Swapping Washington, DC for Nottingham, Origami Angel began their UK tour in style. Rescue Rooms became a place of escape, where the music could speak for itself...
I’ve been hooked on Origami Angel since hearing Somewhere City back in 2019. Their debut album is an exciting mix of twinkly math rock and fifth wave emo. It’s an intensely nostalgic record both in terms of lyrical content and for me on a personal level. To say 2019 was six years ago feels absurd, but Somewhere City is a powerful landmark from that era of my life that somehow makes that passage of time feel OK. That’s just the power of music, if you’ll allow me the cliche.
Origami Angel now have three studio albums (and a mixtape) under their belt, and it is hot on the heels of their latest effort Feeling Not Found that they jet across the Pacific and find themselves kicking off the UK leg of their tour at Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms.
Opening band saturdays at your place had travelled all the way from Kalamazoo, Michigan for their second ever tour of the UK. With such a fantastically named place of origin, I couldn’t help but expect great whimsy and joy from their music. I am happy to say they more than lived up to this, bringing plenty of fun and confidence to the Rescue Rooms stage. They are a stylistically modern emo band, reminding me of Modern Baseball at times but with a slightly slower, more groovy take on the genre.
Forever was a real crowd pleaser, as was their closing number Tarot Cards. The audience’s enthusiasm really peaked here and the mosh pit began to churn with sweaty excitement. Saturdays at your place were a treat to watch, for their carefully crafted and lovingly performed songs, but also for how much fun they were having. I hope to see them back in Nottingham soon.
After a short break to contemplate life in the smoking area (why does my back hurt after the first band?), we crowded back in to welcome Origami Angel to the stage. It’s always impressive to see a performing duo, especially in a rock genre where dynamics are so important, but Origami Angel seem to take it in their stride.
Their music draws from several sources, with their most recent album leaning a bit heavier than their mathy, emoey debut, but still keeping ownership of their core sound. One of the first tracks they played Dirty Mirror Selfie is a good example; the first riff sounds like it belongs on a Lamb Of God record, but it is only a few seconds before the music bursts back into shimmery emo. Compositionally undaunted, the band have the cojones to edge towards MySpace-era crabcore in the bridge, while somehow maintaining cohesion. This is impressive songwriting, and helps to keep the live experience varied and fun.
The heavy hitters kept coming as the band launched into 24 Hr Drive-Thru. This was a big hit with the crowd and was brilliantly energetic live, combining flawlessly executed guitar licks with gang vocals which the crowd diligently sung every word of. I’ve had it stuck in my head ever since, just like I did six years ago.
I’d never quite found my footing with Origami Angel’s second album Gami Gang, so I was excited to hear those songs live to convince me to properly dig into the album. Bossa Nova Corps certainly didn’t disappoint. A mix of vocalist Ryland Heagy’s characteristically frantic vocal delivery with (surprise!) bossa nova rhythms sounds dangerously close to a gimmick, but they make it work seamlessly.
Nearer the end of their set came Skeleton Key, performed for the first time in England. It stood as an emotional highpoint in their set, with raw, honest lyrics bringing the room together to sing their hearts out. They didn’t do a scripted encore, saying they could use that time to play an additional song instead - the correct decision, more bands need to start thinking this way.
As the set ended and the band said their thank yous and goodbyes I felt myself longing for more. I had been lost in the music, anxieties melted away into the background of moshpits and crowdsurfers. For an hour or so it was 2019 again and things were simpler - thank you for that, Origami Angel.
Origami Angel performed at Rescue Rooms on 31st January 2025.
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