Sleep deprived and over-caffeinated, I clawed into the Basement last night, not knowing what to expect. The room was crowded with a mixture of young and old, all of whom ventured to catch a glimpse of Youth Lagoon. The cold winter air outdoors ushered in many Fred Rogers sweaters that the Urban Outfitters crowd wore as a badge of honor, subscribing to the hipster memo. The huddled audience was first treated to an excellent introduction from Young Magic. The Australian group paused to take in the positive reception after they hit the ground running with their first two songs. "Thank you so much Nashville, this is our first time here." Their R&B rhythms blended uniquely with electronic rumblings and esoteric vocal melodies. Don't be a stranger YM, you're welcome in Music City anytime.
Youth Lagoon is the brainchild of 22 year-old Trevor Powers (right). The Boise, Idaho native recently released his home-recorded debut, The Year of Hibernation. The album is full of sound bleeds and fuzzy layers, comparable to a muddled canvas of indecipherable colors. Youth Lagoon's live performance was a variation of the album. The stripped down two-piece performance was unable to match the fullness of the album, but coming up short isn't always a bad thing. The vocals we're more apparent and once they dove into the beat, they never left the pocket. Each song was like watching a rolling stone gain speed and absorb calculated debris.
