This week is pretty electronic heavy, which we don’t mind one bit considering how good they all sounds. From all corners of the globe, but a heavy focus on local acts, this playlist will have you boogying into your weekend in no time! Enjoy!
Chymes, Oracle
This is the first single from Central Coast duo Chymes and as far as first singles go, this one is certainly up there. As magical as the song name would suggest, Oracle is a tinkering, hypnotic song that has hints of Purity Ring with its eerie vocals and captivating soundscapes, but it would be remiss to totally lump them in that category. No, Chymes shine bright on this single and will make just about anyone very keen indeed to hear the rest of what they’ve been working on with their Grow EP out later this year.
Kllo, Bolide
Kllo (formerly Klo) have finally returned with some new music, and holy shit was it worth the way. Bolide is a shifting, jolting number that has elements of footwork and garage-house with it’s beats, but is kept grounded thanks to Chloe Kaul’s heavenly vocals, husky and soft. Showing a bit of a change in direction from their previous EP last year which focussed more on the lo-fi vibes, Kllo have amped up the tempo here and are delving into unchartered territory. We cannot wait to hear what else they’ve been cooking up, nor can we wait to catch them on tour later this year!
Client Liaison, World Of Our Love
The purveyors of fine things and turn-of-the-90s nostalgia, Client Liaison, make their entry into 2016 with World Of Our Love– a liberating, upbeat, exciting song that heralds their return as some of Australia’s best dance artists. World Of Our Love is a dancefloor filler, and it’s thumping beat, swelling chorus and borderline euphoric lyrics make me just feel like everything is okay in the world now that new Client Liaison is out in the world. They’ve also announced a huge national tour, which promises to be their biggest and best yet if this new single is anything at all to go by. Head here for more details on that!
Left., No Way
Sydney duo Left. have been around for a while now, but I have never quite heard them like this before. Delving further into the indie electro arena, the pair are sounding better than ever. It’s an uplifting tune that hides a powerful message. Sarah Corry, one half of Left., said of the track that, “I want to be able to say something in our songs, to use my voice as much as I can in a positive way. ‘No Way’ was written in this time where we see so much deep seeded, dark abuse and mistreatment of women. Women’s bodies being found raped and destroyed by their partners – it hurts me so much to see this. I decided to write a song that was bursting with positivity and a powerful message that we have the power to own our bodies, our lives, our fate.” YES. GIRL!
Aeora, Medicine
Melbourne artist Aeora has changed her name up and really come into her own with this latest single. Previously going under the moniker “Aura”, Aeora is building on the success of New Thing and Out Loud with Medicine – and she is really bound for big things. Just listen to that voice around the 2 minute mark. The production throughout, expertly laid down and throbbing, is vast and massive as more and more is added to the fray. Produced by Owen Rabbit, this is the first taste from her forthcoming record Alt, out in July via local label Riot Expert Records, and we are expecting one hell of a release for that one!
GL, Grip
GL are back with a banger in the form of Grip– another throwback to the 80s in a way only they know how. Released alongside their previous single, Number One which was also a total jam, for Record Store Day last weekend. Ella Thompson, the “L” in GL, said of the track, “Grip is about physical love. This is a recurring theme in our album Touch. When something takes its grip and really has a hold on you, it can feel like a game of cat and mouse. You might say all the right things, try and keep your cool but in the end your body does the talking.” GL are about to go on tour with Client Liaison (mentioned above) and are an unstoppable force live. Don’t miss out!
Kid Cupid, Siren
They’ve already drawn comparisons to the likes of London Grammar, and for very good reason. Indie-electro quartet Kid Cupid make brooding, powerful indie pop with electronic elements infused to give it that extra depth. It’s expertly produced, sounding way more accomplished than their relatively short history would suggest, and it’s because of this that I have such high expectations of what else these guys can achieve. Big things are coming for this London band, with tribal drums, sensational vocals and harmonies and subtle guitar licks to really take it home. Very nice indeed.
Donatachi, Bubblegum (Ft. Rosebud Leach)
Out now via the legendary Sydney party crew Sidechains‘s latest mixtape, Donatachi steps further into his own as a producer and as an artist. Talking of the collab with Melbourne singer Rosebud Leach (who you may recognise from LUCIANBLOMKAMP tracks), Donatachi said, “Rosebud and I both share are deep love for bubblegum pop and wanted to do a sickly sweet, exaggerated version of the genre in this song. We wanted it to sound like Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask’s first dance at prom.” And they have achieved it! Sounding like PC Music meets a fairy or something, this is a shimmering, over the top exercise in pop music but it sounds so good.
Fifi Rong, Forbidden Desire
Beijing born, London based producer Fifi Rong sounds like a more badass Lana Del Rey, with her inviting voice but secret bite. Forbidden Desire is the latest release from the up and coming artist, and a taste of what we can expect from her forthcoming EP out next week. She’s worked with the likes of Tricky and will be featured on none other than Skepta‘s forthcoming album Konnichiwa, so if you don’t want to take our word for it then maybe theirs will help. Seductive, woozy and somehow chilled out even though it’s totally captivating, Fifi Rong holds it down here and makes it sound easy.
Katy B, Water Rising (Ft. MssingNo & Geeneus)
Another shimmering slice of pop from Katy B’s forthcoming collab heavy album, and it’s one of, if not the best we have heard so far. Her album, titled Honey, comes out today and Water Rising is the perfect tune to herald its arrival. The album sees Katy B working with many, many artists including Four Tet, Floating Points, Major Lazer, Craig David, Kaytranada, J Hus, Wilkinson, Jamie Jones, Sasha Keable, Novelist, Hannah Wants, Mr. Mitch, D Double E and more, and has already shaped up to be a formidable release. Working with electronic producer MssingNo and Rinse founder Geeneus, Katy B’s impeccable voice sounding commanding and powerful over the dark track. It’s an impressive song from a sure to be impressive album.
This week’s playlist is a big mix indeed. We’ve got some good ol’ fashioned rock’n’roll to start off with from the guys in Them Bruins, before getting a bit electronic and off-centre with Jack Grace, Yeo and delicately beautiful with Lanks. We’ve also got a fantastic Martin King remix of Oscar Key Sung, spitfire rhymes courtesy of Little Simz, a straight up jam from Tuxedo and some future R&B sounds from Donatachi and Blair De Milo. We’ve also got a special treat to wrap things up with, from UK artist Obenewa. Hold onto your hats!
Them Bruins – Heading For The Harrows
How about some hard hitting and breakneck rock to get things started? Fresh off an East Coast tour and residency at Melbourne’s Cherry Bar, Them Bruins are back with an absolute ripper in Heading For The Harrows. The falsetto alone is enough for me, not to mention the hard hitting drums, the roaring guitar and the raucous vibe! This would be a frenzy live!
Jack Grace – Hills
This is an interesting one. Sydney songwriter/producer Jack Grace works his magic on Hills, an eclectic mix of downtempo pop, eclectic and unusual production and a vocal hook that got stuck in my head from the first listen. Although I’m not crazy and the random “bouncing laser” samples (that’s what I’m calling it anyway), as I find it takes away from a rather deep and pensive track, it’s still deep and pensive enough to count.
Yeo – Quiet Achiever
Melbournian Yeo may have called his new song Quiet Achiever, but the track makes his return seem anything but. Well and truly back with a bang, Yeo really ups the ante with this latest release, showing he really is a force to be reckoned with. It starts off as what you think would be an R&B jam, before the tropical steel drums come into play and the trap breakdown hits. Catching you by surprise more than a few times, this is a really, really great song. Welcome back, Yeo!
Lanks – Aurelia
Lanks is just about to hit the road on a national tour AND drop a new EP, but he’s squeezed one more single in before doing so – and boy, are we glad he did. Aurelia is taken from his Banquet EP, and is without a doubt the most beautiful track I’ve heard from this artist in the admittedly short time I’ve known of him (there has been extensive listening though). Delicate, intimate and totally sublime, Lanks’ falsetto soars over thick, droning synth chords and crisp, piercing drum beats before things swirl into something that seriously stunning. I love this song.
Oscar Key Sung – Brush (Martin King Remix)
Nu-soul extraordinaire Oscar Key Sung released a bunch of remixes from his recently released Altruism EP, but the stand out for us is Martin King’s take on his track Brush. The duo are hardly strangers, and are the two members of other pop project Oscar + Martin, so it stands to reason that King jumping on this track is a match made in heaven. The rework moves Oscar’s vocals away from his comfort zone and into a higher range, complemented by jungle styled drum work and serious good vibes, but it’s the breakdown that really sets this one apart.
Little Simz – Lane Switch
Little Simz builds on her reputation as having one of the quickest tongues in the game with this latest track. Fiery and pretty damn bad ass, Simz spits back some pretty devastating rhymes over the huge beats laid down by UK producer RASCAL. She said of the track “Lane Switch again is an update on where I am in my life right now and what space I’m in, I’ve been on the road for the longest time and want to update my listeners on how I finding everything,” before citing giving new music to her supporters as her main way of staying creative, as well as “growing and evolving”. Little Simz is definitely one to keep an eye on!
Tuxedo – Without Your Love
Tuxedo are one of my favourite duos of recent times. Jake One and Mayer Hawthorne continue to deliver the goods with their collaborative, jazz-meets-soul-meets-funk-meets-whatever the hell else they can add to their sound, with each track continually outdoing it’s predecessors. Without Your Love was actually a Japan-only release on their debut album which dropped in March, but the guys decided to let the rest of the world in on it as well – and thank God they did! Try get this one out of your head!
Tiger Choir – All Time
Hobart band Tiger Choir delivered one of the happiest tracks of the year a few months ago with their lead single Shani, and now the boys are back with All Time. Mixed by b (who has worked with I’lls and Klo) and mastered by Andrei Eremin (who has an almighty list of collaborations like Chet Faker, Oscar Key Sung and Hiatus Kaiyote), the band are onto something really, really good here! This track has us more than excited for their forthcoming LP.
Donatachi – Neo Ft. Blair De MIlo
Sydney producer Donatachi previously worked under the name Loudun, but has changed his name and his sound with this new project. The future R&B infusion that is Neo is a total dream, only bettered by the presence of Blair De Milo on vocal duties. The smoky, chilled out but emotive and groovy collaboration is one of my favourite recent discoveries, and has put both artists firmly on my radar.
Obenewa – Solid Gold
Saving the best for last, we here at H&E were stunned at this latest song from Obenewa. Taking influence from Mary J Blige or even Whitney Houston, this song is so stunningly lush, gentle but still quite powerful it took a few listens to really grasp the magic going on here with Solid Gold. Flawless.