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When Vallis Alps took the Australian music scene by storm with the release of 'Young' on their debut self-titled EP at the beginning of 2015, it was a sucker punch to the heart for many who found themselves asking "who in the world are these guys and how are they making me feel all the feels right now?" After that release, it was never going to be a question of talent when it came to the electronic/instrumental duo, but whether they were going to be able to follow up such a massive debut with more of the same.
Almost two years later and after a spattering of live shows in Australia and overseas, in November of 2016 Vallis Alps released 'Fading' and all the questions and doubts about the potential of the duo were put at ease.
It's unsurprising then, that Vallis Alps' the final show of Vallis Alps' largely sold out national tour at The Metro Theatre last night in Sydney provided the best live set we've seen from them by some margin. With their second EP Fable under their belts, Vallis Alps finally had enough material released to cleverly craft a set around both new and known tracks.
Apart from a short intro, the duo kicked off at maximum momentum and immersion, starting the set with Fable's lead single 'East', with Parissa Tosif's mesmerising vocals captivating the audience from her very first note. Assisted by some beautifully crafted vocals, they wove a web around the all ages audience, performing a few lesser known songs from their recent release as well as stacks of favourites.
When some electronic musicicans perform live with hit-pads and other types of hardware they often find it hard to work these more 'live' elements into their show in a way that seems natural. Not so Vallis Alps, with Seattle-hailing producer David Ansari unleashing a set full of cues, EQ'ing and drums that flowed incredibly well. Tosif's playful tapping of some of her own cues also contributed to a general feeling of joy and fun that the set emanated.
Inevitably, and as should be the case, their big hits like 'Young' and 'East' were standout tracks. Wrapping up the set with 'Fading' was truly as majestic a moment as they come, and as the whole Metro Theatre were united in singing the chorus, a moment of reflection came upon me both of wonder and pride for these incredible talented artists who were selling out their second Sydney show in two nights. One can't help but think that despite everything they've achieved, we've only just scratched the surface of what Vallis Alps are capable of.
