Live Review: Tortoise, Mt Mountain, Akioka

Differentiating between some of today's many electronic artists can be tricky, but not so with Akioka, whose off-kilter rhythms and singular sense of melody stands way out. Layering ear worm upon ear worm, her maximalist electronica won over a previously neutral crowd and inspired an outbreak of weird wriggle-dancing at the climax of her well structured set.

The young Mt Mountain's development continues apace. Their vocals are more authoritative than ever and combined with the most ominous bass riffs, lashing cymbal work and some of the most tortured sounds ever to emerge from a wah-wah pedal, their sound has become a unified entity that on the slow-burning likes of Moon Desire built in intensity with unnerving zeal.

Playing the last of their (many) gigs of 2016, Tortoise showed no obvious signs of fatigue, as rolling drums from head honcho John McEntire set off a fierce opening. The stage had been widened to accommodate their vast array of equipment, from museum piece synths to exotic percussion and two drum kits placed front and centre to showcase their dynamism and energy. In contrast to their comparatively listener-friendly headline set at This Is Nowhere festival four years ago, Tortoise were at their most mind-warping tonight, going the full Dr Who on us with extra terrestrial drones and snare drums right from the depths of King Tubby's echo laboratory. They still managed to move feet though, not least with In Sarah, Mencken, Christ And Beethoven There Were Women And Men; a mesmeric experience in transcendental polyrhythmic bliss (you know it's a Tortoise gig when the reviewer's adjectives run to four syllables plus). So moved was the band by the crowd's response that Dan Bitney erupted "that's it, we're moving to Perth. You guys rule!" Only to have various larrikins reply by nominating Butler, Freo and Applecross as go-to suburbs. Lasting a full 90 minutes, the second encore almost caught out some would be traffic-beaters, but there were plenty of witnesses to the beautifully forlorn Along The Banks Of The Rivers that ended the night.

For a group that supposedly co-founded a musical genre, Tortoise still sound remarkably like no one else. Tonight's magical performance, coronated with triumphant roars from their loyal acolytes, proved that Tortoise are still light years ahead of their so-called competition.