Live Review: African Braidz, Enderie Nuatal, Second Interview, Domestic Sphere

For Australia Day 2014, in an odd combination, Australian flags coupled with Keno and televised tru-blu sporting events line the walls of the classic Brunswick Hotel for a night of (of all things) experimental electronica that also marks a return of shows to the pseudo karaoke bar.

Things kick off with Domestic Sphere, who also serves as the house DJ tonight, offering up a few sets of more traditional 'tracks' mixed with house beats and jam electronica and it's consistently a good mix. Second Interview, led by Multiple Man's Sean Campion, bring an oddball trance sound that is equal parts aggressive as it is meditative. The set though is far too short and despite the room already being quite full a number of people seem to arrive during the latter portion, which is a shame for quite a polished performance and outfit.

His day job may be knocking out the insatiable noisy improv with Cured Pink but at night Enderie Nuatal turns into a souped-up skyline with the registration plate set to RED DEMON as he brings the beats to satisfy the ravers, delivering a constant non-stop set that is identifiable by its notable peaks comprising natural-sounding percussion and drums mixed with sped-up and heavily effected synth lines. By the end, the man, who tonight kind of looks like a starring member of the 1986 Australian cricket team, has the crowd eating out of his hands.

And the headlining event comes in the form of African Braidz, the pairing of Chris Campion (Multiple Man) and Damon Black (Secret Birds) in a delightful and in-line-with-proceedings electronic form. The start is a bit rough though courtesy of an all-cancelling sound problem killing the group's sound entirely as they begin. As their set progresses they mix sounds of trance with live synths and triggered manipulation and the results are a bangin' hit with the already lubricated crowd, lapping up every minute amongst an excellent VHS mix of Jamaican dancehall and digital glitch as a backdrop. At times the synch drops out and the odd sound drops up but God damn, these distant Chemical Brothers lookalikes have a solid future in bringing the lads and ladies the beats should they leave the guitars at home.