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The basement of the recently renamed Queen Of Hoxton, formerly known as Industry, is a favourite venue
for major label industry showcases that's already seen Delphic, Filthy Dukes and Crystal Fighters
flaunt their wares since it opened five months ago.
Erik Hassle's Scandinavian contemporaries offer different styles of
perky pop, whether it's edgy (Robyn), indie (Lykke Li)
or simply commercial (Alphabeat). In comparison, Hassle's material turned out
to be surprisingly middle-of-the-road.
With 1980s influences all around at the moment, and with the likes
of Frankmusik and Dan Black trying to match the girls
for derivative electro-pop, it was down to Hassle were to provide
something interesting. But with a series of
mid-tempo tunes and an occasional synth flourish, this was more
Cutting Crew than Depeche Mode.
Some tracks made more impact than others. Towards the
end of the set, Love Me To Pieces was great, injecting
some energy into the set and standing out as an addictive slice of
hook-laden power-pop. Big sweeping love song Headfall also cut it
and gave Hassle a chance to demonstrate his voice's power.
But too much was unmemorable. Even current single Don't Bring
Flowers After I'm Dead was underwhelming, and while the songs
were generally easy on the appealing they didn't make enough
of an impact. They could fall into the "guilty pleasure" category, but
The Script kept coming to mind. As it turns out, Hassle has supported them on tour.
Hassle's material has a touch more flair than The Script
generally offer, but those of us hoping that this 20-year-old would
provide something younger and fresher were left disappointed.
As a performer he engaged minimally with the crowd, and it didn't
feel like there was too much of a connection. He may still be young
and possibly a little nervous, but as the short set came to a close
there was a mere ripple of applause before he was gone.
And yet Hassle's music is the kind that could go huge. It will appeal to a
huge demographic who will enjoy the straightforward, predictable
nature of his tunes. Expect to see a lot of him in the
coming months, but equally don't be too surprised if it all passes you by completely.
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