I truly love a good indie-pop moment, especially when it is a newer discovery that the music overlords have so gracefully placed in my path. On May 9th, I had the pleasure of seeing Chloe Moriondo shine at the Echoplex in Los Angeles. This show marked the halfway point of her tour celebrating her most recent LP, Oyster. Weaving through elements of hyperpop programming, pop punk power chords, and melodic ocean sounds, I found myself transported into a shimmeringly underwater soundscape and happy to explore!
With the lights low and the audience revved up, my attention was immediately grabbed by the coy, pre-recorded monologue and aquatic-inspired graphics introducing the show’s mood. It feels pertinent to mention that this was the last moment the crowd was quiet and still until the final chord of the encore! Such oceanic elements were woven throughout the show, creating a pleasant sense of cohesiveness from the musical content to the artist’s wet hair look. Found between the danceable moments of “abyss” and “Cdbaby<3,” and the profound vulnerability and introspection of “pond” and “shoreline,” was a brilliant testament to Chloe’s versatility as a songwriter. The balance of the setlist complemented the evolution of her musical journey, particularly highlighting the artistic growth illustrated from Blood Bunny to Oyster.
In addition to her consistently clear vocal performance, Moriondo also showcased her abilities as an instrumentalist by occasionally picking up a bass or guitar, adding a fresh rhythmic presence to the stage during crowd favorites such as “Bodybag” and “Manta Rays”. Excitement boiled through the crowd with a haunting cover of Mitski’s “Liquid Smooth” and a performance of an unreleased song called “girls with gills.” The presence of a cover and an unreleased song in the setlist is somewhat of a fun tradition for the artist! The encore wrapped things up with “Fruity,” an absolute dance-y banger, and the upliftingly nostalgic “I Want To Be With You.” Both fashioning a serendipitous close to a wonderfully enjoyed evening of good music and fond energy! Ultimately, I found Chloe to be quite charming overall, I was quite impressed by the authenticity of her interactions with the audience; she truly let her fans know that their presence was loved and appreciated!
Big things are on the horizon for Chloe Moriondo, and I’m personally excited to see what happens next! Be sure to give Oyster a listen and check out the remainder of the Oyster Tour in North America through May 23rd and Europe later this fall!