Youth Lagoon, Oliver Tank @Oxford Art Factory, Sydney(16/2/2012)

Mon 20th Feb, 2012 in Gig Reviews

A selection of local and international talent presented itself at Oxford Art Factory on this particular Thursday evening to a spectacular turn out. Trevor Powers is the fresh-faced 22-year-old behind Youth Lagoon and responsible for the haunting debut record The Year of Hibernation released late last year.

The support of Sydney-based wonder kid Oliver Tank was a clever pairing. Both artists have managed to carve their own impressions on the bedroom producer name tag before the age of 23, and tonight was a testament to their capabilities.

Tank opened the evening in left centre stage position, a mass of dark curls and midi controllers with a guitar and microphone at arms reach. For a one-man show, Tank’s setup suggests no compromise to breadth of sound. Combining vacant airy soundscapes and raindrop puckered melodies with live vocals and guitar work, the results are dreamlike. A paramount effect as the dream theme really runs deep, extending lyrically on tracks like Dreams of Fish and Waterfalls, I Can’t Sleep and is the subsequent title of his debut EP, Dreams.

There is a tendency to liken Tank to artists like James Blake that stems from his use of syncopated rhythms and effected vocals, yet tonight some of those beat drops felt slightly out of place. Vocals are Tank’s strength, and his live croons slipped seamlessly into every melody. A slowed down, lulling treatment of Pharrell and Snoop Dogg’s Beautiful was a playful standout, trading Pharrell’s scaling falsetto for a catchy chopped phrase to great effect. The floor was packed by the closing of what was a well-paced set and all eyes were on Tank as he played out the ethereal number and EP opener, Up All Night.

After a brief intermission, Trevor Powers appeared behind his set of keyboard and pedals, facing tour guitarist Logan Hyde. The first listen to Powers’ voice outside of its reverb-disguised recordings is on opener The Hunt, and the result is delightful. As the track progressed from chordal build ups to the sparkling guitar licks and clapping beats midway through, Powers’ innocent yodel ties it all together, giving a propelling start to the set. For his second ever performance in Australia, there was happy banter with the crowd and Powers appears completely relaxed on stage. Cannons, and Bobby (the digital album bonus) followed, before Montana, where the hollow whistling melody played out across a crowd transfixed. The simplicity in each arrangement is strikingly evident but the result is powerful and trumps any idea of needing to throw as many layers of sound at a track as possible to prove the power of a one, or two man show.

The set proceeded with nostalgic images of Idaho life in Posters and Seventeen, before closing track July began with it’s unmistakeable slow burning start. Powers has averted from the simple verse chorus structure of pop, with most tracks on The Year in Hibernation formulated into built up layers of melodic force. July is a prime example, and as a closer made the momentous rush of the final phrase all the more euphoric, with the crowd joining in as Powers gave out his final impassioned yell.

An encore of Daydream began with troubles when Powers’ microphone failed, however, the pair kept on playing between them what was a mostly instrumental remainder of the tune – a sad but saved ending to an otherwise enthralling set. Live, Powers has managed to capture the essence of his debut quite remarkably, and after tonight the term bedroom producer just doesn’t seem to do justice.