HAARLO @ Northcote Social Club – 11/07/13

The night kicked off with Eliza Hull opening the show. Fresh from a short stint in Europe and New York where she managed to play a few shows whilst recording with producer Pat Dillet (Sia, St. Vincent, David Byrne), Eliza wowed the familiar audience with her stirring voice and lyrics. In between a few Freudian slips mid-set, Hull’s vocal beauty was joined by the heavy slow beats of her ‘ Dawn ’ EP and recently released single, ‘ Echoes ’. To much applause, Hull finished up with a heartbreaking cover of Sinéad O’Connor ’s classic, ‘ Nothing Compares 2U ’. If this was the opening act, the crowd was in for a treat.

Ainslie Wills is clearly very accomplished, as was her band. Very distinct vocals dominate what is otherwise a very serene, ambient rock palette. The crowd was clearly drawn to the mellow sounds punctuated by some impressive crescendos in her voice. The drummer and guitarist managed to balance the instrumental elements and the vocals in the act.

Next up was Haarlo , who tonight were launching their Dreamlands EP. What is usually a two-piece collaboration between vocalist Stacey Gardiner and Jono Steer , Haarlo instead hit the stage with four people in tow, to perform their brand of pop, but not as you know it. “Dream-pop” is a term that has been thrown around, but it also is quite soulful, and combines a heavy bassline with more traditional pop elements. It also has a very strong electronic influence, which makes for an interesting and often mesmerising combination.

Aside from their original songs, they also covered Lorde ‘s crowd-pleaser ‘ Royals ‘, with the help of Eliza Hull and Ainslie Wills as guest vocalists. It was clear that it wasn’t a well-rehearsed number though, with lyrical errors made throughout, and Gardiner eventually just breaking into two freestyle verses at the end when she forgot the lyrics. It was almost more charming though; strangely endearing even though it wasn’t even close to the original song.

The great thing about Haarlo is their ability to break through the pop landscape and demonstrate a new interpretation of the way that pop can sound. Songwriting and lyrical composure are obviously near to Gardiner’s heart; there was a song dedicated to a late friend, and many of the songs seemed to draw from a wealth of personal experience.

Throughout the set, Gardiner exclaimed that she was surprised by the number of people that had turned out to watch, as she was fearful that no-one was going to show. This seems unsurprising. Haarlo were very impressive and exceptionally talented. Walking in, I had no idea what to expect, but I am definitely a fan.

Haarlo’s new EP Dreamlands  is available for purchase now on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/dreamlands-ep/id663065552 .

WORDS BY Alex Byrne

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