Live Review: Mallrat, Basenji, Kota Banks, NYNE

Recent New World Artists signee NYNE has grafted some online traction in recent months with the release of a few shiny, trap and reggaeton-infused singles, but the young artist's brief set tonight could use some polishing. Dropped a month ago, I Think You’re provides some earworm melodies, but a more engaging use of the stage, divergent song choices and stretching outside her middle vocal register would have better helped convey the well-worn lyric matter, plunging bass and standoffish 2010s apathy.

NYNE. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Sydney’s own Kota Banks came to mix work and party tonight, smashing through a bubbly, uplifting set to a still-warming Corner Hotel crowd. Mastering the duel art of vocal runs and playful kicks, Banks has done the hard grind through 2017-2018 and the fruits of her labour are ready for picking. A Libra at heart, Decisions proves Jupiter’s retrograde is in her favour. She gives shouts to loving British boys and gives away merch to the best dancers. Unreleased track 'Weekend' is a cathartic stunner and a nice change of pace. 

Kota Banks. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

It's loud shirt, soft vocals for the first cut from budding producer Basenji, which zooms across genres and BPMs, with talk of fake IDs and bouncy Veronicas remixes. He looks close to knocking himself out from backwards lunge-nods, but the infectious energy gets the younger crowd bumping and grinding. Iconic Immaterial - cut from every producer’s favourite producer, SOPHIE - gets a spin, his Mistakes collab with Tkay Maidza uplifts and bangs and upcoming single 'Perfect Blue' mixes beautiful melancholy and stark piano chords. A hyperactive and compelling set from one of Australia’s shining talents.

Basenji. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Running meticulously to schedule, the first few minutes of Mallrat’s set see her mostly female audience watching an empty stage and heavy strobes. A reworked 7 Rings from Ariana Grande blasts silkily through the room before Grace Shaw enters stage left, mixing grace and grit. Immediately obvious is her uncanny knack for tight melody and rapid-fire lyrical delivery - you can see why the fans are here and they let her know that they know every word. Early hit Sunglasses provides the proto-context for her evolving aesthetic, and the lackadaisical Westfield diss Inside Voices brings further levity.

Live guitar adds some depth and scope for a cover of Billie Eilish’s Bellyache, a sweet nod to another trailblazing star, and continues through 2018’s rainbow-chasing In The Sky cut, Better. Hottest 100 smash Groceries and the Basenji-assisted Nobody’s Home rounds out the optimistic and earnest set to rapturous applause. Here’s thinking Shaw’s true gifts lie in her ability to gather complex and compelling human emotions, refract them through a prismatic 20-year-old's headspace and beam them outwards through sticky-sweet melodies. A massively successful east coast tour (including four shows at the Corner), adoring fans and seemingly endless possibilities will continue to propel her into the future of Australian music. Stay restless.

Mallrat. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.