Who doesn’t need a blood-pumping BPM and bone-crushing bass that engulfs your body and teleports you to new dimensions in space and time? A hypnotic, euphoric frenzy of post-punk EDM—digitally modern, yet dripping with old-school familiarity—that triggers memories and causes involuntary movement in the body.

Sextile are back with a newfound maturity and clarity, wrapped in the shape of a killer fourth album. Yes, Please demonstrates a renewed confidence that draws influence from so many vital and fundamental dance pioneers… think Leftfield, The Chemical Brothers, and Hacienda-era Manchester. Fuse that with the snarl of Suicide and the shared modern Californian electro DNA of Automatic or System Exclusive, and you’ll have an idea. How such hard-hitting, darkly atmospheric music comes out of such a sunny part of the world is beyond me.

A simple scene of drums, keys and onstage swagger sees the total omission of guitars—leaving more room for onstage shenanigans. Almost like a boxing ring, Scaduto and Brady work the space as if bouncing off the ropes, pushing back and attacking with lyrics and fist pumps.

New songs feature heavily as the set oscillates and cowbells at an unrelenting pace, ducking and diving with an at times almost primordial, back-to-basics music: pulsating drums, modern-day mantras and infectious electro sounds. Imagine what The Cramps did for the old-school rock and roll ethic and aesthetic. No compromise… pure… unfiltered.

Everyone will have a favourite memory of tonight—but without a doubt, Resist and Women Respond to Bass are now seared into my mind. Never to be forgotten.

There weren’t meant to be any encores… there ended up being two.

I am thankful Sextile reformed and finally returned, and I am grateful for nights like tonight.

Words: NICK TAMMER

Photos: Chris Hogge