Live Review: The Swiss, Zaped, Tora

10 June 2014 | 12:27 pm | Roshan Clerke

"They fly us to the heart of the disco universe for Elouisa, as a joyous finish to an unforgettable synth odyssey."

Byron Bay chillwave band Tora are first up this evening, and there are more band members on stage than there are people watching them. Their woozy sounds drift through the room, dripping reverb over the empty dancefloor. Alhambra is notoriously bad at announcing accurate set times, but it seems a shame to see the relaxed quintet pack up their mountains of gear after such a short show.

Thankfully Brisbane producer Zaped didn't travel as far for his set and has brought a more energetic brand of electronica to warm up the growing crowd for tonight's disco duo. Beating an electric drum kit and hammering out waves of synth notes in between, Jordan De Pas keeps the tempo steady, while the addition of a left-handed electric guitarist brings an uncommon sight to his set. The noodling guitar lines are a welcome addition to the electronica genre, replacing the saxophone's traditional role as the harbinger of good times.

The Swiss are bestowing their live set upon us tonight, with Toni Mitolo pounding on the drums and Luke Million captaining the synthesiser ship. They summon all the spangly tension and '80s vibes of Europe's The Final Countdown, as anticipation builds to the sounds of phasing synthesiser pads. Launching straight into the stratosphere, Mitolo shatters the standstill with the thumping four-four beat of Double Or Nothing.

Modulated synthesiser notes spin like shooting stars around the room and then collapse, only to be soon whipped up again into spiralling supernovas. The pair are masters at navigating audio galaxies, holding the deep understanding that a show is like a Homeric voyage and needs to be steered around the dips and troughs of energy to keep its dancers alive.

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The duo set course for a heavier and more spacious route with their driving latest single, In The City. While there's only so much stage presence two guys playing instrumental disco music can have, they don speed-dealer sunglasses for the propulsive Peach Pit, and pump out the jams like they were 106 miles from Chicago, on a full tank of gas, with a half a packet of cigarettes.

They accelerate straight into Bubble Bath, a magic fountain of synthsiser solos that is effervescent enough to inspire eternal life on the dancefloor. It leads to the hammering, intergalactic sounds of Connect, as Mitolo strikes at the drums with the thunderous power of Thor.

Preparations are beginning for hyperspace with Antiquities, as its oscillating bassline flickers from speaker to speaker like a rocket's engines kicking into life. Mitolo then takes us through an asteroid field of a drum solo, bumping and rocking his gear nearly off the stage. They fly us to the heart of the disco universe for Elouisa, as a joyous finish to an unforgettable synth odyssey.