Melbourne Music Week is in full swing, celebrating the diverse and rich musical culture that this country (and this city in particular) has to offer. One of the standout events of the entire week is the Her Sound, Her Story exhibition, a collection of portrait photographs and documentary footage of some of the country’s most celebrated female musicians, music journalists and beyond.
As diverse and talented as this country’s music industry is, women have long been under-represented, and that diversity is rarely reflected to its full extent when it comes to festival line ups, award nominations, best-of shortlists, paid work and more. It’s this under-representation which photographer Michelle Grace Hunder found to be startlingly clear when she was working on her hip-hop photo-documentary, Rise, two years ago. The end result was an extensive photography book filled from cover to cover with Australian hip-hop artists and visionaries – but only a small handful of all the portraits featured in the book were of women. Enter the idea for her new collaboration with filmmaker and long-time friend, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore, the launch of which helped to kick off the Melbourne Music Week events.
Her Sound, Her Story is a celebration of women in the Australian music industry and features over 40 female musicians all in different stages in their careers. A visual representation of the very diversity we need to continue to nurture, support and celebrate, the photographic exhibition features women of colour, of various sexual orientations and from a wide range of musical and cultural backgrounds and manifests. What connects them is their love for music, their support for one another (and other women in the industry) and the stunning portraits that light up Melbourne’s Emporium shopping centre.
Walking into Emporium though the side entrance to the official launch of the exhibition, there is an undeniable, palpable excitement in the atmosphere. Rounding the bend, the exhibition space, Emporium’s main entrance, is completely transformed. While it does often house art installations and sets, this one seems different. More special somehow in that it is placing some of Australia’s finest female musicians right in one of the busiest CBD locations. It is bold and unabashed; the lightboxes displaying the vibrant photographs at the front and centre of the room. The series features over 40 of the country’s most revered and renowned artists, from Kate Ceberano and Tina Arena, Missy Higgins and Julia Stone, Montaigne and Ecca Vandal, Sampa The Great and Mojo Juju.
In addition to hosting many of the faces immortalised in the portraits, the intimate launch event featured an introduction from the National Treasure and one of the featured portrait subjects, Ella Hooper. Having stressed once more the significance of the project, not to mention the fact that following the launch, it would launch Melbourne Music Week at the State Library the following night. Speeches from the creators made it very clear that from concept to conclusion, Her Sound, Her Story focused on not simply photographic the subjects, but getting to know them – quite literally, it marries music with narrative effortlessly. Ahead of the MMW launch event, guests were treated to the frankly (fittingly) surreal experience of a brief but no less soulful live performance by Nai Palm right in the middle of the Emporium Entrance. The Hiatus Kaiyote singer’s incomparable vocals filled the entire space accompanied only by her guitar as she closed the event out to awe and applause.
Her Sound, Her Story is not simply a reminder that we, as a community, need to focus on bringing greater diversity to the forefront. It is all well and good to have the conversation, but this exhibition, which features over 40 artists and tells their stories through their photo concepts and documented interviews, is action being taken. A testament to art, music, film, story-telling and sheer passion for all four, Her Sound, Her Story goes further than simply acknowledging the problem – contributes to the solution in a most bold and beautiful fashion.
Her Sound, Her Story is showing at the Emporium Shopping Centre in Melbourne until Sunday, November 19th. More details can be found at the official website.
Welcome to The Soundtrack, a column where we plumb the depths of our musical knowledge to bring you the best* (subjective) music to listen to for very specific life situations. This week, we bring you music to help you set the sexy-but-not-too-intense mood for your first Adult Sleepover with someone new and promising.
So, you’ve started seeing someone, hey? Good for you, putting yourself out there again. For a while there you were just focusing on yourself, which is also neat, but now you’re set on the idea of a buddy to cuddle while you sip cheap terrible wine and catch up on Luke Cage – and you reckon this new person in your life might be just the ticket. They’re charming, funny, down to earth, AND say “please” and “thank you” to waitstaff. So far, so good. Things are moving just a liiiittle slower than you’d like, so you’ve invited them over for a ~sexy~ dinner (if you’re cooking you might want to check out The Soundtrack from a couple weeks back). You’re keen to set the mood just right – relaxed but not too casual, sensual but not too obviously sexy, and you also really wanna impress them with how cool and eclectic you are BUT you definitely do not want them knowing you’ve chucked on a specific playlist just for this occassion. That’s why you’re here. Jesus christ, can’t you do anything for yourself? Just kidding. I have the goods for you. Happy to help.
Free Weed – High With Me
Let’s face it, you’re probably both a bit nervous. In all likelihood, both of you want this to turn into an Adult Sleepover, but neither of you want it to seem like you’re expecting anything. My recommendation is that you both relax, man. Just chill out. However you’re inclined to do that is up to you. I’m not condoning anything, but I am also not your mum. Regardless of how you reach maximus relaximus (but don’t go TOO far, you don’t wanna fall asleep without banging at least one out first), this song is a very Good and Nice complement to that. Shoegaze-y, reverb-y, underwater-y goodness with a touch of carefree rebellion. Plus chucking this on is a tried and true way to check if your potential paramour is a friend to the four-n-twenty (not the pies).
Portishead – Glory Box
Oh, come on now. Don’t pretend like you didn’t know this song was going to be here. FACT: there is no other track in modern memory with such a pinpoint sense of nuanced sensuality. This song belongs on every single damn playlist you have, actually, but especially ones you chuck on when you think you might get lucky. The one thing to watch with this one (while the person you’ve decided is probably the love of your life is there to impress), though, is the volume. Because turn that shit up and it’s practically obscene-sounding; wind it down to half-way or less and you have a gorgeous subdued dinner-appropriate song.
Little Dragon – Constant Surprises
I’m probably a tiny bit biased here because this track has personal significance, but honestly, it does such a bang-up job of walking that tumultuous line between omg I have feelings, isn’t this sweet and let’s get it on. This works for just about any stage of the night. You answering the door, looking adorably flushed from standing over a stove and them grinning at the sight of you. Them sharing some choice self-deprecating anecdotes about their week as they pour you both another glass of wine. You going to town on each other for the third time at 2am. It’s just so diverse that way. And let’s not ever understate the fucking incredible talent that is Yukimi Nagano. That voice could make anyone fall in love/take their clothes off (same diff).
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Tender Is The Neck
This song is best saved for a verrrry specific moment. You know the one. The delicious meal that you slaved over (or ordered on Deliveroo) has been well and truly polished off. The wine has been flowing freely for a few hours now. You’ve passed through the awkward small-talk right to the deep stuff and you’ve just stumbled upon some really significant piece of common ground that has left both of you somewhat breathless and starry-eyed. You kiss the kiss of people who have just started to think they could maybe, possibly, someday fall in love. RBCF begins to play, wistful and soft and ooooohhh, feel those goosebumps? Things are definitely still in PG-rated rom-com territory right now, but the winds are about to shift and you both know it.
Hiatus Kaiyote – Nakamarra
Well, they didn’t win a Grammy for not making sexy music. And, if your potential beloved is a music person, you’ll likely get a chance to bond over the amazing trajectory of the band too. Share stories of seeing them live. Nothing bonds people quite the way that can. And if your potential beloved is not a music person, it’s time to order them an Uber and tell them how nice it was to meet them. Kidding (sorta). That said, though, have this one queued up waaaaay at the tail end of your playlist so the repeated “I love you, love you, love you I do”s don’t leave a weird heavy feeling in the air. It’s just a song, my dudes. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, okay?
Image: YouTube/Fox Animation
I’ve seen a number of concerts at the famed Sydney Opera House lately, and while they never disappoint, they are always a little strange. This is primarily because the artists I see there are the kind of artist you’d more typically see at a bar or a standing venue, where you can move, talk, dance and generally hang loose. The Opera House, conversely, is an enormous theatre, vast in both space and significance. While built for ballet, orchestras and, obviously, opera, it has been used for contemporary acts with growing frequency over the past few years. It has since become a coveted rite of passage for artists of all genres – including Hiatus Kaiyote, for whom this was to be their Opera House debut.
As such, it is always interesting to watch artists navigate an audience who, although just as excited as any other to be there, automatically feel stiff, timid and reserved because they’re sitting down in an opera hall. It’s fascinating to see how artists combat this, or whether they simply embrace or ignore it.
African Australian rapper Sampa The Great opened for Hiatus Kaiyote for the Vivid Live performance. Armed only by her producer, the wonderfully talented Godriguez, Sampa’s voice echoed with a power and clarity throughout the predominantly full hall. It was clear that she noticed the dullness caused by a room full of people sitting down, though, and for the first couple of tracks she tried to encourage dancing and moving about. Ultimately that didn’t really work, so she got on with the set, choosing to ignore it (but not without a shout-out to the brave few dancing in the aisles). Her set was as good as the many other times I’ve been lucky enough to catch her, and while I do feel there was an initial struggle coming to terms with the unusually quiet audience and the gargantuan space, she nevertheless managed to well and truly warm us up before the main event, once again reminding me why she’s my favourite Australian rapper today.
I’ve never seen Hiatus Kaiyote live before, although I’ve been a long time fan of their incredible, intricate releases, which often sound so much bigger than music you might expect from a four-piece from Melbourne. Off the back of two Grammy nominations and widespread acclaim and support from some of the most important names in the music industry, the band have steadily developed an incredibly well-deserved international audience. Their 2015 album Choose Your Weapon received universal acclaim, and finally seeing it performed live only made that much more exhilarating. The band had recruited the genius that is lighting extraordinaire Timeboy, and the endless rainbow of visuals were among the most dazzlingly brilliant I’ve ever seen – no surprise, considering Timeboy has previously worked with Flying Lotus, Kanye West, Prince, The Weeknd and Erykah Badu among others.
The band, who were joined by three backing singers, was of course fronted by singer and guitarist Nai Palm. While I don’t usually comment on what the band were wearing, it would be impossible to not mention her unbelievable attire, made up of a colourful headdress, a long, faux fur scarf and a one piece entirely adorned in shiny silver sequins. Incredible.
But what was more incredible was the music. The performance engaging, precise and perfect; I constantly found myself wondering how the hell these songs were conceptualised and written, how they were rehearsed, and how they were remembered. Their sound’s rich pageant traipses between technically astounding jazz rhythms, to razor sharp percussion, to crunchy, synth-heavy industrial blowouts. Along with the help of Timeboy’s electrifying visuals, I was enraptured from start to end. The Opera House acoustics are obviously unparalleled, and it is no more appreciated than when you get to experience a band like Hiatus Kaiyote, in all their intricate polyrhythmic detail and glory, in that space. Their presence and the lighting filled the stage in a way that meant the audience sitting down no longer felt withdrawn; rather, it simply allowed us to fully take in the whole experience. That said, when they returned to a standing ovation for their encore, the energy and atmosphere picked up thousandfold, for a rapturous finale to a phenomenal show.
Image: SMH/Prudence Upton
In two days time we’ll be treated to Hiatus Kaiyote‘s Recalibrations Vol.1, a project featuring remixes from their 2015 album Choose Your Weapon. Today we get the first glimpse of this with the track Laputa, as reworked by acclaimed producer Taylor McFerrin and godsend Anderson .Paak.
The pair have taken the original vibe and built upon it masterfully. While Laputa was originally very experimental and wavy, McFerrin applies his smooth keyboard-driven production and gives the track a new, extra layer of jazz and soul along with a more structured feel through the hard snapping drums.
Paak joins the track in the finishing half, ending with a few bars of his inviting soulful sounds. YES LAWD! It’s unclear whether some of the drum work is recorded by Paak, but it wouldn’t be surprising given his talent with the instrument.
Hiatus Kaiyote remixes seem to be on the rise lately, with up and coming Sydney MC Sampa The Great releasing a project consisting completely of the group’s samples in 2015, not to mention Compton rapper .Paak having previously sampled their track Molasses in Without You, his Rapsody-featuring track on Malibu.
Hiatus Kaiyote will began an American tour in the coming months, playing major festivals like Lollapalooza and Osheaga, as well as shows supporting the likes of D’Angelo and Erykah Badu.
Image: The Guardian
It’s that time of the year again, where the Easter buzz urges us music lovers to head to Byron Bay for the annual Bluesfest to bask in the good vibrations. This year saw a little controversy, mainly due to the inclusion of hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar as headliner. But for every person who contested it, a louder voice praised it – and the opening night lineup ended up turning into a spectacular selection of R&B, soul and jazz, with artists like Hiatus Kaiyote, Kamasi Washington and D’Angelo all joining the rapper without a single clash.
Melbourne neo/future soul band Hiatus Kaiyote was the first to grace the MOJO stage on Thursday afternoon, opening with the ever catchy Shaolin Monk Motherfunk from their second studio album, Choose Your Weapon. Their sound works better than ever live and it’s irresistible not to just vibe out. Accompanied by three backup singers, vocalist Nai Palm shone throughout the performance, alongside the ever funky and compelling band mates Paul Bender, Perrin Moss and Simon Mavin. They went on to play a string of favourites, including By Fire, Borderline with my Atoms, the Grammy nominated Breathing Underwater and the Anderson .Paak sampled Molasses before finishing with their huge hit Nakamarra, where Nai managed to slip in a quick RIP to recently passed hip-hop legend Phife Dawg.
Image: Chris Malcolm
Soon afterwards, hugely praised jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington came out on stage, accompanied by eight of his childhood friends and collaborators who featured on his incredbile 2015 record The Epic – including not one, but two drummers. I’ll be honest, I was skeptical at how the three hour masterpiece would come across live, but what ensued blew me away far beyond my expectations. They were sharp and hugely impactful, not to mention gracious in their features; on the second track, Washington stepped aside to give the spotlight to Miles Mosley, his double bass player. The crowd were given the opportunity to listen to the premiere of Mosley’s new track Abraham, accompanied by the full band – expect to hear an official release next month. “I guarantee you ain’t seen nobody play the bass like he can,” Washington crooned. He was right. I stood in awe at the sheer creativeness of the guy; his distorted bass dropped a shockingly funky rhythm, and when Mosley began to sing over it, it became an irresistible tune. Washington then brought out his own father, “the man who taught me everything I know,” Ricky Washington, who tore it up on his flute on a moving ballad with singer Patrice Quinn.
The show quickly changed once more when Washington and the band left the stage, all except for the two “coldest musicians,” drummers Ronald Bruner, Jr. and Tony Austin. What followed was a five minute drum battle between the two, where they smashed out unbelievable rhythms at a unimaginable pace. The band soon returned to the stage, blessing the crowd with more fantastic jazz melodies, not to mention the epic solos from all of the members, most notably Brandon Coleman and his keytar. Of course, the man himself stole the show time and time again, with Washington’s deathly notes pushing the sax to a new level on every track. The 75 minute set was over in an instant, but it was definitely not a show to miss.
Check out our photo shoot and interview with Kamasi Washington
Image: Evan Malcolm
Neo-soul, funk king and R&B legend, D’Angelo came out guns blazing , rocking the feather jacket he displayed at the Melbourne and Sydney gigs. In testament to his hugely praised album Voodoo, the singer first performed his steamy tracks Devil Pie as well as Feel Like Makin’ Love, accompanied by his band The Vanguard. Soon after this came songs from his latest Grammy-winning release, Black Messiah. Despite it being his first album in 14 years the songs retained his signature sensual grooves, a characteristic which echoed through tracks such as Real Love, and Sugah Daddy.
D’Angelo’s 2014 release also made way for some compelling topics as well, the stunningly powerful call against racial injustice, The Charade, had the crowd raising their fists in defiance. It wasn’t long until the love tunes came back with my personal jam Brown Sugar, but to my surprise, when the microphone was pointed over, the crowd gave a fairly weak response – no doubt many in the crowd were waiting for Lamar to arrive on stage next. Despite this, D’Angelo still carried on with the same enthusiasm as always, masterfully controlling the stage.
A brief encore break during the 90 minute set saw every Kendrick fan left squeezing their way into the tent, making for an interesting re-entrance when crowd members were already chanting for the Compton king. Nevertheless, D’Angelo pushed on through, ending his set with the super high and energetic Chicken Grease, teasing his set’s finish several times before leaving the stage to massive applause.
We also caught D’Angelo live in Sydney – you can check out the full photo gallery right here.
Image: Joseph Mayers
After quite some wait in the seemingly overcrowded tent, it was finally time for the legend of our time to step on stage. In contrast to D’Angelo’s flamboyant entrance, Kendrick came on solemnly and silently, amidst the screams and crowd cheers. He proceeded to tease the crowd, moving to and from the mic, tantalising his opening. When he finally said his first words, we were hit with his jazz backed To Pimp a Butterfly interlude;
“This Dick Ain’t Freeeee.”
Lamar gave the show of a lifetime, performing the gassed anthems from good kid, m.A.A.d city such as Backseat Freestyle, Swimming Pools (Drank) to immense reception early on. Songs from the phenomenal To Pimp A Butterfly moved me the most though, with Institutionalized and the soulful These Walls calming the crowd with their sobering and heartfelt lyrics. After a short trip through the For Sale? interlude, Kendrick hit back even harder with the heavy Hood Politics, Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe and m.A.A.d city, sending the mosh into a frenzy.
As the show drew close to finishing Lamar played the bigger man, telling two teenagers who had climbed up some scaffolding that they had to get down or they’d stop the show; he still praised them for their energy, but warned that the crowd wouldn’t be too happy if he had to finish his set early. Building on this enthusiasm he dropped the explosive TPAB singles i and King Kunta, taking the energy to impossible new heights. For his final song, the crowd burst into a deafening chant. Kendrick controlled the crowd from loud to soft and back again, as we all cried out, “We gon’ be alright,” over and over. It was a beautiful and powerful moment, one which soared to an unreal high, making it even harder to farewell the west coast king.
The only shame of the day was that there was no link up between these artists. Washington was an extensively featured guest on TPAB, and the many comparisons that TPAB and Black Messiah received in 2015. Regardless, it was an unforgettable evening, showcasing the best of the best in a perfect environment.
We were lucky enough to catch K. Dot live in Sydney, too – check out our full live review and photo gallery.
Image: Chris Malcolm
Make sure you catch most of these artists who are playing again tonight (Saturday) for the final time at the festival.
Byron Bay Bluesfest: Saturday 26th March
Kamasi Washington – 18.15
Hiatus Kaiyote – 20.15
D’Angelo – 22.00
It’s that time of year again. Sydney is braced for a bevy of bright lights and brilliant live music, as the annual Vivid Sydney Festival draws ever closer. As snap happy photographers ready their cameras, music enthusiasts our now licking their lips at the talent attracted down under, with the lineup for the festival released today. Here are just a handful of the shows that are certified “must-sees”:
Bon Iver
Justin Vernon has reemerged from his musical slumber and is set to bring Bon Iver back to Australian shores as part of the CERCLE series of performances. With only three prior Sydney shows to his name, this is a must for any music fan that can appreciate lyricism and talent in it’s rawest form. Attendees at the Sydney Opera House will be the very first in the world to see his new show premiered, and considering it was only recently that we learnt Bon Iver wasn’t actually done and dusted, news of his return is among the greatest musical announcement we’ll see this year!
Where: Concert Hall (Opera House)
Date: 27-30 May
Tickets Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWcyIpul8OE
Bjork
The eccentric songstress is headed back down under to showcase her newly developed Bjork Digital experience, an exhibition set to showcase: “five unique spaces that will premiere a new virtual reality project from the musician, alongside other collaborations with some of the finest filmmakers and programmers in the world.”
Bjork has recently dabbled with VR technologies, and her work looks set to culminate in Sydney as she tantalises our senses from all angles, an experience that is set to add yet another layer to the mystique of her performance, which will no doubt see the Australian live debut of music from her powerful, emotionally intense 2015 album Vulnicura.
Where: Carriageworks
Date: June 3
Tickets: Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWHpoJT3qK4
Polica
When Justin Vernon labels you “the best band I’ve ever heard” you can be certain that you are in for an aural treat when Polica take to the stage to unleash their unique fusion of electronic sounds and indie pop. Returning to Australia after a three year hiatus, we can only imagine that Polica is ready to take Sydney by storm all over again, performing from their gorgeous new album United Crushers, which came out earlier this month and has garnered stellar reviews.
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre (Opera House)
Date: June 3
Tickets: Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl03afAqeFQ
New Order
The presence of the synth-pop legends at Vivid is sure to set tongues-wagging, with the group set to celebrate 35 years with a “live retrospective” performance that will undoubtedly satisfy even the most hardcore fans. Rejoined by synth wizard Gillian Gilbert, New Order will introduce a brand new generation to the wonders of their discography.
Where: Concert Hall (Opera House)
Date: 1 June, 5 June
Tickets: Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftJZomwDhxQ
Oneohtrix Point Never
Described by organisers a “rock-inspired rampage set to stun audiences with cutting synthesizers and decimating bass,” we can breathe easy knowing that we probably won’t be able to hear properly for the rest of the night after catching Oneohtrix Point Never’s Vivid Live performance. Fans can of course expect to hear much of OPN’s stellar 2015 release, Garden of Delete (his seventh album to date), a Nine Inch Nails-inspired industrial, experimental, eclectic electronic album that featured on many end of year best-of lists.
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre (Opera House)
Date: May 29
Tickets: Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td-e4i2BL_Q
Anohni
Performing an Australian exclusive premiere as part of Vivid, the astounding talents of Anohni, leader of Antony and the Johnsons, in the form of what is sure to be a stunning live staging of her fifth studio album Hopelessness. Anohni was the first performer announced for this year’s festival, and will no doubt provide a unique and soulful experience, as the self described ‘electronic record with sharp teeth’ takes its rightful place on centre stage.
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre (Opera House)
Dates: 27 May, 28 May, 30 May, 31 May
Tickets: Here
These are of course just some of the headliners we can expect to see as part of the festivities, with a range of other masterful talents on display:
Deafheaven
And now for something a little different: off the back of their incredible 2015 release New Bermuda, and completely unlike anything else on this bill, heavy-hitting Deafheaven are set to bring their thunderous walls of pristinely complex noise to the Opera House’s Joan Sutherland Theatre. While still a relatively new act in the scene, they have more than made their mark with their three studio records, and have quickly become one of the most important heavy bands in the world. This will be a simply breathtaking show – and for those who aren’t in Sydney, you can catch them on tour across the country.
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre (Opera House)
Date: 2 Jun
Tickets: Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4tyCchDlhM
Hiatus Kaiyote with Sampa The Great
One of the absolute highlights of Australian music circulating today, two-time grammy nominees Hiatus Kaiyote will be bringing their immense talent and impeccably well composed jazz-infused tunes to the Opera House’s main stage. In tow will be Sampa The Great, who, in a nutshell, is Australia’s Lauryn Hill (except hopefully she’ll be a little more frequent with her music output and less so with her tax fraud.) Sampa has toured with Hiatus Kaiyote before, and even remixed a full series of their tracks last year. Arguably two of the best Australian acts around today, this is not to be missed.
Where: Concert Hall (Opera House)
Date: 31 May
Tickets: Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3tErZ5LUJY
This is only the beginning of the Vivid announcements, with a myriad venues including Oxford Art Factory, Newtown Social Club, Freda’s, The Lord Gladstone, The Basemen, The Argyle and plenty more set to hold events throughout the festival. Needless to say, we probably recommend taking a couple days to relax and get some sleep before it all kicks off, because there’s something happening every single night.
While the light show and musical performances attract much of the attention and allure of the festival, let’s not forget some of the brilliant minds that are heading our way to deliver “Game Changer” talks. Director extraordinaire Spike Jonze, the genius behind Being John Malkovich, Her, and Adapation will be joined by none other than Beau Willimon (of House of Cards fame) and Jenji Kohan (Orange is the New Black) to inspire and motivate attendees as they bestow their creative wisdom upon us, sharing their insightful gems and anecdotes as they recount their storied careers.
Indigenous Australia is also set to be highly recognised by organisers, with the Sydney Opera House set to be lit up with the works of six prominent Indigenous artists, in a work entitled Songlines.
With 2015 numbers soaring to heights of almost 2 million attendees, we can be sure that this stellar lineup will see 2016 break new ground and further establish Vivid as one of the world’s most stellar culminations of culture and art.
Head to Vivid’s official website for more
Image: Vivid
The Hiatus Kaiyote concert was bountiful with support acts, sweet crowd-vibes and, of course, Hiatus Kaiyote. Sampa the Great, Jaala, and Sex on Toast all graced the stage with soul-fire energy and enthusiasm. Special mention goes to Cosima Jaala whose ‘experimental bedroom punk’ and Gwen Stefani meets Courtney Love aesthetic had me near drooling with fan-seizures. I also have to give it to Sex on Toast, who remained staggeringly stoic as they punched our faces in with a high-octane melange of funk and soul. And Sampa the Great. Sampa the Great is, well, great.
After the parade of supports, Nai Palm and her collection of aficionados stepped on stage to an eager and raucous audience. It was clear that all of us had witnessed Hiatus Kaiyote’s rise to deserved success, following the release of their 2013 debut album Tawk Tomahawk. We had all fallen for what the band had called their “multi-dimensional, polyrhythmic gangster shit”. Now, we just waited to be mesmerised. And that is exactly what happened, from the beginning song, Choose Your Weapon all the way to the set’s final song, Fingerprints.
Before Laputa began a cursory, but respectful nod was given to Hayao Miyazaki’s classic Castle In The Sky. And then the distorted keyboard backing shook the air in the space above our heads. With the top of my crown tingling, I watched as complicated poly-rhythmic constructions materialised. Never too taxed, Nai Palm’s voice ricocheted like a liquid bullet through the spinning musical apparatus that had been raised before us. She never slips off centre; her keen razor-voice cuts with ease. She shows the same lean-lustre in Shaolin Monk Motherfunk, where she rides the bouncing bass line and beat, with a voice that falls and rises carefree. When the song reaches its rich-with-grit-and-grime crescendo, her eyes widen, her face sharpens and her voice is suddenly imputed with this fuck-off-I’m-a-goddess quality. It’s true though… she is a future-funk queen that has been sent from some far-off planet ruled by Badu, Bjork and Wonder.
Witnessing the long but elastic Breathing Underwater pushed me out of my skin. The band, in an almost Bruegel-esque union, begin with the song’s soft-toned soul-haze and then swerve between complex and varying time signatures. As excepted, Nai chases the tumbling rhythm, catches it with her teeth, and then sends it whirring in another outlandish direction. It is amazing to hear this vast sonic canvas splashed colourful with the whole sound-spectrum. At the end of every song, I felt like I had been shot at the speed of light through a Pollock painting. Despite the kaleidoscopic scatter of samba, Jazz, R&B and African influences, everything still feels accessible and safe. The single proof of this is in the way that my body is converted into a violent vortex of dancing atoms. Hiatus Kaiyote’s music and performance reaches into you and plucks you like a guitar string, until you are shaking your soul for them.
What a smorgasbord of tunes today! Lots of lovely melodic electronica, with touches of house, R&B, soul and jazz, finished up by some straight up rock ‘n roll. Enjoy!
- Hiatus Kaiyote, Breathing Underwater
Hooray, new Hiatus Kaiyote! The masters of genre-mashing, their songs are always so damn complicated, and so very good. Opening in a subtle, soft manner, it’s not long before their gorgeous jazzy R&B comes in and just blows me away. The kind of track you need to listen to at least five times, and it only gets better each time. - Deutsch Duke, Battleground
Probably my favourite song on the playlist this week. There’s a lot of music that combines a deep, bubbly bass with soulful falsetto, but they don’t all do it well. This one does it really fucking well though. Having collaborated with Elizabeth Rose, Flight Facilities, Cassian and more, we’ve got a lot to look forward to from Deutsch Duke. - Lupa J, Waiting For Her
This is a really special one. It starts off strange and jarring – to the point where you kind of feel a little anxious until the melody comes in. Suddenly, something intimate, delicate and really, really beautiful happens. With an almost trip-hop vibe throughout, this song has me completely mesmerised. - Thandi Phoenix, Judgement ft. B Wise
I love the classic R&B vibe of this track, blended so fluidly with percussive flutters and atmospheric synths. It’s no surprise that there’s so much hype around this rising star – not many people can mesh a nostalgic sound with something so fresh, and come out with a result this strong. - George Maple, Where You End And I Begin ft. Grande Marshall
George Maple can do no wrong. With a title that refers to a brilliant Radiohead song and a now-signature feel to her electro-soul, this track is understated, sensual and utterly sublime. I adore the delicate vocals, particularly when they’re contrasted against that big beat and heavy bass. - Lisa Mitchell, Wah Ha (Seekae Remix)
I’ll be honest – I really didn’t enjoy the original version of this track (sorry,) but Sydney’s electro-wunderkinds Seekae have twisted and turned it around, adding eerie synths and a late-night house beat that has really elevated it to a whole new level. Bleeps and bloops and a driving bass + overly soft folk = something REALLY good. - Midnight Pool Party, Stay
Flickery beats, a swift yet deep bass and a comfortable house rhythm? The perfect track to kick off the weekend. The vocals definitely make this track: rich and velvety smooth, the melody flows above the many instrumental layers, bringing together a track that’s totally perfect for any dancefloor. - Paul Conrad, Records
This is a really interesting track. If you like Lana Del Ray, you’ll like this. Exploring all kinds of dark themes, this track has admittedly questionable lyrics (“Dancing is to art what rape is to romance,” ) but I just love it. Equally powerful and vulnerable, there’s something really amazing about this track. - Du Blonde, Black Flag
I can’t go past a riff that satisfyingly heavy, and not write about it. Produced by Jim Sclavunos (Grinderman, The Black Seeds,) this is a powerful track with sublime vocals courtesy of Beth Jeans Houghton and a seriously great bassline. It’s really exciting to hear rock of this calibre coming out in 2015. Bring on the full album! - Bonjah, Burn
Bonjah are back! This is a simple and straight up, with Bonjah’s signature husky vocals and catchy riffs. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but like Du Blonde, I”m really enjoying the fact that great rock is still coming out – especially when it’s from Australia.
