OK Button bring their stunning soundscapes to Summer Nights at King Tut’s.
View the full gallery
OK Button released their debut EP – Sepia Spectres – last week. Despite featuring only one song that hadn’t been previously released, anticipation was high. The synth-pop soundscapes created by Amber Wilson, Nass Donald and Adam Falkner have already earned them a reputation as ones to watch.
Ethereal is not a word that I usually associate with performances at King Tut’s, which tend to be more boisterous, but it’s the best word I can use to explain how the trio manage to stun the crowd into silence.
Standing in front of a screen featuring their beautifully shot videos and other imagery, they begin their set with ‘Beds’. Wilson’s vocals are both breathy and breathtaking, at points melting into the surging synths as she tells us to “look what we’ve done to everything”. Their music creates a warm and evocative atmosphere that continues to the end of their last song – the dreamy ‘Nostalgia’.
This set reflects both the vulnerability and power that flows through OK Button’s music and lyrics. Wilson’s airy voice is laid bare with little backing on an emotive cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Chelsea Hotel’. She seems to exhale the lyrics. Then there is the strength in elation as she sings “You motherf*ckers won’t bring me down” in ‘The Message’ and fire in the incredulity of “you can’t make this sh*t up” in ‘Flesh & Blood’. The melodies and percussion from Donald and Falkner shift from softly pulsing to powerfully punching, filling the room with waves of perfect electro-pop. It’s impossible not to dance when the rush of shimmering synths, on tracks like ‘Grenade’, hits you.
I can picture OK Button in front of their screen on a much bigger stage – maybe supporting a band like Chvrches or Sigur Rós first, but playing to large crowds sooner rather than later. I recommend taking the opportunity to catch this thrilling and transcendent band in a more intimate venue while you still can.
This article was written for Backseat Mafia.