It’s hip hop like you’ve never heard before.

We took a trip down to Birthdays in Dalston to catch the Taiwanese artist Aristophanes on the London date of her European tour.

Backed by a producer on a Macbook her live setup is simplistic to say the least. Adjusting the mic stand, Aristophanes says “I have an incredible producer here with me tonight,” pointing backwards before facing the crowd. “Okay, let’s start this”.

Delving into the first song, it is a juxtaposition between the crushing depth of her hefty electronic backdrop and the femininity with freakish playfulness Aristophanes evokes through her vocals. Her fluid linguistic conjures an emotive aspect that feels crystal clear in her tunes, in spite of them being lyrically impenetrable  for all listeners not gifted with the understanding of Mandarin.

Her playful seductiveness showcases attitudes that are somewhat far-fetched in the western world, yet her reassuring power and ownership of her own femininity is universally translatable and inspiring.

Taking us on a journey through a song inspired by her hometown, Aristophanes sways into a more liquid production. Through the language barrier we still pick up a sense of distinct intonation in her voice, drawing on the sensitivity in each listener’s own associations, luring us into the hypnotic musical universe of Aristophanes.

Carrying on she introduces a line of two songs, which both are results from her collaborations with Arcade Fires’ own Will Butler. These melodies bring forth a more poppy approach and she encourages the crowd to dance with her as the melodic backdrop escalates into danceable cool vibes. “Sorry I need to do this again” she says as she reaches a wrong turn halfway through the verse of the song.

By starting over Aristophanes invites into an endearing space of personal honesty. The lack of lingual understanding creates a sense of abstract relativism. The essential lack of a definable focus forces the listener to search for texture, patterns and arrangements without the need for external explanation through lyricism, making the melodies in relation to her vocals equally capturing.

From the poppier edginess of her Will Butler collaborations we emerge into the dripping tar black wickedness of Human Becomes Machines. Her sinister magnetism pours out through her vocals over the post-apocalyptic soundscape of the tune, highlighting her ability to emotionally charge her vocals and by this setting different tone throughout the set.

“The next song I think you might know and if you can scream, scream with me.” Scream the absurd collaborating between her and Grimes that initially brought her to the surface of the musical underground. The possessive cut resurrects something instinctive and primal simply though the act of really letting go into a scream.

“You guys are amazing”, she shines, shaking of the spirits that seem to take hold. Finishing off the set in a controversial manner with a song about sexual harassment and rape, it’s a heavy note to provide closure. The song entitled Stop pulses like a bleeding wound and though her intoxicating avant-garde style of rap shines as bright as ever, it leaves me with a weird feeling as I emerge from the concert venue a few minutes later.

It’s been a surreal, marvellous and otherworldly show in every sense, and though it ended on a heavier note than anticipated it was definitely something truly giving.

Photos: Aurora Henni Krogh