On a gorgeous night at an amazing open-air venue under the stars, The xx took Sydney’s breath away. The indie London group returned to Australia this month on their headline tour for third album I See You, a mere six months after appearing at staple festival Splendour in the Grass. So spoiled are we that they also brought along special guests Kučka and Kelela to kick things off.
Filling in for rapper Earl Sweatshirt (who unfortunately cancelled due to personal matters) Kučka is certainly a name you should have heard of by now. The Perth singer has recently collaborated with Cosmo’s Midnight, Andrei Eremin and Flume, and has supported the latter and fellow protégé Vince Staples on their latest Oz tours. As the sun set over Hyde Park, her distinctively soft treble vocals floated over minimal, industrial electronica that squared perfectly to draw in the crowd.
Next, R&B queen Kelela sounded off with some velvety harmonies. The buzzed-about up-and-comer exuded a magnetism that was impossible to ignore as she belted out that dreamy post-millenial soul she has become known for. With her DJ and singers in tow, she hypnotised the crowd.
Finally, the stars were well and truly twinkling in time for the main event. The stage was illuminated and singer Romy Madley Croft’s barebones guitar set the tone on apt opener Intro. Bassist Oliver Sim then lunged into a matching choreography, dipping his bass, grinning mischievously and shuffling to the pulsating rhythm provided by producer Jamie xx, who was poised behind a transparent altar placed upstage centre. The set design was one of the most detailed and dramatic witnessed in recent memory; crystalline floor tiles lined with LEDs and pillars of mirrors that spun climactically.
It was an unexpectedly thrilling display – Sim’s flamboyant dancing and Madley Croft’s messy-haired thrashing played perfectly to what is otherwise some of the most optimistically soporific music to ever hit the mainstream. The xx produce a sound that is reputedly soaked in melancholy set to breathy, vaporous beats, but here, on this stage and in this light, it was exceptionally grand.
Kučka
Kelela
The xx
Photos: Dani Hansen/Howl & Echoes
Music can be a powerful platform for social change, and it looks like that in Kelela‘s case, she’s not afraid to use her growing popularity to tackle real issues.
Speaking to The Fader, the US singer took the opportunity to make some candid and in-depth remarks on race and politics.
The interview kicked off with a question about how she has reacted to the rise of Presidential candidate Donald Trump. In response, it quickly became clear that Kelela had a lot to get off her chest. “The rise of Donald Trump is sort of a symptom of the fact that America hasn’t ever dealt with whiteness,” she shared. ” Overt racism is something that is very much in the forefront—[but] in that discourse, we’re pointing to people of color, and we don’t actually point to whiteness and the experience of being white in America.”
She wasn’t pulling any punches either. “What Donald Trump represents to me is a sickness that we haven’t dealt with: the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow and all the other dumb shit that continues to exist. It hasn’t been addressed in a very public and [on a] large grand scale kind of way. Also, it pulls up into question whiteness on a larger, global level. That population that Trump is resonating with [in the U.S.] is a population that not only exists here—it exists throughout the whole world.”
A systemic lack of understanding surrounding white privilege was something Kelela found deeply concerning.”We have not dealt with racism on a global scale; we have not dealt with white privilege” she continued. “White privilege is a term that needs to be used by a lot of people in this world, and it’s not used by anyone. I think it’s asking the question to white people, ‘Are you with us? Or are you not with us?’”
She went on to discuss tokenism in the creative industries. “I have thought extensively about whiteness in the fashion world, or [the] white establishment really. Black culture is constantly being capitalized off of, there are actually very few black people in that context,” she shared. “I have been standing on the outside, trying to think about how I would fuck that shit up. But also, I have four or five friends of colour [in the fashion industry] who are smashing it.”
Blending experimental electronica with a hybrid of R&B and pop, Kelela’s 2015 Hallucinogen EP earned the widespread praise from critics and musical contemporaries alike. The singer is currently working on a full length LP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py6PgXq0yDM
Image: Hisnobiety
Part of the newly established NLV Records crew, Air Max ’97 is quickly becoming one of my favourite local producers, and for very good reason. With his #internet aesthetic, his genre-flipping production and his stellar remixes, Air Max ’97 holds it down with each and every release, and his latest is yet another example of just how much he can do.
Jumping on Kelela‘s tremendous tune from last year, Rewind, Air Max ’97 turns it into a writhing bed of beats, with stuttered and scattered vocal loops, and peppy synths. This isn’t the first time he’s tried his hand at her music, since he remixed her track All The Way Down just a few weeks ago as well, but Rewind is the type of jam that makes you stop what you’re doing and run to the d-floor, so there was a little extra riding on this one. Thankfully, the music gods have delivered via Air Max ’97, as this will definitely be featuring heavily in dance party playlists for a while to come.
It’s his forward thinking production that keeps him ahead of the rest, and serves him well as he continues to see a rapidly growing fan base. There isn’t any word on future movements, but given the fact that the entire NLV Records crew seem to be pumping out solid tunes, there is hopefully some more stuff in the words!
Unfortunately, the only way you can hear the song right now is via this link. We will update this article once it’s available on his Soundcloud.
Image: The FADER
If two is better than one, eleven is definitely better than ten and such is the case for your beloved weekly playlist of top songs. Sure, one came out last week (looking at you, Cub Sport) but we can’t help that it was so good it still deserved a spot in this week’s cut as well!
We’ve got a lot of local flavours in this week’s list, with three acts hailing from Brisbane – the aforementioned Cub Sport as well as Emma Louise (who was remixed by Little Dragon) and Feki (who remixes Anna Of The North). We’ve also got some surf-psych jams from WA (Gunns), a couple of Melbourne acts (Hoodlem and Private Life) as well as Sydney’s Tigertown. Not to mention some international takes like a Louie Lastic remix of Kelela featuring GoldLink, some Bishop Nehru, a collab between Katy B and Kaytranada and not to mention a lit remix of Tory Lanez by Shlohmo and we have once again got you covered with the top songs you should have heard this week!
Gunns, Who’s Gonna Be Your Dog
WA darlings Gunns have a lot to be happy about right now. They’re about to join Albert Hammond Jr on tour (yes, the guitarist from The Strokes), they’re releasing their debut EP on February 12th AND it’s on the same label as a few fellow Western Australians like POND and that tiny band called Tame Impala. They’ve also shared a brand new single this week, titled Who’s Gonna Be Your Dog. Sounding like an Aussie version of Temples in the best possible way, this dreamy psych-surf band are bound for great things, and this song once again proves it.
Kelela, Rewind (Louie Lastic Remix ft. GoldLink)
Kelela was just in the country for a mindblowing whirlwind mini tour, and GoldLink is just about to touch down for Laneway. Although they didn’t cross paths in the literal sense, they certainly have in the sonic sense with this latest release. Jumping on a guest verse for producer Louie Lastic, the two have spun Kelela’s huge single Rewind into an old-school jam, complete with upbeat, bubbling synths, skittering beats, and a groove that just won’t fucking quit. It’s a total jam.
Anna Of The North, The Dreamer (Feki Remix)
Brisbane producer Feki has once again shown he really means business, and has remixed the hell out of Anna Of The North’s The Dreamer. We’ve had our eye on him for a while and each and every time he releases something, he sucks us in even more with his forward thinking, future-RnB production. He capitalises on the sad vibes and hones in on it, amping up the dark vibes and heaping on the emotion. Anna Of The North said it best herself when she told Nylon, “The Dreamer is already a sad song, but I like that Feki’s remix is darker. He makes it ok to cry at the club.” Damn straight.
Hoodlem, Kintsugi
Melbourne duo Hoodlem blew me away when I stumbled upon them at last year’s BIGSOUND in Brisbane, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Thankfully, they’ve finally released some new music this week, which earned them a spot in this playlist instantly. The duo are a powerhouse in a live setting, and have been bringing their A-game with each release since they dropped their tremendous single Through last year. Now they’re gearing up for the release of a new EP coming in March and they’re sounding better than ever. Kinstugi is the first taste of that record, and its glitchy, soulful vibes with their typically fantastic production skills makes for a very exciting release indeed.
Tigertown, Lonely Cities
Tigertown have an uncanny knack of making you think you’re listening to an unassuming indie track, but then catching you by surprise and blowing you totally out of the water with how great they sound. It’s a risky move but they always seem to pull it off, so why the hell not? The band return with their second single of the year, Lonely Cities, and it’s huge. Although the lyrics aren’t exactly celebrating the feeling of being lonely, they’ve juxtaposed them with some totally liberating, joyous and borderline euphoric singalongs, guitar melodies and sharp drums. If only all loneliness felt this good!
Bishop Nehru, Forever And A Day
You might know Bishop Nehru from his feature spot on Flight Facilities‘ excellent debut album, Down To Earth, on the track Why Do You Feel, but it is about time everyone knew him for his capabilities on his own as well. This song is a sultry, inviting, groovy number with some fierce verses and Nehru’s easy flow, he talks about his rise to fame and how his drive keeps him go. He doesn’t sound like he’s quitting anytime soon judging from this track, and that is some very good news for Nehru fans new, old and those still to come. It’s only up from here!
Katy B x Kaytranada, Honey
Anything that Kaytranada lends his hand to has a 99.99% chance of being amazing, and this latest track is no exception. Working with Katy B, this is a smoky and smooth number that shows B’s impeccable vocals and Kaytranada’s flawless-as-ever production. It’s the first taste from her forthcoming Honey LP (which has a tracklist that features everyone from Craig David, Major Lazer, Four Tet, Floating Points and more), and it’s impressive to say the least. It’s got a groove that is perfect for the bedroom, and Katy B’s sexy hook doesn’t go too bad either for the bedroom vibes. Thank us later.
Tory Lanez, Say It (Shlohmo Remix)
There was a time where Shlohmo was making some of the most experimental music of his career, and the days of him working with Jeremih felt like a bygone era. However, this latest remix is Shlohmo back to his RnB remixing best, as he takes Tory Lanez’ Say It, and makes it fucking lit. It’s still got his trademark dark sounds, and has an air of mystery about it, but it’s also got some token hip-hop drums, crashing cymbals, trap leanings and more to keep it dance-y and fun. Is this a sign Shlohmo is heading back towards his hip-hop roots?
Private Life, Dragon
Melbourne indie two-piece Private Life are fighting the good fight to make “pop” not such a dirty word anymore, and their latest track, Dragon is a perfect example of how well it can be done. Showcasing some huge vocals, crashing cymbals, a hook that won’t quit and some unpredictable production courtesy of Nicolas Lam (from Red Bull Music Academy), Private Life sounds like Australia’s answer to CHVRCHES with one less member and one hell of a knack for good songs. Dragon is explosive yet gentle, uplifting yet fragile, and seriously, SERIOUSLY impressive. We’re expecting big things from these guys.
Emma Louise, Underflow (Little Dragon Remix)
I mean, if you are going to get anyone to remix your comeback single, surely Little Dragon are pretty high up on the list of desired artists to do so. Brisbane artist Emma Louise has achieved just that, with the Swedish band stepping up for rework duties this week on her track Underflow. It was already an absolutely stunning single in its own right, so it’s only fitting that it gets an equally stunning remix, and it sounds like it was in pretty safe hands with Little Dragon. A racing almost-heartbeat like thump keeps the track running along as more and more is carefully poured into the mix. Splashy cymbals, vocal loops and subtle synths carry it along as Emma Louise’s vulnerable original vocals remain in tact. This marks the first remix in four years for the band, so if that alone doesn’t tell there is something great about this track, we don’t know what will.
Cub Sport, I Can’t Save You
Brisbane band Cub Sport fell off the grid for a while there, but towards the end of 2015 it was confirmed that their absence was indeed intentional as they returned to the fray with the release of Only Friend. Back on form, the band have now shared another brilliant track titled I Can’t Save You – another exciting cut from their forthcoming album, This Is Our Vice. A glimmering exercise in synth-driven indie-pop, Cub Sport are wasting no time in reminding us who they are, and keeping our excitement levels at worryingly high levels in the lead up to This Is Our Vice‘s March 4th release.
Image of Hoodlem via Facebook
Electro-R&B artist Kelela has had one hell of a year. Rising to serious attention with her EP Hallucinogen, she made her way to the top of many end-of-year lists, collaborated with artists including Arca and Obey City, and is set to touch down in Australia next month.
Not quite done with her musical offerings for 2015, Kelela has now announced that a Hallucinogen remix EP will be coming out this Friday, Christmas Day. The eclectic selection of producers come from all over the musical (and geographical) map, with remixes from Ratking-producers Sporting Life, Brazil’s MC Bin Laden, DJ Spinn and more, including Australia’s own Air Max ’97.
Here’s the first remix to enjoy, courtesy of Kahn:
https://soundcloud.com/kelelam/all-the-way-down-feat-gaika-kahn-remix
Kelela is performing at Sugar Mountain Festival in Melbourne on January 23, and a special one-off headline show at Oxford Art Factory in Sydney on January 22, with support from Banoffee. Tickets here.
Hallucinogen Remixes: track listing
- A Message (DJ Spinn Teklife Remix)
- Rewind (MC Bin Laden Remix)
- Rewind (Sporting Life Remix)
- All The Way Down (Kahn Remix feat. GAIKA)
- All The Way Down (Air Max ’97 Remix)
- The High (Mike Q Divoli S’vere Remix)
- The High (Heavee & DJ Spinn Teklife Remix)
Earlier this year Howl & Echoes wrote a lot about the purpose and validity of remixes this year. While we’re admittedly wary of them on occasion, we have a feeling this set is going to be pretty damn special.
Last week, Kelela‘s latest collaboration with araabMUZIK was released out into the world by Gustavo Guerra, an A&R guy at Distrolord. However, this was apparently not supposed to happen.
Final Hour is said to be a track from araabMUZIK’s upcoming album Dream World. However Kelela says that this song was taken without permission. araabMUZIK tweeted that he “never approved this song”. He also says that the album will not be released as he is “recording brand new music for the project.”
Both Kelela and araab published a series of tweets in response. Among the tweets, Kelela also claims that sexism may be a factor in why this happened, saying, “The only reason why you think you can be so brazen and get away with it is cuz I’m a woman”.
SO @araabMUZIK's a&r @Distrolord put out a song I NEVER FINISHED. The demo is 2 YEARS OLD and I never knew it was gonna be on his record!!!
— Kelela (@kelelam) October 25, 2015
Only reason why you think you can be so brazen and get away with it is cuz I'm a woman @Distrolord. @araabMUZIK you need a new a&r
— Kelela (@kelelam) October 25, 2015
If you were gonna blatantly take the song, you coulda at least first gotten my best work!!! You dumb…and sad and cheap @Distrolord
— Kelela (@kelelam) October 25, 2015
1st of all i would like to address this Final Hour song situation. It was leaked by @distrolord i never approved this song by @kelelam
— araabMUZIK (@araabMUZIK) October 25, 2015
Lastly Dream World wont be released since im recording and working on brand new music for the project. New King EP drops nov 5!!! #MVP
— araabMUZIK (@araabMUZIK) October 25, 2015
Sure was! RT @BevanSSBM: @araabMUZIK @Distrolord @kelelam was distrolord the one who leaked the fake Electronic Dream 2?
— araabMUZIK (@araabMUZIK) October 25, 2015
araabMuzik released a statement on his Facebook page, saying that “Araab himself or anyone affiliated with his current team had nothing to do with the release of Final Hour ft Kelela” and it was apparently the fault of his “previous management”.
https://www.facebook.com/AraabMuzikMVP/posts/1048544968488971
Guerra responded to the claims made in a phone conversation with Pitchfork. He says the matter was discussed between himself and Kelela’s management, as well as Kelela herself.
“I met Kelela back at the CMJ showcase. She wanted to work with us. She gave me her email, I said “great.” I sent her over some tracks. I said, “We’re working on an album, we want you for our project.” She said, “Great, send me over the beats.” She selected the track, which is “Final Hour”. She sent me over a copy of the song and was like, “Here you go.” I was like, “Yo, this is dope. I respect this. This is the song, let’s use this for our project.” She was like, “Cool.” She was psyched about it.”
In terms of the sexism claims, he had this to say, “I was brought up by four women. I’ve got three sisters and a mother, so I don’t understand where this ‘woman’ thing came from. I put out a song. That’s what I do. This is a project that I’m working on—that I’ve been working on for a long time—and I put out the song.”
In the midst of the storm of accusations, the original video featuring the track has been set to private.
Here it is, Howl & Echoes’ ten best songs of the week. With a smattering of our favourite new pop, R&B, remixes and more, what better way to kick off your weekend than with our sweet, sweet playlist.
Crepes – Size Of Your Town
There is an uncompromising air of nostalgia about this track that I just can’t escape. Maybe I’m just homesick, but this really resonated with me and I haven’t been able to stop listening since. Crepes have served up an emotive slow burner that has got me hooked – not just on the song – but the band as well.
The Garden – Haha
Burger Records family members The Garden are new on my radar, but I’m sure glad they’re there. Haha is a slightly weird, really intriguing punk song with some jagged electronica and a fuckload of attitude thrown in for good measure. The theatrical vocals, the stomping riff, the spoken segment; this is an awesome slice of garage pop and has me all kinds of excited for their forthcoming album.
Lianne La Havas – What You Don’t Do (Maribou State Remix)
We love Lianne La Havas here, and we love Maribou State, so the marriage of these two could only mean good things. This remix of Lianne’s What You Don’t Do is a hypnotic, looped, minimal take, and one that shows her off in a different but very flattering light. Her voice is looped over skipping beats, fluttering samples and simple organ chords, before being stripped right back shows that there is more to both artists than meets the eye. Definitely two acts to keep an eye on!
Kelela – Rewind
Kelela has just announced the release of Hallucinogen, a new EP coming out October 9. Rewind is our first taste, and it’s a slick blend of glittery pop and understated R&B. The crystalline vocals are a really cool contrast against the wompy bass, anchoring down the shuffling rhythms and instrumental layers dancing about in between. Female fronted electro-pop is such an overblown genre, but Kelela is making it own. We’re really keen to hear what else she’s got in store.
Frøkedal – First Friend
This is my favourite track this week. First Friend is everything that I love about dark, female fronted electro-pop. With a deep rhythm and rolling bass, the atmosphere is murky, yet enticing. The eerie melody sends shivers down your spine, with Frøkedal’s rich, breathy voice demanding every drop of your attention. The track features as the final track on Frøkedal’s debut EP I See You, which came out this week on Propeller Recordings. Listen to the whole thing here.
Kwabs – Layback
British RnB rising star Kwabs is doing an excellent job at keeping interest and anticipation levels at an all time high ahead of his forthcoming album being released, and Layback is no exception. The atmospheric jam pulses with fluttering samples and easygoing synths, as Kwabs’ gorgeous voice effortlessly reels you in. Perfection.
Basenji – Can’t Get Enough
Following the release of his recent single Petals, Sydney producer Basenji returns with Can’t Get Enough, from his forthcoming EP Trackpad, out September 25. The spritely, lighthearted track shows a new side to his already fruitful style. Infusing a bubblegum pop melody and synths with part-funk part-trap brass and a big beat makes for a fun little track that’s sure to get you excited for summer!
Caribou – Can’t Do Without You (Manila Killa & Kidswaste remix)
From new Caribou to a Caribou remix, this is a killer new version of one of the best electronic tracks of 2014. Spinning the emotional house track entirely on its head, the track opens with ambient synths, before opening up into a bright, expansive, futuristic atmosphere. All this, before the drop. What a RHYTHM. Not only are we kept on our toes with the myriad progressions, but each one just gets better than the last.
Mazde – Battas ft. LissA
German producer Mazde has just dropped his collaborative EP with vocalist LissA, and this is my favourite track on the release. Stretched out and atmospheric, there’s something really warm and comforting about the inviting soundscape. Phrased really beautifully, the track feels compartmentalised, but not over-produced. It’s clean but not transparent; smooth but not overbearingly so; emotive, but not cheesy.
Debris of Titan, Anime
One of the stranger tracks on this week’s playlist, this is an interesting track that’s partially psychedelic, partially experimental, and wholly interesting. Managing to somehow feel both vintage and futuristic, it’s like if Animal Collective and Tame Impala took acid and had a sunny, funky, lo-fi baby. Sprawling, trippy and a whole lot of a fun, you can really get lost in between dimensions on this one.
Well the nominations for the VMAs are out, and as usual, they’re pretty sub par. Instead of simply reporting or criticising it, we’ve decided to list some of our own choices below. So here they are, our picks for the 2015 Howl & Echoes Video Music Awards!
Arca – Thievery
Stand aside Anaconda. Look, I completely understand that Nicki’s sordid lyrics and jiggly behind completely ‘broke the internet’ (fuck I hate that phrase). But Arca and Jesse Kanda’s collaboration on the clip for Thievery with its naked, ungendered dancer plugs into the decline of heteronormativity in a way that Nicki never could. By animating this bruised, hypersexualised figure twerking, Kanda presents the body as kind of pornogrified canvas. Admit it, it’s true. Ass-clapping isn’t really hairless, HD and benign. Its sex, and sex is ugly and primal (and also everything).
FKA Twigs – Glass & Patron
Twiggsy. Oh how I love you. This one really did it for me. Especially the beginning where Twigs scratches her acrylics over her pregnant belly, and then proceeds to pull streams of fluorescent laden-with-dancers silk from her nether regions. It gives new meaning to artistic birth, by means of the female body. We all know the female body needs to be reimaged and repurposed by women (not men), and that is what Twigs did. Special mention goes to the absolutely flawless voguing with the on-fleek ballroom queen’s themselves, Alex Mugler and Javier Ninja lending their FIAH.
Kelela – A Message
Kelela is amazing, and this clip is no exception. For most of the clip, Kelela stands in the spotlight like an obsidian statue. The light glides off her collarbones and chest like it would off black-stone. The whole thing is a beautiful and proud presentation of her body and race. About halfway through, a purple ghost-light is thrown on her figure as she dances. Suddenly, a cloak of cartoon-green enwraps her and transforms her into an anime character. Her body splits and collapses in on itself, in a painted rendition of “rejection and amputation”. It is an art piece of galactic proportions.
Zebra Katz x Leila – You Tell Em
I don’t think that enough people know about Zebra Katz. Basically, Ojay Morgan is part of the queer hip hop artists that emerged in the 2010s (Le1f, Mykki Blanco, House of Ladosha etc.). As Zebra Katz he describes himself as “the dark rapper, the dark villain, the dark lord of the fashion world”. I feel like he should have been given the whole cast of Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood. He would have had them writhing in asymmetric gear to his hard hitting minimalist rap. In the clip for You Tell Em, he douses old TVs and screens with a flamethrower, as stoic jacket-wearing models stand around him. The piece screams darkwave multimedia artist (scary…I know).
GENER8ION + M.I.A. – The New International Sound Part II
M.I.A. is back. This clip consists mostly of outtakes from Dragon Girls, a documentary about three young females who learn Kung Fu at a school, which homes over 20,000 students. IT captures the exhaustion and pain experienced when trying to achieve physical and mental perfection. The visual language of the clip stands as a powerful metaphor for the modern struggle. Individuals must distinguish themselves from an ever-growing and homogeneous mass. Can we though? M.I.A. obviously can.
In one of the biggest collabs of this year, four of the game’s most exciting names have joined forces it seems. There is not a lot of information at all about this apparent release, apart from it turning up on Know Wave’s Gully Type radio show, but it can be all but 100% confirmed that there is a collaboration by Kelela, Skrillex, Clams Casino and Ratking‘s Hak floating around somewhere on the interwebs.
Of course, the ripped file of this has now been taken down, but you can still stream the whole show below (fast forward to about 1:21:10 if you can’t wait).
Whilst Clams Casino (who has also recently been working with Danny Brown) and Skrillex have been regular additions to the festival circuit for a while now, Kelela and Hak have been keeping to themselves a bit. News like this only raises more questions than it answers, but it can only mean good things to come in the (hopefully) near future!