Live Review: Ibeyi

French-Cuban twins Ibeyi (Naomi and Lisa-Kainde Diaz) wandered on stage for their first and only sold out show in Sydney to perform their self-described "contemporary negro spirituals". Beaming from ear to ear, the girls begin with the intro off their debut album, Ellegua, followed by Ghosts. It's as deep, honest and haunting live as it is pre-recorded. Their personality and charisma radiates off the stage and the audience seems utterly mesmerised by the duo.

"We grew up with Yoruba chants and this is what we want to share with you tonight", boasts Lisa-Kainde (lead voice and piano). "This song is for one of our inspirations, our mother, because today is International Women's Day". Mama Says tells the story of their mother's struggle to find meaning after the death of their father. It's emotional and spine tingling to watch Ibeyi perform — they are just completely and naturally in sync with one another. "Naomi is the daughter of the thunder", Lisa says before they sing a Yoruban thunder chant, "Lisa is the daughter of the sea" says Naomi, and vice versa. They complement one another perfectly, through vocals and percussion, as the sea and thunder, as yin and yang.

The duo follow through with Stranger/Lover before delivering a powerful and moving rendition of their debut single Oya (meaning the goddess of the wind in Yoruban culture). Ibeyi elegantly manage to combine the best elements of soul, jazz, electronica and downtempo into very much their own style of music. Their cover of Jay Electronica's Better In Tune With The Infinite had some members of the audience slightly swaying, eyes closed and smiling with hands grasped together or held over their heart. This is what Ibeyi's music seems to do best — it just has the ability to crawl under your skin and speak directly to the soul.