Toro Y Moi, Toff In Town, Melbourne

From a solo set-up to a live band collective there’s no doubt that 2011 is seeing Toro Y Moi live at its best. Tonight Chaz Bundick and co. run through a succession of tracks from 2010 debut ‘Causers Of This’ and there is no shortage of heads nodding, hips swaying or feet tapping. Whatever your predilection the dreamy synth-laden tunes are certainly inspiring reactors. From the well-known ‘Tamalak’, the dreamy folktronica of ‘Blessa’ to the hip hop soul of ‘Fax Shadow’ and the trademark reverb vibe of ‘Lissom’ and ‘Your Hid’ fans know what to expect.

Like a speaker submerged in water the lo-fi aesthetic is very much what they’ve become accustomed to, though it is Toro Y Moi’s new sound that really brings people to a pause. ‘Still Sound’ and ‘New Beat’ shed the synth-pop roots piquing interest that fans may not have even released possible. Heavy on the groove-funk palette the new direction the South Carolina native is exploring is most certainly a crowd pleaser. The 2011 sophomore release ‘Underneath The Pine’ is no longer about wobbly chords but more about live instrumentation and for lack of a better word the ‘disco’ all thanks to up-tempo keyboards and bouncing bass. If tonight’s show is any indication, Budnick’s latest may be the album that sets him apart from his chillwave contemporaries.