Jonathan More More and Matt Black, aka Coldcut, are generally recognised as one of the most influential production/remix partnerships the British dance music scene has ever seen.
The pair were there at the very start when, in 1987, they made the UK's first-ever sample-built record, Say Kids, What Time Is It?. They have pursued a relentlessly innovative and independent career ever since, pushing the boundaries of technology and music with their releases on Ninja Tune, their label, which is also home to artists such as Roots Manuva.
Not only at the cutting-edge of sound production for 20 years, the pair have also pioneered a form of "visual scratching", developing video-mixing software they call VJamm. This has extended their cut-andpaste philosophy to dazzle the eye as well as the ear, providing them with the ability to playfully present images reflecting their political and artistic views along with their music.
This was how the crowd at the Corn Exchange were introduced to the DJ/producers, as a huge screen behind them displayed a glitching short film of Andy Warhol winking, which gradually dissolved into a fast-moving galaxy of stars and planets.
The applause grew as the Earth appeared, growing ever closer, until the virtual camera zoomed down onto the South Coast of England, into Brighton and right over the Dome complex before giving way to psychedelically stammering images of Jimi Hendrix, Baloo from The Jungle Book and Tony Blair announcing to Parliament that the lunatics had taken over the asylum.
New album Sound Mirrors is, as ever for More and Black, a schizophrenic collection encompassing house, drum 'n' bass, garage and pop, and one of its highlights - a cover of Willie Hightower's Walk A Mile In My Shoes, with vocals by House legend Robert Owens - was presented live to great effect.
Nevertheless, this was not a total triumph, with the technology that enables Coldcut's presentation forming a barrier between them and their fans, despite the energetic efforts of MCs Juice Aleem and Mike Ladd to humanise proceedings.
Their relentlessly fractured beats and genrehopping approach allowed little opportunity for the crowd to find a groove they could dance to for long, and the entire performance, curiously, lacked soul.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article