Despite carrying just one instrument between them, the charismatic duo produce a soundscape acres wide, combining MacDowell's silky vocals and guitar with vocal percussion from Thum capable of putting many a midi keyboard to shame. 

Speaking after a soundcheck at the Queen Victoria Museum Art Gallery, the pair reveal an unlikely first meeting.

“Tom was beatboxing and breakdancing in the Australian Contemporary Circus and I joined that circus as an acrobat,” MacDowell says. 

“That's what I used to do but I really liked music - eventually Tom and I left the circus after four years together touring and now we play music instead.”

“Which is arguably more of a circus,” Thum jokes, “more clowns.” 

In recent years MacDowell and Thum have played in Europe, Asia, and Africa, touring an intimate live show they describe as “basically us off stage on stage”.

“Because we came from different places and we never really worked on a style that's typical anywhere else, we've kind of got our own thing going on,” MacDowell says.

“It's kind of poppy, hip-hoppy, a bit rootsy, a little bit funky and worldy - and a bit funny as well because we talk a lot on stage and mess up and cover that up with jokes.

“We're really human and natural there's no make-up or costumes.”

Following a Festival of Voices show at St Ailbe's Hall on Saturday night, the pair plan to step up the focus on creating new material; a process Thum hopes will see the duo work together more than ever before.

“Individually we're always writing stuff but for this next album we want to sit down and have concentrated writing time together. 

“Usually we bring our respective parts to the collaboration whereas the next album we want to start working more together, and build the foundation of an EP or an LP and then take it to a producer to blend our ideas coherently.”

Jamie MacDowell and Tom Thum will perform at St Ailbe's Hall at 7pm on Saturday July 2. 

Tickets are available at the door or at the Theatre North website.