Having been described variously as dubstep and psychedelic dub, New Zealand’s mysterious Pitch Black were certainly an intriguing drawcard for this reviewer.

Curiously it has become de rigueur for overzealous journalists to apply the phrase dubstep to anything that has a remotely dubwise aesthetic. Increasingly anything from drum and bass to dancehall and techno is haphazardly labelled with a phrase which is seemingly misconstrued as a catch-all for anything with the vaguest hint of dub. Pitch Black do not make dubstep. They do however make dub in a variety of styles from plodding, spaced-out delay-ridden odysseys, to the throbbing pulse of housier and techier takes on the Jamaican sound. As tonight would reveal, this duo move between an assortment of dubwise styles with aplomb.

The rustic feel of this classic venue was perfectly suited to be hosting an act of this style, with The Zoo having been the spiritual home of dub in Brisbane for many years as DJ NoMC hosted the Dub Sessions. No doubt those tall speaker stacks have been yearning to feel the warmth of proper dub bass pressure since NoMC’s departure and Wednesday night provided the perfect opportunity to work those bad bwoys to their potential.

Unfortunately for local dubstep impresario Shards, this was not to be as he was forced to weave his magic at a volume which relegated him to background ambience. Consequently the early punters remained unresponsive to his considered selection of ethereal halfstep, opting to stick closely to the walls in small clusters. A few tracks later and it was time for the act which the small crowd was evidently there to see.

Occupying the stage with a myriad of equipment, the duo for Paddy Free and Michael Hodgson began their set inconspicuously diving straight into a deep bed of dubwise grooves. Despite the languid vibe of a mid-week event, Pitch Black rapidly had a vast portion of the crowd upfront immersing themselves in the rotund layers of bass. It was impressive to turn round at one point to see that the entire crowd had transferred from the rear of the venue to the fore in the space of just a few tracks.

Pitch Black effortlessly traversed through various shades of dubwise territory moving from pure, lumbering dub, to broken beat, dancehall and finally throbbing 4/4 kicks laced with psychedelic elements – with each style receiving similarly warm responses from the appreciative crowd. Despite the broad scope of their beats, they retained a cohesive feel with sub-bass, skanking keys and the recurrent sprinkling of acid lending a consistency to their sound. At one point they ventured into a vaguely drum and bass slant, but unconvincingly so as it lacked the sheer weight and dynamic rhythms of a proper DnB rinsing.

While the first half of their set was more rhythmically varied, the duo soon settled into a locked groove which struck me as having been perfectly suited to an intimate outdoor party. Not that it mattered any for the assembled as the crowd grooved eyes shut, blissfully detached from their surroundings. Finding the relentless pulse of the kick drum a touch repetitive after three or so samey tracks, this reviewer decided it was time to call it a night after an evening of unexpectedly pleasant bass pressure.

Pitch Black certainly have the goods to keep crowd entertained. A great night which saw no-one leave without a broad smile. On the experience of Wednesday night I will certainly be making efforts to acquaint myself with this much lauded duo’s back catalogue.