Superorganism @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 5/21/2019
Superorganism at 9:30 Club (Photo by Mauricio Castro)
Superorganism is a product of the internet, through and through. The band members, representing multiple countries, met on the internet. When they released their first songs online, they kept their true identity a secret. (The internet would soon find out, leading to their signing to Domino Records.) Their videos have a strange quality that those well-versed in the language of internet memes feel right at home in. Emojis. Cats. Rainbows. Such is life for those who have only known life on the internet. Where some musicians like Lizzo will come through with messages of self-love (as she did the night before on the same stage), Noguchi proclaimed, “We don’t care, we write about sea creatures.”
As a collective unit, the members of Superorganism were practically destined to meet one another and spread their brand of Internet-bred weird pop around the world. Of course, it helps to have some catchy songs too. “The Prawn Song,” “Everybody Wants to be Famous,” and the bubbly “Hello Me & You” (their contribution to The Lego Movie 2 soundtrack) were just some of the highlights of their compact, visually-stimulating set. For each song, seemingly random video clips played rapid fire on a massive projection screen enveloping the 9:30 Club’s back wall. The trio of supporting vocalists had synchronized dance moves for every song, plus witchy sparkling cloaks and glowing orbs in hand. Orono can come off as ironic and detached, but truthfully, the entire Superorganism crew is weird, wacky, and makes sure everyone is having a good time. How could you not say so when they throw candy and stickers into the crowd?
Superorganism’s self-titled debut album is out now through Domino Records.
