Live Review: Giverny @ The Record Crate, Sydney – 09/06/2017

GIVERNY is a solo musician based in Sydney, who delivered a short but stellar show at The Record Crate this past Sunday.

A modest crowd of locals gathered to see what sounds his unassuming setup—a laptop, guitar, and midi controller—might produce. Though seemingly a little nervous at the start of his set, his energy and confidence soon blossomed as he played his way through a brilliant batch of songs.

The songs were often densely layered with pre-recorded tracks, often extra vocals and guitars, leading to a sonic variety and scope of sound one would expect from a 5 or 6-piece band.

If there’s one thing that stays consistent throughout his set, GIVERNY—real name Philip Spiteri—brings with him a certain mood. Sometimes the lyrics are hopeful, bordering on anthemic, but the atmosphere is otherwise dark and brooding from the first song until the last. The synths and drum sounds conjured from his electronic setup are often new-wave, even gothic, calling to mind The Cure or Nine Inch Nails at times.

His vocal performance was dynamic, spanning from baritone murmurs to anguished shouts, always complementing the tone and character of the music. Lyrically, the topics ranged from personal conflicts to philosophical questions.

Though he only performed for a little under 30 minutes, GIVERNY left a lasting impression on the crowd. He may be a fairly new name, but he possesses a unique and well developed sound, with more than enough skill to deliver it onstage.