Giraffage a.k.a. Charlie Yin took to the stage, still and unassuming, until he began playing and grooving along to his own music. He is no macbook act – working the board in real time and constructing his own soundscape.
Donned in black t-shirt and gold chain, he suggests an illusion of simplicity, while dipping into complex beats and hip-hop drops. At first the mood was relatively chill, with starry-eyed graphics and a crowd swaying along to his hypnotic eccentric music.
The real test is whether bedroom/laptop productions translate into a live setting. As it was a Saturday night, it seemed that Giraffage altered his set to suit the occasion. While he opened with his signature dreamy sound and musical quirks, it soon enveloped into a rich dance environment which had the whole room moving. Even Charlie was wiping his face with a towel in between sets.
The panelled visuals responded to his music, turning red at deep bass and featuring hand-drawn animation among the dynamic music. The audience were happy to hear original Giraffage tracks, including “Feels” and “Close 2 Me”, among his remixes (90s club hit “Better Off Alone” was a surprise favourite) but when he dropped Flume’s ‘Slassherr’ remix towards the end of his set that really had the crowd going.
Oxford Art Factory was packed – no small feat, considering that this is the first time Giraffage has visited Australia, previously only having interacted with fans online. It just goes to show that giving away music for free isn’t a last resort in a changing industry but rather extending a hand to growing crowds, who inevitably end up following the tunes.
Photos provided by Antigone Anagnostellis.
