SBTRKT @ The Metro Theatre,Sydney (03/02/2012)

Mon 6th Feb, 2012 in Gig Reviews

SBTRKT unleashed his self-titled debut upon the world via Young Turks in the middle of last year. The result was a well-received effort that made fusion between pop hooks and progressive beats, while influences drew from loose definitions of house, dub-step and UK garage. Sparkle was added from the vocal appearances of Sampha, Jessie Ware and Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano but it was the London producer’s impressive arrangements and pop sensibilities that were the glue in piecing together an album that took from so many different tasting plates. The same story could be told through the crowd at the Metro Theatre: an all ages affair from all sides of town, united through an appreciation for the malleable persuasions of SBTRKT.

Sydney act Fishing brought forth a compelling be it slightly abrasive mix of sample woven sound. A layer upon layer build of underwater melodies and handclaps played out to a room that was slowly filling. A chopped and screwed take of TLC’s No Scrubs kept the front section bobbing, but the set felt stumbled in places. The potential was there though, and it would be great to check these guys out in a more intimate venue.

SBTRKT is the moniker for Aaron Jerome, whose live setup currently holds the worthy inclusion of soul vocalist Sampha, who appeared on half of the debut. A masked Jerome stationed between laptop and drum kit faces a masked Sampha who controls keys, loops and some percussion. The opening jerky synths and rattling beats of Heatwave escalated straight into Hold On, just as the record would have you listen. A departure from record expectations was a jungle infused percussion break down between the two, which would later happen on house-inspired track Pharaohs.

Technically impressive, the two are mesmerising to watch, and while there was a definite stop and start point between each track, it wasn’t felt with a jolt, but rather as a slow bleed into the next number that the crowd likely knew all the words to. Sampha’s vocals for as softly intimate as they appear on record, are smooth and pack a soulful swag live. The delicate hooks on Something Goes Right, ride on waves of tear-jerking emotion between the stuttered “t-t-t-t-take it’s” and syncopated hits from Jerome on digital pads.

The set peaked with Drake’s remix of Wildfire, where the urge to yell along with Yakimi Nagano’s momentous chorus was resisted by virtually no-one, making for a grand conclusion to an hour long set. An encore of Never Never and Right Thing To Do, saw Sampha replace Jessie Ware on the latter and Jerome jump up to briefly play with a theremin.

Given the record was released in June last year, Jerome has had time to hone his live craft, and tonight it showed. SBTRKT has found a way to drive and cohere the record towards a smooth live reproduction. The assistance of the multi-talented Sampha was key in retaining the human identity of the record, a perhaps key contributor in what made it a crossover hit.