Live Review: NO ZU, Sui Zhen, Xanga

First up on the bill for a night of percussion-heavy funk music was Adelaide's own Xanga, bringing a taste of his latest EP, Get Outta My Dreams (2015). Generously mixed with a balance of Brazilian, tribal and funk influences, Xanga's lively set woke up the early arrivals and transformed the room into a dark jungle, setting the mood for the rest of the party.

Sui Zhen, also known as Melbourne-based artist Becky Sui Zhen, was up next. Accompanied by a saxophonist, the pair donned matching blue '80s outfits appropriately fitting their dream-beat, high school prom feel. Playing tracks from her latest release, Secretly Susan (2015), Zhen's bubbling synth and floating vocals created an ethereal vibe, matching the haziness of the now smoky room. Although there was definitely a shift in energy from the previous act, Zhen still evoked some gentle dancing in the relaxed crowd. The set proved to be less like a dance party and more of a warm summer's breeze washing over you. Delicate, blue sky imagery matched the playful saxophone, the pair proving a dream match on stage.

Still feeling like an '80s pop music video, eight of the 12 original members of NO ZU managed to fit onto the modest stage next, accompanied by an impressive number of instruments and equipment. Having recently showcased their genre-defying tunes from their 2016 release Afterlife at WOMADelaide, the group's bouncing energy felt like they were still playing at the parklands to a crowd of a couple hundred people. All this was somehow contained in the band room, the bass so deep you could literally feel the air. 

Without reservation, the band moved and stretched as one living organism, breathing little bursts and cries that kept the crowd on their toes. The seven- to ten-minute tracks were waves, each distinctly building and falling, and featuring either a relentless trumpet/saxophone solo or some tribal gong crashes, particularly significant in Ui Yia Uia. Sounds from their new release still ring true of their previous work, yet delve into a deeper, more mysterious realm of dance music. In Afterlife NO ZU explore themes of colonisation, BDSM and the human body through dynamic layers of electronic/funk/world noises and sounds. Looking at the band's bold stage presence and matching sunglasses, you're reminded of a time-travelling team who fight crime with the power of funk, a fantastically eclectic group who no doubt have a lot more to explore on their weird journey through time and space.