Nina Las Vegas is currently touring around the country with three out-of-towners and one local boy as part of her International Presents series. UNiiQU3, Sam Tiba, Eclair Fifi, Swick and NLV giving punters a snapshot of the world’s upcoming electronic scene all in their own different ways.
We went to the gig in Melbourne and now are acting like crystal balls for all of you that still have NLV Presents to look forward to. Here are 10 things we learnt from NLV presents, not including our realisation that we have written so much about Nina recently that she’s potentially scared we’re stalking. It’s a valid fear.
1. Nina knows as International game-changer when she sees one
Earlier this year when the first NLV Presents toured around the country, Nina got her hands on a few Aussie game changers, most notably interns favourite, Tkay Maidza, who has exploded since then. This time around she’s set her sights further afield and delivered a motley but well-curated crew of artists. All of them are teetering on major success within the dance community - many of them relatively unknown in Australia until now. Each of the producers had something new and unique to offer. From Eclair Fifi’s bubblegum electronica to Sam Tiba’s hallowed Parisian beats, it all felt fresh.
2. UNiiQU3 & Nina were damn fine MCs
This wasn’t a play your set and get the shit out of there after a vodka kind of situation, each of the acts were there supporting each other and offering some damn fine MCing. Nina danced to the side of each of them like mother hen, amping the crowd with ease with UNiiQU3 also standing close-by. UNiiQU3’s dancing and spontaneous MC-ing made it look like each track played was made for the hip-hop world. Quite a feat when Eclair Fifi is playing PC Music.
3. Nina debuted her and Swick’s new tracks and they were killer
Releasing her debut EP last week in what would seem impeccable timing, Nina was able to launch both club-bangers Don’t Send and Flash Auto with co-producer and partner in crime, Swick, near her side. With the space imminently filling with the energy of a crowd that seemed to already be familiar with the tracks’ peaks and troughs, both translated from computer to club with ease.
4. PC Music is the soundtrack of 2014
It seemed that all the naysayers needed was a bit of club love to be convinced that the kawaii and kitsch sounds of PC Music are actually quite delectable. First Swick dropped, Hey QT, which caused us to bowl over all our way out of the bathroom, and then Nina gave Sophie’s Lemonade a play and for a brief moment it felt like life would never be this good again. In no other song can you get down to the sound of fizzy lemonade and follow it up with 30 seconds of rave. In all seriousness though, the club is where sounds first arise and we’re pretty sure PC Music will be making its way into mainstream sound very soon. Katy Perry, Hey QT!
5. A Nina crowd knows How To Dress Well.
Unfortunately he wasn’t playing but the crowd and the acts were a well-dressed, dapper bunch of people. With many NLV t-shirts sold with the ticket, there was always going to be a fair share of Nina-clad people. There was also an abundance of emoji tees, which ensured that good feels were maintained for the night. The five artists also had some pretty impressive cloth too. Swick donned a New Age T-shirt, the new label by TEED, Sam Tiba was wearing a Nattofranco long-sleeved tee and Nina was wearing socks with mega-high heels that looked as if they hurt like shit.
6. Eclair Fifi is just like a strawberry eclair
Just to clarify, the Scottish heartstarter does not look like an eclair but her set very much sounded like one. Her set was sugary and sweet, yet it held this density to it in the four-to-the-floor beat that permeated. She effortlessly skated through a number of genres from bubblegum electronica to hip-hop, still managing to maintain the same consistency.
7. Sam Tiba is a dark lord
Leave it to the Parisian to make things a little moody. Amongst a bunch of perky, tempo-raising artists, Tiba delivered a brooding set of tunes with pulsating beats and ghostly synths. A particular highlight was when he dropped fellow Parisian, Para One’s You Too, lifting the mood a bit for Swick who was to follow.
8. Australians hold their own
Nina and Swick were the only Aussies on the International bill and they more than proved how good Australian electronic music is right now. Their two tracks together went down superbly, as previously mentioned, but both of them showed an acute awareness for what is going on overseas as well as what is happening locally. Swick’s track, Wishes, with Lewis Cancut and Tkay Maidza sounded like a bonafide anthem when it dropped and Nina’s tip of the hat to Peking Duk with her spin of High was an unexpectedly euphoric moment.
9. People do like good music
At one point in the night Nina thanked the crowd for liking “interesting music”, and it did feel good to be in a crowd of Australians lapping up music that wasn’t contrived or pretentious but rather feel-good. The crowd was pumping and certainly large enough to justify the decision to collect together the International lineup. And throughout the night, the bar remained mostly empty with the dancefloor the place to be. Melbourne, you did good. Real good.
10. We don’t know how to use a camera
Yes, we had a camera. And yes, we have nothing to show for it. It seemed our camera did not like our anarchic dance style and as such our photos are a blur, just like our night.
Note to future self: Wikihow 'camera shutter speed'.
Case in point.
