Out of all the new bands to have emerged under the post-punk label within the past couple of years, GHUM is so far one of the most intriguing in my opinion. The fact that its four members hail from Spain, Brazil, London and Malaysia already makes for a diverse line-up, but what really sets them apart is the way their ‘ghost grunge’ atmospherics embrace  the darker side of sound and emotion. Where better to catch them live, then, than at the Hug and Pint with support from two of Glasgow’s own names?

If a group of individuals coming together over a “shared love of riot grrrl, Hole, Misfits and 60s girl bands” sounds wildly outrageous, that’s because it is. Despite their glamorous look, opening act Curdle’s ‘trippy riot pop’ features tongue-in-cheek titles like ‘Dave Gahan is such a love butt’, and they sure do make plenty of references to corpses too. As self-taught musicians Wiggy, Sarah, Clare and Lucy create psychedelic harmonies humming along to ‘Knock’ - a song about finding a severed head - tracks like ‘In My Car’ meanwhile deliver raw noise that really packs a punch (it’s also probably the first time I’ve ever seen a guitar be played with a knife or a theremin being used during a live set, for that matter). I’d heard a lot about Curdle as a local band and had to yet to experience them for myself, but after tonight I can definitely see what the hype is about.

Speaking of hype, Aufbau Principle and their ‘caustic and doomed post-punk’ are another revelation in their own right. There’s something about the drawn-out nature of tracks like ‘And the bleeding is slow’ and ‘Hedonist’ off their "ABATTOIR" EP that’s strangely soothing despite their spooky feel and monotone vocals, especially in the way Kieran and Qaiyyum expand on each other’s guitar melodies during instrumental passages. That, and the fact that along with Nicola on bass and Ruth on drums, all four of them are so deeply focused and in sync with each other it’s uncanny. Just as you’re lulled into a false sense of security, however, songs like ‘Romance’ pick up the pace while others build up into an aggressive wall of sound that can barely be contained in such a small venue. Aufbau Principle are essentially every bit as cool as their name suggests and might just be one of Glasgow’s best-kept secrets, so they’re absolutely worth adding to your radar.

You could almost be forgiven for thinking the crowd had come exclusively for the support acts, but there’s still a reason why GHUM are the headliners of the night. Word about them has clearly been spreading given the turnout, and as Laura, Marina, Jojo and Vicki step out onto the stage under dim blue lighting it’s like seeing an apparition in the moonlight. 

At first they almost come across as cautious with Laura holding back on her voice during ‘Get Up’, but once they’ve warmed up after two tracks, something takes over. From the thunderous intensity of ‘Shallow’ to the defiant line “a thousand men can’t keep me safe” in ‘1000 Men’, GHUM give it their all to the point where each member onstage stands out as a unique part of a whirlwind whole, be it Laura’s strained, husky vocals and non-stop dancing, Jojo’s hair-raising guitar tone, Vicki’s scattered drumming or Marina’s gothic basslines. 

Despite several attempts on my part at getting a decent shot, it honestly feels like an insult not to be giving them my full undivided attention with every second that passes. New song ‘Kalifornia’ is another highlight, and as they end their set with ‘Saturn’ – a favourite of mine off their recent EP The Coldest Fire – it just goes to show that eight tracks are enough to achieve a rock solid performance. GHUM's music may be chilling, but this band has a burning passion for what they do that cannot be extinguished. With a bit of luck, they'll hopefully be sticking around for a while. 
GHUM, Aufbau Principle & Curdle at The Hug and Pint, 16/07/19

Brutal Resonance