Another week and another crop of fresh music videos from some of your favourite artists and some of your new favourite artists (you just don’t know it yet). We’ve taken the time to round them all up for you to take a gander at below
Emma Louise – Illuminate
The video for Emma Lousie’s hugely successful Illuminate is a beautiful marriage between music and visuals. Under blue lights, there are dancers moving together as one to bring the words to life and the video paired with the music is so natural and seamless it is as though they were created together as one performance piece.
Coming together for their fourth video, it is a collaboration between the singer and director Dylan Duclos using choreography by Jason Winters and it is a true testament to the adage that sometimes, less is more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yBgjYOyPY0&feature=youtu.be
Bloc Party – Stunt Queen
They may have only released Hymns in January, but already the revamped Bloc Party have dropped a new single Stunt Queen. Written along with a bunch of other new material during their tour with Falls Festival earlier in the year, the song is reminiscent of their earlier work while (note the the hints of Silent Alarm, particularly at the open) with the renewed energy that comes with a fresh lineup.
The video is a classic tour diary, sticking strong with the theme and narrative that finds its footings somewhere between the sticky floors of The Forum (Melbourne) and Enmore (Sydney) Theatres.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVPulAbfAj0
AYLA – Like The Other Kids
A decked out abandoned train carriage, lush fields and daisy chains make up the sweet, sun-drenched visuals for the new video from Sunshine Coast’s AYLA. Going her own way as she frolics through the greenery, chops firewood and takes aim at beer cans with a slingshot, the video is a symbol of personal libation and a celebration of the wonderfully feeling of fulfilment that comes with forging your own path.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd838scz2NE
The song might be called Down At The Beach, but the new video from Sydney’s Big White was filmed in an abandoned Belgian castle between shows in Paris and Amsterdam. Shooting the footage themselves, they opted to avoid a beach clip as the song is about “killing something that’s old”, letting go and finding time and space to reflect.
With the filtered, hand-shot footage, the video has a certain poignant nostalgia about it, ensuring that they achieved just that. A far cry from (and far better than) the cheesy tourist beach shots they could have gone for instead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2p5A8vgF7M&feature=youtu.be
Dave – Six Paths
Fresh from his game-changing remix with Toronto’s incumbent king Drake, South London’s Dave has returned with the third visual accompaniment from his incredible Six Paths EP. Embodying the same stunning artistic direction, the title track video shows Dave stunting eerily in black and white with a medieval castle as his setting. Tying in with the dark, gritty, string lead beat, Dave brings his same razor sharp bars.
To keep with tradition, there’s even a cameo from collaborator AJ Tracey proving these two are bros ‘til the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuV_cyckCqY
Sampa The Great – HERoes (The Response)
After sending out a call to action in the first half of HERoes earlier this month, the incredible Sampa The Great has returned with its answer. Sporadic electronic tones open the tune, making way for a truly neck shattering African-influenced drum beat.
Sampa flexes a seriously incredible flow alongside her always constant attention to lyricism. As she raps at an incredible pace, despite it being a lyric video, it’s hard enough just to read along.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1nLFBy_weU
Action Bronson – Durag vs. Headband
Everyone’s favourite Albanian rapper turned chef in Action Bronson has finally returned with the new hilariously named track Durag vs Headband. Featuring the whole Fuck That’s Delicious crew, plus producer and Ancient Aliens co-star Knxwledge.
Both the video and music are outstanding, the whole gang filling the screen with their raw tenacity over a rough boom bap beat by Knx and always on point verses by Bronson. Not to mention Big Body Bes on the hook, reminding all once again how incredible he is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWLg7_G0_go
The Avalanches – Because I’m Me
After returning oh so wonderfully at the start of this year and dropping their highly anticipated sophomore album Wildflower, The Avalanches have been casually releasing a number of music videos from the project over the last few months. Obviously, they’ve saved the best until now though, with the video for Because I’m Me.
This heartstring-plucking love tale follows a young kid in the subway trying to seduce the girl behind the ticket desk. What results is an incredible sing and dance video which is simply put, brilliantly acted, choreographed and scripted. It’s pretty much the definition of feel-good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu0KsZ_MVBc
YG – One Time Comin’
A possible glimpse into an upcoming project, YG’s One Time Comin’ continues with the police brutality themes which are evident throughout much of his music.
Shots of YG evading the police by car are paired with shocking first person footage of an innocent man frantically on the run, who is inevitably shot for no reason. It’s a powerful video with a similarly intense track below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nTCUI5reJw
I AM D – Seven Deuce
Brisbane’s most veracious emcee, I AM D, has come a long way since his 90s inspired boom bap tracks early in his career. After releasing a range of new and fresh, yet similarly dark anthems over the last few months, the D has now returned with yet another straight to the point track in Seven Deuce.
Paired with bold cinematography, this track is nothing short of fire. There’s no sugarcoated hooks to be found here either, just three minutes of the ill-est verses around, demonstrating I AM D’s skill brilliantly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWomlPOS73o
twelveAM – On My Own
One of Melbourne’s latest rising stars in twelveAM has released the video to his catchy heartfelt tune, On My Own. The track leads his debut EP, demonstrating briefly his ear for brilliant hooks, alongside his unique melodic flow and deep tone, painting a vivid picture as he longs for a lover.
No doubt he’ll be one to watch in the months to come.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po-RQD36–M&feature=youtu.be
Johnossi – Air Is Free
One of Sweden’s largest bands, the platinum selling Johnossi, have returned with yet another rock scorcher to get you grooving. Backed by harsh guitar riffs, bopping bass lines, marching drums and incredible, powerhouse vocals, Air Is Free follows a young nomad as he yearns for independence and freedom.
The result is a truly moving journey, with a soundtrack that is oh so sweet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQDTG-caCOs
High Klassified – Gold feat. Mick Jenkins
One of Montreal’s finest upcoming producers, High Klassified has blessed us with a vocal collaboration with a similarly incredible artist in Chicago lyrical legend Mick Jenkins. With its smooth, jazzy and booming beat, we see its producer starring in a spooky love story.
Just in time for the Halloween period, the surrealistic clip is fit with creepy bunnies, eerie dolls and clowns, not to mention the sheer insanity of the narrative. Definitely a see it to believe it type video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzsaHjE27zo
Bad//Dreems – Mob Rule
After recently wrapping up their tour with Sydney rockers DMA’s, Adelaide kings Bad//Dreems have followed this up with the release of an incredible new track Mob Rule.
This rough and tough anthem sees the lads reflecting on Australia’s own culture, and what better way that to piece the whole track together with a range of hazy, 80s TV excerpts and clips.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmsffFCA4fQ
Image: Pitchfork
Last week Howl and Echoes attended Red Deer Festival, and had the pleasure of sitting down with Sunshine Coast songstress Ayla.
Having enchanted crowds at the Triple J unearthed stage at Bigsound, Ayla took on Red Deer Festival in preparation for her upcoming headlining tour and the release of her debut Ayla EP. One of Australia’s finest young singers and drawing comparisons to artists like Daughter and Lana Del Ray. We sat down to talk to her about poetry, the Sunshine Coast, and following in the footsteps of Sarah Blasko.
So you played at Bigsound – how was that?
Yeah it was awesome, we played last year, and we won the sunshine coast council showcase, but this year was our first official showcase. And it was really awesome. We loved seeing all of the other acts that were on that night as well.
How is the Sunshine Coast to live in, and to be a musician?
I really like it. There are more venues and everything in the bigger cities, and a lot of opportunities, but I just really like living on the coast.
I think the crowds though, they come out for people in the Sunshine Coast, people really support the local artists.
Yeah, when you’ve got a bunch of different artists playing different venues every night you can be spoilt for choice and you don’t go out as much.
So obviously with your lyrics there’s lots of poetry and you’ve said Wish I Was was originally a poem, is that something you tend to do regularly – write a poem and sometimes it makes its way into your music?
That was probably the most prominent time that’s happened, I’ve done it a couple of times before but mostly I just write a song, lyrics with melody, I’ve written a couple of poems, but they’re just poems.
We might see them make their way into your music at some point.
Yeah, you never know.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13sSK8mk-aU]
So the Ayla EP is out on November 6th, talk us through the process of writing it.
Well it’s going to have the three tracks I’ve released so far, so Wish I Was, the one I released last year, then two that I’ve released this year, then another two I’d already written. One of the ones going on that hasn’t come out yet – I wrote it this year, not too long ago actually. But I’m just always writing songs really, I didn’t write them for the purpose of the EP.
So it’s more than you select some of the songs you’ve written and go “these are the ones I’m going to release”, but you have other songs to write just because.
Yeah! And then hopefully release them later. I wrote Wish I Was when I was 15.
Really?
Yeah, so you can always take songs that are old and…
Find a new meaning for them and stuff like that…
Yeah!
I think you mentioned when you were doing Wish I Was, you worked with the A&R Department in sort of constructing your brand, and trying to emulate some aspects of Daughter in particular. Is that an artist that you look up to?
Yeah, I really like their music and for that track particularly it’s a good reference.
Definitely. The full sort of sound.
Yeah, I really like their stuff.
You have a powerful voice so it’s easy to make comparisons with artists like Florence and the Machine, and Lana Del Ray, but I hear little bits of Wilco in your music amongst other things. Is there any other influences that wouldn’t be immediately apparent?
I dunno, I listen to lots of different stuff so I think you take on a little bit of whatever you listen to sub consciously and take it all in and it comes all out in a jumble.
So you won the Billy Thorpe Scholarship at the Q music awards, how was that?
They said my name and I just sat there in the seat for a few seconds being like “Really?”
Then you used that money to record the EP?
Yeah, the rest of the tracks, and the film clip I just did for Waiting. And that’s been absolutely amazing.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXfjVIpKnAQ]
So you’re nineteen now, how does it feel being so young and already touring the country? One of the quotes I read before the interview was “Ayla makes everyone feel bad thinking about what they’d achieved at her age.”
It’s definitely not in my bio! I didn’t write that!
No no, it was written about you. You are an example of someone so young doing well, that a lot of people would look at you and say “oh my god! When I was nineteen I was just being ridiculous” so how does that feel for you being in that situation, only nineteen and touring and performing? Is it a bit surreal?
I don’t know, I’ve always sort of put a lot of pressure on myself I guess, I’ve always just wanted to achieve things and then they… I don’t know. (laughs)
Is music something you’ve done from a really young age?
I’ve played music professionally doing a couple of gigs a week kind of thing for about four years. And I still do some gigs around like that, but it’s been fantastic to get out of the state and do some interstate stuff. We’re playing in Melbourne in November, which is going to be our first Melbourne show; I’m really looking forward to it. And last year we did a bit of touring down to Byron and the Gold Coast.
So music has always been in your life?
I’ve always been writing songs. When I was 5 my parents bought me a tape recorder to record my first song. It’s always been something that I’ve done, I always thought that I’d have it as a hobby and do something else until I realised I didn’t want to do that, and I just wanted to do music.
You’re studying at the moment?
I’m studying a Bachelor of Music at QUT in Brisbane. I was living in Brisbane for a year but not anymore, now I’m driving down.
That’s a lot of work! You’re touring, and you’re studying as well!
I’m often considering dropping out of uni (laughs)
Where do you find the time?
I don’t go very much, when I go people say, “Oh I haven’t seen you for ages!”
So we talked about branding earlier… how conscious are you of that? Like the brand you’re “supposed” to build?
I think because it’s pretty new at the moment, I can create it still, and even after you create a brand you can evolve and change it. I guess branding as a whole includes the photos you release, your cover art and everything, but I pretty much just use what I like, and hope that other people like it too!
Is there a dream show or dream support slot you’d love to do?
It’d be pretty cool to support Sia or Sarah Blasko, something like that.
I think my campmates mentioned that Sarah Blasko played Red Deer festival a few years ago, so you’re kind of following in her footsteps.
Oh cool! And her album is being released the same day as my EP.
Really?
So I think that definitely means that I should support her on her tour!
Definitely! It’s perfect. Are there any plans for a full-length album after the EP?
I’ve been writing for ages so I’ve got a lot of songs, so yeah I’d love to record more of them, and I definitely will do that. I think we’ll start working on that possibly the end of this year maybe early next year and hopefully have one out next year.
You can catch Ayla in November at selected East Coast venues: