teen movie soundtrack. There were swelling moments, still dark and strangely uplifting before an expedition into heavier rock and roll.

They closed the set with Blooms, a track from the aforementioned EP composed for the full band. A poignant and memorable song, it was a perfect finish.

 

Weirdly Warm, Sam Huntley and Doomed Nymph played at The Basement on Saturday 21 November 2015