Weeks get away from you, as last week did for me. However, if you missed your weekly fix of fresh tunes then you don’t have to worry any more! Below are ten brand new tracks you need in your life right now, full of electronic goodness, some Australiana, psych disco and so much more. Enjoy!
Dro Carey, Grow Lithe
Recently signed to Soothsayer and set to play at this year’s Splendour In The Grass, Dro Carey has arrived in style and is making everybody know it with this lively percussion led new single, Grow Lithe. It’s a jam from start to finish, with footwork beats and intriguing synth lines. Sounding like a jungle rave mixed with a UK underground rave, it’s a frenzied groove with a lot to give. Grow Lithe is one of those songs that you can listen to on repeat for a long, long while because with each listen something new reveals itself- a trick which makes Dro Carey absolutely one to watch!
Foreign/National, Tristesse
I love Foreign/National, and Tristesse is just another example why. What can only be described as psych disco, this sounds like the kind of song you’d maybe hear at a blue light disco – if you were on acid. Like a wonderful, shimmering trip, their nostalgic tendencies are as evident as ever with old school harmonies and indie rock guitar riffs, but it’s their individual element they bring to the fray that makes them as great as they are. Taken from their debut album, I can’t help but get really excited for that when I hear this tune. Melbourne fans can get down to their album launch on April 28th too!
PUMAROSA, Cecile
These guys came on my radar earlier this year with Priestess, and it seems the huge hype that was surrounding them has been confirmed with the release of Cecile. Dramatic, theatrical, thunderous and intricate, Cecile is a thrilling ride. Ebbing and flowing from hectic to calm, then back to hectic again and then finally calm when it finishes, it’s all over the place in the best way possible. Capitalising on what they do well, Pumarosa are sounding really damn good and it will be exciting to see where they go next. We might just need some time to brace ourselves.
Stay At Home Son, Bluffs and Blocks
Stay At Home Son is a wander through the weird and wonderful, slightly off reality of Jesse Martin-Allen. The most recent signing to Gab Strum aka Japanese Wallpaper‘s new label, Neat Lawn, Bluffs and Blocks is disjointed, peculiar and captivating. Full of ambience but also intentionally sluggish vocals, Stay At Home Son slowly adds more and more to his bubbling mix of slacker synth pop until he’s left with a fully fledged song in all its glory. It’s an exciting move not only for Martin-Allen but for Strum too, who is jumping on the boutique label train and arriving in style with this release.
MOSSY, Ginsberg
I OH YOU’s Mossy released another stellar single with Ginsberg. Showcasing off his vocal range, his penchant for big, crashing drums and a flair for the theatrics, Mossy builds on his debut Electric Chair with this slightly mad, spiralling tune that is a little dark and unsettling but reassuring somehow. Taken from his debut EP which will be out next month, we are slowly getting to piece together the puzzle that is the mysterious Mossy, and it’s looking really good. Sydney fans can attend his first ever show to get even more of an idea as to what this guy is all about at the end of May, but with the way he’s going, he won’t be able to keep this all a secret for too long!
Lostkeyz, SLWDWN (Prod. Droptail)
Lostkeyz returns in a blaze of glory with SLWDWN. It’s been a long while since we’ve heard from the young wordsmith, but this track shows it was more than worth the wait and he hasn’t exactly been taking a holiday. Clearly having honed his craft and his sound, he’s jumped on a beat from Droptail to create this self-asserting, confident and reflective track about what he’s done so far- and where he still needs to go. Lostkeyz possesses an almighty flow, and puts out some incredible lyrics, so it’s been an exciting ride to watch him grow and learn. Whilst this song might talk about the need to “slow down,” I get the feeling that Lostkeyz is nearing the end of his slow period, and is ready to get right back into it. That is something we can’t wait for!
LANKS, Golden Age (Wayfarer Remix)
I’ve been secretly obsessed with LANKS’ Golden Age since it came out. There is something about the weird synth sounds and upbeat direction he went in that I just can’t get enough of. However, I must admit I was slightly sceptical to see a remix as I wasn’t sure how it would fare against the original. Well, I am eating my words and Wayfarer does it more than justice. Up and coming in his own right, the fellow Melbournian has turned LANKS’ Golden Age into a brooding and dark number that sneaks up you and takes over completely. It’s huge, and I never thought I would hear LANKS’ voice over a track like this but it works so well I find myself actually hoping for more. Well done Wayfarer, this is a banger in the best sense of the word!
Shining Bird, Helluva Lot
Embracing some Australiana flavour, Shining Bird are back in a big way with their latest single. Considering they describe their own sound as “Eucalyptus dream pop,” the band are building on from their stellar 2015 with Helluva Lot. Like a warm breeze on a hot summer’s afternoon in Australia, the song cruises by with subtle melodies and intricacies here and there, easy going as it meanders along. But don’t let that fool you, as Helluva Lot actually paints quite a dismal picture when you listen to the lyrics, of how much we have to lose with our changing climate. A kind of relaxed call to arms, almost hypnotising you into heeding it’s message. I’m okay with it though, because it sounds so good.
The Invisible, So Well (Ft. Jessie Ware)
Anything that Jessie Ware lends her honeyed voice to is already a winner in my books, but The Invisible really take it to the next level with this forlorn lovesick tune. So Well is just so nice. It’s smooth and soft, falling gently without ever being overpowering. Ware sounds at home with the soft soul The Invisible provide, and with the precise instrumentation and production, it makes for just such a nice tune. It’s the second taste we have of The Invisible’s forthcoming record out in June, and judging from this, we are really in for a treat.
Lewis CanCut, Say Ok (Ft. TIGARAH)
Lewis CanCut, NLV Records alum, wraps things up for us with this straight up banger. Super sweet, it’s the NLV Records crew meets PC Music with Say Ok, as CanCut teams up with TIGARAH for this slice of bubblegum electronica, complete with big bouncing beats, skeeting synths and huge bass. It’s a fresh take on his sometimes downright filthy bangers that he’s capable of, but that doesn’t make it any less danceable. Instead, it shows an interesting potential direction for CanCut to head in, and I am actually excited to see where he goes from here!
Image: Stereogum
It’s video roundup time! Once again, Howl And Echoes are coming in hot with the freshest, most eyeball stimulating music videos to be dropped by the artists you love and some of the artists you don’t know you love yet, of this week. We do all the dirty work and herd them all into one convenient web-based location for you to enjoy every Friday so that you don’t have to. Have yourself a good old gander at the latest offerings from:
Lostkeyz – It’s Funny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QogfYxdoySw
We first caught wind of Sydney rapper Lostkeyz last year with the release of his debut mixtape Organic Narratives, a record full of stellar production, clever rhymes over the top of smooth and jazzy backbeats. It’s Funny was one of the standout tracks from that mixtape, Lostkeyz’ uniquely deadpan delivery masking a rather upbeat song exploring the fluid dynamics of relationships.
The video depicts Lostkeyz taking what looks like a thoughtful stroll around what might be his native Bondi at dusk, a fitting visual effect for such a cool and breezy track. He’s a name to look out for in the future, and you can stream It’s Funny and the rest of Organic Narratives on his Bandcamp.
Beaty Heart – Flora
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKE7agmaiMU
Travelling from Bondi to South London next, with trio Beaty Heart and their latest single Flora. Coming in the lead up to their second record, which is as yet untitled, Beaty Heart have crafted a deliciously dark electro pop song here, punchy beats and click percussion tangoing with staccato synths and muffled vocals, it’s an all-nighter that would work a treat with the lights down low.
The accompanying video is a mesmerising snapshot of after-dark London, dancing on urban rooftops and deserted basketball courts, the songs titular subject alluring the viewer and the band to what looks like their end, writhing along to the fantastic electronic soundscape. Also, look at that dog!
Mallrat – Sunglasses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJCEPE0IJ8Y
Keeping with the after dark vibes, albeit a lot more locally is Brisbane MC Mallrat. Sunglasses is the name of her latest single, held down by off-kilter trap beats and some jarring but cool production from frequent collaborator Tigerilla.
The video is about as lo-fi as it can possibly get, shot on an old VHS camcorder (Jesus, they’re still around) in a dimly lit backyard. Mallrat and co. look like they’re having a whale of a time, donning sunglasses and face masks and dancing up a storm. They’re doing more for Ribena than the last decade of its own advertising has too, drinking what looks like enough to fill a swimming pool and looking cool af doing it.
Another exciting young Australian artist to expect big things from in 2016, keep them coming Mallrat.
Peaches – Free Drink Ticket
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZEtQTGtD-Q
Perhaps someone the aforementioned Mallrat may take some inspiration from is legendary electro-queen Peaches and her latest incredibly Peaches video. It’s for the newest single from her 2015 LP Rub. I shouldn’t even have to mention how NSFW the video for Free Drink Ticket is, but I will just in case.
There’s so much simmering anger below the surface of this almost darkwave-style song, which centres around a less than amicable break-up. Peaches described it thus
“…It was important to demonstrate that if you hold onto the bitterness you that you feel from a monster who has hurt you, then you will become the monster that you are trying to shed”
The video definitely gets that point across in as provocative a fashion as it gets, a naked Peaches going back and forth with some kind of monstrous pig snake uh… thing? It’s overtly sexual and confronting, which seems like exactly her intention. Totally badass.
Kevin Gates – Pride
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUvcbT7-KCA
Coming out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana is the latest single from Kevin Gates. Taken from his debut album Islah, a record that ended up above Adele and just behind Rihanna and ANTI when it dropped last week, Pride takes a pretty harrowing look at life behind bars.
Starting off with Gates being arrested and dragged from a palatial mansion and his wife and daughter, winding up in a jail cell in an orange jumpsuit. It’s one of the more emotional tracks on the album, exploring themes of drug abuse, depression and anxiety, Gates weaves a tale of sorrow at having left his family to fend for themselves on the outside.
Islah is out now via Bread Winners Association/Atlantic Records.
Kool A.D. – Santeria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu2B-nMkuMM
From the bayou to Mexico we go next with Bay Area rapper Kool A.D.,who you may also recognise as a member of rap crew Das Racist. Featuring production from Toro Y Moi, Santeria is the latest single from Kool from his 2015 mixtape O.K.
That Toro Y Moi production, coupled with Kool’s snarky and snappy flow make for a fantastic partnership, but the real treat here is the utterly fun video. Before the first bar even begins you’ll be hooked, simply because there’s a dog riding a donkey that’s painted to be a zebra (I seriously thought this was just an Eastbound And Down joke but apparently it’s a real thing) and it’s awesome.
The rest of the video is a lo-fi and motion sickness inducing look at Kool’s new life in Mexico, where he is a new resident. The psychedelic lens through which simple things like walking the dogs or the arcade lights of the carnival are viewed is about 500% of your recommended daily eyeball stimulation in just under six minutes, but it’s all part of the charm.
Timbaland – Servin (ft. Blaze Servin and Tweezie)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoOx-7jL9hI
Coming off his Christmas Day mixtape King Stays King and in the lead up to his next album Opera Noir, producer king Timbaland has dropped a video for one of its tracks this week in Servin. Featuring a pair of up and comers in Blaze Servin and Tweezie, the track features beats of the thickest variety and looks like a return to form for Timbaland, who seems to be jumping all over the trap train that hit full steam in 2015.
The video is your standard hip-hop fare, alternating shots of different combinations of the trio dancing for the camera spliced in with shots at a club that unquestionably has bottle service. There’s plenty of fire as you can probably guess too.
Tyler, The Creator – PERFECT (ft. Kali Uchis and Austin Feinstein)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIqVCJWSoeE
Following a tumultuous year seeing the release of his long-awaited third studio album Cherry Bomb and his simultaneous banning from Australia, Tyler, The Creator is back with a brand new video landing this week for Cherry Bomb standout PERFECT.
It’s a split-screen duet between Tyler and featured artist Kali Uchis, Uchis surrounded by sunflowers, Tyler covered in Monarch butterflies. Los Angeles indie rocker Austin Feinstein eventually joins Tyler on the right to inject some laidback surfy guitars into what was already an eclectic mix of jazz and hip hop. It’s a simple concept but an effective way of visualising the very huge stylistic contrast between the artists.
See you next week!
This time last year, Sydney-based MC Lostkeyz was gearing up to graduate high school. Having spent his final year in secondary education building a local reputation playing a string of live shows in Sydney, the young rapper then spent 2015 largely abroad, with travels through both Israel and Poland. We were even on hand in downtown Jerusalem to snap a couple of shots from a set of his there. The culmination of that wandering gap year has since been released as his debut mixtape, Organic Narratives.
Don’t let the signature deadpan delivery of Lostkeyz (known outside of the studio as Doron Losky), fool you, this is lyrically adept and broadly emotive hip hop straight from the heart. The contrast between restrained delivery and raw emotion none more apparent than on Sky, a beautifully laid back lounge jazz number on first listen that actually weaves the heartrending story of his grandmother in hospice care.
https://soundcloud.com/lostkeyz/sky
My Other Half is a sub-two minute cut that’s wonderful in its restrained simplicity, a minimalistic beat and some soft keys the only sounds accompanying Lostkeyz on the mic. Lagging On features a chopped up, underwater piano riff and a jarring backbeat, Lostkeyz bars echoing inside of a pretty cavernous soundscape. It’s Funny feels oddly upbeat compared to the rest of the tape but it certainly isn’t out of place, Lostkeyz flow almost conversational in delivery, littered with snickers and dripping with sarcasm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHc4zG01x24
Insomnia is vintage hip hop and the pianos trickling over the beat are nothing short of gorgeous, Lostkeyz unleashing a little bit of swagger as he tells the titular subject to ‘get the fuck away’. Live It Up clocked in at number seven on the Triple J Unearthed charts when it first dropped and features a verse from travel companion, Jake Fehily. The mournful sax slithering all over the song is a wonderful touch, Lostkeyz rhyming with a flow nothing short of spitfire with a soulful, mid-90s RnB vocal hook contrasting it all beautifully.
https://soundcloud.com/lostkeyz/live-it-up
For someone so young, the professionalism on record here is outstanding and doesn’t exceed expectations so much as it demolishes them. The production is fantastic, the smooth layers of jazz behind the vocals are a delight, the features all cohesive and most of all, Lostkeyz makes his recorded debut, in an Australian hip hop scene that is expanding into new territories of sound and scope exponentially, with utter aplomb. The entire record is just, there’s really no other word for it, cool. Did I mention he released this for the low, low price of on the house? Because he did, like a champ (though you are more than welcome to name your price if you’re feeling generous).
This is a name to stay woke on in the future.
Organic Narratives can be streamed in its entirety on Lostkeyz’ Soundcloud or purchased on his Bandcamp.
For other young Australian musical prodigies, check out our sit-down interviews with Just A Gent at this year’s Splendour In The Grass and JOY at this year’s BIGSOUND.
Photos by Joshua Reisel
Lostkeyz packed out 4:20 Bar in Jerusalem on Saturday night. With the crowd standing outside, the 18-year-old gave us a taste of Organic Narratives, performing all but one track from the tape. The audience’s response was extremely positive while singing the catching hooks along with Lostkeyz.
Lostkeyz may not ring any bells just yet, but I have a feeling that will soon be changing for the 18 year old Sydney rapper. He’s been hard at work since finished up high school last year, having first got a taste for the stage life supporting Daily Meds at Oxford Arts Factory just a few months ago.
Since then, he’s teamed up with Savilian, Kid Pharaoh and more, collecting a slew of tracks (mastered by Juñor, who is known for his work with Ivan Ooze) for the imminent release of his mixtape, the latest of which you can hear first right here!
Featuring the soulful and subtle vocals of Jake Fehily, Lostkeyz has today released his latest track, Live It Up. Combining his unique voice, his intelligent lyrics and laidback, jazz-styled beats, the track rings true to it’s title, and puts a spotlight, deservedly, on Lostkeyz.
His commanding voice pierces the smoky hazy of saxophone and ambient beats, as he talks about seducing minds and fractured relationships – “It’s the same each day/ Break up, make up, leave” before the hook comes in, gliding across and tying it all together. Demonstrating skill and maturity well beyond his young age, there is no doubt that Lostkeyz deserves and commands your attention. We just can’t wait to hear what he does next.