Resin Dogs Review
By Tessa Muskett
Mihirangi graced the stage first. She recreates her global music in a live setting by recording each layer of sound and putting it on a loop so that the music builds and swells until at last it is joined by her free vocals that can go anywhere and do. Meaning is created by her powerful voice that screeches but also soars. The songs are wonderfully full and rhythmic with Mihirangi dancing along, alone on stage with her table of instruments, not just musical, but also the mechanical ones she uses to record and alter sounds. Her audience interaction was charming as she cheekily asked us after the first song, ‘Do you get it? Yeah?’. Apparently people can’t figure out how she does what it is she does. Some may appreciate the novelty of it and others may think it has been done before but I just tried to see how she used it, her personal style. I think it is like any other approach, people have played guitar before (which Mihirangi did too) so you can’t get hung up on the medium.
Mihirangi didn’t think I was ‘impressed’ with her singling me out of the crowd and calling me ‘chicky babe’ and jokingly suggesting that she would sell more CDs if she stood next to me. I then gave her a double thumbs up which helped redeem me to being ‘cool’. It’s not that I minded being addressed personally it was just that I couldn’t really see her eyes under her white peaked hat so I wasn’t sure if she was really talking to me or if she wanted me to respond. Mihirangi definitely kept the crowd entertained and made some new fans. Rhythmically swinging her hips, the young woman of Maori descent brought a unique sound to Wollongong 2008.
Resin Dogs have been together for fifty-seven years, dog years, that is. Over this time the people that have been involved in making Resin Dogs’ music have been changing. Resin Dogs have collaborated with a whole host of artists to create many popular songs. Despite this, they have their roots firmly planted in the live performance aspect of creating music which set the stage for a particularly fun live show and hence enjoyable night at UniBar. Resin Dogs have created music with sensuous grooves that storm the airways and tonight they brought these to the crowd. All that experience has resulted in some mature sounds and well resolved tunes, in a word, pro.
Recently, Resin Dogs soaked up the relaxed atmosphere of UniBar and enhanced it. They admit to having the “party vibe” and Wollongong definitely felt this. There was a band set up with a DJ. MC DNO and special guest N’Fa from 1200 Techniques, carried out the vocal honours. DNO contributed lots of energy to the live show, running about like a fox terrier. N’FA has more flow than the whole Murray-Darling river system. He was such a joy to watch as he cruised through the songs, relaxed and poised. He freestyled as though it was more natural to him than talking, to the delight of all who got to be involved in
the music by getting a direct mention. Tonight they played tunes off the long awaited third album “More”, with this being the main purpose of the tour.
Everybody at the show was moving to the music. Fans of Australian hip hop unite! If you enjoy this genre then you would definitely enjoy this band as they do it so well.
