On August 15, Webster Hall might as well have been a location in London. The headliner was electronic British duo, Honne, that is just another pair of DJ’s, like Disclosure, readying to hypnotize American audiences. Their opener was the sultry songstress known as Jones. Both were like a high dosage of medicine to the soul, and bounced of each other’s musical goodness to create a whimsical night of romance at the NYC venue.
Honne
I find Honne a unique electronic duo. More than the many DJ’s I have heard recently, thanks to my Elements Fest bonanza this past weekend, they have a smooth romantic element to their music. I firmly believe every artist has something to offer, and in the growing world/ popularity of electro-pop, Honne has something great to give: the sweetness of love’s soul.
Someone That Loves You
Horne proudly played electronic-soul songs from their debut album Warm On A Cold Night, which is currently available. The album played across the massive crowd like a sugary love potion. I cannot go beyond the word romance to encompass how smoothly love entered our ear waves. Through tracks like, Woman or Coastal Love the crowd received a sonic template on love in its longings and joys. Yet, unlike other electronica, they did not try to make love’s bliss sensational as much as simple.
Warm On A Cold Night
I was mesmerized by the simplicity of Honne’s songs. Yes, they are “danceable”, but they are so beautiful in their capturing of love’s grace, you want to sway with them as if a music note could be a door to a happier place. There were moments where their songs made me want to close my eyes and let them hug my spirit. From holding hands to smiling at your partner or kissing your love casually on the lips, their tracks reminded audiences that love’s excitements is consistent and plenteous. Like The Lumineers, it is their music that makes their concert an automatic win, Listening to songs like All In The Valuewith a crowd of couples and chilled personalities is an insta-recipe for tranquil joy.
Jones
Jones may have opened for Honne, but she opened MY MIND!. Wow, wow, and wow. She gets a triple WOW lol! I relished her time on stage, and when compared to Honne, though she was a perfect balance between different and same. She was the same in that, like Honne, her music is born in electric soul, and the idea that R&B could never lose its heart no matter what amount of synthetic rhythms. Yet, it was her demeanor and still presence that had me fascinated.
Indulge
Jones approaches her stage and song like an angel with a message. She is riveting in her delicacy, and your soul twinkles at seeing her be so open with her frailty and flaws. If Honne focuses on the simplicity of love, Jones focuses on its details. She shows the pressure and pleasure of giving yourself to another human being, to which anyone could say, “Amen!”. Offering yourself to someone is the most heartbreaking/ heart-filling experience you can undergo. Still, what is important to note on Jones performance, is that she offers herself.
Melt
She is elegant in posture, which allows her vocals to emanate from her like a statue of love. It is her stillness and sprinkled lighting that makes her seem like a statue awakening to sing of her heart’s passionate desires and dreams. That type of presence and ability to ignite a natural mysticism about yourself is a powerful tool for an artist’s success. She might as well have been an orb of light singing to crowd, which makes me extremely excited for her musical future and musical debut, New Skin, in October.
Click here for more information onHonne. Click here for more information onJones.
