Heading down the dimly lit stairs of the Oxford Art Factory on Tuesday night, I had no idea at all what to expect from the night ahead. The crowd consisted of a mixture of Sydney’s finest hipsters and music gurus and the atmosphere was calm, collected and slightly electric.

RY X (Ry Cumming), the man I had come to see, is an Australian musician who left the country over ten years ago to pursue his artistic dreams, never looking back and until now never coming back. Since leaving Australia he has based himself between LA and Berlin, growing his music and gaining influence from these incredible artistic hubs.

The night began with support act Little May showing off their incredible vocal, instrumental and lyrical abilities, every song captured my attention and kept the audience enticed. The harmonising of the vocalists was a sure highlight, and of course who doesn’t love a bit of girl power.

As the curtains closed to prepare for the main act, the room begin to fill up and the smell of incense took over, creating a chilled out atmosphere. As RY X has only properly released four tracks, there was really no certainty as to what sort of show he would put on, but as soon as the curtains opened, with the haunting display of candles and incredible back lighting, I knew I was in for a treat.

As Ry emerged onto the stage, looking like a beautifully mismatched scarecrow, the music slowly began and his raw yet powerful voice took over. With the slow beats of the drum thumping across the room, the music really did take control in a rather mesmerising manner. Throughout the show he spoke about the artistic approach he takes with his music and the importance of allowing for simple sounds to grow and create magnificent works, and the importance of this truly came across in his performance. In addition to this, his obvious pleasure at being back in Australia was evident, with him saying “thank you for coming” at every opportunity, only making the crowd love him more. Highlights came from his performances of ‘Berlin’ and ‘Shortline’ with their calming qualities and emotive abilities.

Although RY X has already left Australian turf, and who knows when he will be back, his musical presence is most definitely growing in the industry and he truly is one to keep an eye on over the next few years.

Check out his track ‘Berlin’ to get a taste:

By Sophie Henry