Live Review: Superorganism, G Flip

23 July 2018 | 11:22 am | Donald Finlayson

"Sounds like Stephen Malkmus and Panda Bear got trapped inside the body of a little girl and were forced to write songs for the next Kidz Bop album."

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G Flip, real name Georgia Flipo, is a Melbourne-based singer-songwriter and professional Garth Algar impersonator. Thanks to a big appearance at Splendour, it's now easy to picture her electro R&B songs blasting from laptop speakers in every dorm room across the country.

While she's clearly a strong singer who's been studying the science of pop songs, unfortunately Flipo falls for the trap of using that fake-Icelandic indie accent that's been lurking around the industry for years now. Thanks for taking another victim, Halsey! It really doesn't matter though, the style of her beats and vocals are very much 'the big thing' right now and she and the audience are having a blast. Flipo will no doubt be an international success once the market gets its hands on a debut album that's surely just around the corner.

And now for the band that's one typo away from bizarre pornography, Superorganism appear like Captain Planet's hipster crew before the crowd of 170 Russell. Clad in matching raincoats and fluorescent make-up, Superorganism rock their way through an explosively colourful set with lead singer Orono Noguchi's vocals sounding just as slack as the recordings. Projections behind the band play images of space missions, deep sea adventures and cartoon battles as everyone except Noguchi dances their heart out to these sticky songs.

In between tunes, punters begin to discuss the strong smell of garlic bread that's hung around since the beginning of the gig. Whether or not this smell is an artistic statement or a burning Dominos nearby, the crowd's genuine uncertainty speaks volumes about Superorganism's dedication to the atmosphere of their live shows.

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In the best possible way, their self-titled album comes recommended as the perfect music for ageing indie parents to enjoy with their kids. It's sugary and catchy while also featuring a lot of sonically interesting moments. Tracks like Everybody Wants To Be Famous and Something For Your MIND sound like Stephen Malkmus and Panda Bear got trapped inside the body of a little girl and were forced to write songs for the next Kidz Bop album, and it's just great.

At one point, a shoe is thrown on stage for reasons that any Aussie should understand by now. "You think I'm gonna drink out of your nasty fuckin' shoe dude?" quips Noguchi. The anonymous shoe quickly becomes a set piece for the band to perform around, with Noguchi pretending to play video games with it, speaking to it and eventually using it as a stubby holder for her drink. "I don't do shoeys, but if you wanna tell your friends that I do, that's cool too, I guess."