written by Chris Familton

CocoRosie have attracted a larger audience each time they visit Australia and so this time were rewarded with a gig in the iconic surrounds of the Opera House. Always a duo that combines music, theatre and creative mischief, they were much deserved of a different style of venue from the usual rock haunts.

A last minute addition to the bill was Icelandic songstress Ólöf Arnalds, until recently better known as a member of electronic act múm. Bands often resort to a more restrained personality when playing the Opera House but Olof seemed intent on creating a relaxed and friendly vibe. Cracking jokes, explaining songs and experimenting with the hall’s acoustics were all part of her set. Musically it is hard to ignore the Bjork comparisons especially with her accent and some of the way she phrased her lyrics but she has much more of a delicate, angelic and hypnotic lilt to her voice.

As the lights dimmed and CocoRosie were expected to appear on stage we were surprised with an impressive 15 minute performance by French beatboxer Tez. This guy had the full range of vocal effects, splicing in vocals and utilising a custom made vest with built in synth pads for added samples and percussion.

CocoRosie skipped on stage wearing outfits in keeping with the artwork from last year’s Grey Oceans album and began what was a thrilling, amusing and enchanting show. Everything they did was tinged with their unique artistic interpretation and fusion of musical genres like hip hop, folk, opera, pop and electronica. Their success lay in the way they wove all their influences together so effectively without a trace of novelty or ‘aren’t we clever’ attitude.

Their song selection was heavily slanted towards material from Grey Oceans. The first single Lemonade was all slow, deep funk juxtaposed against Sierra Cassidy’s playful skipping chorus while moments of great tenderness and beauty also abounded on that album’s title track. Two of the evening’s highlights were Hopscotch with the Cassidy sisters singing while playing handclaps together and a genuinely moving By Your Side. Their greatest strength lay in the balance they achieved between their two contrasting voices – Sierra’s folky and operatic tones and Bianca’s high pitched other-worldly sound. The balance and combination of all their artistic extremes made for a highly entertaining and mesmerising evening.

this review first appeared in Drum Media