Words and Image by Harry Cooper

Bridging the gap between indie-rock revivalism and rap-inflected charisma, Master Peace is reshaping what a British pop-star can be. Two years on from the debut that won him an Ivor Novello Rising Star Award, he spends the release day of his second album, ‘if i don’t love you, who will ?’, in the window of a record shop. Having spent much of this year playing European festivals and arenas alongside 5 Seconds of Summer, Truck Store in Oxford is the second stop on a run of intimate dates surrounding the album’s release.

Truck Store sits on Cowley Road, where Friday-night energy is in the air. Fans gather on the pavement, then head almost instinctively for the racks when the doors open, browsing new releases and the album itself. The main space is little bigger than a living room, with some fans left standing between the shelves. Behind the counter, the coffee machine has been switched off in favour of beer cans.

With room for little more, the line-up is minimal: Master Peace and his guitarist, George Wilding, with the rest of the record on playback. It proves a smart choice. The guitar lines are among the album’s strongest features, while the stripped-back setup lets the album’s stellar production remain close to its original form. Many of these songs are receiving their first public performance since release.

Seven of the ten tracks from ‘if i don’t love you, who will ?’ make the setlist, with the emphasis falling on the album’s more reflective offerings. That gives the show a more intimate character than a larger gig might offer, but the range of Master Peace and his latest record is still apparent. Across the album, the tracks move between indie, R&B and funk while tracing young romance from pride to jealousy and the difficulty of acceptance. ‘ONE of ONE’ is a punchy opener, while ‘act like you know ?’ sets his exasperation against Muni Long’s silky vocals.

Peace is charming throughout, candid when introducing the songs and entirely comfortable telling the room about heartbreak. His vocals are strong, while his personality remains impossible to subdue. “I want you to sing this so loudly that bossman over the road comes and gives a noise complaint”, he tells the crowd. Previous hits ‘Good Times’ and ‘Spin The Block’ draw the most singing, providing a burst of energy alongside the new material.

The venue’s intimacy suits the reflective songs best. ‘sucker punch !’ is introduced with a story about hearing that an ex-partner has a new relationship, an emotion that has translated into pop chorus gold. ‘never moved on ?’, the album’s closer, is a highlight in a room this close, its atmospheric character given space to breathe. I happily would have seen the album played cover to cover, and Peace is spoilt for choice when writing setlists from this point on.

For an artist whose music can comfortably fill much larger rooms, there is something fitting about hearing this record at its most intimate. After a spring of arenas, a shop window might seem a small stage for the occasion, but the range is convincing, the album feels cohesive, and every song comes from an honest place. These songs are begging for bigger speakers and bigger crowds singing them back, and there is no doubt that is their future.