TEMPLES lighten up Hackney’s Oslo.

Temples are back and we have missed them.

From mystical tunes of the intro the feeling of something special is in the air. As Temples‘ frontman James Bagshaw enters the centre of the stage, and familiar cords to Colours Of Life fill the room, the crowd is already captured.

“It’s good to be back. It’s been too long” – Bagshaw announces to an audience that definitely agrees. The band has just emerged from their studio exile and brought along some new tunes to share this evening. This includes recently released single, Certainty. The heavy synth and guitar balances perfectly in this melodic new tune, though it is a hint of a darker twist we haven’t quite heard from Temples before, exciting to see what comes next.

New melodies, it appears, sit just as tight as old, and by third track – the mesmerizing Sun Structure – it is clear that in spite of time away, Temples haven’t lost their magic. The guys have the crowd in the palm of their hand by now, and James Bagshaw speaks the truth when he claims they’re “glad to be back”. We can all feel it and the joy is contagious.

When Move With The Seasons comes on it is one of those magical moments. The ones that got you into music in the first place. The kind of moment that sucks you in and lets you feel the music as a physical power surrounding you. It’s only you and the band now. Samuel Toms‘ drumwork and Thomas Walmsley’s evolving basslines harmonise in a relentless way, laying out the foundation that carries this song and transforms it into such a live experience. Move With The Seasons distorts into a sea of noise and sound, which by the end has the audience transfixed.

Temples are one of those bands that demands your full attention, and even when presenting new material such as Mirror, Ankh or Strange Or Be Forgotten, they don’t lose their grip. It’s not for nothing that Temples were mentioned as one of the best new British bands when they first came out.

The band experienced great success with their debut album Sun Structure, and though the set consists of a mere majority of tunes originating from this album, Temples don’t shy away from airing out new material. Their sophomore studio album is rumoured to be released early 2017, and judging by the material we’ve seen tonight it is one to be excited about.

A stoic band such as Temples can, during their more far out musical moments, alienate their audience, yet they mysteriously manage to bring in the whole room to share their psychedelic world, making even the most dreamlike spell of their musical explorations count to their advantage.

It is something about Temples‘ stage presence that seems so effortlessly natural, and still you know that this is a band with an eye for details. During Mesmerise, the bass tension in the verse combined with vocal harmonies in the course and a brilliant guitar bride all prove Temples‘ conscious presence in everything they do. With James Bagshaw playing the role of charismatic frontman to the point, the whole set still feels heartfelt.

Last song before the encore is Shelter Song, a danceable dream. And with true gratitude Bagshaw thanks everyone for coming.

Finishing off the evening with A Question Isn’t Answered and a triumph performance of Sand Dance that can make anyone dance Temples keep class all the way, and with the promise that the next album is “far better than the first record” (if that’s possible) we can go home and wait.

The people at Oslo tonight have witnessed something close to magical, and Temples will for sure not play stages this size much longer now.

Photos: Aurora Henni Krogh