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Hailing from Tijuana, Mexico, Fernando Corona released his first album as Murcof earlier this year. Combining micro-beats, intricate electronica and haunting strings, Martes is probably the best album released this year so far, and most certainly our favourite to top our end of the year list here at themilkfactory. Corona followed the publication of Martes with a string of concerts in Europe, including one set at Sonar, and concluded his tour as a support to Manitoba in London. The night, organized by Leaf took place at Cargo.

First to take the stage, Corona played a selection of tracks from the album, augmented with a couple of extras. Although not a show as such, the man remaining behind his laptop, his sublime compositions seemed to have a particular resonance under the bricked arches of the venue, with the banner at the back baring flying butterflies adding to the poetry of this reflective, sometimes austere, music. Behind his almost shy appearance, Corona was building beats and layering them with the same emotional touches heard on the album. The room filled up as his music progressively attracted those who had remained in the bar area, demonstrating the tantalizing power of his constructions.

After a short interlude during which Leaf boss Tony Morley took his turn behind the mixing desks, kicking of his set with Asa-Chang & Junray’s opening track of their recent album, Manitoba’s Dan Snaith took over for a rather more extreme than usual set, possibly pre-empting what the successor to last year’s Start Breaking My Heart could sound like. If his music hasn’t changed much in essence, still incorporating elements of jazz, hip-hop and electronica into uncompromising abstract moments, this set was however more in your face than the one played over a year ago when he supported his long time friend Four Tet at 93 Feet East. Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden was actually spotted supporting Snaith at Cargo. The man has a rather judicious stage presence, constantly flying from his laptop to the mixing desk, disappearing under the table to grab 12” at regular intervals.

The more upfront approach adopted by Manitoba definitely pleased the crowd, many grabbing the opportunity to dance their way to the front of the stage. After approximately an hour of noise mayhem, Manitoba finally left under the cheers.

This Leaf night presented two of the most interesting artists on its roster, with two distinctive directions with last year’s newcomer, Manitoba, headlining, while this year’s new face, Murcof, is no doubt heading the same way. Both with new albums to come up sometime next year, Manitoba also releasing a single this October, we are in for some more quality music from Leaf in months to come.
 

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DOMINO LIVE: FOUR TET / MANITOBA / SCHLAMMPEITZIGER