Recalling the heady psychedelic era of the 1960s and 70s, East London based The Future Shape of Sound are a diva collective playing crime gospel and primitive blues, succinctly described by a fan as “a beautiful gris-gris explosion of goodness”.
Influenced by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Clara Ward Singers, Hasil Adkins and Slim Harpo as well as northern soul and blues, their music takes the best of the genres with a decidedly contemporary spin.
The band is the brainchild of production wizard Alex McGowan whose Space East Recording Studio has welcomed artists Jah Wobble, Josh Homme, Mark Lanegan and many more.
McGowan aka ‘Captain Future’ is joined by Stuart ‘Lodekka’ Dace whose credentials include saxophone on Primal Scream’s classic album ‘Screamadelica’, alongside McGowan and further members Amani Zarroug, Suri Sumatra, Duncan DeMorgan, Andy Marvell, Barney Green, Valerie Thompson, Chezelle Wilson-Williams, Kim Jobson and Fay Francis taking up other duties.
Their single ‘Toe The Line’ received air time on the likes of BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2, while their latest offering ‘Rise Up (feat. Sister Cookie)’ released on Brighton label Freshly Squeezed Music sums up their rip-roaringly infectious approach to gospel and blues music. They’ll be taking to the festival with all 10 members including four gospel backing singers, so be prepared for a raucous performance.