“Cosmic exploration. Spiritual transformation. Unbridled spontaneity” – Pigeon
When you first listen to Pigeon’s new album OUTTANATIONAL you might be forgiven for thinking it was recorded in one of the famous recording studios in Jamaica or L.A., but this album is the product of Margate on the Kent coast of England, recorded in the Albion Rooms and Big Jelly Studios. The band are Falle Nioke (vocals, percussion), Graham Godfrey (drums), Josh Ludow (bass), Steve Pringle (keys, synths) and Tom Dream (guitar). From the opening bars of opening track ‘NRG’ there is a joyful bounce that starts to fill you up like helium, a sense of being lifted from the mundane into the magnificent. You immediately know you are listening to something special and the rest of the album does not deviate from this idea.
The band have not confined themselves to one style, everything sounds like Pigeon, but you feel that the disparate backgrounds of the musicians has allowed styles to overlap and meld into a cohesive whole. Much of the writing came from improvisation and I had no problem imagining the band jamming in a rehearsal studio, building grooves and realising they have struck gold with their music. Drummer Graham Godfrey says, ““The band chemistry was immediately undeniable. We knew we were onto something special.”
This incredible kaleidoscope of influences is what dazzles on OUTTANATIONAL, from the feel of Joy Division’s ‘She’s Lost Control’ on ‘Black James Dean’ or the 8-bit motorik propulsion of ‘Miami’ which reminded me of Brighton’s AK/DK (the title refers to the “unglamorous skyline of Margate“ which Nioke says is just like Miami “If you close your eyes”). There are moments on many tracks that call to mind Grace Jones collaborations with Sly and Robbie on albums like Slave to the Rhythm but I also heard the pulsating disco of Sylvester on ‘Mirror Test’ and the driving analogue/electronic optimism of DEVO on ‘Future Country’.
Whatever I hear in the music of Pigeon is obviously subjective but as mentioned earlier the cohesion is remarkable. Being able to mix styles but retain your own sound is the panacea for artists; think about Bowie’s ability to absorb funk, soul, new romanticism and leftfield but still be Bowie. I have long been a fan of Falle Nioke since I heard ‘Wonama yo ema’, his collaboration with Sir Was from 2021. He can shift between French, English, Susu, Fulani, Malinke and Coniagui languages and sits at the core of Pigeon’s sound punching through with the power of Baaba Maal (as in ‘Caramel’ the album’s final track) or floating with the silky smoothness of Blick Bassy.
With OUTTANATIONAL Pigeon have made a strong contender for one of my albums of the year. Repeated listens only serve to strengthen my love for their music, and with each play I hear something I hadn’t noticed before which only adds to the delight it brings. I hope this is the first of many releases from a band whose motto is “No matter the obstacle we have to fly”. They do more than fly they soar, even the sky is not the limit.
Pigeon: Bandcamp | Instagram | YouTube
LIVE:
14 May – The Great Escape Festival, Brighton, UK
02 Sep – Wilderness Festival, Oxfordshire, UK
03 – 06 Sep – End Of The Road Festival, Larmer Tree Gardens, Dorset, UK
02 Dec – The Dome, London, UK
03 Dec – Strange Brew, Bristol, UK
Band photograph by Andreia Lemos
Review by Paul F Cook
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