Review: sleepmakeswaves @ The Gov
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their acclaimed album Love of Cartography, sleepsmakeswaves put on a show to remember.
Words by Will Oakeshott
Image supplied
sleepmakeswaves, LITE & Rolo Tomassi @ The Gov 03/10/24
“Music is the moonlight in the gloomy night of life.” ― Jean Paul Friedrich Richter.
The moon has been an origin of wonder and imaginativeness for people for an amount of time that we may not be capable of measuring. Scientists dared to explore the naturally occurring satellite both from a distance and by landing on its surface. It affects Earth’s tides, impacts our calendars, and arguably has the capability to alter humans’ emotional states; most impressively, it’s one of the greatest sources of artistic inspiration.
The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, the Academy Award-winning docudrama Apollo 13 directed by Ron Howard and The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd, which is considered one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time, are motivated in some way, shape or form by the brightest object in the sky after the sun. Jean Paul Friedrich Richter may have divided people with his humorous novels and stories, but his statement above regarding music is one to be admired.
This event featured three different bands, from three different countries, from three different subgenres of progressive music that could conceivably be considered astronomical in nature. So a connection between the quotation above, what the moon harnesses with energy and physique, as well as the similarities each outfit has to this marvel of a planetary mass helped convey the idea of using the moon as a guiding light for this article.
Or perhaps Houston isn’t the only one with a problem?
The UK’s Rolo Tomassi have shone their immaculate progcore moonlight on Australia numerous times now and illuminated the world for almost 20 years. Their mathcore intensity that strikes with astounding heavy exquisiteness is bewitchingly calmed in an instant via jazz-driven-lounge movements that seem not of this planet. If the moon is responsible for altering the Earth’s tides, Rolo Tomassi encompasses that energy.
‘Drip’ initiated the cavalcade with battering percussion courtesy of drummer Al Pott that pummelled immensely until the breaking point; that devastating strike came from vocalist Eva Spence’s immense roar that would have Jacob Bannon wish for a duet in the near future. Keyboardist (and Eva’s brother) James Spence matched this intensity with his bellowing howl, while guitarist Chris Cayford and bassist Nathan Fairweather repeated the heavy smatterings in astonishing beauty. If The Gov was a cliff face, Rolo were the rigorous waves and tidal movements decomposing the rock formations to a withered dust.
But tides change…
Around the halfway point of the track, as if a boulder that fell from the aforementioned cliff face had plunged to the depths of tranquillity and calm; this is what ‘Tomassi bewilderingly and brilliantly executed - change. The alteration is almost too beautiful, stirrings of Mogwai post-rock are exhibited, but only as guidance. It is simply breathtaking.
Then this “breath” is soon depleted, that intensity returns and the quintet berate the audience into gasping disbelief. Please note, this is just one of their journeys.
‘Labyrinthine’ was a flawless sequel in every element, ‘Prescience’ incorporated an extreme metal meets black gaze instruction with a delightful post-metal conclusion and ‘Mutual Ruin’ had that haunting shipwreck adventure that was marvellously macabre. The jazz-lounge interludes were in full effect for ‘Stage Knives’ and Eva showcased her bewitching cabaret dance moves gracefully. Enchantingly ‘Rituals’ became the nightmare of The Perfect Storm film, if it had the proper remarkably ruinous soundtrack – destruction can be so strangely elegant.
‘Cloaked’ was, in a word, virtuous. If one had to describe Rolo in a song, this would be a faultless starting point. Heart-altering metal with eerie keyboards and pulsating rhythm engulfs those who witness the five-piece; oddly enough, drowning in this rapidly rising tide of art-core seems like the greatest gloom one could encounter, musically though.
Following this introductory analogy, Japan’s LITE are possibly the hardest to categorise; essentially they integrate a splendidly confusing number of progressive music genres. The moon as a matter of fact has eight different phases, so this notion could be best to try and capture their aura.
“How’s it goin’ Adelaide?” guitarist Nobuyuki Takeda expressed in a thankful manner, acknowledging this was the quartet’s first visit to Australia – he was to be a man of few words (English is understandably not their first language), but their music did the talkin…. SHOUTING!
‘Deep Inside’ appeared as a waning gibbous moon, with synth inclusions along the lines of HORSE the BAND, vocal depictions of Britpop and trip-hop, Gang Of Four indie-post-punk and a general disco dance emittance among math-rock ecstasy. Confused? The moon can alter our moods.
The four-piece moved through practically every genre possible, the waxing and waning crescent moons occurring when they focussed more on funk and jazz guidance. Often, they would expand first or third quarter half moons where acts like AIR, Haelos and HTRK seemed to appear and disappear under a grand galaxy cloud. The real perplexity was when LITE underwent their New Moon transformation: jangly-indie-pop-metal-post-rock-rap. That is NOT an exaggeration, it is why they have been described as “one of Japan's top instrumental rock acts.”
Their “full moon” effect was the perplexity, but undeniably it was jaw-dropping. A headline show allowing these prodigies to improvise and hypnotise their spectators is more than necessary, as LITE are an eclipse of musical explorations.
A darkness overwhelmed The Gov and an appreciative applause welcomes the four New South Welshmen to the stage – bassist/keyboardist Alex Wilson simply introduces the post-rock purveyors sleepmakeswaves with: “This is Love of Cartography in full, thank you very much!”
BANG! We have the first crater on the moon.
‘Perfect Detonator’ is Adelaide’s beginning into the four-piece’s world of Rapid Eye Movement – it is an exploration. Treacherous, air-bending, blissful, brutal and oddly romantic. The moon does host a number of “mountains” and that’s what the quartet strives to do with their art – they take their listeners on a mountainous journey. This time, it is intergalactic and we experienced time travel ten years into their wondrous past.
‘Traced In Constellations’ was a madness of seismic movements, slow crescendos, atmosphere and space. Imagine ascending an elevation of the Earth’s closest planetary mass and understanding that you have no concept of weight, time or location. That’s what sleepmakeswaves develop, the loveliest “lost” sensation.
‘Great Northern’ was eerily poetic; the band has covered Robert Miles before and this shined through. Guitarists Otto Wicks-Green and Lachlan Marks aimed higher than the skies but were also grounded by Alex Wilson’s endearing keyboards and Tim Adderley’s gravitational percussion.
‘The Stars Are Stigmata’ was the ferocity of a moon dust storm over these mountainous regions; however, it radiated a stunning divinity in its whirlwind.
The closer that was ‘Your Time Will Come Again’ was movingly EPIC. The Earth stood still and the moonlight shone brighter than it ever has. It eclipsed reality, for this scribe and many others, this moment became a dream. The electronic flourishes, all-encompassing repose and then eruption after five minutes of post-rock grandeur. This isn’t a band of only “local” knowledge, it isn’t one of national establishment – it is one recognised by the world.
And this is because their sound is mountainous.
Do not miss their gravitational pull, their moonlight is luminous.
