Words by Keira Brown
It’s rare when you find a music collective that feels like more than just a label, however, Lost Map’s annual HUMBUG! in Edinburgh’s Summerhall actually evokes not just a mutual love of music and community, but something more of a gregarious love for humanity and friendships that inject warmth and kindness into this space.
A renowned indie collective led by Johnny Lynch (AKA Pictish Trail), Lost Map’s HUMBUG! is a timestamped soiree that can only indicate one thing; it’s time for music, mulled wine, and festive cheer. And this all kicked off nice and early with Johnny himself performing a lo-fi acoustic set which included ‘Slow Memories’, and a resoundingly notable cover of Low’s ‘Just Like Christmas’.
Former Champ were up next, a Lost Map amalgamation of Savage Mansion and Martha Ffion, which sounds precisely how you’d envisage; an intriguing juxtaposition of pace and noise. Fell followed with their tinkling folk, jaunty and twee enough to keep us more than entertained prior to one half of the fine Tuff Love (Suse Bear to clarify).
The schedule was notably tight to ensure no crossover or pint break. Suse, playing tracks from new LP Alter, began unsurprisingly with lead track ‘Alter’. Oozing of sedate indie folk, it was a great follow from Fell, indulging us all with songs mostly from this new offering.
Martha filled the space with their ‘cheesy guitar rock’ adding some Scott Pilgrim vibes to the Dissection Room, removing us from the indie alt that prominently consumed the evening. Increasing the ferocity of the head-bop, the band were astounding on guitar and humanity, as they reminded us to stop the immigrant raids. Playing tracks like ‘Hope Gets Harder’, Martha were on a mission to boost the energy of the gig tenfold.
However, the two most anticipated were still to come; the relatively newly Lost Map signed L.T. Leif and Gordon McIntyre, otherwise known as Ballboy. Leif and band were sublime, velvety wonders, tearing at our heart strings, and giving a taste for an Edinburgh headlining gig in 2023. Unsurprisingly, it was Ballboy that boosted the excitement levels up again with tracks such as ‘Avant Garde Music’ and ‘I Hate Scotland’. Ending the evening with Gordon’s unfiltered lyrics over those riffs, there was a sense of satisfaction in the venue as the night drew to a close with Lost Map DJs.
