Pumarosa have been enjoying an exciting couple of years since bursting onto the scene in 2015 and releasing their debut album ‘The Witch’ in May of this year.
The support act titled Versis was on the complete opposite end of the musical spectrum to Pumarosa, this was one of the more interesting supports act I’ve seen to say the least. If enthusiastic and glitchy non-conformist electro are your thing then this is the guy for you, armed with a laptop of his pre-recorded songs and a plethora of dance moves that were thrilling to watch. His upbeat performance left the audience feeling cheerful and wondering what they had just watched.
Pumarosa come on and the mood is set, they create a melancholic ambience, their sound seems such a perfect fit for the intimacy of The Cluny. Opening with ‘Dragonfly’- a bit of a slow burner and seeming hollow in parts- they set a moody tone for the evening. However, they manage so effortlessly to combine the ethereal and punk sound they are so famed for.
Their sound seems such a perfect fit for the intimacy of The Cluny
The opening chords to ‘Barefoot’ begin and the mood begins to elevate thanks to the soft crescendo, as front woman Isabel Munoz-Newsome provides shadowy vocals reminiscent of a young PJ Harvey. ‘Priestess’ was definitely the standout song of the show with this 7-minute anthem, invoking passion and singing from the crowd, accompanied by Isabel’s bewitchingly captivating dancing.
Ending the set with ‘Snake’ before coming back for a much-anticipated encore was met with overwhelming applause from the audience. Their penultimate track is a cover of ‘Hothouse’ by post punk outfit The Sound, drawing away from the rock and bringing their own electro sound to it. They ultimately ended on a euphoric high with ‘My Gruesome Loving Friend’ to a satisfied and content audience.
A slightly slow start but steadily upping their game to end on a high note. I went into this gig expecting good things after seeing them play an incredible set at Glastonbury this summer and I was not at all disappointed. Pumarosa will definitely be making more waves in 2018.