Now in its fifth year, Visions continues to celebrate obscurity and eccentricity. The Hackney one-dayer, taking charge of five hip venues and three outdoor spaces conveniently close to each other in London Fields, showcases some of the most exciting, interesting and individual musical talents that are yet to be discovered.
Before the music, though, there’s an irresistibly cute dog show judged by Girl Ray and Mystery Jets to raise money for the All Dogs Matter charity. It might only be for an hour, but it creates a community of adoring dog lovers, bringing people together in a way that most other festivals can only dream of. If you like your festivals with something unusual to boot, then Visions is perfect – there’s also a crepe cook-off with Kero Kero Bonito vs. Frankie Cosmos, a beer pong tournament with Happyness and punk-rock karaoke. What more could you possibly want?
Goat Girl provide the perfect start to the day, with a set that’s full of biting DIY indie anthems in waiting – perfect for Mangle’s intimate and industrial basement setting. The South London-based four-piece, signed to Rough Trade and touring the UK in November, are compelling and transfixing to watch live. They don’t sound like anyone else at the moment either; as vocalist Lottie’s sharp, politically witty lyrics on ‘Crow Cries’ and ‘Scum’ rattle out of the speakers – “I honestly do think that someone spiked their drinks, how can an entire nation be so fucking thick?” – while guttural guitar riffs plant inside the brains of the packed crowd.
Proving that socks and sandals are definitely still cool, they perform an album’s worth of material to a near-capacity audience at 2.30pm: it’s an impressive reception for an opening set. While some of the tracks are galloping, short and snappy, others meander between genres. At times it sounds like a sort of soundtrack for going into battle in a cowboy and western film. Though the song structures are unconventional, the nonchalant delivery (aside from drummer Rosy who is visibly having a great time) just adds to the intrigue. Could Goat Girl be the next big guitar group?
Meanwhile, at the wooden-floored Brewhouse, the crowd gets immersed in Denzel Himself’s world of hardcore-inspired punk-rap. The 22-year-old Croydon-based artist’s energy is infectious, as he commands the crowd effortlessly thanks to the raucous ‘Thrasher’. But it’s the appropriately-titled ‘BANGIN’ – released the previous day with a self-directed, self-produced video – that bangs the most. Falling to the floor and looking half possessed, his eyes roll to the back of his head before fusing hip-hop production and simplistic lyricism on standout ‘WYA’ as his guitarist thrashes away. After the punky riff-heavy rap of ‘Thrasher’, he hugs his guitarist before delivering ‘State Your Claim’ – an extended metaphor about the uncertain treatment of the music industry. Unreleased production ‘50k’ is an anthem waiting to be unleashed, too. “This is a dream, it’s my first festival, and I appreciate you being here,” Denzel says humbly, having just staked his claim as one of the country’s most interesting and engaging new rappers.
A short walk away, along the canal, Tel Aviv’s Noga Erez performs her experimental, glitchy, electronic-led hip pop to a busy crowd at Oval Space – a white-walled art gallery/music venue with a stage elevated at the front of the room. Wearing trainers, knee high socks and a netted black top with ‘POISON’ written on the back, she utilises every part of the vast stage, captivating the few hundred before her as she marches across it. The stereotype-challenging lyrics of ‘Pity’ come with infectious synth keys before she ends with her biggest hit, the quirky, expertly-produced ‘Off The Radar’. Somewhere between M.I.A. and FKA twigs, with harsh, trappy beats in her onslaught, Noga refuses to be ignored.
Back at Brewhouse, Benny Mails is just about to walk onstage from the crowd. Sporting slicked back blonde curtains throwing back to the Backstreet Boys era, wearing white shorts and a yellow Harley Davidson t-shirt, the Londoner doesn’t have the typical appearance of a rapper. But, like a more street fast-paced Loyle Carner, Benny’s unstoppable flow suggests otherwise. Freestyling with his equally impressive Sampha-toned best friend Drae Da Skimask, the pair encourage the crowd to come forward, asking if they’re ready for some bouncing. Immediately, the energy level rises.
Legging it over to Oval Space, with its apocalyptic industrial wasteland backdrop, it’s the first hyper-pop hour of the day. Bringing the party – inflatable flamingo and fluffy crocodile in tow – it’s KKB time! Jamie, dressed in an oversized top with dozens of famous chocolate brands, works the synths via a touch pad while Gus (also PC Music’s Kane West) drums away and Sarah bounces around with her face covered in glitter. Their sickly sweet pop is like a sugar rush to the head, almost like eating all the fizzy sherbet in a Dip Dab bag at once. By the time they launch into their newest banger ‘Forever Summer Holiday’, at least half of the crowd is bouncing with them.
With a bunch of props at their disposal, Sarah prances around the stage holding her pink flamingo in the air, looking like she’s having the best day of her life, for the all-embracing ‘Flamingo’ (obvs). Kero Kero Bonito are basically the best holiday club reps ever; exuding fun and energy; especially as Sarah puts on her neon blue sunglasses and Jamie pretends to play the violin during sad-banger ‘Break’. Then, as Sarah goes offstage to put her graduation outfit on for a strobe-heavy, ravey rendition of ‘Graduation’, an expressive dancer wearing long black leather gloves and giant sunglasses indoors gives everyone else in the crowd a run for their money. There’s barely a foot left on the floor as Sarah preaches “life looks better… and don’t forget to bounce” on the inescapably infectious ‘Trampoline’. Easily the best performance of the day.
Embodying the entire ethos behind Visions, though, is the enigmatic producer who closes Oval Space with his first UK show in around a year. Few artists come as daring, individual, boundary-pushing and forward-thinking as SOPHIE, the Numbers-signed PC Music affiliate who has collaborated with Madonna, Charli XCX and most recently Vince Staples; despite being one of the most divisive, Marmite artists of the last decade. Unsurprisingly, there’s a strict no photo policy – fitting the ambiguous, elusive aesthetic perfectly. As smoke submerges the stage, a figure emerges behind the decks in a massive, hooded, pink puffa jacket, black leather skirt, tights and black boots. After Girls Aloud’s ‘Sound of the Underground’ and Kelis’ pop classic ‘Trick Me’ play, and then a slightly concerning fire alarm sound, it’s the perfect introduction to SOPHIE’s playfully surreal world of weirdly cool, often apocalyptic, skewed pop.
It’s all about the build up as intense, spiralling strobes flash overhead, blinding the crowd while harsh electronic beats challenge the ears before his huge Kendrick Lamar/Vince Staples collab ‘Yeah Right’ rattles out of the speakers. Shortly after, SOPHIE gets heartbeats racing, dropping his roof-raising and potentially stratospheric remix of Rihanna’s ‘Nothing Is Promised’ (they were pictured together in the studio earlier this year). Casually checking his phone in-between records, and judging by the clubbier new tracks, he’s still unafraid to experiment with unusual sounds and styles, unexpectedly veering towards techno at the half way mark. Ending with A.G. Cook and Danny L Harle’s instantly euphoric edit of Charli XCX’s ‘Lipgloss’ under their Life Sim alias, golden strobes light up the crowd, making for a picture-perfect finale.
Photos: Sam Nahirny