The temperature is starting to drop a little bit, but the quality of songs coming out each week is doing anything but that! This week, we have picked out 10 of the best to jam into your ears, mostly homegrown with a couple of internationals in there for good measure. It wasn’t even intentional to have a predominantly Australian playlist (8 out of 10 tracks are from Down Under) but who am I to complain when Aussies are bringing it better than ever! Take a look for yourself below:
Hockey Dad, So Tired
Along with the news that a debut album titled Boronia is on the way, Wollongong legends Hockey Dad have released yet another pearler of a track to had to their shining repertoire. Said to be one of the stand out acts at this year’s SXSW, Hockey Dad have been hard at work making their name known and separating themselves from your stock standard DIY garage two piece. Instead, they’ve pushed boundaries and limits and So Tired is just another example of this. Although the lyrics are actually a forlorn story of missing someone and being exhausted, it’s quite an uplifting, jangly track with a hook that would make for a perfect singalong at one of their shows. Boronia comes out in August, so we have a little while to wait but we’re pretty damn certain it will be more than worth it!
Gregor, Remorse
22-year-old Melbourne artist Gregor has just joined the roster at awesome label Chapter Music, and has offered up Remorse– the first taste of his forthcoming cassette/digital release, Thoughts & Faults. Eccentric and revitalising, Gregor takes the groundwork laid by acts like Talking Heads and thrusts them into 2016. It’s got a DIY feel which I love, heavy with apathy and restlessness. Shared earlier this week with tastemaker blog Stereogum, Gregor shared this interesting sentiment of his new song: “Remorse is used all the time in murder cases; i.e. ‘the cold blooded serial killer showed no signs of remorse.’ For me, remorse isn’t a sentiment we should distance ourselves from. I am full of remorse. Whether for uploading an uninteresting photo to Instagram, or being too honest with someone about my feelings, or for agreeing to the photo being used for this premiere, it’s all the same.” Said photo can be seen here for reference. Keep your eyes firmly locked on this guy!
Sahara Beck, Spinning Time
Sahara Beck is just weeks out from releasing her latest album, Panacea, and earlier this week shared a photo diary of her time in the studio recording it. Along with that, she also shared a brand new single from the record titled Spinning Time. Utilising her impeccable songwriting skills and captivating voice, Spinning Time is “is about people who have told a story so many times that the meaning and content of the whole story have changed already by the 5th telling, therefore changing history based on your own perspective,” according to Beck. “To me watching this felt like I was watching him change history before my eyes…Spinning time = Changing history.” Fresh off from picking up a Queensland Music Award and playing at Bluesfest, Sahara Beck is quickly picking up steam as we get closer to the release of Panacea, and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here.
Spit Syndicate, Know Better
Aussie hip-hop duo Spit Syndicate are reaching veteran status thanks to their consistent high quality of hip-hop that they’ve made synonymous with their name. Their latest single, Know Better, is another example of this and comes along with the announcement of a full national headline tour in June. Working with acclaimed producer Styalz Fuego, the duo once again offer up their refreshing take on hip-hop, paired with a fresh bed of warm electronica to keep things light. It’s a kind of tongue-in-cheek take on knowing better but doing it anyway. It’s a whole lot of fun, and has some really self-aware lyrics as well as some hilarious one liners like taking pizza out of Bob Dylan’s fridge. Set to be a stand out on their upcoming tour, Know Better is the first taste of their forthcoming album out later this year and things are already looking pretty damn good!
Lyall Moloney, If You Don’t Love Me
Multi-instrumentalist Lyall Moloney has triumphantly returned with this latest single, If You Don’t Love Me. Catchy as hell, the dub/hip-hop infusion once again serves him well as he injects his own flavour into this upbeat and fun song. This is the first slice off his forthcoming sophomore album, and if his debut was anything to go by we are really in for a treat. His falsetto is perfect whilst some groovy percussion-led electronica bubbles underneath. Infectious from the get go, LyMo keeps it fresh in his verses and weaves seamlessly through a multitude of styles and genres, making it sound almost too easy. He’s set to go on tour in support of this new single, and judging from how much I was boogying in my room to it, I can only imagine how good it would be live! Head here for more details.
Seavera, Caving
Seavera wins for “most stunning track of the week” with this one. Coming in with all she’s got, Caving is her debut tune and what a beauty it is. Sounding like a cross between Laura Marling and Florence + The Machine with a hint of Highasakite, Seavera effortlessly weaves folk, pop and electronica into this stunning tune, full of lush vocal harmonies, commanding drums and a plethora of intricacies that only make it more enjoyable. Described as “the sound you hear right before you fall asleep, the calling in the distance, the waves crashing right before a storm,” Caving is as good as they come in terms of debuts, and I cannot wait to hear what else she’s been working on. One talented little lady, Seavera is more than worthy of your attention, and judging from Caving, she’s going to get set attention whether you like it or not!
Julianna Barwick, Same (Ft. Mas Ysa)
Meditative, calming and comforting, Julianna Barwick knocked me for a 6 this week with her latest single, Same. Teaming up with Mas Ysa, this track is just beautiful. Invoking imagery of beautiful landscapes like plunging into the ocean or soaring above a forest, the emotions run high with this one. With sweeping atmospherics descending like a powerful, yet soft, wall of noise around you, Julianna Barwick and Mas Ysa create a strong but stunning soundscape you’ll want on repeat for probably the rest of your life. Taken from Barwick’s forthcoming record out in May titled Will, Same follows on from the album’s debut track Nebula and has me absolutely desperate for more. Thankfully that’s only a month away, and Same is a gift that keeps on giving so I think I can hold out. But only just…
Yumi Zouma, Keep It Close To Me
Electro darlings Yumi Zouma make some really sweet music, focussing on the delicate intricacies rather than big room sounds. By doing so, they make gorgeous songs that give and give with each and every listen. Keep It Close To Me washes over you effortlessly in waves, gentle and soft, totally attention-grabbing as it lulls you into a place far away from wherever you are. Taken from their forthcoming debut album, this track serves as an exciting preview into what is to come from this band who have grown so much before our very eyes. Definitely a record to keep an ear out for, Yumi Zouma are only just hitting their stride now – and that’s saying something!
Motez, The Vibe (Ft. Scrufizzer)
Australia’s king of dance, Motez, has shared one more track before the release of his next EP, and boy is it a good’un! Teaming up with Scrufizzer, The Vibe follows on from the absolute banger that is the Tkay Maidza featuring Down Like This, and adds another interesting perspective of what this Adelaide beatsmith has been up to. We are huge fans of ‘Tez here, and The Vibe makes it easy to see why. A total earworm, Motez delves even further underground with some heavy bass and some downright filthy grime whilst Scrufizzer lends some fiery verses to the already hot track. With his EP coming out this month, it’s clear that Motez is still the king of house music here in Australia, and it won’t be long before he owns that title across the world too.
The John Steel Singers, Can You Feel The Future
Why wouldn’t I end this playlist off with an 8-minute epic courtesy of Brisbane’s The John Steel Singers? This song is supreme, with an undeniable bass line, krautrock influences and so much else going on it would be overwhelming if it didn’t sound so damn good! Taken from their forthcoming third record, Midnight At The Plutonium, it looks like things are about to get even weirder (and by that I mean better) for these guys. The Plutonium is the name of their own studio in Brisbane, and is where they created this new record- a record we now cannot wait to jam into our ears as soon as possible based on this!