With glitch royalty passing through, who else to draft in for the support slot than our very own Jonny Dub (Hoya:Hoya). With a set full of electronic anthems from the likes of Squarepusher, Lorn and Hudson Mohawke, even the cool kids propping up the bar were drawn to the dance floor. Three Sailor Jerry and Gingers later and Ooah, edIT and Boreta aka The Glitch Mob took to the stage.

Playing tunes from their new album Drink the Sea, cleverly blended with classics and live remixes, The Mob more than held the attention of the modest but energetic SoundControl crowd. The Glitch Mob's sound has evolved into an anthemic merge of electronic synths, glitchy sound effects and heavily processed basslines.

Less emphasis is given to the 'melting fax machine' vs 'underwater microwave' sounds that edIT fans became accustomed to back in 2004. Resulting in a cleaner, bolder and more commercially viable electronic hip hop sound.

edIT took control of the proceedings throughout the set, occasionally coming out from behind his centralised control hub (an array of laptops, fx units, MIDI drums and a touch screen Ableton controller) to have a quick play on his bass or guitar in an attempt to counter balance the digitalilty of the set. Occasionally the three clean-cut characters switched it up and went into DRUM MODE! The impressive lighting and visuals created an epic mood as they battered their electronic drum pads in unison like a young 'Blue Man Group' before that fateful decorating accident (when presumably they were just called 'Man Group')

The individual musical achievements of edIT, Ooah and Boreta are unquestionable. They have pioneered the West Coast glitch hop scene, which is only now starting to get the recognition it deserves in this country. Whilst they have not found the perfect solution to the 'digital performance' problem that faces many of today’s electronic music producers, they have created an exciting and innovative way of delivering their music to an audience without just growing a floppy fringe, touching one of three buttons every four to five seconds and looking like a cunt.

Words Stephen merkoff

Photos by Von.