GOOD FRIDAY - SPICIEST NEW TUNAS OF 24 JAN 2020

Good Friday: The feature series that shines a light on our favourite new releases from around Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Make sure you check out all the artists that featured this week up the top of our weekly playlist, which also includes some other jams we've been getting down to during the week.

1.     ‘Wet Bikini’ - The Double Happiness

Surf-pop indie outfit The Double Happiness dropped a fascinating single to kick off the decade. A unique four-piece comprised of two couples from Brisvegas, what is even more surprising is their music!

‘Wet Bikini’ begins with brooding drums, and reverb-heavy, glorious guitar. Pulling from sounds directly inspired from the likes of surf rock prodigies Beach Boys, this track comes with a more psychedelic edge, and is a brooding, glorious track filled with so much atmosphere.

This is a highly recommended track that doesn’t outstay it’s welcome, with a hypnotic groove that will stick with you for a while. This track is like a surprisingly spooky day at the beach, and is a hell of a lot of fun!

2.    ‘José Mourinho’ - Fourth Place

Melbourne based hip-hop duo Fourth Place are back with a brand new track, ‘José Mourinho.’ These guys are doing some really interesting things with hip-hop, building up songs from really simple musical elements to deliver hip-hop gems with outstanding flow.

Their latest cut is a bombastic affair. Launching with a really synth line, the duo build the track up and up, adding kick drums and synth bass to hit it home hard on the chorus. Even more interesting is their lyrics covering their ambition in the music industry. When your sights are set this high, you kind of have to make a song about it.

While multiple EPs, singles and shows under their belt in 2019, this year will look to be a belter for this outfit.

3.    ‘Crystallised’ - Autumn’s Passage

An indie-pop outfit from South Australia, Autumn’s Passage have hit the ground running in 2020, with a record already out this month. One of their heavier pop elements is the guitar-heavy track, ‘Crystallised.’

Kicking on with heavy bass and warm guitar, the track builds and builds from intimate indie pop into an almost orchestral gem, like it is being performed in a massive stadium.

This is perfectly formed, tightly constructed, and melodically rich pop. A really great song if you love and value songs with groove, atmosphere and that showcase intense vulnerability. Check out this track, and their album; it’s a gem!

4.    ‘Serenity Now’ - Dip Road Dogs

Eclectic rock outfit Dip Road Dogs are back with their second single, and this song is a track with attitude and a glorious soundscape ripped straight from the Tame Impala and The Flaming Lips playbook.

‘Serenity Now’ is a stonker, with gloriously distorted guitar and a building drum that makes you feel like you are driving down a dusty, foreboding highway. The addition of gorgeous piano chords fills out the space and hits you with some fantastic old-school rock vibes. It’s a cross between a country-tinged rock gem and the new psychedelic sound coming out of Australia right now.

This band is highly recommended, with their first track ‘Labour Day’ also being released to great acclaim. You should be watching these guys in 2020.

5. ‘The Iundation into Our Room’ - A Country Practise

Last, we have a bizarre, synth heavy, quirky piece of electrofolk-pop from Brisbane outfit, A Country Practise. Similarly psychedelic, this outfit’s latest track is an aloof, surreal musical experience.

Another slow-burning experience, synths pulse through the song on top of beautifully plucked guitar and mandolin, with very aloof, yet slightly dark lyrics. It’s a very surreal piece of music that plays almost like a folk song, but it’s blending of genres works so well.

These guys look to have master a sound that is thoroughly unique, and we highly recommend you keep an eye on them going forward.

PREMIERE: Alternative rapper Rivilin debuts traumatic single, 'neuroscience'

It’s been a crazy couple of years for Brisbane-based alternative rapper Rivilin.  

Started out his musical journey playing in hardcore bands and working as a promoter around Brisbane, since turning to alternative rap the artist has gone from strength to strength, releasing cuts filled with personality and striking imagery.

2019 saw the artist release an unbelievable 23 singles, two EPs and a debut record ‘Nobody’, which earned considerable praise for it’s alternative sound, resonant themes, and fantastic, captivating performances by Rivilin on the mic.

However, this new track ‘neuroscience’, the first of his upcoming album ‘ratrose’ sees Rivilin head into much darker territory, being written shortly after Rivilin was in a terrible car accident. Opening with a unsettling keyboard riff that plays over and over and over, the feeling of unsettling terror is palpable. However, once Rivilin pops into the track and starts singing in a dead-pan voice, percussion introduces itself to give a feeling of being locked into something. You feeling like you are sitting on the hospital bed with Rivilin, living this moment over and over and over.

Rivilin really adds a lot of detail to the track, talking about hundreds of messages being left on this phone, feeling his broken bones and seeing everyone at the ‘end of this, again, again.’ The fact his lyrics even start to repeat themselves makes it even more palpable, making you wonder how long he has actually been here.

This is a fantastic track, something that pulls from other amazing alternative rappers like 360 and Kid Cudi, but what is a the biggest achievement of this track is that Rivilin nails the sense of place. You are there with him, every step of the way. For an artist to do that so convincingly it bodes well for what Rivilin has in store around the corner.

With a follow up record and multiple shows in the works, this is an artist you’re going to want to start paying attention to in 2020!

GOOD FRIDAY - SPICIEST NEW TUNAS OF 17 JAN 2020

Good Friday: The feature series that shines a light on our favourite new releases from around Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Make sure you check out all the artists that featured this week up the top of our weekly playlist, which also includes some other jams we've been getting down to during the week.

1.     ‘Hickeys’ - Saint Lane

Gold Coast-based rapper Saint Lane has kicked off the decade with a smooth, groovy and sensual tune, ‘Hickeys.’ After hitting it big with several singles in 2019, the groove rock-inspired style Lane brings to his tracks continues with this latest serving. With an upcoming solo tour and supporting tour with Bootleg Rascal, the rapper is sure kicking off this decade in style. 

‘Hickeys’ is certainly pleasant on the ears, with colourful guitar and an easygoing swagger in the percussion, however lyrically there is a lot more going on than first impressions might seem.

“Hickeys is about moving in circles,” explains Lane. “Working the same job, going to the same bars and seeing the same people every weekend. Getting caught in the loop and wanting to break free. Seeing some people around you break that loop and seeing some people stay in it.”

It’s gorgeous, it’s multi-faceted, and it’s fun. Get on it!

2.    ‘Slinky Begonia’ - The Bambuesae Rhythm Section

From glorious Fremantle, six-piece groove-rock band The Bambuesae Rhythm Section are ripped straight out of The Cat Empire playbook. This band are all about the groove, blues and unashamble funk, and that has carried through on their debut song ‘Slinky Begonia.’

They are also set to tour throughout their home state in late January and early February, coincidentally also supporting Bootleg Rascal. However, if ‘Slinky Begonia’ is anything to go by, they’ll soon be headlining their own shows! This is a tune to get you dancing hard, with fantastic trumpets, synths and the fantastic eponymous rhythm section making the proceedings feel like it has been pulled straight from the Eighties, but with a ska edge to it. 

Keep an ear out especially for the fun trumpet and guitar solo, it’s a riot!

3.    ‘EZ’ - Jamie Lane

Experimental electronic artist Jamie Lane has returned in style, coming off the back of a great 2019 to deliver his most danceable hit so far, ‘EZ.’

Pulling from the sounds of electro-house, Lane delivers a song heavy in groove, warm bass and tight percussion. However, while the track seems simplistic, it nails the sound so well that it becomes utterly hypnotic for the listener. 

Lane explains: “The lyrics are about the anxiety of being unable to establish a true connection with someone you have feelings for due to a sense of detachment in the moment. The heavier lyrical content is intentionally juxtaposed with an upbeat and ‘in the moment’ dance style, with a heavy emphasis on the aesthetics of timbre and percussion to convey a sense of atmosphere.”

4.    ‘Better Than Me’ - Bel

Melbourne-based artist Bel is back for the first time in two years, and has delivered a monster track with ‘Better Than Me.’

Bel is an artist that strives for real and authentic sounds and feelings, with no veil to hide imperfections. Instead, Bel celebrates them, unashamed and unwilling to compromise in her approach. The result is a track that feels gargantuan, both in it’s emotions and explosive production. Opening with a beautiful, but quiet soundscape, as Bel becomes more emotional heavy organs introduce themselves into an explosive, heavy chorus that feels like it’s being performing in a stadium. It’s a volcanic, unsettling tune, and feels undeniably real.

Be sure to keep your eye on what this pop artist has in store. This latest offering is heavy as hell and unbelievably compelling. Highly recommended!

5. ‘Bass Jumpin’ - Arno Faraji

“I make beats and sometimes rap to them.”

Arno Faraji describes himself as such, and honestly, the dude sells himself short. His new hit ‘Bass Jumpin’ is something quick-witted and impossible-to-hold-down. A track that feels like someone ten years his senior should be delivering, this Perth-based, Zimbabwe-born rapper from the Soundcloud scene delivers some hot fire across this track. The production is all fundamentals, pulling from a variety of places, especially the rap scene of the American West Coast. However, Faraji makes it completely his own. This is a rapper hungry to take on the world, and win. 

“Bass Jumpin' is about battling your demons (whatever they are) even when things seem crazy and making opportunities instead of waiting for them!” explains Faraji.

Not going to lie, maturity like that is more than welcome here. We cannot wait to see what this artist does next.

GOOD FRIDAY - SPICIEST NEW TUNAS OF 10 JAN 2020

Happy New Year! And with a new year comes new music! We’re back!

Good Friday: The feature series that shines a light on our favourite new releases from around Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Make sure you check out all the artists that featured this week up the top of our weekly playlist, which also includes some other jams we've been getting down to during the week.

1.     ‘Gates Of Hell’ - Antagonist A.D

Kicking off the year, we’re diving straight into the latest release from heavy metal screamo band, Antagonist A.D.

Opening with apocalyptic riffs, ‘Gates of Hell’ is a gloriously raging song, filled with roaring, dejected vocals and musical performances so tight it feels like a pin-prick. The musical chemistry between the band is twisted in all the right ways, and the musicianship is something to behold.

If heavy metal and thrash metal is your cup of tea, this band look to have something special about them: there’s a lot of rage in this track, with gloriously dark tones that are utterly ghoulish, but fantastic.

2.   ‘The Way You Move’ - Victoria Altern

From one extreme to another, the new release from Melbourne-based South African electronic artist Victoria Altern is a real smooth, fun piece of EDM.

Filled with loads of live instrumentation that made the likes of Daft Punk’s latest releases so enjoyable, ‘The Way You Move’ sees Altern delivers a glorious electronic gem; pulling heavily from the dance and disco sounds of the Eighties and Nineties.

While a track like that may run the risk of feeling somewhat pastiche, Altern’s songwriting chops more than makes up for it, and she interprets the sound completely as her own. A strong recommendation.

3.    ‘Light in the Lie’ - Steve Cousins

Based in the Gippsland area of Victoria, Steve Cousins has been grabbing a lot of attention for his stripped-back approach to pop.

His latest release, ‘Light in the Lie,’ sees him pulling clearly his influences like Matt Corby, the Jungle Giants and Tash Sultana, with fun scratchy production and a smooth groove built around guitar and kick-drum.

This is a fun summer tune, and one that sounds it’ll be a ripper to perform live. Can’t wait to see what this dude does next!

4.    ‘Doppelganger’ - Crust

This garage outfit have just dropped a killer EP, and their low-key intro to it sounds like a cross between The Doors and The White Stripes.

The song is amazing because it is pure fundamentals, good old school rock and roll. The track is a hell of a lot of fun, and when it explodes into these gargantuan choruses and instrumentals it hits the listener with a feeling of satisfying euphoria. You’re going to want to pay attention to this band. 

They are celebrating their new EP with a launch tonight, so be sure to get along to it! 

5. ‘Bias’ ft. Chux - Five Coffees

Finally, bringing our first Good Friday of the decade to a close is Sydney hip-hop outfit Five Coffees, with their latest release featuring Chux. I say hip-hop, but the track is more a gorgeous blend of hip-hop, soul, funk and jazz. This is something fans of bands like The Cat Empire will lap up like crazy.

There are glorious guitars that permeate throughout the track, and synths on the chorus give it so much colour. This is a track that sounds like it’s having so much fun - and we haven’t even got to the saxophone solo that closes this track out.

If you know anyone who thinks hip-hop can’t blend with other genres, direct them to this succulent example. This track is so damn fun!

GOOD FRIDAY - SPICIEST NEW TUNAS OF 13 DEC 2019

Good Friday: The feature series that shines a light on our favourite new releases from around Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. All good things must sadly come to an end, and 2019 has been a beauty when it comes to the emergence of new artists. However, we’ve saved some of the slickest new tunes for last, so be sure to check out these exciting acts releasing music this silly season!

1.     ‘I’ll Believe It’ - Georgia Marley

We start with one of the smoothest tracks to come out of indie pop this year, from a blossoming Western Sydney Indie-pop artist named Georgia Marley. 

With appearances at The Plot Festival and working with the likes of Antonia Gauci (Kesha), Marley has already been turning some heads before she started to release music this year. 

Her debut single, ‘I Hope This Feeling Doesn’t Last’, which received acclaim from fans on triple j unearthed, however Georgia has struck gold with this gorgeous follow up. Looping guitars over one another, Georgia creates a smooth, silky atmosphere, and when the drums introduce themselves with backing vocals and subtle synths, the track becomes a sickly sweet affair, as Marley repeats the mantra ‘I’ll believe it when it see it.’

A must for any indie pop fan, here is someone you want to pay attention to.

2.     ‘Surf’s Up on the Galactic Tide’ - Slugpünch

Pulled straight from the old-school mindset of The Hives and AC/DC,  this rock metal group from Sydney’s inner west is a new discovery for any rock metal fan.

Their debut single, ‘Surf’s Up on the Galactic Tide’ sums everything up about this band: they rock hard, strong, and are utterly batshit insane. However, you cannot deny the awesomeness of what they’re reaching for. 

Opening with a dirty riff and vocal samples, the band explodes into a roaring chorus with glorious harmonies and a hell of swagger. This is a stonking rock track that is completely out of its mind, in all the right ways. Karnivool fans, you’ll want to get on this!

2020 is the band’s self-proclaimed ‘Year of the Slug’, and they’ll go far if this track is the first indication.

3.    ‘Slow Crawl’ - Doolie

A slick, indie electronic R&B artist from the Sunshine Coast, DOOLIE has been having a breakout 2019. Since teaming up with in-demand producer GXNXVS (Lastlings, Banoffee, OKBADLANDS), this collaboration has yielded several highly addictive singles.

However, this final effort of the year may just been DOOLIE’s best of her career so far. Collaborating with Cam Nacson, the track starks with simple kickdrums, but then DOOLIE hits a whole new level of slick on the chorus, with punchy synths and vocoder backing vocals making this track crackle with a nervous energy. 

Slow Crawl’ is “a very empowering song,” expresses DOOLIE. “It’s about one person breaking free from a relationship while their partner slowly realises how they’ve hurt them.”

“I feel like a lot of us allow ourselves to be treated like trash to make another person more comfortable, so this is a song for all of us.”

It’s a more low-key track, but one that has a great sense of soundscape. Those who love the sounds of artists like Running Touch will enjoy this latest offering.

4.     ‘Time Won’t Wait’ - In Eyes

A new punk rock prodigy from Queensland, three-piece In Eyes has been having a breakout couple of years with their fresh take on the punk formula. 

They are finishing the decade in some style with this emotional cut. Within all the pulsing, angsty drums and guitars of the track, the message delivered tells a story of lead singer Rosie Jacobson’s experience with trying to fight for her passion while faced with mental illness.

This latest effort from In Eyes is a glorious display on punk rock goodness, and a perfect gift for indie-punk rock fans this holiday season.

With more music scheduled in 2020, expect big things from this outfit!

5. ‘Hungry for Love’ - Chasing Giants

Finally, genre-jumping indie artists Chasing Giants are back with their first single of 2019, bouncing back after multiple lineup changes and their fun debut EP, ‘Dangerous.’ 

The four-piece have long been turning heads for their many unique approaches to music and their collaborations with multiple vocalists and artists, however their latest alternative effort sees them at their most angsty and unsettled.

You feel the desire on ‘Hungry for Love’, with some gloriously performed vocals, filled with personality. A smooth, groovy alternative track, it really gets going in it’s chorus with cheesy, fun harmonies, finger snaps, and subtle electric guitar and synths. 

Chasing Giants are pulling from the cheesiness of the Eighties, but what they deliver is so much fun! This is a track filled with personality, attitude, and you can tell the band had a great time making it. A song and band very much worth your time, especially if you love alternative rock. 

Tickets are selling fast for their single launch this weekend at Sydney’s The Vanguard, so be sure to get on it!

PREMIERE: Circle release smooth, ambitious 'Another 69 Love Songs'

Enmore-based genre jumping duo Circle are back! 

With multiple records and an EP under their belt, as well as airplay across Australia and the US, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Circle might be resting on their laurels and sticking to what they know their audience likes. However, with their latest record, ‘Another 69 Love Songs’, they’ve done the exact opposite. 

Clocking in at over an hour and containing twenty-three pulsing tracks, the duo have delivered a smooth, low-key, but super ambitious musical statement on love. Ranging from deep and meaningful tracks around broken relationships and confusing love interests to aloof, abstract musical jigs, those looking for an in depth experience in their music will find much to enjoy here. 

The opener ‘Ladies Night’ sets the stage beautifully, with smooth, low-key bass and drums, with the lyrics telling a story about it being ladies night on a Wednesday night, and relaxed vocals that suggest the character in the song is almost happy about being here. This is a secret to the album here: each song serves as a vignette around the experience of love.

The track ‘Tinder’ is a guitar driven, groovy affair backed by trumpets, with fascinating lyrics about a character who almost views the eponymous app as a romantic love interest, opening their heart to other people out there. Similarly, the track ‘I’m Sorry Baby’ is also a notable highlight, with a jazz-like quality to the production and lyrics centering around a confusing breakup, backed by glorious horns and pretty background vocals. The songs feel like tinkered, playful tracks, fans of artists like Gotye would appreciate. 

However, what is most impressive is that when the production doesn’t take a more indepth approach, the band still work in an interesting angle with every track, even when it’s a simpler affair: ‘Your Last Thought’ begins with a gorgeous uke, however the song becomes much more sinister when you find out it’s sung from the viewpoint of a guy who is creeping on a girl going to bed through the window.

Other favourites of the album include ‘My Biography’ when the duo enlist a guitar and backing vocals to tell a very aloof story about how the narrator’s lover wrote his biography, but left out so much stuff, or the quirky, upbeat ‘The Lourve is Calling’, the most Gotye-inspired track of the bunch. 

This is a fun, quirky and sometimes overwhelming project about love. But, fans will be rewarded, because despite it’s seemingly overwhelming length, Circle manages to cover the emotion in all its complexity and range. To say this record is ambitious is an understatement, and really plays to the musical abilities of the duo. A compelling, engrossing listen!

PREMIERE: Mijo Biscan lets loose on ‘We’ve Got The Numbers’

Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Mijo Biscan has been a busy man throughout 2019. Touring with the likes of Goyte, Missy Higgins, Clare Bowditch and Tommy Emmanuel, Mijo dropped the critically acclaimed track ‘You’ve Got Your Life’ earlier this year, with audiences from triple j unearthed, Amplify and Culture Eater praising his approach to surf/indie rock sonics.

Now, with the year almost at its end, Mijo is finishing on a high with this massive new release, ‘We’ve Got The Numbers’, a track that is one of Mijo’s most animalistic performances, both musically and lyrically.

Launching into pumping riffs and background noise, the listener is then hit with a wall of rollicking jungle drums, walls of guitars and bass filling out the soundscape. Mijo busts in on this, singing about being surrounded by other slaves, and how when we indeed have the numbers, or you are in a majority that is inspired to make change, you are capable of achieving anything.

The strong anti-authoritarian themes permeate throughout the track, exploring notions of freedom, as it delivers an empowering message that we are more powerful than we think.

The addition of background singers, vocal snippets and violins in the instrumental are a gorgeous touch, fleshing out the track with a feeling of grandiosity. Fittingly, Mijo lets the drums lead the song out as it reaches a glorious, crescendoing climax.

There is a sense of urgency captured within ‘We’ve Got The Numbers’ which above all else, feels like a plea for sanity as the world gets more and more out of control. It’s a track that shows Mijo Biscan’s talent for songwriting, but more notably, really shows how ambitious he is when it comes to his music. We can’t wait to see what’s next for the artist!

PREMIERE: Kavi delivers ode to broken promises on ‘That’s a Lie!’

2019 has been a huge year for Kavi, the young musician from Melbourne.

Turning heads with his collaborations with Louskylar’s single ‘Stop, Go’, and Drest’s ‘Still a Kid’ mixtape, Kavi has utilised these experiences to not only build up a growing legion of fans, but also to find his own identity as an artist. 

His new single produced by Balaram finds a musician that delivers a level of maturity well beyond his years, serving as a dense, brooding ode to broken promises and lies. If this is a clear taste of the forthcoming EP, Kavi has hit the jackpot. 

Starting up with warm guitars, a subtle kick-drum introduces itself with Kavi’s lyrics in ‘That’s A Lie!’, as he begins to admit that over a long period of time, he’s been steadily losing his mind.

When the chorus hits, a wall of distorted synths and bass plunge you into a warped, intoxicated soundscape, as the lyrics turn into a yearning for connection. The production really is front-and-centre, with breathy chords hanging in the background adding a real feeling of anxiety to the proceedings.

The wall of synths subdues momentarily in the instrumental, but the lyrics almost reflect the sickly sweet nature of the instrumentation, calling out more lies and questions.

What’s great here to see is the clear progression Kavi has made from his days collaborating to stand on his own two feet. This is an artist that is growing, maturing, and delivering music that keeps getting better and better, and the best thing is, he’s only just beginning. This is a track you don’t want to miss!

Outloved set ambitious musical statement with debut single, ‘Dying to Leave’

The first thing you should know about Outloved is that they are loud. Loud to the point of earth-shattering.

The band, formed in the Gippsland region of Victoria by Jaydon Colvin (vocals) Luke Bakker (drums), Conor Kelly and Michael 'Beany' Beane (guitars) bring a strong post-rock sound that any fans of bands like Karnivool would relish, and that sound is more than ambitious on their debut track, ‘Dying to Leave.’

Teaming up with Ionei Heckenberg (Ocean Sleeper’s Guitarist/Vocalist), the band crafted six songs in just three days, an experience that proved a rewarding one. 

“Working with Ionei has been the best but hardest time I’ve had [recording],” Colvin said to Good Intent. “He pushed myself to be better than I’ve ever been before… Whether that be with lyrics, melodies or tracking guitar.

”Ionei’s songwriting abilities [are] why I leant towards working with him, not just because he’s great to work with. His ability to write music is incredible; I believe as he has definitely taught me a great deal along the way.”

That talent has carried through not only in writing but in the production. Opening with a droning synth bass and piano, ‘Dying to Leave’ soon gets going with Colvin crooning about being left alone, something that he struggles to deal with on his own.

When the chorus hits, a twenty-story wall of earth-shattering drums stuns the listener, and the synths intensify strongly. The blend of electronics and live instrumentation is what is most impressive, giving the track a gargantuan, ambitious feeling and foreboding sense of dread. 

Eventually, the songs coasts out on the chorus hook, with Colvin calling out to be saved, echoing into the ether. Combined with the synth bass, it makes for a haunting close. 

‘Dying to Leave’ is a haunted, tortured song, with its mental health themes feeling raw and upfront. Outloved have hit the listener with a bang right from their debut single, and it bodes well for whatever comes next. With a debut EP set for release in mid-2020, the sky could potentially be the limit for this exciting band.

“I cannot wait to release the new music; ‘Dying To Leave’ is only a small slice of the cake,” laughs Colvin.

PREMIERE: Coast & Ocean serves up existential new RnB jam

Homegrown talent Coast & Ocean is back with the perfect jam for the summer, ‘Daiz Gone.’

Currently touring Europe and playing Surfana Festival in the Netherlands alongside fellow Aussie acts Goldmember and True Vibenation, Coast & Ocean (Alex Johnson), has been having an on-fire 2019. It’s not hard to see why, with his last track ‘White Roses’ being released to considerable acclaim earlier this year.

However, this new track, which serves as a second tease towards a debut album, sees the RnB artist in a much more existential mindset; after four years on the road touring, this track sees Coast & Ocean contemplating the pursuit of happiness in a world obsessed by chasing wealth.

Produced by renowned Australian producer Tim Carr (Matt Corby, Urthboy, Julia Stone), the track opens with simple synths and echoing vocals, before a simple RnB beat introduces itself. This is a laidback affair filled with summer vibes and feels like a chill drive down the coast, with a view of the ocean in the windscreen.

Once Coast & Ocean’s vocals pop in, he begins to question what actually makes him happy, if he’d rather be rich and famous like Cruella de Vil, or be a beach-loving bloke who loves surfing and getting high.

The hook on the chorus is undeniably infectious, and it is complemented by the fact that the production is handled really well. Carr makes the instrumental muscle really flex on the chorus, but also dials it back on the verses to allow Coast & Ocean’s great verses to be front and centre.

This is complemented by gorgeous voice samples and a synth bass hanging in the background, and when they all fade out gradually to allow Coast & Ocean’s gorgeous singing to bring the track to a close, it really ties everything together to give the listener a warm feeling.

‘Daiz Gone’ is a track for the summer ahead, but one that has a solid heart at the core of its tune. Coast & Ocean has crafted a track that allows you to not only enjoy the immediate feelings of summery, lush soundscapes but also rewards returning listeners who will get more out of the themes of the track on repeated listening. Summer is on its way, and we have the perfect tune to accompany it. 

Reverie serves up haunting dreamy synth-pop banger, ‘Gravity’

Sunshine Coast artist, Reverie, who’s been turning heads with her dreamy indie-pop soundscapes and haunting vocals, is back with a brand new single, Gravity.

The young artist released her debut single last year, Princes to considerable acclaim. While that first track showed Reverie as an exciting synth-pop prodigy, channeling the likes of old-school Madonna in her dreamy soundscapes, this sophomore effort looks to be a much more ambitious statement.

Opening with haunting vocals and clicking percussion, Reverie croons about being pulled into a false reality, one which corrupts her feelings and thoughts of people around her. The distorted production and background vocals make the song feel like it is being performed in a giant space, creating a haunting ambience.

However, once the synths start to build and launch into an explosive chorus with punchy chords, electronic percussion and noodling guitars hanging in the background, the song takes on a whole new sense of foreboding atmosphere. Reverie compares the false reality to a toxic environment, filled with distortion and confusion. And, like gravity, she cannot escape from this upside-down world.

The track eventually coasts out on these wubbing organs and the same clicking percussion heard at the beginning of the track, which brings the song to an unsettling close.

This a big step forward for Reverie, a track that really shows a statement of intent. Few pop artists are able to really nail ambient soundscapes, but with ‘Gravity’, you don’t just listen to it: you are in it, you feel it. If this track showcases where Reverie is going next, bring it on! There is so much treasure to be found in this artist’s haunting soundscapes. 

Saint Barae gets nostalgic on latest cut, ‘Power + Control’

Fresh off the release of his second single, ‘Boy From Mars’, Queensland electro-pop artist Saint Barae is back with an exciting new track ‘Power + Control.’

Becoming increasingly known for technicolour style that borrows heavily from electro-pop, Saint Barae has dazzled fans already several times this year, with his first two singles receiving critical acclaim for it’s blending of old-school eighties pop sounds with modern production and flair.

‘Power + Control’ represents a much more intimate affair compared to previous outings Barae has served us. A look into the mind of Barae coming to terms with his sexuality, the track is an ode to honesty and love of one’s self, and that shines in the power and positivity that emanates throughout the song.

Opening with heavy synths and Barae’s choirboy vocals, the track kicks into gear when 808 drums introduce themselves in the chorus. The groovy blend of sounds are ripped straight out of something Prince would have put together in his Purple Rain days.

Barae makes the track his own, singing about his heart being open and wanting to be loved like a god, which empowers the emotion of the song. During the final crescendo, the incorporation of synths to mimic the vocals is a really nice touch, something fans of Empire of the Sun would appreciate.

This track sees Saint Barae at his most honest, but with that, shows the artist’s integrity. This track has a confident, stare-you-right-in-the-eyes delivery that you can’t help but get swept up in, and the fact it is such a colourful display of synth-pop is the icing on the cake. With this track, Saint Barae confirms that it’s only going to be a matter of time before he hits it big. Keep your eyes on this artist, he’s going places.

Dean Manning dips his toes into dreary soundscapes on Sunday Mountain

Award-winning musician and visual artist Dean Manning is back with a brand new album, Sunday Mountain, which signals a notable change in his style and sound.

Known for his blending of rock, pop, and electronic musical styles, this sophomore solo effort sees the co-founder of Leonardo’s Bride and Holidays on Ice heading in a much more moody direction. Despite its seemingly pleasant title, Sunday Mountain is a record infused with lush, dreary soundscapes.

Opening with distorted guitars of ‘Be My Friend’, Manning sets the tone of the record early with warped, shrill but lush production.

Guitar and rock elements still play a key part throughout the record, but the likes of tracks like ‘Carry On’, the closing title track, and the instrumental ‘Red Egg’ see Manning dabble in organs and synth-heavy soundscapes with minimal percussion, filled up by warm bass hanging in the background; and he succeeds in setting a creepy atmosphere.

However, while there are really exciting moments of Manning dipping his toes into more experimental territory, where this album really succeeds is where he combines these sounds and elements with tracks more within his wheelhouse. The results are refreshingly entertaining.

The big highlights in this instance is the guitar-driven ‘Casino Town’, the darkly humorous lyrics and story of ‘Hola Senorita’, and ‘Messy Time’, a forlorn but catchy ballad with a heartbreaking story in the lyrics.

Within these digital soundscapes, Manning has created a very moody record. It’s a sublime record with moments of genuine power in its songs.  Sunday Mountain is an album that won’t fit into every scenario, but if you are in the right mood, it’s a gem. Listen below.

Beau Lightning finds boldness in rock ‘n’ roll simplicity with debut EP ‘The Birth of an Alter Ego’

2019 has witnessed the birth of Beau Lightning, the alter ego of Adelaide singer-songwriter, Eli Georgeson. 

From learning music at the age of eight, to partnering with bands in his teens, this marks the first time Eli has gone solo. The result: a distorted form of rock and roll. What makes this EP so fantastic is its strong adherence to what made rock such a pivotal artform: it’s pure old school fundamentals and style.

Kicking off with the track ‘Smoke in Your Lungs’, Beau brings pulsing drums and walls of warped guitars, something that wouldn’t feel out of place on an Arctic Monkeys record. The lyrics detail the end of a relationship, how he doesn’t know what to do with himself, and how his significant other will probably find someone better than him. It’s this catalyst that leads to the birth of the eponymous alter ego, and is reflected in the warped, distorted production.

‘Last Night’ continues that warped feeling, with a chugging beat and off-kilter chords that sounds like Beau is hungover from a night out drinking, questioning if he found a monster in his bed or if he is dreaming. The track, musically, feels like the eponymous character is going through the motions, because in his hungover state, that is all he can manage.

‘Don’t Get Bit’ picks up the energy of the EP quite a bit. It is a rollicking tune, pulled straight out of the Seventies playbook. However, Beau really comes into his own on ‘Rock’n’Roll Life’, with a croaky delivery about wanting to embrace a hyper aggressive personality, like an out-of-control rock and roll star smashing up the stage. The themes are matched with a nocturnal feel to the production, and guitar chords that feel cold as ice.

Finally, the closer ‘In My Hands’ brings things to an unsettling, quiet conclusion, with Beau in his final form. He repeats the mantra of “having your live in my hands”, as colour guitar plays in the background. Slow dense percussion introduces, before finally exploding with electric guitar and Beau screaming into oblivion. It is as though he has come full circle and looks ready to make the same mistakes all over again that was responsible for this transformation.

This is a nuanced, dense and unsettling EP, but one that nails its rock sensibilities and fundamentals so well. Beau Lightning has brought a vivid form of rock to life, that wears it’s influences on its sleeve. A compelling listen.

Dande and the Lion hit the dance floor for catchy banger ‘Twilight Highway’

Sydney five-piece Dande and The Lion have been enjoying a fast-paced twelve months, off the back of performing sellout shows at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory and Wollongong’s Radbar.

Earlier this year, they dropped a lowkey synth heavier jam in ‘Stardust’. However, their newest effort ‘Twilight Highway’, which teases a new forthcoming EP, sees the outfit going in a more aggressive, catchier direction. 

While ‘Stardust’ was a easygoing synth odyssey with a soundscape that made you feel like you were flying gently through space, ‘Twilight Highway’ feels like a soundtrack to a night out at Studio 54, complete with an explosion of confetti and people dancing in the streets.

The track sees the band channelling their inner Prince to produce a cheesy, but admittedly fun and catchy banger. This is a jam that has nothing to be embarrassed about, and it knows it.

Opening with pitch-bending chords, crisp drums and guitars that seem almost Nile Rodgers-inspired, the track immediately feels like something pulled straight out of the Eighties, but the production makes the track a lot more colourful and wholesome. The lyrics are restrained to begin with, but then explode in the chorus with an infectious mantra of “we’re dancing with the stars,” matching the frenetic pace the song takes on. 

As it goes along, the lyrics get increasingly explicit and sensual, and a second mantra of “don’t take me back to my place,” brings an element of drama, one that is matched in the music as the chords and drums hit harder and heavier.

The relentless energy eventually coasts out on the back of synths, as well as letting the guitar and drums play out. Immediately after it finishes, the energy has jacked you up enough to want to hit the replay button and listen again. 

This is a song that is purely out to have fun, and as cheesy as it is, it’s great that Dande and The Lion possess the musicianship to really sell it and make it fun for the listener. It’s a feat that only a few talented artists can really conjure up. With ‘Twilight Highway,’ Dande and The Lion brings a catchy, compelling, electric energy not previously seen in their work, and if this is a teaser for their EP, we cannot wait to hear what’s next!

Dekleyn thrive in new cool and catchy EP

Their third extended play in three years, Western Sydney electro-pop duo Dekleyn’s new effort ‘Thrive’ sees an outfit more confident than ever.

The duo first began to turn heads in April 2018 with the catchy single ‘Ghost’, followed by an exciting sophomore EP ‘Unsaid’.

Followed by appearances at Real Festival, the duo kicked off 2019 with another single ‘Like This’. While the single was positively received, critics noted the more upfront nature of the production, suggested the duo were beginning to head in a more dance-driven direction.

This EP finds the duo in a new artistic mindset as they explore new sounds and ideas. Percussion is much more upfront part of the record; however the synth-heavy ambient soundscapes are still very much front-and-centre. The EP is full of colour, personality and moments that will get you moving; but it is also relaxed, cool and catchy.

The feeling is set from the get-go on intro cut, ‘Weather’, starting with synths and gentle percussion. A genius production move is to have their breathing as part of the percussion soundscape, which gives the song personality. 

‘Cars’ picks up the energy of the EP, continuing the percussion of the opener and adding quiet bass and vocals before exploding into a gorgeous chorus, with light guitar hanging in the background along with stunning, distorted backing vocals. 

The single ‘Like This’ has a lyrical element that feels almost Gotye-inspired. It’s added on by mature lyrics about a relationship that isn’t providing or meeting the needs of the male partner. The song is complemented by punchy electro-keys, however the instrumental is the highlight, with lyrical samples being thrown into the mix to give the crescendo a weightier, but more dance-heavy feel. 

‘Outside’ is a much more low-key song, but with fast moving percussion and synths hanging mutely in the background. The chorus is filled with droning vocal croons, and once the track’s percussion comes front and centre, the song turns colourfully stunning. 

The closer, ‘Lost My Mind’ brings the album to a solid close, with clapping continuing the dance element of the record. However, the warped synths give the track a warped, cacophonic feel, and as the drums build near the end with the guitar it gives the song a climatic, abrupt finish to the EP. 

Amongst these danceable, but ambient soundscapes, Dekleyn have provided compelling songs. ‘Thrive’ more than lives up to the title, as it sees the duo looking more artistically confident than ever. With a debut album reportedly in the works, the sky's the limit for this exciting project.