Real Estate @ Oxford Art Factory

Returning to Australia for the first time since their 2013 Laneway appearance, New Jersey/Brooklyn quintet Real Estate left a sold-out Oxford Art Factory in awe as they breezed through a set dominated by their most recent album Atlas, with dapplings of tracks from Days and their self-titled debut.

Building up their live presence following the 2014 release of their third and contended best album, Real Estate have rendered themselves a graceful unit. While Martin Courtney’s unobtrusive voice and Matt Mondanile’s illustrious guitar leads intertwine and airily guide the performance, neither overpower the overall sound, resulting in an almost intangible harmony.

Courtney’s introspective and somewhat obscure lyrical themes are carved with emotion that captivated the entire Oxford Art Factory audience. Looking around the crowd, there was a sense of marvel and minimal movement as his whimsical reverie resonated with everyone present.

Small rejoices could be heard with the opening lines of ‘Had To Hear’ and continued throughout the set as the band wandered through tracks including ‘Talking Backwards’, ‘Horizon’ and ‘Beach Comber’.

Contrary to Courtney’s expectations, Real Estate have etched a real name for themselves in a scene he sees saturated by indie and rock. They’ve proved that they’re not “just a guitar band”, but an act that supersedes itself in a live form, resonating with an audience long after the encore.