Live Review: Hermitude, Basenji, Jayteehazard

Although they just toured for Groovin The Moo, the latest string of Australian shows marks the release of Hermitude’s latest album, Dark Night Sweet Light.

Fellow Elefant Traks co-signee Jayteehazard warmed up with a DJ set that more than coaxed the dance floor to start moving. He ended on Jamie XX’s Good Times, an appropriate track that presaged the night’s festivities.

Up next was Basenji, whose set seemed to profess his love affair with the 808 drum machine. The crowd responded most when he played his own productions, such as the bubbly-and-squeaky Speak With A Dofflin. With a set that sent the sound system into overdrive, perhaps Bass-enji would be a more appropriate stage name. 

Hermitude arrived to a crescendo of cheers. Behind them loomed visuals befitting of the album’s sensorial title. Dark Night Sweet Light is quite the departure from the duo’s hip hop roots, instead drawing influences from America’s burgeoning EDM scene. As a result, tracks such as Through The Roof and Searchlight would be well received at Stereosonic or Future Music. They clearly resonated with HQ’s millennial crowd, who chanted Searchlight’s lyrics — “Don’t worry about nothing… Until the cops come, until the roof falls” — with gusto.

Hermitude proved their shows remain unparalleled even after over a decade in the game. Luke Dubs (Luke Dubber) and El Gusto (Angus Stuart) manned a towering array of instruments at either end of the mixing table. For the audience’s benefit, GoPro cameras alternated from showing Stuart’s pounding of the drum pads to Dubber’s dexterous fingers on the keys. The footage was also intercut with various crowd shots that managed to hype them even more. 

The only lull in the performance came when the duo cued in The Lion Sleeps Tonight, invariably starting up a camaraderie singalong. The tune then warbled and warped into the starting chords of the much-loved HyperParadise. After that, it was into Flume’s famed remix of the same song. And as if that wasn’t meta enough, straight into Hermitude’s remix of Flume’s remix. Anyway, this strung-out series of events was undoubtedly the highlight of the show, even pulling the stragglers in the back out of their cushioned seats.
After an ear-splitting two-song encore — The Villain, Get In My Life — Hermitude seemed genuinely happy to stay around and chat with fans after the show. As we’re temporarily losing the boys as they leave for America to play some big-name festivals (Hard, Lollapalooza), this gig was a touching farewell for new and old fans alike.