One Movement promises to be one of the biggest music events this year, but in the most interesting format possible. It’s part music festival, part music conference, part fringe festival and part showcase, with some of the biggest names in the biz converging on Perth from Friday October 16 to Sunday October 18.

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Wrapped up in all the happenings are some amazing sounds, no more amazing than local Perth duo The Voltaire Twins. This real life twinset comprise of Jaymes and Tegan Voltaire, a brother and sister combo whose electrifying electro has seen them play alongside the likes of Peaches and Goldfrapp at last years Parklife. Their sound? Electro pop with a dose of whimsy and romance.

The Voltaire Twins have also opened for Ladytron (one of their biggest influences) and made it to being a Triple J Unearthed finalist. Their appearance in One Movement appears to be a logical step as they make it to the fore as one of the best electro pop acts our city has to offer.

‘We’ve only been writing music together for a couple of years; we used to be in different bands… before that separately,’ explained Teagan. ‘Jaymes learned the trombone early on, and then when were about 15 I got a piano, so I learnt the piano, so then James was really wanting to learn keyboards as well.

‘So we started this band together and he moved into a keyboard kind of role as well, and it was just a really good way for us to both write music together. It is quite different writing with James than it is writing with people I’m not that close to, because I guess, when you start a new band, you tiptoe around people’s feelings and that kind of thing.

‘You’re very careful about the creative differences; with us we can just tell each other what we think and the awkwardness doesn’t really exist, because we’ve said horrible things to each other over the years. Nothing can be that bad.’

It the familiarity of not only being siblings but twins which adds to the uniqueness of this band. When it comes to writing songs together it isn’t merely a matter of finishing each others lines, but not telling the other what they’re writing about. It isn’t to see if the there are flashes of inter-thought, rather to create instances of Bowie-esque cut-ups.

‘We come up with these songs where the lyrics aren’t very well connected, in the sense that you know exactly what it’s about, but it’s evocative of some kind of feeling or situation that means something completely different to both of us. In that way we’re probably not very twin-like at all.’

So does that mean they have distinct, separate lives? ‘No, we hang out quite a lot,’ Tegan confided. ‘Most of the time, if we’re not writing together, we’re doing something like admin, or writing a grant, organizing a gig, all that kind of thing, where it’s not fully creative; we spend a lot of time together like that.

‘But it doesn’t really feel like work, it’s quite fun, really. We hang out on the weekends, and we all have a very close circle of friends, we live very close to each other, so we do hang out quite a lot. It’s quite nice, actually; it’s good to have a tight group of friends.’

They’ve just launched their new single D.I.L. (Disco Intelligent Light) and on the horizon is a tour that’ll see them hit the East Coast with their divine sound. ‘We haven’t travelled yet; we’ve got a tour coming up in December, over east, so this is a great way – before we go over there – to be seen by people who are from a national or international background. It’s just an amazing way for us to connect with those audiences and those industry people, and we’re very, very grateful for the opportunity.’

Which poses one final question – do The Voltaire Twins perceive themselves as being on the cusp of their big break? ‘I don’t want to jinx it, but I guess we always hope for that,’ explained Tegan. ‘And the thing is, it’s always really, really busy, regardless of whether things like One Movement are happening or not.

‘We kind of feel like every little thing is a big step, but then when you take a step back and look at something like One Movement, you kind of realise that wow, that is a really big step to take, and it’s going to put us in a position that leaves us far better than the position we were in before. It’s great exposure and it’s a great opportunity, and to have that; to be able to say that you played the first One Movement, is exceptional. It’s really cool.’

One Movement happens from Friday October 16 to Sunday October 18, with The Voltaire Twins will be appearing at the One Movement Fringe Festival in Wolf Lane on the Friday and then the One Movement Main Stage on Sunday. There are also another 80+ bands – from Perth, Australia and international locations – playing at One Movement, along with panel and conference components featuring some of the industry’s biggest names. Tickets are available now. www.onemovementmusic.com

Scott-Patrick Mitchell