SXSW Day Four Recap: SNÕÕPER, Alice Longyu Gao, Glixen, Nabihah Iqbal, and more

*Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) -* ***SNÕÕPER*** *@ 13th Floor*

As we inch closer to the conclusion of this year’s SXSW, the start of the weekend was busier than ever with a range of ripping showcases. With most of the unofficial showcases having stacked bills with recognizable names due to numerous bands dropping out of the official lineup, we were bound to hear music that was sweet for our ears no matter where we ventured. Here are a few of the best things we saw on Friday at SXSW:

Nabihah Iqbal

Nabihah Iqbal dropped out of the festival, but using her presence on-stage to spread activism (you can read her full statement here). With her guitars donning “Free Palestine” stickers and a traditional Palestinian scarf enveloping the microphone, Nabihah made her position loud and clear. Meanwhile, her music washed over listeners, bringing them into her dreamy world, smiling as she played her signature polka-dot guitar. A highlight for us was her boldly taking on a cover of “Forest” by The Cure, which has been a favourite of ours since she debuted a rendition of the track for RE:COVER 5 years ago.

Glixen

Riding the shoegaze wave, Phoenix based band Glixen followed in Nabihah’s footsteps. Adding more layers and depth of sound, the band effortlessly builds in such a way that hypnotizes the crowd. While Glixen are relatively new on the scene, they’ve released a handful of singles throughout this year and the songs were brought to life on stage at the Third Man Records Showcase in collaboration with Creem Magazine. With ethereal vocals and proper gliding techniques that are missing from many shoegaze projects today, the band are a set to be a breakout group sooner rather than later.

HO99O9

After seeing Jersey band HO99O9 on the outdoor Hotel Vegas stage the previous day, we knew we had to catch their antics again in a smaller room. The duo immediately sent the room into a frenzy with crowd-goers, some of which we recognized from the night before, creating a circle pit and jumping off the stage. Yeti Bones could be seen shouting into a phone receiver, adding distortion to his vocals, while OGM cackled on the keys. Their use of samples from popular songs, albeit almost ironically, that eventually spin into hip-hop/punk sensibilities is just one of the many reasons this group keeps people intrigued. They are unpredictable in every sense of the word and there’s nothing more exciting than seeing a group who put meticulous energy into their stage presence and sonic production.

SNÕÕPER

After HO99O9, we were led outside by SNÕÕPER who kicked off an experimental and scuzzy set. Donning track suits and sports wear, the band ripped through songs that clock in sometimes at only a minute, but yet all start blurring into one. It’s not about singing along or hearing your favourite song live with SNÕÕPER, it’s about the overall experience. They paraded their smiling mosquito mascot throughout the crowd, colliding with numerous CREEM Magazine plushies that were being tossed around. And it wasn’t long until their guitarist was paraded around as well - first climbing a tree as we all wished him happy birthday - which eventually led to him stage diving into the crowd. Overall, their rapid-fire technique both in their song delivery and on-stage presence is leading folks to agree that SNÕÕPER has one of the most fun live show experiences to date.

Bryn

Bryn is a South Korean independent rapper who made her international debut at SXSW this year. Playing at the Empire Garage, Bryn brought her eclectic style to the stage, winning the crowd over with infectious dance moves and electronic infused hip hop. She took breaks in between songs to vibe check the audience saying, “Do you like House Music”, “Do you like UKG” - and without fail brought the heat with a wide array of dance-inspired sounds. While you could tell that the cardio of bouncing around on stage was getting the best of her, Bryn never once backed down from showing the crowd how she likes to have a good time.

Alice Longyu Gao

A hyperpop pioneer who deserves all the love and more is Alice Longyu Gao. It was easy to see the care that goes into her performance, from her synth and sample setups to her dreamy use of the harp. She walked onto the stage in a custom made doll dress (which she regretted wearing due to discomfort), with off-the-cuff banter (“Welcome to the asian Coachella”, she screamed) that almost felt as random as the type of music she makes. She will pivot quickly from death metal screams to saturated electronic pop, to hip hop bars that empower a room all within a 30 seconds timeframe. It was also impossible to ignore the level of care Alice puts into acknowledging her fans - spotting people within the crowd by pointing at them if she sees them singing along. There was one person in particular who pushed her way to the front to scream every word alongside Alice, which caught the singer’s attention and then proceeded to dive into the crowd to sing and share the mic with her. Alice has the ability to make her fans who show up for her feel that she will always show up for them right back with intimate moments. Near the end of the set, Alice had the crowd chanting “Laura Les” and “Dylan Brady’s” name, which we couldn’t help but wonder if it was to set up a guest appearance. But that is the Alice Longyu Gao way - she’s whimsical and fleeting - so you never know what could happen.

LSD and the Search For God

*Photo Credit: Jess Arcand (@jessarcand) - LSD & The Search For God @ Hotel Vegas*

Ending a chaotic day of bands with strong attitudes, we took a jaunt over to Hotel Vegas to witness the slowburn sounds of LSD and the Search for God. This is a band that have nailed creating a dreamy atmosphere in the decade they’ve been around, yet have released very little music. Despite not having a full-length album, the band put their distortion pedals to good use at midnight and played to thousands of attendees ringing in the Saturday ahead for music. We hope that the music scene veterans continue to produce mind-expanding music with a full-length album one day.