Despite his worldwide cult following, a Toro y Moi appearance in the UK is rare. Tonight is the California-based musician’s third London gig in seven years, and the first since the pandemic. In his own words: “It’s been a long-ass time.” In the space between, he has released two studio albums, both forging tangents from the chillwave subgenre he was first associated with, into indie rock, contemporary rap, trap and left-field disco.
Toro y Moi, real name Chaz Bear, opens with the warm, psychedelic, funky tones of his latest record, Mahal. Swampy synths soak through waved-out guitars and occasional shredding, before the groovy Postman rouses the crowd to sing along. Paired with the kaleidoscopic lighting, the sounds bring a surprising cosiness to the vast interior of the church of St John-at-Hackney.
