LIVE: Metronomy @ Colour Factory, London (Pitchfork Festival London)

Metronomy have been a mainstay of British indie pop for about a decade now since 2011’s The English Riviera established the then-four-piece as premium purveyors of prismatic 'indietronica'. But there’s always an air of them making a ‘comeback’ despite being virtually ever-present. 

Even their recent single ‘It’s good to be back’ would suggest they’ve been dormant for several years - I guess they just bloody love to perform live. Based on the tightly-packed crowd eager to hear a slice of their newest material at London’s Colour Factory, they were in darn good company. 

Billed as an album launch show for impending seventh studio album Small World, the Brighton-formed band pulled out a hefty selection of hits for the Pitchfork Festival London attendees alongside the thousands of remote livestream viewers dialling in for a desktop dance. 

Transforming the Colour Factory into a suitably colourful candy store of delicious synths and “bah bah bah’s” for over an hour, they fed off the palpably child-like enthusiasm from the off. They were clearly buzzed to be playing their first post-pandemic gig, and it was fuckin’ jovial as they trialled new song ‘Love Factory’ before satiating the crowd with tried-and-tested bangers in ‘Everything Goes My Way’, ‘Night Owl’ and ‘The Bay’.

Hackney Wick became a home-from-home for the former Brightonians, feeling their way through the thudding power pop anthems from their newest album in between the popcorn-like rhythms and sugary shine of ‘Corinne’, ‘The Look’, and aptly named ‘Salted Caramel Ice Cream’.

The continually undulating (and most definitely over-packed) audience evidently appreciated the preview of new tracks, and despite Small World being set for release next year, Metronomy ensured the aftertaste would linger until its due date by finishing on ‘Hold me tonight’.

“We haven’t met yet… Everyone feeling good?” Joe Mount tentatively asked each and every bobbing Pitchfork enthusiast, admitting he’s “re-learning” how to interact after months away from the live realm. By the set’s finisher there were plenty of chants for “one more song”, which made it crystal clear the Metronomy-induced sugar-rush was still in full flow.

Small World is out on 18th February, 2022 via Because Music.