Photos by Joshua Chia
Unsound Festival returned for a second year as part of Luminato last weekend, opening the previously abandoned Hern Generating Station to the general public once again. The venue is nothing less than stunning, boasting a dilapidated industrial atmosphere which is completely unique in Toronto. The programming elevated this already captivating environment, combining performances from disparate genres such as drone metal, footwork and grime, while managing to maintain a coherent, dark atmosphere. Headliners for the first night were seattle drone outfit Sunn O))), and the London heavyweight The Bug, with footwork acts Jlin and RP Boo taking the reins in the side room.
Entering the side room was an assault on the senses. Smoke filled the space almost completely, obscuring the performers on stage and intensifying the blue white lights which pulsated into the audience. Although I missed out on most of the performers in the smaller space, I did catch some of Lotic’s set earlier in the night and was treated to a brazenly multi-genre mix which changed tempo almost constantly. Finishing off the night in the side room were footwork acts Jlin and RP Boo, both of whom I was sad to miss.
Moving to the main stage area, it was difficult to miss the ferocity of the sound system. While watching Sunn O))) I could feel my internal organs pulsate, a strange sensation to say the least. This also had the benefit that you could wander much of the venue and enjoy the various art installations while listening to the music. One space boasted a 8-metre wide mirror ball scattering light onto the steel walls, while elsewhere there was a massive illuminated bed with sea-anemone like tendrils emanating from the ceiling.
From their first notes, Sunn O))) created an intimidating soundscape. The band are famous for the pure volume they construct, and this performance was no different. The vibrations I felt wash over the crowd as the the bass built were unlike anything I have experienced at a show before. The guttural, jarring sounds constructed by the band also worked amazingly well in the industrial atmosphere, seeming to fill the cavernous expanse of Hern against all odds. After wandering the venue, I returned to the stage to see one of the bands vocalists kitted out in a Mad Max-esque spiked mirror suit, the perfect accompaniment to their captivating sound.
The Bug’s London Zoo received great fanfare when it was released in 2008. Combining elements of dancehall, dub, dubstep and grime, the album was widely embraced within both the dubstep and grime scenes, as well as gaining critical success. The producer stepped on stage a little late around 2am and launched into a distorted rendition of ‘Fuck a Bitch’ from 2014’s Angels and Devils. The crowd took a few songs to get moving after the meditative drone of Sunn O))), but by the time vocalist Flowdan was ushered on to the stage, the dance floor was moving nicely. The highlight of the set was undoubtedly the song Skeng from the aforementioned London Zoo. Flowdan’s rumbling, baritone style of MCing matches the tracks distorted, bassy production to illicit a dark, industrial atmosphere which felt at home in the abandoned power plant. The Bug alternated between Flowdan and the Israeli vocalist Miss Red for much of his set, which kept the beats interesting, and the audience engaged.
Both Sunn O))) and The Bug put on performances which worked amazingly well in the space and will stay with me for a long time to come. It also needs to be said that the venue itself was one of the stars of the night. You can stop and look up at literally any point inside Hern and lose yourself in the dilapidated magnificence of the venue. Hopefully Luminato and Unsound will be able to secure the space for many years to come.
