Un-Cut

After a very disappointing live performance in the Movement/The End Arena at last year's Homelands, I went to see Manchester's soulful drum n bass collective, Un-Cut, but with some misgivings.



They were first up on the Live Stage this year. Having scored a massive underground hit with drum n bass anthem "Midnight", Un-Cut are now jumping at the heels of mainstream success with their new album, The Un-Calculated Some, due out on 30th June. Their short seven song set showed much promise, with front woman Jenna G's awesome voice and stage presence never failing to impress, but I personally felt their set lacked the sparkle I had been hoping for.



The band's new material is more RnB-tinged than the drum n bass fans who bought Un-Cut's best-known record will perhaps entirely appreciate, but that is not to say it is without merit. The newer, more laid-back Un-Cut sound has much in common with The Fugees', The Score, as their new single "Fallin'" will attest, while other tracks offered more of a dub reggae direction.

Their set was competent throughout, but relied too heavily upon pre-recorded samples to really excite musically. Although Jenna was able to energise the audience with her magnetic stage presence and massive vocal talent, I couldn't help but feel that the masses had come to see her sing, while the presence of producers 2D and Darren Lewis, a.k.a. Future Cut was little more than a mediocre backing track.



Un-Cut's set was consistently album-perfect and the band showed great promise, but they will need to start adding a bit more than just live vocals and bass to their performances before they really start to grab anyone's attention as a live act.

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