Live Review: Leisure Suite, ALTA, HTML Flowers, Martin King

7 March 2016 | 11:26 am | Xavier Fennell

"There is something absolutely comforting and welcoming about the culmination of Leisure Suite — you feel invited and safe."

Martin King, our first beatmaker for the night, is a lone figure behind a laptop and a collection of synthesisers and samplers. Electronic beats pop and crack disjointedly while heavy bass throbs, serving as a precursor to some seriously heartfelt pop music. King plays music with his heart on his sleeve and his voice is softer than butter

The follow up, HTML Flowers gives his beats and rhymes his all as he spits along to fat hip hop beats. His swagger is somewhat enviable as he oozes with proper flow.

"I had a shit dad, he had a shit dad" — he raps what he knows, hitting down with real topics that take it home. Flowers spends almost no time on the stage, instead joining punters on the floor. Oscar Key Sung steps out of the crowd to support his friend and collaborator with some sweet backing vocals that hit high.

It's getting deeper into the night and Alta bring their party. Hannah Lesser is a vision of power and her backing, Julius Dowson, is equally impressive. The set is full of sass and the crowd starts to roll and sway their hips along with Lesser. The mix of heavy bass throbs and trilling samples create an eclectic experience. The whole thing is drenched in early-2000s pop and it's gorgeous.

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Leisure Suite take the stage, the room is filled with friends and there is a great sense of love for all performing tonight. Bridgette Le is clearly stoked to be on stage and up front for vocals, bouncing and grooving to her cohort Mitchell Wood's beats. The duo, who are fresh off their set at Paradise Music Festival, have brought their live band along. Added live drums, bass and guitar create a solid presence onstage. One track, with soothing tones and clicking beats, is dedicated to Le's sister and she belts it out with velvety poise. Wood lays down his guitar and takes up his place behind the synth board, dousing the room with resonating tones and clicks that are perfectly aligned to Le's vocals.

The group are able to create harmony between the organics of handheld instruments and the technical wizardry of their carefully constructed beats. Shame is lifted from the 12" Lay Low release being launched tonight; it's upbeat and slick and the whole band groove together as one, clearly feeling the track they've created together. There is something absolutely comforting and welcoming about the culmination of Leisure Suite - you feel invited and safe. They should probably change their name to 'Pleasure Suite' as listening to them is nothing but pleasurable.