Live Review: XXYYXX, Polographia & Cosmos Midnight

Florida-based child prodigy XXYYXX possesses a sound that surpasses his mere 17 years, a sound that many artists spend their entire careers attempting to achieve. In a live setting, it becomes apparent just how versatile the young artist is, channelling early '90s R&B vibes, intermittently splicing in elements of trap, electronica, hip hop and even diluted dubstep. It was ultimately a mixture of Marcel Everett's set construction, passionate nature and impeccable live dynamic that made the performance so hauntingly unforgettable. Opening for Everett were local DJs Cosmos Midnight, who were obviously heavily inspired by the headlining act and delivered nostalgic chillwave-esque beats, which featured elements of trap based on the wavy synth and uneven beat progression. Following shortly after were multitalented fellow Astral People DJ/producers Polographia, who delivered an exceptional live performance that  was chillingly nostalgic and showcased their atmospheric aesthetic. Creating a dense wall of sound, the two-piece were heavily driven by crowd responses and interaction, and managed to have the floor swaying for the entirety of their set.

As XXYYXX abruptly hit the stage, the poor sound quality was immediately apparent, which created an exceptionally awkward crowd dynamic. At times, the beats seemed more like background music, being constantly drowned out by the collective audience voices. Performing a collection of newer original tracks off his self-titled album, his older work and a series of ignorant trap remixes, the syncopated beat and wonky bass lines took control of the audience. The spacey vibes of Good Enough were quickly transformed into a vehement remix of Waka Flocka Flame's Hard In Da Paint, which ignited serious crowd involvement and passionate two-stepping. At some points however, the set felt slightly too experimental and conceptual, leaving audience members a little awkward and confused. This, however, was counteracted by his remarkable remixes, including a very '80s dance-inspired rendition of Beyonce's Check On It and an electronic tweak of Chief Keef's Love Sosa. Everett was enigmatic and channelled a mid-'90s hip hop vibe with ritual samples of a gun loading and kaleidoscope-esque visuals in sync to his performance, but it was ultimately let down by the sound quality and production values, the performance's biggest downfall.