Live Review: Luke Million, Mookhi, Nocturnal Tapes

19 September 2017 | 11:21 am | Tobias Handke

"This is music that people of all ages can enjoy."

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Nocturnal Tapes kick off with a dynamic opening set. Drawing inspiration from the heady dance melodies of Cut Copy and the psychedelic euphoria of fellow New South Welshmen Jagwar Ma, Nocturnal Tapes are the perfect blend of foot-tapping, modern electronica. The pulsating funk odyssey Pattern is an absolute jam.

Next is the up-tempo stylings of producer Mookhi, who once again lets her trumpet do the talking. Eliciting a rather buoyant dancefloor, the Sydneysider delivers a vibrant performance that includes one song written on a plane to Perth and another influenced by her time in India. Mookhi is a star in the making.

Adelaide often gets a bad rep, but Luke Million is evidence that the city of churches is still musically relevant. Founder of badass funk purveyors The Swiss, Million has dedicated the last few years to his solo career and, if tonight is anything to go by, it's paying off in spades. A bumper crowd is present for this hour-long sensory experience. Positioned in front of a massive circular light display, Million alternates between a number of synths and electronic drum pads. The bomber jacket-wearing Million is abuzz with excitement as he pumps the crowd up with an array '80s-influenced electronic funk bangers. The synth-poppy Archetype, Studio 54-esque Fear The Night and bouncy Light & Sound have the crowd grooving along before a cover of Pink Floyd's Another Brick In The Wall unfortunately invokes a mass singalong.

Million might rely on Auto-Tune when it comes to singing, but it works for the arrangements on offer. Not only does he sing the odd tune, but Million also struts about the stage with an old-fashioned keytar, much to the crowd's delight. The heavy '80s influence of his music fuels a sense of nostalgia despite the fact that most of those present are probably too young to have been around back then, but none seem to mind. There are people on shoulders, there's rhythmic handclapping and one lad in a Pantera T-shirt gets down and dirty to Million's mesmerising sound. This is music that people of all ages can enjoy. The Sam Sparro-featuring Back To The Rhythm is a slice of disco-pop heaven and the Last Dinosaurs-featuring Hypnotised is a hazy head-nodder.

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Melbourne's own Fluir makes a surprise appearance for an electric rendition of Alive while the pulsating Return To Transylvania is reminiscent of the Commando soundtrack. Million's remix of the Stranger Things theme song gets a rousing reception before the Arnold Schwarzenegger-sampling Arnold has the crowd getting, "Down! Up!" one last time.