DEATH & VANILLA + MALAPHORS – KOMEDIA, BRIGHTON 14.10.25
Entering the Komedia basement on Tuesday evening felt like crossing into another world. The room was darkened, stage stripped back save for the flickering of screens and sound equipment, the hush in the audience matched only by the anticipation of something spectral. Swedish trio Death & Vanilla slowly conjured an aural séance, accompanying the 1968 BBC Omnibus ghost-story ‘Whistle And I’ll Come To You‘ with their own bespoke live score which they first unveiled in Malmö last year and they are currently touring in the UK, taking in tonight’s date with an accompanying album released in May 2025.
Positioned either side of the stage, from the first sound of tape loops and murmuring drones, there was a palpable tension. Their sound palette — vibraphone, mellotron, tremolo guitar, analog synths, organ and moog — gave weight and texture to what might otherwise be a minimalist forgotten ghost tale. Moments of stillness were as powerful as the crescendos: a creaking organ chord here, a whispered tremor of noise there which made the silence in between feel palpable.
The film projection flickered in monochrome above the band, the spectral presence of Michael Hordern’s professor threading through the soundscape. In scenes of isolation and revelation, the live score did not simply accompany – it reframed the narrative. On more haunted stretches, the music swirled and amplified the dread, whilst dry ice was injected into the air at exactly the right moments. In calmer interludes, it breathed, letting the visuals settle and the audience’s imagination run free,
The silence in the room was nearly sacred. Every shift in tone, every wave and fade, felt intentional and immersive. The intimacy of Komedia amplified proximity helping those in attendance feel close to both the musicians and the ghostly fabric of the story. The sound mix stayed well balanced, the vintage instruments warm yet sinister.
This warmly-received performance offered a quiet cascade of atmosphere and an underlying malevolence that lingered in the mind long after the final frame, in that respect ‘Whistle And I’ll Come To You’ (live score) achieved what it set out to do — to summon unease, and keep the audience mesmerised.
At the end, we were treated to a bonus track ‘From Elsewhere’ from their 2012 self-titled debut album ‘Death & Vanilla’, a haunting number that closed out their show consummately.
Death And Vanilla:
Marleen Nilsson – vocals, keys, shakers
Anders Hansson – guitar, sampler
Magnus Bodin – Moog, Mellotron
Death & Vanilla setlist:
‘Intro’
‘Arrival’
‘Has It Been Good Here’
‘Spooky Breakfast’
‘Walk On The Beach’
‘Whistle’
‘Supernatural Breakfast’
‘Walk On The Beach 2’
‘Nightmare’
‘Evidence Of Spiritualism’
‘The Apparition’
(encore)
‘From Elsewhere’
Support this evening came from Malaphors, aka Chris Tomsett, better known for his work as visual wizard ‘Innerstrings‘. This evening Chris showcased his talent in the audio department too, performing as Malaphors. He offered up an enchanting half hour set which felt like it took us on a musical journey, with ambient drones and delicate electronics giving way to shifts in tempo and deep bass and beats as the set progressed, setting an enchanting tone that had the hushed room completely absorbed, whilst the hypnotic psychedelic visuals displayed on the screens complimented the music perfectly – a wonderful way to open a magical evening that has been put together by Melting Vinyl promoters.
