Live Review: Blanck Mass, Habits

Outside, a rumble can be heard coming from the walls as Habits — after a run of notable local headline performances — take the sole supporting slot.

Habits is one of Melbourne's best live electronic bands at the moment, the volume is deliciously high and this duo become more elite with each performance. Their stage presence radiates confidence and draws the audience into this dark wave-fuelled, uber-sexualised, pop culture-endorsed world that lacks any real hope. The vocoder-driven grime of Veins and industrial-tinged closer Reverend Mother perfectly showcase the duo's sound. Musically, the performance is predominantly well executed, although there are a few issues with levels and the odd sample fumble. The Habits machine shows no signs of slowing down, nor does it need any fucking gas.

The experimental side of his music creates an immersive experience that warrants no other emotion except awe.

Blanck Mass begins and sound consumes all. In the country to head up Dark Mofo this weekend, Benjamin John Power (day job: half of Fuck Buttons) delivers a mishmash of sound art and also tries to keep things traditional. It's at its best when Power is taking chances, using sound like paint on a canvas. The experimental side of his music not only causes intrigue, but also creates an immersive experience that warrants no other emotion except awe. It's at its worst, however, when Power approaches sound as more of a functional tool. Beats and samples are used as backbones for some sections and feature just because of their aesthetics in the foreground as Power juggles the rest of what he is trying to do in the back. The mindset feels like: 'If this kick beat sounds electro, then people will dance.' This also leads to a number of sections becoming quite repetitive. The attention span of the (oddly diverse) audience wanders to the point where there's attempted conversation over the roaring PA. Power also rarely takes the spotlight as a performer, his only real crowd interaction being the point when he discovers the laptop running the projections has a Java update available.

Last full-length album Dumb Flesh gets quite a lashing. It would have been nice to hear some of the material from their self-titled debut, though. The set ends with a feedback bass drone with other scattered noise mixed in while the 'logo' from the Dead Format video endlessly rotates in the background. It's a real, 'Hey, there's an encore coming,' vibe, but everyone eventually files out after ten-odd minutes. And for those who remain? Alas, no more.