Only a few months after releasing their dreamy, critically acclaimed debut album Sleep In The Water, Melbourne band Snakadaktal have produced another EP – The Sun II – and with it, a mini tour, playing dates in Sydney and Melbourne.
It was interesting to walk into Melbourne’s trendy Howler bar early and see the room already half full – particularly as the gig had three supports acts.
Opening the night was Chiefs, a Melbourne producer who received quite a bit of attention towards the end of 2013 with his debut (and Flume-esque) single ‘Stay’.
The artist’s set was consistent, calm, and extremely skilled. It was the perfect chilled music for the audience to stand around and socialise to while still being able to appreciate the tunes. Despite his concentration being lovely to watch from afar, more audience interaction would’ve really heightened the set. That said, Chiefs can only go up from here as he brings some quality work into the Melbourne electronic scene.
The next support, Rat & Co, were an interesting mix between electronica and ‘true’ instrumental sounds. Dreamy but still engaging, and with their masterful vocal layering, the band were incredibly tight, working perfectly together to look and sound fascinating on stage.
The final support act was Kilter, a Sydney artist known as Ned East to his mum. Having produced one of the remixes on the new Snakadaktal EP, the producer was a perfect choice for the gig. He’s a true performer – engaging to watch, to appreciate, and also an artist who really knows what his audience wants. Gauging how the crowd were feeling and playing tracks he knew people wanted to hear – such as an incredibly well-received London Grammar remix – Kilter proved to be a versatile and mature performer.
Finally, the Snakadaktal youngsters wandered on stage, opening with ‘East Of Here’ – the brand new track from the EP. The audience’s chatter immediately waned while the five-piece created a dreamy atmosphere; there’s no doubt that the Melbourne band were in their element on stage.
Perhaps it was because it was their hometown show, but right down to the band’s banter, the night felt like a big bunch of friends all getting together.
“How are you going?” said the strikingly beautiful co-lead singer Phoebe Cockburn, before literally waiting for a real response from the audience. “Good? Just okay? We’re SO happy to be here!”
Blazing through their catalogue of tracks from the new album and EPs past and present, the band played a perfect mix of their current material and the songs that broke them into the industry through Triple J’s Unearthed High.
The quintet managed to fit a really good chunk of their recorded material into an hour, and their setlist worked perfectly. The audience sang along to old numbers like ‘Chimera’, ‘Dance Bear’, and recent single ‘Fall Underneath’, and the band also included numbers such as ‘The Sun III’ – a song that closed the show and made everyone focus solely on the warmth of frontman Sean Heathcliff’s voice.
Working as an extremely tight band, particularly the two lead vocalists and their incredible harmonisation, Snakadaktal project such a lovely image when they perform. Their passion for music is so evident on the stage, showing their artistry and sheer skill.
If there’s a young Australian band to watch right now, it’s Snakadaktal. Who knows where they’ll go from here, but one thing’s for sure – it’s obviously just the beginning for this promising five-piece.
Setlist
East Of Here
Hung On Tight
Air
Isolate
Ghost
Feel The Ocean Hold Me Under
Too Soon
Chimera
Sleep
Fall Underneath
Dance Bear
The Sun II
The Sun III
