Australian duo Geowulf brings us nothing but effortlessly laid back tunes with their wavy indie-pop debut soundtrack LP Great Big Blue. Wednesday, February 28, took me to The Lexington to see their album tracks come to life. A bustling venue filled to the brim with young adults ready to see these talented newcomers.
Without even listening to the tracks, the album listing already suggests a long lost summer and the stories that are intertwined. When hearing this live, this is just the feeling that you get, a rush of warmth filling the venue.
Geowulf [made of up Star and Toma] accompanied by their band were all dressed head to toe in Yellow and White, a very 60’s inspired vintage style, like something straight from Woodstock festival. There was so much positivity oozing from the stage before any words were sung or spoken.
Opening the set was “Sunday” and the sound replicated just what a lazy Sunday should feel like, it’s an easy-listening dream-like state of affair. Star’s vocals replicated Lana Del Rey’s in some aspects, with her unique and instantly recognisable tone shining through. Taking us to the ocean side was “Drink Too Much” with its story-telling lyrics and atmospheric backing vocals from Toma accompanying Star’s mellow performance, it was wonderfully charming.
“Won’t Look Back” had a slightly heavier feel while still keeping the intimacy. With epically haunting vocals, there was an element of sadness with swirling synths, a sprinkling of style from The XX and Monsters and Men interlaced their production.
There was still a vintage style combined with modernism that really balanced the track. A change in tempo with “Get You“, they varied the set nicely while each song still linked with the next with ease. This track had a caribbean style congo drum to begin, the crowd were swaying along to the pulsing energy that it radiated.
Everyone was taking in the hazy sound, creating a relaxed atmosphere among the crowd. I was standing near the back of the sold out venue where I could see the engagement of each individual, with minimal camera phone use it was just about embracing the serene feeling that Geowulf expressed through their music.
The nostalgia was flowing with “Summer Fling“, a injection of soul and long lost Californian days. With their band taking a step back, it was light and calming as the duo’s harmonies glided across the venue like liquid gold.
A subtle rise into the chorus, as the song progressed it evolved into a number of genres, an essence of electronica and world music all weaved as one. An ease of drifting in and out of her head voice, Star set an effortless feel with “Hideaway“. It was no fuss, no complicated aesthetics just natural musicianship with this bass heavy track.
The vocals were breathy and untainted on “Work In Progress“. The instrumental was euphorically breezy and certainly highlighted the definitive influences from the extraordinary Fleetwood Mac. Closing on their most well known track “Salt Water” beginning with impact, the gig closed on these feel-good tones and layers.
Turning to face her band during the performance, it was a jam session, you could really feel the on-stage chemistry. An ideal situation would be to grab a pina colada and sway by the beach bar to Star’s airy vocals, feet in the sand with the coastal air rippling through your hair. Their tracks painted such an idealistic picture of the events of the summer season. There was no encore, no glitz and glam just pure and raw, a beautiful introduction to Geowulf in London.
The gig had me transported to a completely different location; from the minus temperatures of the UK to a glow of the sunset in the heat of a Caribbean night. The consistent red and blue stage lighting was quite harsh and did not fully compliment their beautiful sound, a soft orange would have set the scene perfectly.
It is without a doubt that Geowulf will be on my summer playlist and should be on yours too. There is a track for every moment, the car journey to your favourite festival, the sun setting in the distance, or for when you have a drink in hand and you’re ready to dance in the warm summertime air. Or even for when Summer comes to a close as you flick nostalgically through all the polaroids from the memories gained.
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Words by Jodie Brunning
