When a proposed property development threatened the future of the 300-capacity MOTH Club, the support to save it far exceeded the venue’s maximum attendance. Around 30,000 people signed a petition to protect the much-loved Hackney venue, a campaign that coincided with MOTH Club hosting BRITs Week 25 gigs in aid of War Child.
With the development plans recently put on hold, the venue was able to continue doing what it does best: giving artists a stage. On this occasion, that meant welcoming Geneva four-piece Lone Assembly and their blend of new wave, romantic synthpop and dark, melancholic post-punk.
Support came from RO NOVA, who brought a striking visual style rooted in eighties fashion, complete with strong shoulder pads and a leopard-print jacket. Her look brought to mind the kind of wedding and special-occasion outfits many millennials will remember from childhood family photos. Musically, RO NOVA leaned into classic eighties synth textures while blending them with indie-pop, dance, post-punk and, at times, an almost unconscious UK garage influence.
As for Lone Assembly themselves, it is hard to imagine two musicians with more contrasting early influences forming a band: vocalist Raphaël Bressler grew up listening to Michael Jackson, while guitarist Glenn Le Meur was drawn to AC/DC. Perhaps their chemistry comes from moving beyond those formative reference points and instead focusing on emotion, atmosphere and the soundscapes best suited to expressing them.
Lone Assembly made that clear from the opening track, “Call of the Swift”, which blended Joy Division-like shadows with an analogue rock edge to capture the internal battle of resisting fear. It was immediately obvious that the band had won over the MOTH Club crowd, especially when Glenn gestured for the audience to dance and make more noise — a request that landed better than expected.
The tempo increased with “The Pain Keeper”, where the synths became more synchronised and inventive, while the guitars grew heavier, tighter and louder. A more pop-leaning melody entered the set with “Cut the Roses”, a song that explores how help and support, however well intended, can sometimes make things worse. The equally upbeat “Keep This Flame” followed, blending post-punk tension with chiming, echo-heavy guitar riffs.
One of the most distinctive songs of the night was “Backwards”, largely because it stepped away from the Joy Division template and from the later bands who have evolved that sound, such as Editors. While Bressler’s voice naturally carries traces of Ian Curtis and Tom Smith, its operatic layer and deeper baritone give Lone Assembly a more individual identity. Crucially, although Bressler sings about disconnection and emotional withdrawal, he remained fully present on stage, connected both to his bandmates and to the audience, rather than retreating into an uneasy trance.
Although Lone Assembly are Swiss, there is a clear internationalism to their sound and to the way they connect both internally as a band and with audiences beyond their home country. They were not thrown by the unexpected dry heatwave that had engulfed London, nor did they feel the need to make the usual comments about British weather.
Whether it is Bressler’s Gen-Z-style clean living — sage leaf tea, wildflower honey and a post-show routine focused on soothing his vocal cords — Lone Assembly should continue with the habits that have helped them shape a sound that, while inspired by post-punk, is increasingly independent from it.
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