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Live Review: Reaching the forefront of fusion with Oscar Key Sung in 'Shallow'

14 February 2017 | 6:17 pm | Steve Copp

Melbourne artist Oscar Key Sung has compiled a soulful experiment of EDM and RnB in his newest contribution to new-era pop.

OSCAR KEY SUNG has finally returned, with an absolute earful in the best possible way. Punchy synth tones, challenging chord changes and more are all tied together in ways only Oscar Key Sung can dream up. We're so glad he's back.

In a few short weeks, Oscar will be gracing the SXSW stage. It's been a while since we've heard from him, but considering he's played a few shows here and there, as well as having recently torched numerous others alongside THE AVALANCHES as part of their live ensemble for their most recent touring dates, it's not exactly like he's been having a holiday. Now, he's confirmed the wait for new OKS was more than worth it, as he takes his chance to leave yet another mark on live dance music.

In his new piece, the artist takes control of his soundscape and proceeds to bring together a beautiful fusion of abstract EDM, and RnB story-telling. Like an aligning of the stars, it all begins to fall in and out of perfect harmony. The punchy synths break straight through your guard, and subsequently in a very trojan-horse fashion, his vocals are free to work their magic on you. This song hits you where you least expect it- it's coming from angles that are off the protractor.

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The piece is consistently uplifting, the synths punch holes in your psyche and Oscar's vocals stitch them right back up. The art of something that is ominous and heavy but still moving you is Sung's raging bull on this track: his bleeding vocals radiate heartbreak, while the accompaniment works counter-intuitively to numb your palette, making it easier for the vocals to land with impact.

Sung has left a lion alone in a room with a tiger, and what has resulted is a beautiful expression of musical contrast. How such polar opposites can even exist together is mind-blowing enough, but he went ahead and made it groove-worthy too, just for good measure.

Only time will tell which direction OKS will take with his music in 2017, but if he can carry his futuristically-inclined brand of fusion with the same control and elegance of this piece, we're gonna get some storming joints this year. He is thrusting EDM and RnB in ridiculous directions with enough vigour to make it work.

A piece as polarising as this has ample room for failure, one wrong turn and you can lose your listener in the blink of an eye. With all that in mind, Sung gives a performance without definition. It shatters the idea of a genre, and as fusion is becoming such a mainstay in the music universe, literally anything can fit under its scope. It holds enough attention to fall under a genre of its own and Sung is a driving force behind it.

Anyway you receive it, prepare to have your heart messed with.

'Shallow' the newest offering from OSCAR KEY SUNG, out now on Good Manners.

Words by STEVE COPP

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