Tirzah Mastin does things at her own pace. After 2013’s acclaimed single I’m Not Dancing, she took five years – and had a baby – before releasing her debut album. Still, 2018’s Devotion proved worth the wait, rescuing the art of the love song from the tyranny of schmaltzy balladeers and gooey singer-songwriters. Instead, the 31-year-old print designer frames her woozy, hazily semi-mumbled ruminations on romance over fractured R&B and disembodied dub.
This gig mirrors her musical career by taking time to fully get going. Wearing a sweatshirt reading “DEEP”, Tirzah sings while staring concentratedly at the ceiling. There are long pauses between songs and discussions with long-time collaborators Mica Levi (AKA Micachu) and Coby Sey before things break down completely. However, with technical difficulties conquered, a glorious second half presents a new musical lexicon of love.
With keyboard, drum machine and Sey’s occasional guitar and vocal, abstract hymns to guilt, uncertainty, affection or devotion form dreamlike collages of sound and emotion. Say When – which combines loss and piano reminiscent of Virginia Astley’s work – is truly lovely. Basic Need asks, “Could you blame me for wanting to move on from you?”, but offers forgiveness. Contrarily, Affection is all hypnotically repeated notes and lyrically closing doors (“You threw it all away with your confessions”).
Gladly is the closest she comes to a conventional banger, and the crowd seize the opportunity to turn the soulful “All I want is you” hook into a gently euphoric singsong. By now, Tirzah’s complete lack of anything affected or showbiz is amusing, endearing and compelling. She just stands there, gazes some more at that ceiling, and out comes this mesmeric noise.
• At Scala, London, 23-25 April. Then touring.
