Glastonbury Festival

Breaks wizards from Oz

The Glade's burgeoning reputation as breaks central has clearly spread throughout the world. Among the less-well-known acts appearing there this year were Infusion, a three-piece who came to Glastonbury all the way from Australia. On the evidence of their set, they may soon grab a bit more of the limelight.

Infusion aren't totally unkown over here -- they have put out a few well-received tracks on Adam Freeland's Marine Parade label. A typically enthusiastic Glade crowd lapped up their mix of crisp and chunky breaks, male vocals and mad, multi-peaked analog knob-twiddling.

Starting off with a big beat-style, electro-tinged track, and moving through a selection that confirmed Infusion -- Frank, Jamie and Manuel -- are serious breakbeat craftsmen and love their analogs, they attacked their assembled kit with a vast amount of energy, which visibly transferred itself to the music. You expect Aussies to know how to have fun and they were clearly enjoying themselves. The crowd, needless to say, responded.

Afterwards, the band revealed that they have just wrapped a new album which, they say, will be called "Six feet above yesterday". We didn't have the heart to ask them what that means, alas, but it has been picked up by major label BMG. According to Infusion's Frank, it will be: "A downbeat album with fucked-up vocals". It's too early to be able to provide a UK release date, so keep your eyes skinned.

During their 45-minute Glade set, they only played one track from the album, but "downbeat" didn't seem an enormously apt description, although it was slower than the rest of their set, and married vocals with electronics that were distinctly on the epic side.

Glastonbury virgins, Infusion seemed to be enjoying the festival -- Frank said: "This is the best-organised festival we have ever been to". Earlier, they had played the Radio One stage, rolling out a set which is more representative of their new album, but they professed to have enjoyed the Glade gig -- where the crowd was more knowledgeable and appreciative -- more. Having kicked up a storm Down Under, Infusion are now majored-up and heading for your living room.

Steve Boxer

Glade 2002

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James Holden

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