The Bakery
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Kicking off the proceedings was electronic duo LYTS. The brainchild of Laith Tierney and Yaegar Mora-Strauks, both previously of Perth art rock group, Fear Of Comedy, LYTS are incredibly hard to place in a genre box. They seemed to draw heavily from modern R’n’B in regards to their beat style, offset by a rather beautiful and airy vocal style. In what seemed a slightly strange juxtaposition, the lyrical content was sometimes plain murderous which seemed at odds with their self described desire to create ‘dance oriented pop music’. Having said this, the performance was flawless.
Local DJ and industrial producer Omega Is The Alpha was up next. It’s no small feat to support live bands as a DJ/producer, but an array of thumping beats were triggered which was a great showcase for some of Perth’s unique musical artistry.
Enabler were next to saunter to the stage. Opening with heavily distorted and processed vocals, the instrumentation was driven by dark and Moog-ish synths. While the music was often sparse, moody and laden with cacophonous resonance, there was an awesome energy in the room which had a solid cohort of fans cheering and dancing throughout the majority of the set. An absolutely perfect industrial cover of Ginuwine’s ‘90s classic Pony showed that these black-clad filth wizards had a sense of humour to go with their well-honed ability.
As the night rolled on and the grog continued to flow, Intrasonic collected themselves to provide the ultimate performance of the night. Theirs is a wonderfully heavy sound that is complemented perfectly by electronic nuances. The musicianship alone made for a hugely engaging experience as precise guitars and synth lines danced with the sombre yet powerful vocals. It was a strangely enlightening experience, witnessing first hand a style of music that bridges the gaps between goth and techno. Like all great performers and song writers, Intrasonic were able to create moments of timeless musical progression and build lush, serotonin-triggering sonic architecture.
For a scene best known for its dark dress and macabre leanings, you would be hard pressed to find a more social, creative and downright interesting event and group of players. The music progressed from band to band with great thoughtfulness and each flavour was dished up at just the right time. Intrasonic represent a specific colour in a vast palette of possible permutations, and it stood out with a vividness that made them unforgettable.
JAMES HANLON
