LIVE FROM THE PIT: Skynd

From the deepest depths, SKYND emerged with their unsettling, distorted sounds and haunting lyrics, to combine the two things they love the most – music and true crime. Formed by the vocalist Skynd and multi-instrumentalist Father, the project quickly began receiving recognition amongst everyone, who shared the same passion.

Coming back to London after two years, SKYND brought a special show, as there were no openers this night – only them headlining.With nineteen songs on the bill, the fans of the band were indeed in for a heated investigation.

Unusually, the set at the Electric Ballroom started an hour and a half after the doors, leaving plenty of time for everyone to arrive right on time. Before the set began, the crew briefly brought out a mini-Skynd doll on the stage, before taking her backstage again.

At once, the fog started filling up the stage and in no time, the lights dimmed down, causing a huge explosion of cheering amongst everyone present. The introductory tape-track blasted through the speakers, while Skynd, Father and their touring drummer made a haste to present themselves to the night’s crowd, transitioning into the first song of the night – Michelle Carter. For the first three songs, Skynd remained stationary by her microphone stand, relying solemnly on her gestures and face, which was definitely not a bad thing, as her presence alone, coupled with her powerful vocals, filled the room with no issues. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtjRRtL-NiE

For their third song – Tamara Samsonova, the vocalist was clothed in a long golden-black cloth that brought her usual industrial look a different silhouette. The song is SKYND’s latest crime investigation and has been received by the audience very warmly, as they already knew all the lyrics to it. And it is to no surprise, as both the text and the beat get stuck in your head very easily.

Continuing with their back-catalogue hits, as well as some newer work, the vocalist started moving more around the stage, and even bringing out props in some instances. By casting a different perspective on some of the biggest cases in history – Andrei Chikatilo, John Wayne Gacy, Richard Ramirez and Mary Bell are just few of the many examples, and extensively using vocal distortions and effects, SKYND created their own ‘dark pop’, that has not been seen anywhere else, and sounds even more impressive in the live setting. Father’s presence allowed for complex melodies with the use of guitars and keyboards, which are an integral component in the band’s overall work and contributed significantly to their success.

Once the performance reached a certain point and the almost entrancing song Jim Jones took over, it was obvious there were not many songs left to be played. For the whole night, Skynd has not spoken a single word – apart from a very quiet, almost unnoticed “thank you”, but instead let her artistry speak for itself. 

Closing the night with her best-known songs Tyler Hadley and Mikhail Popkov, and a following outro, the London investigation was an excellent success, as the audience also confirmed with their unending applause. SKYND have been back to London every time they get a chance since their first headline show there in 2019 and it is no wonder why, as the capital loves their macabre music and mystery aesthetics.

Words and photos: Katerina Stepanikova