FS 2019 | Origins: A Music Review
Article by: Marco Marcelline
(Left: photo from IG: @proquow; Right: photo by Lightbox.)
FS 2019 dared to be different. Creativity was embraced and explored in ways which have not been seen in previous shows, and this came through the music that was on blast from start to finish.
Funnily enough, the highlight of the show was not the clothes or the multitude of spectacular bodies on display. It was the music. St Andrews’ own JQuow tore the house (or more aptly, tent) down with his stunning set. Running across the stage, while simultaneously spitting some heavy bars, he injected a blistering stream of riotous energy into the crowd which was keenly returned by those in it. The track in question that he performed, ‘.JUUG’, was clearly heavily inspired by his home city of New York and the melodic trap elements from Atlanta that have seeped their way into East Coast hip-hop.
JQuow’s set was performed in a style reminiscent of legendary artists, such as A Boogie and the late Speaker Knockerz, who both pioneered singing over dark trap beats. JQuow effortlessly did the same, and his performance brought New York to Fife. For those ten minutes, the talented rapper told his truth in a moment of real, naked integrity in a show that otherwise pertains to the superficial.
American rapper, A Boogie
The tunes that were orchestrated by the DJ talent that is Rajvir (otherwise known by his stage name, VISEN) were well executed and expertly matched by the models on the runway. Whereas in previous years, the models strutted along to a playlist that was composed exclusively of house tracks, this year saw a more diverse line-up that included hip-hop and trap songs. It was a much-appreciated breath of fresh air.
London-based house producer KDA’s set at the after-party was rapturously received by the (very) intoxicated crowd. His set featured the fantastic 2017 hit, ‘Turn It Up Louder’, which was lapped up by the attendees. His pulsating beats kept the party atmosphere alive well into the night. Lessons were clearly learnt and FS delivered something newer and fresher. Let’s hope this reawakening continues.
Photo by Lightbox
To discover more of JQuow’s music on SoundCloud and Spotify, click the links below:
https://soundcloud.com/jonathan-quow
And to read the interview with Jonathan written by ST.ART’s Music Editor, Tom Hurst, click here:
ST.ART Magazine does not own the rights to the visual content used in this article.