Not too long ago, DJ Digits and I went to Teranga, the home of Silent Shout, to check out some local broody electro acts. Playing were Green Splat, Princess Century and Organ Mood. The night got started later than we expected, so unfortunately we only got to see Green Splat, but we liked what we saw. It’s a shame that the band doesn’t have more of a following as they have an incredibly engaging and danceable live-set. Brother/sister duo Dario and Cristina Castro have been making music together for most of their lives, and it shows. While their set is pretty understated, the energy all comes through from that irreplaceable familial chemistry.

They blew us away with their first two songs with Cristina alternated from vocals, synth and drum pads with flawless timing. I was shocked when she told me afterward that she wasn’t using any quantization with her finger drumming. Dario’s subtle but also immaculate guitar lines added a much needed fullness to the minimalist grooves. The opening songs were oldies that they brought out from retirement, while the remainder of their set was from their most recent EP. Cristina passed off the drum responsibilities to Dario and his drum machine in favour of more complicated synth parts and some excellent mic rocking while Dario played guitar and a MicroKorg. I’ve had the opening line from “Night Snow” in my head all week, their minimalist style allows the hooks to come through all the better. They also do well by not burying Cristina’s vocals, as many electro acts (especially boy/girl duos) tend to do. She’s a veritable powerhouse that paradoxically manages to restrain herself, in keeping with the band’s sparseness.

Green Splat – Night Snow

Green Splat are one of the most promising dark electro acts the city has to offer, and with the recent success of bands like Trust, we wish them all the best. If you have a chance to see them we strongly recommend it.