When reflecting on the first time I saw Cosmo’s Midnight perform, everything seems half its current size: the venue's smaller capacity; their relatively limited discography; their fan base loyal, though not quite vast enough to sell out the show.
Their career progression was palpable even during the minutes leading up to their Brisbane set (7 July), The Flying Cock filled to the brim with an audience buzzing, chanting, waiting.
They entered – Patrick addressing the drums, Cosmo arming himself with the guitar. “Holy sh*t,” Patrick chimed, admiring the crowd, “this track features Winston Surfshirt – ‘Get To Know’.”
Collaboration perfection, Surfshirt’s lush vocals blending seamlessly with the duo’s smooth production; a trumpet solo took the song to new heights, the addition of brass unexpected, but welcome.
The boys paused, shifting, re-tuning, breaking the silence with the highest-streamed ‘Walk With Me’, the sparkling number once too bubblegum for my liking, but surprisingly made a glowing impression.
Click here to read our March 2017 review of Cosmo's Midnight's Brisbane show.
‘Where U Been’, one hip hop addition from their debut album, proved heavier, though still characteristically Cosmo’s; they followed with the fast-rising to popularity ‘Lowkey’, more pop-inspired, shimming synths layered with easy-to-recite rapping.
Undeniable underdog ‘Polarised’ asserted itself as an instant favourite from their record, even despite Patrick’s false presumptions, chuckling “F#$%, I suck at singing,” as his lips met the microphone.
The twanging bass in ‘Talk To Me’ was a standout element, transforming the track into a funk-infused ballad; ‘With U’s leisurely sentiments slowed the atmosphere, dance moves less viscous, the projector backdrop a beaming sunset, sun an orange orb.
It paired beautifully with stunner ‘Snare’, the 2014 song that originally propelled Cosmo’s Midnight into the spotlight. “We’re so happy to be here, Brisbane,” Patrick cooed, the brothers grinning at each other with genuine pleasure.
‘What Comes Next’s closing release, the lyric-less ‘Lovelight’ picked up the room’s mellowing tempo; ‘Mind Off’s tinging riff was sweet as sugar, the tune boasting a diverse layering of quirky sounds.
The twins finished with 2017 hit ‘History’, vocalist Asta praising, “These boys are the most talented producers I know”. They exited without an encore to Earth, Wind & Fire’s classic, ‘September’.
Despite the accolade of achieving a sell-out show at a high-capacity venue, the acoustics were unfortunately average at times, bass muddled beneath audience chatter.
Audience chatter indeed, the room so full it was often impossible to move an inch, an indication of their well-earned fan base, of course, but perhaps a little close for comfort, at times.
The set was admittedly different to what I expected, my anticipations grounded by their performance last year.
2017: 1am club slot, drum pads included, but predominately DJing, a song-list fleshed with various artist’s releases, gig grounded by the duo’s ability to select relevant music, to transition smoothly, to maintain the crowd’s energy.
2018: A stage scattered with instruments and paraphilia, a recognisable collection of only-originals, a more disjointed approach, less blending, more identifying each track as its own, no longer a club set, instead an established show.
Not only have the Sydney twins successfully cultivated an iconic ‘Cosmo’s’ sound, it’s incredibly broad, spanning from hip hop, to funk, house, to pop, each piece varying, though visibly stamped with their brand.
What’s more, that ‘brand’ is impossibly likeable and consistent, new singles constantly trumping the previous; I’d bet the boys are perfectionists, every song so meticulously crafted, a swag of successful fan-favourites, multiple-hit wonders.
Last year, I insisted Cosmo’s Midnight would cement themselves among Australia’s most prominent electronic musicians. A statement I standby, and more, I even second Asta, they may be two of the most talented producers I know, as well.
