Live Review: Gypsy & The Cat, LANKS

Local DJ Martin King opens the night with his first set to a vacant Howler bar. His RnB beats and atmospheric house help to set the tone of the night. King’s second set is met with a full crowd as they wait for Gypsy & The Cat. The crowd grooves along as he gives classic tracks, such as Come Said The Boy and High, his signature RnB-styled twist.

Melbourne singer/songwriter LANKS and his band are up next. There is a bit of a shaky start — they’re running late — not that it stops the trio from launching straight in. LANKS is what happens when indie music favourites such as Hozier and Matt Corby get an electronic, trip-hop remix. The outcome is a stunning blend of genres. The lush texture lets the audience slip dreamlike into an evolving harmony, anchored there with LANKS’ signature breathy falsetto.

Gypsy & The Cat takes to the stage while excited cheers run through the gathering crowd. A nightclub-style lighting show and a video montage play behind the boys. This is the perfect visual illustration of Gypsy & The Cat’s signature blend of pop and psychedelically bent indie. Frontman Xavier Bacash is blown away by the support of their hometown. "We really much appreciate it. Thanks for being here with us on this Good Friday," he smiles. "Jesus would’ve wanted it."

The band play a lot of new tracks from the upcoming album but reassure us by throwing in the odd favourite. The new tracks follow in the same vein — pounding trip-hop-style beats, indie vocals, atmospheric synth/keys and guitar — but is a sonic expansion that explores any and every possibility their sound has. After a run of new tracks, the crowd demands "the new song". Bacash chuckles and reassures that we’ll get to Inside Your Mind. He offers instead to play the duo’s next single I Want To Be Someone Else. The track is met with the most energetic response of the new material.

The set wraps up with fan favourites Inside Your Mind and Time To Wander, giving the crowd one final chance to dance and sing along for the night. All too soon it seems the set is over. Gypsy & The Cat promise us they will return soon for their album launch. And when they do we’ll be here ready to dance another night away.