Once again, this week brought some serious action in terms of new music so once again, you were probably a little overwhelmed with who or what to listen to. Never fear though, because your friendly neighbourhood Howl & Echoes are here to give you the ten best tracks from the week. Don’t say we don’t do anything for you…
Aquilo, Good Girl
Having just killed it on the European Summer festival circuit, Aquilo are back in action with the release of Good Girl. Featuring attention grabbing vocals, heavy bass and a hook that is guaranteed to get stuck in your head (sorry), this track is all you need for your Friday afternoon!
Sam Frankl, Macondo
This is Sam Frankl’s first ever track, and as far as first ever tracks go, this one is a doozy. Smooth and downtempo, Macondo lulls you into an almost trance-like state. His voice pierces the hypnotic rhythm based track, his slightly accented pronunciation making for an intriguing listen but nonetheless extremely enjoyable.
Wallace, Vinyl Skip (Tyler Touché Late Night Mix)
Tyler Touché has really outdone himself with this remix. What was once a soulful, gentle number has been turned into a late night dubby jam, complete with house sensibilities and Touché’s token flourishes that give his tracks that little bit more. This is the latest in a string of fantastic releases from the Brisbane producer, in which he continually outdoes himself. Although this is one of my favourites to come from him, I can’t wait to hear how good the next one is going to be.
Alison Wonderland, Games (Hermitude Remix)
Two of Australia’s heavy weights, together again. It seems since Alison Wonderland jumped on to remix Hermitude’s The Buzz, the boys have decided to return the favour and have done so spectacularly. Both acts require no introduction, and you can pretty much guarantee this is going to be huge before listening, and you’d be right. Taking Games even further into the trap field, Hermitude keep her original vocals and build a huge wall of bassy, skittering beats around them. Don’t listen to this one in public unless you’re prepared to face the consequences of throwing down in the middle of Woolworths.
Porsches, Karate
Porsches are one of the more exciting acts to emerge from Sydney this year, with the infectious Horses immediately being added to the Canon of “must have” party tunes. Now, it seems they’re set to do it again with Karate. Good vibes at an all time high, the high pitched vocals a la Empire Of The Sun are perfectly to the tropical, warm beats that are laid down. It’s as if they’ve taken note of everything good about Australian dance music, and packed it into one neat little band. Expect to hear a lot more of these guys in the very near future.
DIIV, Dopamine
I love DIIV. Anything by DIIV. Including this song.
The Japanese House, Cool Blue
Suddenly all over the place, it seems everyone wants a piece of The Japanese House – and for good reason. She makes music that dreams are made of, and her latest track Cool Blue is perhaps my most favourite yet. Gentle and repetitive, light and airy, it pulls you in and holds you there whilst it swirls around you. Taken from her upcoming EP out later this year, The Japanese House is the next big thing and it’s tracks like this that show why.
Go Freek, Empire
I’m still not 100% sure what “gutter tech” is, but if that’s what this is then I’m all over it. The Go Freek boys continue their fantastic run lately with yet another industrial house track brimming with late night party vibes, bouncy lasers and an Empire Of The Sun sample that’s never sounded this good. Although they’ve been releasing a string of collaborations with the likes of Dom Dolla and LO’99, Empire shows the boys are more than capable to bring the heat on their own. Gutter tech forever!
Hayden Calnin, White Night (Thrupence Remix)
Soft and delicate, Hayden Calnin has made a name for himself by making beautiful music, and White Night is no exception. Add some Thrupence into the mix, and the beauty is just about stunning. Stripping the track right back, Thrupence substitutes the grand production for a simplistic piano melody and static feedback. Calnin’s voice rings out, clear and crisp as Thrupence adds more and more until it sounds like a full choir of Calnins. Truly something special.
Zola Jesus, Circles
I can’t deny that we aren’t major Zola Jesus fans here, so we may be a little biased. However, if you listened for yourself, you can see why. That voice, those drums; this is an incredible track. Circles is taken from their forthcoming Nail EP, it’s safe to say that is going to be one amazing release, and a release we can’t wait to hear.