Geography are here to Save The World
On Friday September 6th, Melbourne band Geography released their two debut songs, ‘Scared of What,’ and ‘Save the World.’ With poignant lyricism, hypnotic and melancholic production, and utterly captivating melodies, the songs showcase the very heart of what Geography has to offer, leaving listeners already wanting more. You might not think it, listening to the tracks which are already so beautifully produced and complete, but Geography’s recorded music has nothing on their live performance. Theirs is music made to be appreciated live and in person. Specifically, upstairs at the Gasometer, late Friday evening.
Opening act, Hugo Van Buuren, sets the tone for the evening; with deep, rich vocals and confessional storytelling, he quickly has the audience captivated. Making beautiful use of empty space, and sparse, careful arrangement with his band, Hugo lets his vocals and lyrics take centre stage, with a raw vulnerability that draws the audience in time and again. The way that he is so clearly in the moment of his music is mesmerising, inviting the audience to sink in with him. As he sings ‘I don’t belong, don’t belong with you,’ in an instrumental break, Van Buuren shows that he is a master of letting a moment hang in the air, letting his audience hold a collective breath, before launching back in with a full band arrangement.
With creative and experimental use of rhyme and meter in his lyrics, and balancing acoustic and electronic elements in his arrangement, Hugo Van Buuren’s music keeps the audience engaged and on their toes, calling to mind the techniques of artists such as Joni Mitchell or Troy Sivan.
Closing out his set with an unreleased song, ‘Shoulders,’ (set for release with a new body of work in 2024), Hugo reflects on the last show he played with Geography, in this very same room, and how they have come full circle to celebrate the band’s debut release.
As Geography quietly take the stage, they set a pattern that will be continued throughout the night. Setting up their instruments, and tuning last minute strings, the band is casual, laughing with one another. For a moment it feels as though the audience is simply present for a rehearsal, preparing for this very show.
But then front woman Georgia Smith begins to play.
Beginning with breathtaking vocals and a simple acoustic guitar line, the room draws to a hush. Slowly, subtly, the band builds an arrangement around Smith’s voice, in a such a refined way that you’d be forgiven for not even noticing until you’re in the middle of it. The atmospheric and delicate lines weave together to build a whole new world in the song.
Geography are masters of creating entire universes to invite their audience into, layering elements to slowly build complex and enthralling arrangements around the centrepiece of Smith’s vocals, and creating soundscapes that are visual and emotive, evoking images of overcast days, lonely streets, and bodies of water; all in the space of three and a half minutes.
Waking up
Read the signs
I’ve walked this road like a thousand times
– ‘Save the World’
The melodies provided by Smith seem to be the point of it all. They are artistic, intricate, and unexpected, both filling the room and baring a vulnerability that draws the audience in and leaves them hanging from every word. The melody and its delivery are serving the story and emotion of the songs equally, if not more, than the lyrics – a difficult feat to pull off for any songwriter.
As the band moves into their second song, their new release ‘Scared of What,’ they again make use of a stripped back, atmospheric intro, and a slow subtle build to an even fuller and more complex arrangement than the last song. Their live performance has an intensity that the recording simply cannot fully capture. The depth and timbre of Smith’s vocals on this song are utterly captivating, and the arrangement sets her voice front and centre in the mix, while creating a whole world and soundscape for her voice and the story to live in.
Stunning high notes, and raw, vulnerable lyrics are casually dropped throughout, long gone as their impact hits home with the audience. One of Smith’s strongest skills as an artist is that these impactful moments are not the focal point of the songs, they are the baseline. Passing moments that leave the audience hanging off every word, every note, to be sure they miss nothing.
Can you tell me
If I’m getting old to you?
I’m so scared
Of what I didn’t do
– ‘Scared of What’
As the band moves through their set, a mix of up-tempo and ‘sorry, I’m about to bring the mood back down’ songs, Smith has a quiet and unassuming stage presence between each. As though she is simply taking the moment in, in this packed-out room. She occasionally seems unsure what to say, not the kind of artist to plan her small talk ahead of time. The moment the guitars are tuned and the band is in place however, a switch flips, and she is back to world building, with the audience completely entranced.
Their fourth song, ‘If I Told You,’ is a particular highlight of the evening. Featuring captivating, visual lyricism, filled with ghosts, reeds, echoes, and silence; the song is bordering on cinematic, evoking strong imagery and an intense, poignant heartache. At first, the vocal harmonies in the song don’t seem to land quite right with the core melody, but as the arrangement grows and the story progresses, the slightly off, minor feel to the harmonies begins to make sense, working beautifully with the melancholic and haunting feel of the song, taking the audience on a journey.
For their closing number, Geography plays the second of their debut releases, ‘Save the World.’ Smith reflects on her love for her friends inspiring the song, and gives them a light-hearted toast before launching in. The song builds all the way through, from a stripped back, atmospheric intro to complex and intense use of the full band, with the violin masterfully played by Imogen a particular standout, used subtly to provide a whole new depth of dimension to the music.
And then, just like that, it’s over. The world of the music falls away, and the band are back to their relaxed and personable selves, reminding the packed out room they in fact never left the Gaso. At only seven songs, Geography’s set almost feels cut short, however it seems possible this move was intentional – there is no doubt they left the audience wanting more.