Mosquito Coast @ Jack Rabbit Slim’s
w/ The Money War, Airline Food
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Accompanied by Airline Food and Money War, one time Unearthed High winners Mosquito Coast hit Jack Rabbit Slim’s on Saturday for the final WA show of their current tour. Boasting both new and older material, the band pulled off a set that was rich in emotion and skill, filling the space with glittery synths and their distinctive dream-pop style.
Despite a late start, Airline Food kicked off the night perfectly with moody synths and a psychedelic, melancholic sound. The arrangements were fresh and interesting, and lead singer Jack Annear (who you might have seen gigging around with Jack Davies & The Bushchooks) provided murmuring, thoughtful vocals. Single Another Time was a standout, buoyed by excellent drumwork and hypnotic guitar riffs; they’re definitely an act to keep an eye on in the new year.
Indie-pop act The Money War kept to the high standard, with gorgeous harmonies and strong choruses, spurring some dancing from the (slowly) growing crowd. The back-and-forth vocals worked particularly well, and they nailed the catchy Recall (a favourite on Triple J Unearthed in 2017) and their recent single Hey Now. With their debut album coming up in 2019, hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more from them.
Mosquito Coast started off their set with new material from an as yet unreleased album, and it was clear they knew exactly what they were doing. The harmonies were sweet and clear, the transitions were tight and the instrumentals sounded fantastic in the space. Their time away in New York with French producer Nicolas Vernhes (known for working with Animal Collective and Deerhunter) had clearly gifted the band with a new polish and level of professionalism. It’s only been three years since their Unearthed High win, but Mosquito Coast have grown in leaps and bounds. Nostalgic, dreamy and with more of a rock influence, their new album, set to release next year, sounds like a cracker.
The crowd thickened as time wore on and the band eased into some of their more well-known tracks. Skipping Girl was a particular highlight, as well as crowd favourite Commotion, which boasted a rocking, singalong chorus. Despite lower numbers than expected, Mosquito Coast kept the energy up right until the end, and what the audience lacked in density, they more than made up for in enthusiasm. It’s been a great year for the band, and no doubt 2019 will bring more music, opportunities and hopefully a lot more performances like Saturday’s.
ELLA FOX-MARTENS
