Versatility has always been the Hordern Pavilion’s greatest attribute. Originally built to host the Royal Sydney Easter Show, it became a place of many firsts. It heralded the very first Big Day Out (now sadly gone from our festival catalogue) back in the nineties and has continued to play host to some of Australia’s best musical talent. Friday night was no exception, opening its cavernous hallways to the sell-out crowd, there to see electronica/hip-hop duo Hermitude on the Sydney leg of their Sweet Light Dark Night Tour.
The humid November night proved a sweaty event, with thousands of bodies cramming their way through to the vast, yet inevitably stuffy venue. A thick miasma of sweat and heat built as the anticipation quickly rose.
Hip-hop duo and ARIA nominees The Meeting Tree (Joyride and Raph Lauren) and Kilter, a.k.a, Ned East, both did a fantastic job at warming up the crowd, delivering the precise balance of percussive beats and heady hip-hop ready to get you in the mood for Hermitude.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKTJU21Aa3M&w=560&h=315]
It wasn’t long before the main act took centre stage. The boys – Luke Dubs and Angus Stuart (aka El Gusto) – brought out a full artillery of live instruments: soundboards, keyboards, hit pads, drum kits, which they both managed to play all at once during points of their performances of Searchlight and Ukiyo. It makes you realise what adept musicians the two of them are and how much their music has developed over the years to create such an inclusive live experience.
Highlight tracks included Get In My Life, which had the crowd screaming out in ecstatic roars and dancing in pulsating jumps. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Hermitude performance without the inclusion of one of their most famous and successful hits HyperParadise (the Flume remix of course), the track that brought them to mainstream acclaim and cemented their status in the Australian music scene.
Cartridge Kings brought it back to Hermitude’s hip-hop roots and showed off their incredibly deft skills on the turntables, while their Missy Elliott and Kanye remixes had every single crowd member going wild over those familiar loops. And just when you thought the night couldn’t get any better or you couldn’t be more drenched in sweat if you tried, the duo brought out Chaos Emerald for another classic, Speak of the Devil.
The guests didn’t stop there; Young Tapz made an appearance for a blistering Through The Roof, the young New Zealander almost bringing down the roof with the high energy performance accompanied by the triumphant sound of trumpets blaring from the speakers behind him. Mataya joined him for The Buzz, along with an entourage of seriously skilled dancers clothed in tight whites with the moves to match.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FulxpivZshg&w=560&h=315]
The show also featured some really cool lighting and imagery, including live shots of the artists playing drum pads, keys and more, which was a really cool addition – especially for an electronic show. The night ended with The Villain. Dubs and Stuart, obviously extremely happy with not only the turnout of the crowd but energy of their dedicated patronage, thanked the crowd earnestly, saying that it was “good to be home” after such a intense touring schedule over the year.
Check out our review of Dark Night Sweet Light here.
Check out our interview with Hermitude right here.
Each week, we have our eyes and ears open for the best of the best when it comes to new music, and each and every week the world delivers. For your listening pleasure, we have narrowed it down to just 10 tracks we think are more than worth your time. From hip hop to dance, pop to neo-R&B, there is something for everyone in this playlist. You are so very welcome.
Kali Uchis, Ridin’ Round (Prod. DJ Dahl)
Rising international superstar Kali Uchis actually released this track back in February on her Por Vida EP, but it seems DJ Dahl just couldn’t get enough of it, and decided to release his own version of the track. Self-described as “forsure one of my favorite records I’ve done this year,” DJ Dahl has well and truly outdone himself with this one. Whilst we love the original, we have had to make a special place in our heart for this bad boy.
Sofi De La Torre, London x Paris
We’ve had our eye on Sofi De La Torre for a while now, and with each release she always has us coming back for more. This latest track is one of her best yet. Smoky, emotional, passionate and a little more raw and exposed than we’re used to from De La Torre, London x Paris is her most intimate track and definitely one of our favourites. Crisp beats piercing a bed of thick, hazy synth and her naturally beautiful vocals, this is a total dream.
Bri Clark, Shiver
This is one of the most powerful tracks I’ve heard in a while. So passionate, so raw; Bri Clark pushes herself as far as she can go with this one and she sounds so good whilst doing it. She isn’t taking any of your bullshit whilst casting herself in the most exposing light she’s been in yet, and as a result I just can’t stop listening to this song.
Ribongia, Journeys
Ribongia is the musical moniker of the Italian-born, Sydney-based producer who has just released new single Journeys. The jungle-inspired track is the first taste of his upcoming ESCAPISMS EP, following on from the last, It Began. This is a really interesting track that focuses squarely, and heavily on the rhythm – and what a rhythm it is. Calling on jungle and break-beat elements, the percussively-loaded track is free, nearly ecstatic, a real celebration. Fun, frantic and completely hypnotic, my feet have already starting to move.
EMRSN, Down (Prod Jarreau Vandal)
Melbourne neo-R&B artist EMRSN returns with a new single, Down. Working with Soulection producer Jarreau Vandal, Down is, quite simply, a wonderful track. The track immediately grabs your attention with that huge rhythm, the expansive percussive beat, the synths that both combine with, and elevate the already-soaring vocals. Soon, the main beat kicks in, immediately shifting the vibe to a funky, fresh and wide-eyed feel. All in all it’s a wonderful atmosphere – sprawling, fun and sonically gorgeous.
Young Tapz, Killa
Young Tapz might ring a bell or two, and that would be thanks to his featuring spots on TWO of Hermitude‘s biggest tracks, The Buzz and Through The Roof. However, now it’s his turn to take centre stage, and we couldn’t be more excited about this track. Absolutely fucking massive, Killa immediately thrusts him onto his own level. Speaking about his track, Young Tapz said, “It’s dangerous out here, I’m just tryna let my people know.” Thanks for the heads up, Tapz, but we could have used some warning that you were sitting on a track as fiery as this one.
Kendrick Lamar, Alright (SVSSY Flip)
Well, I’ll bet you’ve never heard K-Dot quite like this. The jarring, glitchy, weird and wonderful synth-heavy flip is courtesy of mysterious new Sydney producer SVSSY. The flip really feels more like a brand new track with a Kendrick sample. The atmosphere is completely packed and nearly disconcerting in its intensity and, ultimately, it’s strangeness. The rhythm carries it through, however, building and growing here and there, ever-changing tones and colours. Listen closely to the sample a bit before the six-minute mark, it’s from Kendrick’s ‘I’m Preaching Hope, Not Violence’ interview.
Wishes, I Want to be Alone With You
The latest from Sydney outfit Wishes is a sparkly offering of on-trend indie/electro-pop, just in time for the festival season. Practically made for summer, this warm and infectious track is immediately reminiscent of the likes of MGMT, Foster The People or even Passion Pit, but it’s his modern production that keeps it in 2015 and beyond, well away from 2009. Accessible with it’s mainstream appeal, but still slightly leftfield to keep alternative dance fans happy, Wishes will be a name we will be seeing a lot of very soon, whether we like it or not!
The Tongue, Never Going Down ft. Ngaiire
We recently shared The Tongue’s first single from his upcoming album, You Got Me ft. Mataya, and today he returns with Never Going Down ft. Ngaiire. Opening on light synths and a bulging bass, the trap-influenced rhythm caught me off guard at first – but I love it. Once again The Tongue is lyrically dense, with a compelling flow through every verse. Ngaiire’s uniquely rich vocals are the perfect padding, too. This is another really impressive offering from the Sydney artist – I’m looking forward to hearing more.
Surahn, Wanted To Fly
A modern take on groovy, psychedelic rock ‘n roll, this single is the first original new release from this producer/singer/songwriter for a long while – and I think it’s incredible. While you may not know the name, it’s likely you’ll know the talent. Surahn is a prolific performer and collaborator, having worked with Kimbra and Usher, sung live with Flight Facilities, and toured extensively with Empire of the Sun. Now he’s going it alone, and if the rest of his material sounds anything like this, it won’t be long at all until “Surahn” is a name you know REALLY well.