Beth Orton's Bold New Sound Dazzles Brighton

Beth Orton captivated audiences at Brighton's Concorde 2 with a performance heavily featuring material from her two most recent albums, 'The Ground Above' and 'Weather Alive'. This marked a significant departure from her earlier, more acoustically focused work, signaling a deliberate artistic shift towards experimental and dancefloor-influenced sounds that began in the mid-2010s.

Orton's set leaned into innovative arrangements, with tracks like the title song from 'The Ground Above' blending ambient synths and jazz-infused drum 'n' bass. Her vocals were treated as another instrument, sometimes intentionally mangled to enhance the sonic texture. Collaborators included bassist Tom Herbert and pianist Sam Beste, with trumpeter Christos Stylianides adding a distinctive, often heavily effected, layer to the sound.

The performance explored mature themes such as sleepless nights and the passage of time, yet concluded with an anthemic sense of optimism. The audience responded rapturously, embracing Orton's contemporary, adventurous musical direction and celebrating an artist in her mid-50s producing career-defining work.