Jack Garratt: Weathered
I’m going to put myself out on a limb here and say that Jack Garratt is destined for big things. Potentially to become the next big thing. His latest single Weathered has already had over 150k plays on Soundcloud and huge support from the media all over the world. A couple of days ago he released this beautiful music video to go with it. Documenting the journey of three real-life brothers as they explore the canyons in Georgia, USA, the clip evokes powerful feelings of nostalgia and familial bonding.
To be honest, Weathered as a track could have done a little more for me. It starts with this gorgeous choir-esque moaning and a sharp, thumping beat. But after that it kind of mellows out into a reflective ballad, containing none of the power or sexiness that we fell in love with Garratt’s first single The Love You’re Given. Garratt may still be fine-tuning his sound, but once he does shit’s going to get real. Trust me.
Oscar Key Sung: Brush
Oscar Key Sung has released a music video to go with his smooth, sexy track Brush, which comes straight off his latest EP Altruism. The clip is low-key, fashionable and effortlessly cool… everything that we could have expected from Key Sung plus a little more. Two dancers bounce around in front of a white screen in different outfits, sometimes all white and sometimes all black. Their movements are so in sync that the clip is able to cut effortlessly between the outfits. The idea is simple but it somehow comes together perfectly to create a music that is so subtle and joyous. We had the incredible opportunity to chat with Key Sung about the album a couple months ago, which you can read about here.
R.W. Grace: Shell
R.W. Grace must be the master of making people cringe. Her latest single Shell is dark, reflective and, unsurprisingly, rather disturbing. R.W. Grace exploded onto the music scene with her first single Pluto, receiving praise in the alternative music world, and heaps of support online. Containing lyrics such as:
“Desperate like a bottom feeder/ drain the tank until it’s weak/
and I bleed for it/ and I bleed for it”
Grace instantly made a name for herself as a powerful, liberating female figure, revolting against the typical expectations that the industry has of female solo artists. In her latest single Shell, R.W. Grace cries out against the internal and external conflict of her world. She depicts herself undergoing a series of violent experiments, including having a syringe inserted into her neck and an arm amputation. Be warned it’s fairly graphic.
Gilligan Moss: Choreograph
Such is the maturity, and sophistication of Gilligan Moss’ sound, you’d think he’d been around for a while. But Choreograph is in fact the New York artists’ first ever single. The song is awesome, combining electronica, eerie vocal loops and gentle beats with sound effects that you could almost imagine in a horror film. Moss pairs it with a music video that is equally sophisticated. The clip uses jump cuts, time loops and split screen to create an indefinite cycle of family life. While a child sits at the breakfast table listening to music on his headphones, his family whiz around him, completely caught up in their daily routines. It is a powerful commentary on taking notice of your surroundings.
Coda Conduct: Paint it Gold
Since the release of their first EP Butter Side Up in March, Canberra girl-duo Coda Conduct have been absolutely smashing it. Their ballsy not-shits-given attitudes ring through in their music in a way that is unique and incredibly refreshing. Paint it Gold is their first single since the EP, blending disco, rap and trap in a way that is effortless and incredibly effective.
The music video starts out strong, with each half of the duo rapping one on one with the camera and taking ownership of their lines. However is we get to the chorus it kind of… slumps. Just a little bit. I think the anticipation built up in the rapping segment led to the expectation that the music video would take off at the chorus. Instead it goes to slow motion shots of things being smashed. The cuts are effective, but they really slow down the pace of the song. Regardless, Coda Conduct offer a unique and incredibly promising take on hip-hop.