Clutching the microphone as though it were a vital lifeline, Dijon commanded the stage at Brixton Academy in a performance that felt both intimate and expansively ambitious. The US singer-songwriter, recently nominated for Producer of the Year at the Grammys for his album Baby and work with Justin Bieber, transformed the venue into a laboratory of sound over two sold-out nights.
A Joyous Jam Session Atmosphere
The first night had the distinct feel of a joyous, spontaneous jam session among close friends. The musicians on stage displayed remarkable attentiveness to one another, creating an environment where passion flowed freely and without inhibition. This sense of camaraderie underpinned the entire evening, making the large venue feel surprisingly personal.
From Bedroom R&B to Experimental Soundscapes
Dijon's musical journey has evolved from the bedroom R&B of his debut album Absolutely to the more experimental pop mindset of Baby. His Brixton performance masterfully blended these phases, opening with Big Mike's, Another Baby! and Many Times in quick succession. The setlist spanned an impressive 21 songs across two hours, demonstrating both stamina and creative ambition.
The stage setup itself hinted at the musical complexity to come. Rather than a typical R&B arrangement, Dijon employed an arsenal more commonly associated with electronic progressive rock: multiple soundboards and decks, a vast array of synthesisers, live drum kit, electric guitar and bass, violin, and backing vocals. This unconventional instrumentation created a unique sonic palette that defied easy categorization.
Genre-Blending Whiplash
Dijon's ability to blend disparate influences created moments of delightful musical whiplash. Scratching emerged as a particularly striking example, merging King Krule's distinctive style with echoes of Simon and Garfunkel, emphasized by the unexpected presence of live banjo and tambourine. This willingness to cross genre boundaries became a defining characteristic of the performance.
The middle section of the show, featuring seven songs including The Dress, maintained energy though occasionally felt more conventional. A notable exception came when Sam Amidon followed Annie with an Appalachian-sounding jig sung and played on violin, providing a folksy interlude amidst the electronic textures.
Stagecraft and Sonic Transformation
The performance's turning point arrived with (Referee), as smoke carpeted the stage and lights dimmed dramatically – the first deliberate use of theatrical stagecraft. Guitarists transitioned to synth pads, constructing an eerie, futurist soundscape that swelled and collapsed in grungy chords. Despite the electronic instrumentation, the music retained an earthy, deeply emotional quality.
On Rewind, this emotional intensity reached near-anger levels of passion. The performance awakened fully at this juncture, with TV Blues and Talk Down incorporating industrial sounds as rhythmic devices. These tracks featured phased and filtered elements without consistent hi-hat rhythms, creating an oozing, glutted sonic atmosphere that felt both challenging and immersive.
A Cinematic Conclusion
The show concluded with Yamaha, Automatic and Kindalove, evoking the nostalgic atmosphere of a 1980s prom as mirrorball lights illuminated the starry-eyed crowd. The encore brought a particularly poignant moment during Rodeo Clown, as a clarinettist played over the track before the noise gradually diminished.
Finally, all that remained was Dijon's voice, lit by a single spotlight, in the now-familiar silhouette of him hanging off his microphone. This visually sparse but sonically rich conclusion elevated Dijon's discography to another plane entirely, rendered almost unrecognisable by its fearless auteurism.
At Brixton Academy on 23 January, Dijon demonstrated why his Grammy nomination is well-deserved, delivering a performance that was both technically ambitious and emotionally raw. The show proved that even within the crowded landscape of contemporary R&B, there remains room for genuine innovation and boundary-pushing artistry.
