When NME attends Mk.gee’s Electric Brixton show on October 29, it marks the first of a three night residency at the iconic venue. Garnering buzz for his critically acclaimed album ‘Two Star & The Dream Police’, Mk.gee has racked up co-signs from Frank Ocean and collaborated with Dijon, Omar Apollo and more for his nostalgic soundscapes that fuses soft ’80s rock songs with indie rock, R&B and psychedelia.
The air is palpable when NME arrives at Electric Brixton. “He is so talented” one fan whispers, whilst others boast that they’ve secured tickets for all three dates. Finally, Mk.gee makes his entrance with a thrilling introduction of ‘Dream Police’: opening with the moody, synth-heavy chords, the track evokes echoes of classic rock blended with refreshing contemporary R&B. Mk.gee’s voice, drenched in a smoky, buttery tone, fills the room with a nostalgic resonance, transporting us back to the ’80s while grounding us firmly in the present. At this point, there are only spotlights on him and guitarist Andrew Aged, creating an entrancing opening to his set.
Mk.gee’s performance feels like a gathering — an almost religious experience, a shared moment of reverence in rhythm. It’s as though everyone is tuned into a deeper frequency, meditatively drawn together by the soulful riffs, wind-chime-esque keys, and hypnotic drums of songs like ‘How many miles’ and ‘I Want’. Each note struck in both songs feels like a call to something personal yet collective, and the music is reminiscent of a church congregation – each time Mk.gee performs, he builds up the track by adding each instrument one at a time instead of compiling everything at once.
Throughout the performance, Mk.gee’s emotional guitar playing is captivating, blending textured melodies and synths from Aged with engaging drum patterns from drummer Zack Sekoff. Performing a medley of songs, including ‘Candy’, ‘Alesis’, and ‘Rylee & I’, the performance flows seamlessly from upbeat tracks to more reflective moments, keeping us engaged and immersed as each song unfolds.
The set crescendoes with ‘Are You Looking Up’, marked by soft orange lights; as the stage darkens for a slow, engaging build, it explodes with bright white lights that flicker and surge as the crowd energetically dances. It is an increasingly spiritual experience when Mk.gee belts out emotive, contemplative lyrics like “are you asking why?” or “I still question all my mistakes”. After a final blackout, calls for the encore begin in earnest: “One more song! One more song!” reverberate off the Electric’s walls. Mk.gee and the band deliver one last unforgettable performance of ‘Alesis,’ and the crowd’s cheers echo long after the music stops.
Mk.gee played:
‘Dream police’
‘How many miles’
‘You got it’
‘Candy’
‘Lonely Fight’
‘New Low’
‘I Want’
‘Rylee & I’
‘DNM’
‘ROCKMAN’
‘Breakthespell’
‘Are You Looking Up’
‘Little Bit More’
‘Alesis’
‘ROCKMAN’