You’re probably doing okay if you have a beer named after you. As PVT play the first shows in support of new record Homosapien,the erstwhile Sydneysiders prove themselves worthy of a limited edition craft brew bearing the ‘PVT Vertigo’ moniker.
On the first night of the Easter holidays, there’s an air of celebration inside the OAF.
Instead of resting on their considerable laurels (first Australian band to sign to Warp records, album voted best Sydney record of the decade etc), PVT are a band whose sound seems constantly in flux. Homosapien is their most minimalist collection yet, introducing new elements of space, calm and dreaminess to their palette.
Before PVT, prolific live act Collarbones provide a solid and hugely enthusiastic set, featuring now familiar favourites like “Too Much”, which pairs thudding bass with falsetto vocals floating above.
There’s quite a range to what they do, with the sleek “Losing” moving away from the overt R&B influence of some of their work and instead embracing futurist funk, with beats and electronic noise crashing violently into each other.
At other moments they’re more ambient, while some sections are closer to straight-up dance music than, say, tonight’s headliners, who they admit to “being fans of since year nine”.
The set ends with “Hypothermia” seguing into a club-ready mix that sees the pair leave the stage to jump around the front with a particularly enthusiastic section of the crowd.
With the three members of PVT silhouetted in deep blue, they begin with “Shiver”, stripping the elements of the song away to something skeletal before a satisfying build up.
“Evolution” follows, and then comes the ominous atmosphere and all-encompassing bass of “Electric”.
The set list is almost entirely made up of the new record and makes a strong case for the tunes ranking alongside their best work. While it’s not their most immediate effort, Homosapien is a grower with subtle details that reveal themselves on repeat listens.
Dedicating one song to “everyone who was here in 2008”, PVT offer the irresistible title track from the much-loved O Soundtrack My Heart, a euphoric piece of focused repetition that hasn’t dated a day.
The peak, however, isn’t this rare revisiting of past glories, but instead “Nightfall”, which moulds stop-start rhythms into something soaring and open. It’s probably their most anthemic moment and one of a number of songs on Homosapien to focus on the idea of surrender in its various forms.
The attention to detail throughout is hard to fault, with impeccable sound and dramatic lighting that complements the dynamics of the new material.
The choppy vocals and thrashing rhythm of “Homosapien” sees PVT leave the stage, but nobody is in the mood to go anywhere. They return for an encore of “In the Blood”, before promising to be back soon for more shows.
Following this hugely impressive outing, another show sounds like something worth drinking a PVT to.
