GOOD FRIDAY - SPICIEST NEW TUNAS OF 15 NOV 2019
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. ‘Mexico’ - The Sea Gypsies [words by Charlie Dally-Watkins]
The Sea Gypsies bring a hypnotic wash of verby guitars, heartfelt lyrics, and laid-back vibes on their new single ‘Mexico’.
The song about a wild trip to Mexico which left frontman Luke Martin with Dengue Fever is perfect for the incoming Australian summer.
“Some people say that a holiday changes an individual. After experiencing Mexico, Luke would agree,” say The Sea Gypsies.
Through the combination of reggae, indie-rock, and humour, ‘Mexico’ is a track that will be stuck in your head before you know it.
Following on from their debut album Movements, the five-piece are known for their electric live presence and charmingly emotive songwriting.
The impressive new funk-laden groove is joined with summer tour dates for 2020. So, make sure you check out the spellbinding gypsies of the sea.
2. ‘Something Simple’ - Kitten Heel [words by Charlie Dally-Watkins]
The new synth, guitar-heavy music from Kitten Heel is equal parts floor-filler and heartbreaker.
‘Something Simple’ explores a hypnotic focus point within a long-term relationship. The song finds itself adamant of the wonderful simplicity that bypasses the difficulties of long relationships.
The five-piece explain: “Keeping relationships beautiful and consistent is challenging and at those torturous depths, when affection starts to wander, so too does the curious eye. Being committed to your partner is challenging, there’s no ifs or buts about it.”
Kitten Heel members are quite simply driven by a motivation to make the best music they possibly can. As big indie-dance fans themselves, they are able to use that authentic spirit during the production process of their music.
“We feel that’s part of why it’s come together so well, because we had one mission – to make music that returned the emotions we had in way we haven’t heard them,” say Kitten Heel.
Listen to the purveyors of swagger and masters of synth today.
3. ‘Chika’ – Intriguant [words by Max Melit]
Ever-evolving Singapore-based producer/DJ Intriguant has released a texture-rich single, ‘Chika’.
The man behind it all, Louis Quek, has injected the song full of complex beats and satisfyingly well-produced loops.
He explains: “I wanted to go back to where I started. The underground club scene has always been family to me. I grew up from there and expanded into other areas.”
The track shows off a very layered, almost industrial rhythm, with haunting pads and soothing synths filling out the background.
‘Chika’ is an unquestionably powerful song. The focus on club beats keeps it moving, but Intriguant’s seasoned hand in blending atmospheric and tactile sounds never makes the listening experience linear. You can hear the influence of artists like Yosi Horikawa, Long Arm, and Nujabes in this ability to blend rhythm with atmosphere, and melody with complex layering.
Keep a close eye on the dates of one of Singapore’s best underground acts, as Australian gigs aren’t out of the question. Listen to Intriguant’s ‘Chika’ now.
4. ‘Entangled’ – JPL ft. Alexa Harley [words by Nick Wasiliev]
JPL is back with ‘Entangled’, bringing his electronic and indie-pop rots back for the masses!
Having first turned heads in 2018 with his hit ‘Speak Up’, this new tune might be his most subtle and nuanced yet. Bringing on the talented Alexa Harley to duet with him, JPL delivers a low-key smooth track about love and its complications.
Opening with reverbing, colourful glockenspiel, a smooth electronic kick drum introduces itself on the chorus, with a subtle bass filling up the soundscape to compliment the crackling production. JPL and Harley duet beautifully here about being entangled, delivering mesmerising harmonies.
Harley then takes over for the verses, singing about wanting to run away from negative feelings and hide, just to keep this happy, blissful, loving vibe going. She calls out to her significant other to help her escape, though the hollow production implies this might not be a healthy choice to run from these problems.
JPL has given the track enough lyrical bite and nuance to make the listener to want to come back for a deeper understanding. ‘Entangled’ is a compelling meditation on love, and one has us excited for the forthcoming EP.
5. ‘Catch Your Breath’ – Vlossom [words by Charlie Dally-Watkins]
Vlossom, the newly birthed collaboration between Australian musicians Nick Littlemore and Alister Wright, have released an absolute banger in ‘Catch Your Breath’.
The track is almost multi-sensory… possessed of its own distinct texture, temperature, colour, and perfume. By unfolding in hypnotic rhythms and ethereal vocal work, the song speaks to a metaphorical loss of composure. This also creates a wondrous soundscape both beautifully futuristic and profoundly elemental
Littlemore clarifies: “It’s that feeling of seeing a thing of absolute beauty, whether it’s a girl or guy or plant or animal, and being brought into a heightened reality.
“For the most part our everyday lives are fairly menial, so those moments when we do lose our breath are really something to dwell on.”
In each new piece that Vlossom create, the energy manifests as a benevolent effervescence, one that ultimately leaves the listener with a renewed sense of wonder.
“If we can impart anything to people, I hope it’s that feeling of losing yourself in a moment, stepping outside of yourself in the best imaginable way,” says Littlemore.
We can’t wait to hear what they have in store for their debut EP, set to release in 2020.
GOOD FRIDAY - SPICIEST NEW TUNAS OF 1 NOV 2019
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. ‘OMG’ - Phoebe Sinclair [words by Charlie Dally-Watkins]
Phoebe Sinclair infuses soulful vocals, intoxicating beats and scintillating lyricism into her new track, ‘OMG’.
The self-confessed emotional wreck oozes with power and confidence, and has an undeniably infectious energy.
The electro-pop banger is about taking ownership of your mistakes, but not letting them define you.
Sinclair says she wrote the song in her driveway and had the idea to use a one-note melody for the phrase “oh my god” surrounded with lyrics realising the mistakes she’d been making.
“It was great having a chance to revisit the lyrics with the benefit of hindsight; being able to take ownership of what I’d done without having it define me like it might’ve while it was so fresh," she says.
Backed by a 4-piece all girl ensemble, the artist’s music bites with a deep-rooted understanding of herself, what she stands for, and how her experiences can connect to listeners.
Phoebe Sinclair has an addictively captivating quality to her sound and knows exactly how to put on a show which leaves hearts in throats and melodies in minds. Listen to her new single ‘OMG’ now.
2. ‘Be Cool’ - Kult Kyss [words by Charlie Dally-Watkins]
Melbourne’s Kult Kyss have unveiled a new hypnotic single, ‘Be Cool’
The duo explore the spaces that form between people in love, and the desire to reconnect, repair and rectify things with one another. It describes the need to be close with someone to feel comfort, freedom and relief.
‘Be Cool’ features the pair’s signature sound as soaring vocals and blended with sparkling production and driving beats.
"We wanted to strike a sonic balance between the modern and retrospective sounds of UK house music, drawing influences from artists like Jamie XX and Bicep, with throwbacks to the synthesised trance throbs of the ‘90s," Kult Kyss explain.
As their second release of the year, the musicians continue to push boundaries in future pop by drawing listeners into their dynamic sonic realm.
The release has further cemented Kult Kyss’ distinctive sound in the world of electronic pop, and proved they’re not messing around. Listen now.
3. ‘Impulse’ - Reilly Stapleton [words by Charlie Dally-Watkins]
Reilly Stapleton has released her intriguingly dark new track, ‘Impulse’
The unsettling, eclectic rock ballad illustrates the fine line between our morals and devilish impulses. The artist leaves no stone unturned as she explores the darker side of the human psyche.
Stapleton’s deepest, darkest thoughts are expressed in the perfect fusion of lyricism, vocal delivery and instrumental arrangement. The powerful vocals, screaming guitars and swirling synths are applied perfectly.
The humble musician says ‘Impulse’ is reflective of the constant battle between our negative impulsions and our inner consciousness that provides you with a positive moral compass.
“The song uses violence, anger and control in order to convey this unavoidable conflict… When somebody has a short tolerance of anger they can withstand, it is generally our consciousness that holds us back from lashing out,” she says.
Make sure you hear the vocal prowess of Reilly Stapleton live before the end of 2019, it’s an experience to behold.
4. ‘Can’t Stop Me’ - Traces [words by Charlie Dally-Watkins]
Self-made trio Traces have unleashed their new powerful single ‘Can’t Stop Me’.
The track has a focus on mental illness, describing the fight against oneself and overcoming self doubt.
Traces want to celebrate the positives, saying someone out there is going through hell right now and seeing proof that it isn't forever might save their life.
"We all have an idea of who we want to be, an ideal image of ourselves that we all strive for. Often pressure from outer influences like friends, family and society can make it hard to be who we want, but ultimately the biggest thing stopping us from realising our dreams, goals and aspirations is ourselves, our own self doubt and the negative side of who we are that we all pretend doesn’t exist," they say.
An emphasis has been put on individual creativity to maintain deep rock sounds, catchy choruses and spicy guitars.
Ever since their humble beginnings, the band have ensured every sight and sound is an authentic representation of their creative vision. They’ve played alongside bands like Dream on Dreamer, Attila (US), In Hearts Wake, Hellions, Polaris and Ocean Grove.
A debut album is expected in 2020, so watch this space.
5. ‘December Song’ - Stevie jean [words by Max Melit]
As the opening track of Stevie Jean’s new EP ‘Blame Game’, ‘December Song’ shows the Northern-Territory singer-songwriter as both a burgeoning indie force and maturing musician. The song puts Stevie’s voice front and centre in the mix surrounded by minimal, but interesting instrumentation.
The sparse nature of the verses is contrasted by a vocally complex and layered chorus with interesting production. Fascinatingly dissonant guitar chords serve to define Stevie from the rest of the indie pack, hinting at a songwriting complexity.
Stevie’s voice weaves in and out, layered and panned in an impressive way. Combined with a frantic and fast snare drum underneath, the song is both dense and satisfying.
The lyrics hint at a ‘you want me now I’m not there’ dynamic with a once close friend. Stevie sings in a verse, “I bet your head is high on the recliner of life/He’s out with the boys again, you say. I love you honey, look away from his eyes.”
Stevie has managed to serve up a rich opener to a strong EP with ‘December Song’. On top of her recent successful collaboration with Sydney rapper Tasman Keith on the LP Evenings, she is looking to finish the year on a high note and an artist to be reckoned with heading into 2020.