THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND
Naga and Lush Agave, Will’s Pub, June 14
Though they’ve played the definitive International Noise Conference in Miami, Tampa duo Naga exist on a distinctly dreamier frequency than the squelch set. Look no further than the fog deployed at their recent Orlando show for proof of that.
More than just effect, though, that very ether is a visual extension of their sound. Coming from the abstract electronic realm, their music shimmers suspended like neon underwater.
But unlike many of their vaguer, cloud-drifting peers, Naga’s glide features some futuristic R&B contours that lend the micro-genre some sex and personality that it doesn’t always have. Who can argue with that? It’s a ghostly tryst of aura and sensuality that rides a vibe that’s inward but perpetual.
Also performing was Orlando’s Lush Agave, the solo vehicle for singer-producer Alisha Erao whose vision bends classical voice through an experimental electronic lens.
Via tracks, loops and layers, she works in minimal arrangements that would otherwise be austere were it not for her vocal work. Regarding those vocals, they’re legit. In many ways, the spare backdrop is the ideal framework for such a rich, trained and nuanced voice so capable of doing the heavy lifting. With ability and imagination, she wielded a very basic setup into a performance of drama and strange enchantment.
Add in some physical flair and it’s like watching the live transmission of an alien angel. And it's why she has, of late, become one of the city's most eminent experimental artists.
Finally, an event with enough ambiance to make good use of the criminally underutilized Will’s Pub disco ball.
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This Little Underground is Orlando Weekly's music column providing perspective, live reviews and news on the city's music scene.

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