Live Review: Tycho

Anticipation swelled in the Sydney Opera House’s iconic Concert Hall as music aficionados joined together to take in the sounds of Sacramento son Scott Hansen, better known as Tycho.

Hansen, joined by live band, took the audience on a melodic journey through studio albums Dive, Awake, Epoch and recent release, Weather. Tycho’s music, much like those album titles, is understated, with hints of electronic intricacy. This was ambient music at its best, amplified by the immaculate space of the Concert Hall.

When the band opened with the meditative melody of A Walk, the audience knew this set was going to be worth the anticipation. The first track off Dive, it was an uplifting anthem grounded by a memorable hook and featured an accompanying nostalgic montage as the backdrop. Utter perfection, leading the listener into an unburdened sense of calm.

Hansen commented on the privilege of playing in the space, showing his reverence for the “high pressure situation” and calling this a dream in which the band “couldn’t be more honoured”.

Then came a track from Awake, showcasing Hansen’s versatility as a multi-instrumentalist. Hansen reflected that this was "the first song [he] ever wrote on guitar... In a garage in Sacramento”. The soaring guitar met an intermittent drum beat as a trippy metamorphic backdrop was projected.

The aptly named Montana, which Hansen stated was “about a beautiful state”, was perfect cruising music. Though the state is far from the ocean, the song inspired carefree meandering, typical of the downtempo stylings of the ambient electronic genre.

The defining feature on new album Weather was the addition of vocals and Hannah Cottrell aka Saint Sinner was on hand to join the band for several songs. Japan maintained the same ethereal atmosphere of the instrumental tracks but Cottrell's vocals added a further dimension of storytelling. 

Conceived in a cabin near Lake Tahoe, the title track from Awake was worth waiting for following technical problems and delays. “These are the pitfalls of electronic music,” Hansen confessed. “You need to keep the delays perfectly synced.”

“Take your time,” someone yelled out. “No pressure,” another chimed in. One of the standouts of the set, it had a throng of audience members rising from their cushy seats to sway along.