Live Review: Lorde, Guerre

Kicking off proceedings at the intimate GoodGod Dancetaria was the excellent Guerre. Looping industrial beats with his own soulful vocals, Guerre's set ushered a new star to the Sydney music scene. While his lo-fi house sounds reflect the hollowness of global acts such as Burial and How to Dress Well, Guerre's style remains one quite unique in the local scene. His unassuming yet confident set swirled above a largely disinterested crowd, yet clearly marked this artist as an exciting up and comer. Watch this space.

With the gig flying by, it was quickly time for the headline act – an artist whose rise to fame has been as swift as it has been warranted. Coming on stage to the screams of a sold-out crowd, the prodigiously talented Lorde played a set that easily justified the growing hype. Starting off with the haunting Bravado, the young artist quickly had the crowd in the palm of her hand. Watching Ella Yelich-O'Connor run through her set with the poise and confidence most artists could only dream of, it's almost scary to consider what the future could hold for this 16 year old.

Following a couple more songs from her fantastic EP, The Love Club, Lorde then treated the crowd to some tracks which were described as 'a work in progress'. Luckily for the crowd these tracks were anything but. Glory & War invoked a slower beat that maximised Lorde's amazing vocals, while standout new track, Tears Corp, utilised a heavier dance beat, which is sure to make it a radio favourite.

The loudest cheers however were reserved for the final couple of tracks, with Yelich-O'Connor delivering fantastic renditions of The Love Club and Million Dollar Bills. And as she finished her set with lead single, Royals, it was clear we were watching more than just a star in the making; we were witnessing the coronation of new music royalty.