Jodie Abacus

This week, as with every week, the competition has been fierce when it comes to new releases. Constantly spoiled for choice, below are ten of the best songs that have been released over the past seven days, and once again there is something for everyone.

My city, Brisbane, features heavily in this one, with SIX entries into the playlist. I swear it wasn’t intentional, but it’s a great coincidence considering Young Franco, Emma Louise, Golden Vessel, Machine Age, White Wash and Good Boy are all exciting acts in their own rights, and all brought their A-games for their latest releases. In between them, we’ve got some UK talent in Jodie Abacus which has been reworked by the amazing Armand Van Helden, another fantastic remix of Shura‘s Touch by Four Tet, a fantastic collaboration from German music makers Moglii & Novaa and of course, the incredible Boys Noize to round things out. Enjoy!

Jodie Abacus, Hot Kitchen (Armand Van Helden Remix)

Jodie Abacus’ Hot Kitchen has been on high rotation since it’s release last year, but the news that the one and only Armand Van Helden had been locked in for a remix was almost too much. The results are unsurprisingly ridiculously good, with Van Helden’s reputation preceding him. Sounding like Jodie Abacus suddenly became a member of Duck Sauce (remember that song?) which, funnily enough, Van Helden was one half of, the funk is amped right up to breaking point, and Van Helden’s groovy synths provide a warm bed for Abacus’ soulful vocals. It’s a song made for dancefloors, and is more than enough to rival the original in terms of good vibes.

Young Franco, Drop Your Love (Ft. DiRTY RADiO)

Brisbane producer Young Franco takes his time with his releases, but it’s okay because they’re always worth it. Drop Your Love is the latest release from the young gun, and it continues along in the direction he was heading in with last year’s Don’t U Want Me. It might sound a little too similar at times to his previous single, but it’s a tight disco funk track nonetheless, with some liberating good vibes to bring it home. Teaming up with DiRTY RADiO for vocals, we have our suspicions things are just getting warmed up for Young Franco, and we can’t wait to see where he goes next. This single also comes alongside the announcement he has linked up with a new crew by the name of Of Leisure, which you can learn all about from their hilarious introductory video. Big things to come!

Emma Louise, Talk Baby Talk

Emma Louise has one of the best voices in Australian music, and her new material shows off her incredible set of pipes beautifully. Talk Baby Talk comes after last year’s sensational comeback single, Underflow which actually got the remix treatment from none other than Little Dragon. This latest single is a seductive number, with thick synths, trudging beats and a warm bed of ambient sounds that provide the perfect backdrop for Emma Louise’s vocals. It’s rich in emotion, dripping in vulnerability and frustration, and once again shows her in all her glory. We can’t wait to hear what comes next!

White Wash, Time

White Wash is the electronic persona of Brisbane music maker Connor Brooker. He’s also in a band called Bugs, and a surf rock band called Pro Vita, as well as probably a bunch of other things that we can’t keep track of. However, we’re not talking about that, we’re talking about White Wash and his new track, Time. Sounding like a combination of Phoenix and Gypsy & The Cat, Time sounds like it was taken straight out of the indie-electro boom of the late 00’s and thrust into 2016’s production styles. It’s nostalgic, catchy as hell and a whole lot of fun. Brooker, whilst a very clearly talented man, doesn’t ever take himself too seriously in his many projects, and I think this is the key to his success.

Good Boy, No Love For Back Home

Fresh from opening up the Brisbane leg of Laneway festival this year, Good Boy are wasting no time capitalising on this momentum, and have shared another great new track to add to their catalogue. Titled No Love For Back Home, the boys are getting better at just about every element of their sound, and I just can’t get enough of it. The intricate little intro quickly changing into a loud, rock’n’roll growl, the unique vocals that borrow influence from the likes of Mac DeMarco among others, and the groovy breakdowns that intersperse the track throughout, No Love For Back Home is their best single yet, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they get invited to play more and more festivals throughout the year by the sounds of this! GREAT boys more like it!

Shura, Touch (Four Tet Remix)

I have to admit that I haven’t been entirely sold on Shura just yet, but this remix is enough to sway me. The one and only Four Tet shared this bad boy only last night, and it’s now sitting at a cool 34.7K plays in just 15 hours (at the time of writing). Not. Bloody. Bad. It makes sense though, thanks to the stunningly lush rework that he’s given. Working in beautiful harmony with Shura’s delicate voice, Four Tet always seems to know what’s best, and Touch is yet another shining example of this. It’s a track that just makes you feel good from the inside out, with the sped-up vocals, funky bass line and garage beats. Her exposing, vulnerable lyrics still maintain that sensitive side, but they’ve found a new home on a late night dancefloor, and that is something we are very okay with!

Golden Vessel, Do You Think About Me (Ft. MTNS)

Brisbane is bringing the goods this week, with two more of the River City’s finest teaming up for a new track. Titled Do You Think About Me, Golden Vessel has joined forces with MTNS for his first release in a fair while, but proving that it was definitely worth the wait. If you look on his Instagram, the kid is constantly in the studio, and it seems his hardwork is now paying off. Preferring to play with his own styles instead of sticking to the mainstream styles of Australian dance music, Golden Vessel’s production gets better and better with each release, and Do You Think About Me is his best so far. MTNS provides some almost RnB vocals over GV’s forward thinking future-electro beats, which are lush in the way his synths swirl and bloom over the shifting drums. Do You Think About Me is a really great song and an even more exciting step further for both artists, but especially Golden Vessel. Keep your eyes peeled for this guy!

Machine Age, Don’t Look

This song technically came out last week, but it kind of counts for this week if I only heard it on Monday. Machine Age is new on the scene in the scheme of things, but is already showing prowess and raw talent beyond his relatively short time. Taking influence from the likes of Seekae, Machine Age works dark, haunting electronica into Don’t Look, a track that sticks with you from the first listen. Pulling out all the stops, it’s rich and vibrant whilst still dreary (in the best possible way) and forlorn, playing with dark, industrial synths and his dramatic vocals. Hold tight for around the 3:30 mark, where things get even bigger – it can almost bring you to your knees.

Moglii & Novaa, Down Under

German based musicians Moglii and Novaa have come together to release a 5-track collaborative EP titled Down Under, and this week they have shared the first of these. Sharing the same name as the EP, the pair are a match made in musical heaven, and this track is as harmonious as they come. Vibing off each other perfectly, Down Under is a glitchy but serene, smooth but stuttering tune that feels almost alive in the way it quickly deviates when you least expect it. With its warbling bass, future bass break downs, serene vocal harmonies and more, every time you listen to this one, you hear something you hadn’t before. It’s the musical gift that keeps on giving, and what it is giving is pretty fucking good. Keep your ears pricked for the next four tracks, which will hopefully be just as great as this one.

Boys Noize, Euphoria

Any week that Boys Noize releases new music is a good week in my books. The legendary techno wizard’s reputation precedes him, and I can credit him for absolutely blowing my mind at FOMO festival earlier this year during his Australian tour. Euphoria is just hours old, but is well on it’s way to becoming one of this week’s, maybe even this month’s, most played tracks. The simple computerized, acid house beat works so well with featured artist Remy Banks, who only says three words for the entire track- “Inhale, Exhale, Euphoria“. It’s a glitchy trip you can’t help but getting lost in, and I think Banks himself summed it up best when he said of making music with Boys Noize, “From the moment I walked in the studio, I knew something dope was going to be made.” Dope indeed.