If you didn’t already know, Sydney-based electronic duo Vallis Alps have quite an incredible musical story, something uniquely modern day. Collaborating since 2013, the pair originally began creating music intercontinentally; one based in Canberra, the other in Seattle.

Luckily for us Australians it’s now been over a year since the pair have been working together in NSW, and the result of this match is their forthcoming Fable EP, set for release later this year. They’ve had a huge six months as it is, releasing their single Fading just over a month ago alongside an official remix of Troye Sivan’s Ease,  also recently wrapping up huge national performances at this year’s Falls Festival.

2017 is only just warming up for these Unearthed heroes, so what better way to kick things off than the announcement of their biggest tour yet, journeying nationwide in support of this forthcoming project. Joining them on their biggest headline shows ever is an unlikely pick, but one we’re more than excited for in Melbourne emcee Baro, who has similarly been making huge waves with his jazzy blend of hip-hop.

No doubt this tour will be a platform for the duo to test the water with their unreleased EP material and an amazing opportunity for fans to get an insight into what the pair have been working on for the last year or so.

For further reading, check out our photo gallery from their breakout 2015 tour HERE, otherwise take a look at the tour dates and ticket details below!

https://soundcloud.com/vallisalps/fading

Vallis Alps ‘Fable’ Tour Dates:

Friday, March 24 – The Corner – Melbourne
Saturday, March 25 – Woolly Mammoth – Brisbane
Friday, March 31 – Fat Controller – Adelaide
Saturday, April 1 – Jack Rabbit Slims – Perth*
Saturday, April 8 – The Metro – Sydney

*Baro is not appearing in Perth

Get tickets HERE!

There’s no doubting that Melbourne emcee Remi is on track to become one of Australia’s most influential hip-hop exports. Since 2014’s album Raw X Infinity, he’s gone from strength to strength, armed with his unique style, engaging rhymes and heavy beats. He dropped a mixtape in between their releases, but now it’s time for the next big thing.

Remi’s sophomore album Divas And Demons is now just around the corner. From what we can see so far, the project sees him venturing further into himself, made particularly clear on last single Substance Therapy, a track about the struggle with his personal demons, no doubt those referenced in the album title.

Last week saw Remi drop a third single from the album, the loose and jazzy Lose Sleep, featuring one of this year’s most exciting breakout artists Jordan Rakei. Backed by this smooth and tranquil boom-bap beat, courtesy of his production partner and ongoing collaborator Sensible J, Remi holds his own lyrically once again, venturing further into his past by detailing racial issues that have affected his past.

While he thought many would shrug off his personal experiences, he explained it was the opposite response that inspired him to actually continue. “Since our last record, a lot of young mixed race Aussie kids have come to me talking about how much they can relate to the racial struggle in our music. I don’t think that’s a good thing, but I’m proud that these kids feel a little less alone, because of some songs we didn’t think anyone would hear. It also became inspiration for me to continue opening up about my experience. Often you can feel like one crazy beige kid in a sea of ignorance shouting about equality. These kids helped change that for me” Remi explained.

Remi has just wrapped up his main support slot on Seth Sentry’s 1969 Campaign Trail tour, alongside packing out the Tiny Dancer tent at this year’s Splendour In The Grass, and he’s now announced a jam packed headline tour of his own in support of the new album. He’ll be bringing collaborator and fellow Melbournite Baro out as support – full dates and details can be found below and at Remi’s official website.

Divas And Demons will be released Friday, September 16, 2016.

Remi. Divas And Demons Tour Dates

Friday, 18 November
Karova Lounge, Ballarat

Friday, 25 November
Railway Club, Darwin

Saturday, 26 November
Rocket Bar, Adelaide

Wednesday,  30 November
Transit Bar, Canberra

Friday, 2 December
Newtown Social Club, Sydney

Friday, 9 December
Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane

Saturday, 10 December
Republic Bar, Hobart

Saturday, 17 December
Howler, Melbourne

Get Tickets Here!

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Image: Michelle Grace Hunder

Melbourne rapper Baro has today returned with new single wdubi ft. Nasty Mars & Marcus.

 

For those, like me, who are old and don’t understand all the txt spk that the young kids are getting on with today, “wdubi” is an anargram for “What do you believe in?”

It’s a sprawling, soulful track laden with jazzy synths and spritely instrumental layers, a shift up, up and away from the understated, breezy, folky stuff he’s released previously. He’s clearly been working on his flow, too, while his bars are playful and his rhymes are clever. While the guest verses inject fresh new tones to the lovely track, the spotlight is firmly pointed at Baro.

The track was produced by Seth Sentry and Aston Shuffle collaborator Nic Martin, and is the first track off his forthcoming EP Just Problems You Need To Know, set for release later this year.

The 18-year-old, who has come a long way since we interviewed him last year at Splendour in the Grass, explained that he made the track last summer. “Nic Martin asked if anybody was down to rap over this gospel beat and me and Mars were with it. 2 hours later it was complete with a Marcus verse. More childish and optimistic as opposed to the cathartic and emotional vibes Just Problems gives. mans fell in love.”
If this is the direction he’s now developing, then I’m really excited to see what’s next for the young artist.
Image: Facebook

Danny Brown is a polarising rapper who makes polarising music. He tends to be a “love him or hate him” kind of guy, particularly because most people only know the songs that feature his distinct, high-pitched voice, songs that pretty much focus exclusively on hoes and MDMA. His singles appeal to a pretty specific audience – those who love to party. On the other hand, many of his album tracks are completely different, and honestly they’re my favourites. While I’m a big fan of Party Danny, it’s Subdued, Dark Danny that demands my utmost love and respect. (If you listen to albums like Old and XXX, the songs are split between Party Danny and Real Danny, distinctly divided by those featuring his high-pitched lilt, and those in his gravelly, organic tone. Tracks like Torture, Lonely and Clean Up – an absolutely brilliant 3-in-a-row on Old, highly recommended for anyone whose never heard his non-single tracks – are remarkably moving and deeply personal. Of course, he pretty much never performs these live. Like I said, he’s mostly known a party rapper.)

This Tuesday, I caught Danny at his Melbourne headline performance at 170 Russell, while in town to play roving regional festival Groovin The Moo. Having had my mind blown by his set back at Splendour in the Grass 2014, I knew I was in for something high energy, heavy, exciting. While he hasn’t released any new music since 2013, I was secretly hoping he’d drop a new track, considering his new album is apparently right around the corner.

It was upsetting to hear that his Sydney and Melbourne shows had been downgraded to smaller venues (and the Perth leg cancelled entirely) but to me, it didn’t matter – I love intimate hip-hop shows. Besides, I can understand why some people wouldn’t care to buy tickets to an artist who hasn’t released anything since before his previous Australian tour.

The first opener was local rapper Baro and quite frankly, it was disappointing. I’ve seen Baro a couple times in the past, and he’s delivered fresh, powerful sets. We’ve spent some time writing about how we think he’s on the rise, ready to be a driving force in Australian hip-hop. Yet he totally missed the mark, for two main reasons. Firstly, and not his fault at all, it was a strange choice of opener as he’s a totally different brand of hip-hop; apart from his last two songs, the beats chugged along, his understated drawl and laid-back flow more stoner than party rap. Secondly, his completely nonchalant attitude really pissed me off. He lazily swung from track to track, and at one point noted that he hadn’t even prepared beforehand, having only recently found out that he was playing. He really didn’t seem like he cared to be there, noting that he and a mate he brought out with him were simply “two stoned n*ggas on a stage.” Ho-hum. While I totally get that it was just a different vibe to the Danny Brown Party Atmosphere, his obvious apathy really irked me. It’s genuinely upsetting to be so let down by an artist we’ve really been gunning for, but so it goes.

Up next was Detroit MC Zelooperz, who came out to Australia with Danny (also, the pair share the same DJ). His beats were incredible, and his huge, fiery productions immediately woke up the entire room, who were quickly getting as turnt as they could on a cold Tuesday night. Brimming with charisma and drive, he constantly bounced around the stage, engaging with the audience and having a great time. He jumped into the crowd a couple times, with a full on mosh quickly forming around him. One thing to point out however, is that his lyrics were pretty awful. Multiple songs in a row about ‘bitches on my dick’ type stuff? Zzzzz. I’m not even saying this from a feminist, stop-talking-about-bitches-and-hoes perspective, more than it’s just boring as hell and completely unimaginative. That said, his beats were phenomenal; packed with a serious punch, as heavy and aggressive as any Danny Brown hit, the crowd – myself included – were heaving. I’m looking forward to hearing more from Zelooperz over the next couple years.

Image: Michelle Grace Hunder

Image: Michelle Grace Hunder

Danny took to the stage shortly afterwards, with the sweaty, churning mass of fans ready and waiting. He can command a crowd like no other; a master of live performance, he knows exactly how to get each and every person moving – and move we did. Wild-eyed and donning a band t-shirt and black jeans, he looked more rocker than rapper, an interesting contrast to Zelooperz, who shortly came back out on stage to act as Danny’s hype man.

It soon became quite clear to us that he was a little worn down. His movements, while lively, were less spirited than usual, certainly less so than the last time I saw him perform. I imagine he was just tired, so I cannot criticise this even slightly. This was his fifth show in five days, across four states – after his Brisbane headline set, he travelled to Maitland, NSW, Canberra, ACT and Oakbank, SA for three Groovin The Moos before arriving in Melbourne. Combine this with the low ticket sales, it’s no wonder he may have been feeling a little flat.

The thing is, even a flat Danny Brown show is more hyper and animated than most, and although he played a compacted 45 minute set with no encore, it was raucous and fun from start to end. His set was jam packed with his biggest tracks, including Blueberry, Smokin & Drinkin, the Purity Ring-featuring 25 Bucks, Dip, one of my personal party favourites Handstand, and his Rustie collaboration Attak. The production and beats are so explosive and lively that they carried him throughout, and the crowd had a great time in spite of the weariness.

At his best, Danny Brown is ferocious, wild, intense and exhilarating. At his worst, he’s still more energetic, fun and party-starting than others, so even a subdued performance like we saw this week still kicked ass. Fingers crossed he’ll come back with renewed vigour once his next album is out.

Read our interview with Danny Brown

Check out our full photo gallery of Danny Brown with Zelooperz at 170 Russell, Melbourne.

Image: Michelle Grace Hunder

Image: Michelle Grace Hunder

Images: Michelle Grace Hunder / Howl & Echoes

Words by Kayla-May Cosgrove

Baro is incoming. The eighteen-year-old Melbourne rapper is riding gold and green melodious waves these days, having wowed crowds at Splendour in the Grass and beyond.

I’ve been following Baro’s SoundCloud (and career) since seeing him at a warehouse gig in Brisbane almost a year ago. Since then I’ve busied myself listening, with intrigue, to his collaborations, EPs and demos, all boasting complete originality – he’s against the grain of what many consider ‘Aus hip hop’, and we could be happier that that title is finally starting to dissolve. Baro is smooth, nonchalant, and polite within his raps. His voice oozes from verse to verse, like dripping honey, at the same time emitting a hearty resonance for your psyche.

When you compare Baro to the over-produced, over-clean ‘bros and barbecues’ kinda of sound that we traditionally call ‘Aus hip hop’, it couldn’t be clearer that Baro has been carved from a different block. Anything but a stereotype of Australian hip hop, this is an artist whose music has identity.

Baro’s whole discography is like a pasture of wildflowers and chill beats, where his voice is comfortably relaxing on the green, staring at the clouds rolling past – yet conversely, his live show goes absolutely wild.

His sound creates a pacified infatuation, pioneering content that is cultivating, genuine and notable. There is no questioning Baro’s recent rise in popularity, a result of his refreshingly dope EP 17/18, and I can only hope he continues to make music because he wants to, with the individuality that his fan base holds in such high regards.

Listen to: Peppermint, a song that closely resembles that chocolate milk you can get, where the more you shake the creamier it gets.

And for all the sweetie pies: A collaborative trio of soppiness, swooning you in all the right ways, courtesy of Poncho, which is Baro and Ancentric together:

More: The New Frontier: read our interview with Baro

Turning 18 is an exciting time for most people, but for Melbourne rapper Baro, it’s probably a little more than that. Having taken the Internet and Australia by surprise last year with his mixtape HOWGOODISGOOD?, the rapper dropped just under 40 minutes of forward thinking hip hop, infused with soul and jazz and a youthful attitude that can’t be recreated. From there, he went onto to tour with Allday and Thundamentals, support Freddie Gibbs, tour in his own right and release his own official EP, 17/18.

Ticking off some major boxes in just 12 months, the next year looks set to be equally impressive for the now 18 year old. Being selected to perform at the Red Bull Music Academy stage at this year’s Splendour In The Grass, and a BIGSOUND showcase just around the corner, Baro has also just kicked off his second headline tour for the year in celebration of his new EP. Already receiving more than a few nods from the critics, Baro has stepped up all his game in his latest release, showing a wealth of untouched potential still hiding behind his braids. Having caught him in action at the Brisbane leg, I can’t insist enough how good he is live.

We nabbed some time with the young rapper as he had just arrived at Splendour ahead of his set. After discussing the mud (a mainstay conversation topic for the weekend), we got stuck into his crew, his fans, and what is still to come. All about his friends, there were just under 10 members of his crew, 90’s RD present for the chat, but it’s clear from the creative vibes between them, this a crew that is really going places. Spearheading the new frontier in Australian hip hop, with Baro at the helm, there is change coming and if it sounds like this, it’s definitely welcome.

Are you excited? 

B: Yeah, really excited. Kinda nervous, but really excited.

You’re about to play in two hours or so, what’s going through your head right now?

B: I don’t know, mud?

There is a lot of mud! People have been really getting into it, and in some cases literally…

B: Yeah it’s everywhere!

You’re about to kick off your EP tour as well – are you keen to get back on the road?

B: Hell yeah, my friends are coming with me again.

The whole crew?

B: Nearly the whole crew.

Who’s in? What are we talking here?

B: 90s RD. We’re a bunch of musicians, rappers
Nasty Mars: R Kelly impersonators…

How many people do you take with you on the road?

B: Whoever wants to come!

Fair enough! Do you have to pay your own way?

B: Yeah, we all book our own flights. We’re all grown ass men.

Is it a bit different going on your headline tour as it would be for when you were supporting Thundamentals?

B: It’s a little different. When we’re supporting, it’s usually me, Fets and maybe one other person will come and help us out like our friend. It’s just an excuse to hang out with our friends. But it’s usually just me and Fets, my DJ.

How integral is the whole crew to your project? 

Nasty Mars: We’re all individual artists, we all help each other

How integral is that to the Baro EP that just came out?

B: It’s always. I always have features of my friends with my music. This EP not so much, but the other ones my homies have been on flat out. I was just doing something different with this one.

What’s the difference? Is that just how it came about?

B: Yeah, it’s kind of just how it happened. I just didn’t feel like anybody else needed to be on a specific song. I made other songs with my friends that were going to be on the EP too but it’s just that – I was making something different. But it’s just nine songs on this EP, and the album will be different. I’ll have my friends on that one.

So there is an album in the works? Straight back into it now that the EP is out?

B: Yeah! I’ve already started and I’ve been producing quite a bit. I’ve made a couple of songs but they’re probably not for the album. I’m going to start working on it properly.

You’re not in a rush to get it out?

B: Not really. I’ve got a lot of other stuff I’m doing too. Me and Mars have got this stuff we’re doing that’s not musical but it is. We also have the 90’s RD tape coming out.

What is 90’s RD?

B: 90’s raw diversity. It’s the crew we’re in. All in Melbourne and all in the 90’s.

How did it come about?

B: The internet. I was friends with someone, and then their friends. It was just friends, friends, friends. We all became best friends. It wasn’t like we were recruiting who can rap, everyone can really fucking rap in 90’s RD. I’m not even just saying that.
M: We all met up, and on a personal level it was just easy. We all knew each other.

Do you all have similar influences or similar people that you really respect? 

M: Pretty much. We all like the same stuff but everyone has their own thing too. As a whole, just on a personal level, we’re all on the same wave length so it just works. It’s better to be out here with a group of people with the same mindset instead of just one artist.

Or with people that can rap as well as you but you get along with on a personal level. You’re pretty active on the internet with your fans too though, you’re all over Instagram and Snapchat…

B: Yeah yeah, I hate Snapchat but.

How important is that for you to connect with, not only like minded artists, but also your fans?

B: Yeah it’s cool. Snapchat and everything just shows how cool a lot of my fans are. They snap cool shit and that’s why I have it. If they’re doing something funny or something. Someone sent me a video of their fish, and they called it Baro, and this fish was moving it’s mouth along to my song Resume.

That’s awesome! Does that just help you want to keep going now, with all these fans behind you?

B: It’s good. I’d always be doing it but people are actually gravitating towards me and 90’s RD. People fuck with it. We know there’s likeminded people in Australia that will fuck with us, and a lot more but we just haven’t reached them yet.

I really do enjoy the EP, I’ve been listening to it so much. Mostly because it’s so chilled, there are nine tracks on there but it all just blends into one big one. Did you plan it that way?

B: Thank you! That’s exactly what I wanted. Every project I make, I just want it to be a whole. Everything fits with everything, it isn’t just a great song chucked in with the song before so it sound weird. I like listening to shit as a whole.

Is it hard to pick a single then?

B: I made a song ironically, Bears; it was dope, I liked the song but I just made it because it felt good, but then that was the single!

Is it kind of frustrating then because you’re like, “I want you to listen to it start to end,” but people might only listen to that snippet?

B: Sometimes when I’m just listening to one song off the EP, it’ll be Run and Tell Your Friends, because I feel like it has everything. It has everything on the EP in the one song. It’s my favourite. 

You’ve said you’re inspired by Kanye, Tyler, even Erykah Badu – what inspires you about them? 

B: Sometimes it’s the instrumentation. Sometimes it’s like… The way Amy Winehouse sings, have you heard Frank? You know the first song, at the very beginning of everything she’s doing that *scats* That’s my favourite shit. That’s what I want to do, I want to get better at singing and then do that.

Get a bit more soulful or R&B?

B: My inspirations are who I want to be, and who I want to compete with.

Can we expect a jazz/scat EP in the future? With a project like that would you bring in live instrumentation?

B: Yeah definitely. Most of my stuff is live.

Do you already bring some of that with you on the road?

B: No, I definitely want to though. This tour it’ll just be me, my DJ Fets, Nasty Mars who is an amazing artist and my hype man. Then Marcus who’s a rapper, he will come up and do his verses and his song. But he’s also supporting on the tour as well.

Is there any show you’re really keen to play?

B: Melbourne definitely, home town show. Sydney last time was crazy too!
M: We actually have fans in Sydney!

What was so good about Sydney last time? 

M: The people knew the songs! And not just one or two, maybe like 100 or more. It wasn’t that big but the people that were there…
B: 100 people vibing out is better than 1000 people who don’t know any of it.

You’ve also supported some huge artists, has there been a show that has been really meaningful to you?

B: Usually I don’t expect much. I’m excited but I don’t know what to expect. Because of that, the Sydney Thundamentals gig was crazy. The sound and the lighting, it was insane. Going on the Allday tour was dope too, the only Australian rappers I really listened to back then were Seth Sentry and Allday. Allday hitting me up, it was crazy. Freddie Gibbs too!

I was hoping you’d say that! What can we expect next? The tour’s about to kick off, where too from here?

B: The RD tape, and there is some stuff me and Mars have in the works. I do random stuff too, random songs and I’ll release them. It probably won’t be as much as when I was making the mixtape though. I want to be a bit elusive. I don’t want to use social media much.

Fall back and build up the anticipation?

B: And work harder on the music. Stay in my bungalow and make music.

In your bungalow? 

B: Yeah I make all my music in my bungalow! It’s at my house, in my backyard. I live on a bit of land and it kind of sucks. It’s just a shitty hut thing, but it’s crazy to make music in.
M: The roof’s caving in

Put some of the proceeds from the EP to the roof!

M: There’s also asbestos in the walls…

Oh man, where are you recording?! 

B: It’s crazy, I love the bungalow.

Maybe some of that risk comes into the recording of everything. 

B: Yeah all edgy and shit!

Baro dropped his debut mixtape, HOWGOODISGOOD? just 12 months ago. Its jazz-infused flow and laidback wordplay garnered him critical acclaim and a finalist position in the Triple J Unearthed High Competition. The upper echelons of experimental hip-hop agree, with Baro supporting Allday, Remi, Illy, Thundamentals, Spit Syndicate, Freddie Gibbs and Badbadnotgood.

Today marks the release of Baro’s debut EP 17/18. The EP is a mature and compelling offering from a young rapper. Baro’s youthful brashness glides on lush jazz hooks, that are reminiscent of generations past. He has this way of reposing on the beat; he leans into the music, sits back and spits out fresh-but-sharp phrases. This warm-with-calm style perfectly compliments the EPs climbing piano chords, whistling brass and crooning vocal collabs.

Talking about some of the songs on his 17/18 Baro explains:

“‘This For You’ is exploring the seclusion of two, pretty much saying nobody else matters but you type thing in the most sensible, mature way. When put amongst the other two ‘love songs’ on my EP ’17/18′ (‘Bears’ and ‘I Never Meant To Hurt U’), ‘This For You’ is the most straightforward one. Bears is all about the juxtaposition of two different females in two different verses and running away into the forest with the other, in the most childish, obdurate way. ‘I Never Meant To Hurt U’ is the downward spiral, wanting that old feeling back, knowing I fucked up and regretting it, but really exaggerated. Produced by my brother Mitch and featuring my brother Mitch.”

Always the gentleman, Baro provided the liner notes for the EP:

11703050_858531170890954_5798622652860203253_nThe 17/18 Tour begins this month at Splendour in the Grass, on the Red Bull Music Academy stage, followed by dates in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide.

July 25 – Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay NSW
July 30 – Goodgod Small Club, Sydney NSW (18+)
July 31 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane QLD (18+)
August 1 – Shebeen, Melbourne VIC (18+)
August 8 – Rocket Bar, Adelaide SA (18+)

 

Hands down one of the most exciting acts in Australia right now, Baro has been making waves for about 12 months now since the release of his mixtape HOWGOODISGOOD? Since then, he’s toured with Allday, and supported Remi, Illy, Thundamentals, Spit Syndicate, Freddie Gibbs and Badbadnotgood despite him technically being underage in the venues he performed in. Now, he’s legal to vote, buy booze and cigarettes, and is celebrating in the coolest way anyone could celebrate turning 18 – releasing a new EP and going on a national tour.

Hitting Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide as well as Splendour In The Grass, Baro is set to drop his new EP 17/18 on July 10. However, he’s doing things a little differently. You can pre-order the record now over at Pledgemusic.com, with a variety of exclusive items also available for purchase depending on how much cash money you’ve got to burn. Baro says himself on the page about the success he’s already seen, “It’s humbling and inspiring and it makes me want to work even harder for you. So now that I’m about to release my debut EP, I want to invite all of you to be a part of it.”

From digital downloads to hats, long sleeve shirts, signed posters and even a VIP experience where you can go to soundcheck and hang out with the man himself, this way of releasing ensures that the funds get directly to the artist. Pre-order is available now, and if you need a little more convincing you can check out the clip his new track See Less below: