Phocal, Angus Dawson
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Jimmy’s Den
To celebrate the release of their very evoking and poignant video clip and single Wait No More, Lilt blew the roof off the dark and moody Jimmy’s Den last Saturday night with a clear indicator of the ever growing fan base they are beginning to accumulate.
Angus Dawson is an artist that, from the very first moment, has forever lulled any being with a beating heart into a garden of smooth vibrations and relaxation. It’s like melting into a red velvet eternity – except you’re not on Heroine. It’s the light timbres and drawn out minor chords that pull you into a smoky daze. Having a real life Saxman for Atticus Finch brought it a real rich huskiness and appreciated live aspect to his work. The perfect swelling harmonies of In the Open and the resonating cymbals perfectly matched a contemporary dancer acting out the story on the carpet before us. Ending on an energetic high, Breathe got a few up and dancing as the den started to fill and they scampered off for another gig.
Second support Phocal were a chilled lounge/soul style duo. Drumpads and the lady in the red it made for very comfortable music. It’s something you could imagine playing in the background at a glitzy five star restaurant which is maybe why there was a lot more chatting rather than listening going on.
With a full house waiting in thirsty eagerness, the main act made their way onto a smoke shrouded stage and with a hooded ambiguity; front girl Louise led us into a mysterious and captivating expanse of music. Lilt’s music is something I have struggled to describe in a few key terms. It’s delicate but throbbing, modern but native and damaged but strong. You want to revel in the sad feeling of her wandering rippling voice but the words bite back with a mature strength. She lowered her disguise, threw on a guitar for Swim and dove deep into the blue. I felt this funny ‘western’ or American Indian mood with Ghost that quickly dissipated into a metallic tinkering tech era feel in the way of Capture which was distinguishably more synthetic.
I saw this trio earlier this year at the WAM block party and I have to say, the vocalist’s vocal strength and stage confidence has just skyrocketed to all new heights. Her falsetto is so tight and on pitch as proven in Don’t Tell Me as it continued to cut through all of the percussion. They pushed the energy and syncopation through to the last song as we could really Wait No More. The crowd showed their strong appreciation as they moshed to the banger of their set. I’m sure there would have been an encore if the bump’n grind tunes didn’t come straight in.
With three very similar acts, it did very well to complement one another but a change in pace and style would have created some nice diversity. Tops to Lilt who were the clear and indisputable highlight of the night.
MIA CAMPBELL-FOULKES
Pics by Anthony Jackson
