Live Review: André 3000 @ Volume 2024, Art Gallery Of NSW

There was always something a little psychedelic about OutKast. Despite topping the global charts in the 2000s with their radio-friendly, high-octane funk-fuelled hip-hop, André 3000, alongside collaborator Big Boi, always walked the outskirts of oddly cool chart success.

Whilst it's not unusual for any act with that level of global fame to take a step back and rethink, not everyone's self-reflection on success produces an experimental ambient space jazz flute album.

Despite the show being heavily promoted to tour André’s New Blue Sun album, there is a sense of expectation that belies the prospect of a two-hour ambient woodwind event. Tonight is part of the Art Gallery NSW’s Volume event and an unveiling of the stunning space below the gallery’s newly created wing. 

A former oil bunker for the nearby naval base, the space is both unexpected and almost overwhelming in its scale. Mood lighting casts eerie shadows across the cavernous space, adding to the sense of occasion on an otherwise uneventful Sunday night. The venue is really dramatically stunning, with the ensemble lit only by two striking lasers and a tonal wash of backlights.

André takes the stage slightly later than scheduled with a collective composed of percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Carlos Niño, Surya Botofasina on keyboards and Deantoni Parks on synthesiser and drums.

Whilst we were never expecting stomping drums or hip-hop histrionics, what emerges is more of an idea than an event. A pulsating keyboard mantra recalls artificial intelligence-era Warp, accompanied by gentle brush-led drum patterns that weave in and out of André’s flute codas. It's clearly improvisational, and the free-flowing patterns weave through the smoke, negating space or form in favour of a hypnotic soundscape.

There is definitely a lineage here, an Afro-futurist vision that includes Sun Ra, Lee Perry, and Carl Craig. Waves of synthetic synth work dance with skittering precision in an almost tribal way as André free forms simple elongated soundscapes from his flute.

Despite the multitudes of audience members seemingly blissfully comatose at the sidelines, letting the moment take them, some express equal and vocal frustration. These audience members are clearly here to watch more than an abstract textural event and noisily head for the exit with their dreams dashed.

For the rest of us, though, while it takes a bit of leaning in, this is, in many ways, quite an unforgettable experience. While there's little to distinguish individual tracks or event pauses in the music, the setting and ambience help texture and tone dominate to the point of total immersion. With few words spoken, the event draws to a natural conclusion, with many stirring from horizontal bliss to enthusiastically applaud the ensemble on stage.

It can be a hard road to balance brilliance with bravery, but often, that’s where the best ideas lie. Difficult at times, but ultimately a masterclass in originality that should be applauded by anybody looking to champion the future of creativity.