Golden Features' debut album, SECT, is finally out and we're so stoked that we made it down to Sydney's Monster Children Warehouse last night to party with Golden Features himself and his biggest fans.
A line was already curling around the block when we got there, filled with buzzing fans keen to wrap their ears around SECT for the first time. When we get into the wide, exposed-brick room, there's a huge spray paint mural, with "SECT" scrawled about a billion times in dripping red paint. On the other side of the room is a black-clothed table, housing a handful of candles and two things: Golden Features' famous dusty gold mask in a glass bell jar, as well as his brand new mask in another. The new mask gives us Iron Man vibes - it's a lot shinier, has etchings all over it and definitely gives off a badass vibe.
As fans file in with drinks in hand, the room is bathed in yellowey-orange hues. There's heaps to look at - the projector is showing us flickering black and white images on the wall, there's candles everywhere, and preliminary sketches of Golden Features' masks, old lyrics and ideas and beetles on the wall. People are poring over these like we're at a museum. In one corner, there's a VR headset where fans are getting the chance to immerse themselves in the Falling Out music video. It all really feels like we're getting a deep dive into the making of SECT and the making of who Golden Features really is.
Finally, the actual listening event starts and the room starts PUMPING. Despite the fact that singles like Worship and Falling Out are already out, the fans are really getting into it. They also know they're getting to hear the rest of the 10-track record before anyone else and the excitement is palpable. We even catch a girl sitting on another dude's shoulders! The vibe feels like a festival set, despite the fact that Golden Features isn't actually performing right now (he is in the room though, probably watching how fans are connecting). Local producer Perto and Elderbrook are also hanging out tonight.
We're all treated to boxes and boxes of pizza and the jamming out continues - it's like a mini rave in there!
But don't worry - if the FOMO is all too much, Golden Features' SECT is out now on Spotify, Apple Music and everywhere you buy your music.
Get into it!
Photos by Uppy Chatterjee
