The Preatures had a relatively quiet 2016. Having dropped their last single I Know A Girl back in August, we’re hoping that their new album, the follow-up to 2014’s stellar debut Blue Planet Eyes, will soon be upon us – considering they recently had to pull out of March festival Party in The Park due to “commitments finishing and mixing this record,” we’re pretty hopeful. The group, who last year farewelled guitarist Gideon Benson, have kicked off 2017 with a couple live dates. Last week they headlined the University of Sydney’s O Week festival, playing at The Manning Bar on Thursday, March 2. Joining The Preatures was the wonderful Ngaiire on support, who released one of our favourite albums of 2016 in Blastoma.

Ngaiire

The Preatures

Photos: Tom Wilkinson

It’s summer in Sydney; the sun is shining, the water is shimmering, and the whole city is gearing up for a relaxing break over the holiday period. The relaxation won’t last long, though, as summer also means festival season in the music world. While we’re all across the big camping festivals, smaller events are popping up across each city, providing new and exciting experiences for music-lovers around the country. One such event is Goat Island Sounds, taking place in January on Goat Island in the middle of Sydney Harbour.

Now in its second year, the lineup boasts some of Australia’s most inspiring musicians; leading ladies Ngaiire, Nina Las Vegas, Adi Toohey and Ariane will bring the beats along with Basenji and Kuren, all set to the spectacular Harbour backdrop.

We spent a morning checking out the island (and its view) with Ngaiire and Nina Las Vegas, chatting about the year that’s just passed, how the music industry is shifting toward gender and racial equality and more.

On highlights of the year, and their own labels: Nina Las Vegas’ own NLV Records just celebrated its first birthday. Ngaiire’s newly formed label Maximillian Brown is still in its early stages.

NLV: Playing Coachella was pretty sick, and the label, just looking back and realising how fast it went. I put out my own solo work too which I’ve never done before, that was really exciting. It was good to just start getting a groove, and for people to actually start thinking that we had a sound. So when someone says, “Ah that sounds like NLV records,” that’s exactly what I wanted.

Could you describe that sound?

It’s club music, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s a broad term, club music; it could be rap or grime or dancehall or dance, anything that can be heard loud. And,0 I think the production is pretty forward thinking.

Ngaiire: The label’s not really a thing yet, so I can’t talk about it quite as extensively! Blastoma came out through there and through Orchard. The vision for the label is to sign or do development with artists back in Papua New Guinea, because not a lot of kids who were my age when I moved to Australia had the opportunity to expand on being musicians or artists. I started the label, but obviously we’ve been touring quite hectically so I haven’t been able to flesh it out – hopefully after the next album. It won’t necessarily all come from Papua New Guinea, but I definitely want to have an arm that gives kids that age an opportunity.

On how gender, ethnicity and social issues are changing the music industry.

NLV: In dance music it’s always the same – there’s more articles about the problem [of women being underrepresented in music] than about the stuff we do. It’s frustrating, because every request I get from an international publication is to comment on the industry, but then you put out your song with females on your label, and there’s just silence. We’ve got to move forward, and I’m just doing what I want to do to change stuff. If people take notice, fine. But eventually they’ll look back and realise, ‘Ah! Nina was doing it all along.’

I was in an article, it was like, ‘ten dance girls that you should not ignore and why they’re not getting on a particular lineup.’ And I just thought, no, it wasn’t because I’m female, I just wasn’t getting enough money. I think sometimes miss the point a bit. I think that it is really changing, and it’s cool at the moment. Now, the story is ‘look at what these girls are doing’, rather than why aren’t they doing more – but we are doing more. If you put up an article, ‘ten girls that get snubbed at a festival’, that’s just an article about why I’m not somewhere. Write about ten things I did that was cool! You just have to do it your own way.

I can’t comment on other scenes, but for dance it’s more just different because of lockouts. Electronic music is suffering a lot, so it’s not even about male or female anymore, it’s just about if you can get a show. So it’s more limited that way, and everyone’s working together.

I still think production is always gonna be less exciting than singing, though. I like sitting in a dark room and not doing my makeup.

Ngaiire: I agree with everything Nina said. For me, I’ve had two factors against me. It’s not just being a female, but the colour of my skin. People don’t talk about that because there’s no racism in Australia, that’s not a thing! *laughs*. There was a time when I was only getting booked at festivals on the Indigenous stages. That was a thing when I was coming up and it’s taken me about ten years to get somewhere, so it’s really exciting that there’s more conversation about diversity, not just as a female, but different ethnicities.

NLV: I think that’s more of a problem, the lineups are all white. My dad is Egyptian, and I don’t know any Italians or Greeks here. Western Sydney is the biggest population in Sydney and yet the lineups are all Caucasian, Northern Beaches boys. But I feel like the Indigenous mob have been loud in a cool way this year. Briggs, Thelma Plum, they’re being so vocal about it.

NLV to Ngaiire: You’re just going to be an idol to so many women for so many reasons now.

On their favourite records of 2016.

Ngaiire: Oh man, I’ve only been spinning four records the last couple months: Lemonade, A Seat At The Table, Blonde and Malibu.

NLV: I like Lemonade, I like Rihanna’s a lot too. I think I like Anti more, for different reasons. Prince died this year so all I’ve been listening in downtime is B sides, and obviously I like the stuff from my label. There’s this Arabic guy the UK, Geko, he raps about Ali G and uses Arabic, I’m so down with him! Obviously I listen to so much Skepta, AJ Tracy, Lady Leshurr. It’s been a big year for grime.

Goat Island Sounds returns once more in 2017 on January 26. Six of Australia’s best will perform to the unbeatable backdrop of Sydney Harbour, while enjoying treats from fried chicken joint Butter, Lebanese delights from Thievery, and beers courtesy of Mountain Goat. Meanwhile, the triple j Hottest 100 will air in The Green, where folks are invited to unwind and relax.

Tickets are $72.50 + BF and include ferry transfers, you can buy them here.

All images: Danielle Hansen
Words: Lauren Ziegler

A common paradox of music lovers is that we readily embrace the unique, but we struggle to digest the unfamiliar. The initial shock of something outside of their comfort zone can be hard to accept at face-value, yet after careful thought and processing, one can realise that they were in fact confronted with creative genius.

I felt this throughout the dazzling, abstract performance by Ngaiire on Friday night in Sydney. Creative yet confronting, skillful yet strange, inspiring yet disorientating. It was a show that stepped outside the creative norm of a standard national tour, exploring different ways of presenting songs and utilising all available musical resources and theatrical creativity.

Opening the night was New Zealand-born soul singer-songwriter Wallace. I remember reading once that Dave Grohl suggested an artist should avoid having support acts who could potentially be better than you. It might seem like simple logic, but Ngaiire and co. sure ran it close to the line tonight in choosing to book Wallace as an opener. The singer swayed through a collection of electro-soul numbers that displayed incredible rhythmic intricacies (props to the incredible skills of her drummer, Tully Ryan,) dynamics and overall groove. It was refreshing to see a support act enjoying the occasion for what it was, and taking the moment to jam and enjoy.

After a brief changeover, Melbourne-based Woodes took to the stage. Wearing a sort of wooden crown composed of what seemed to be carefully carved branches, Woodes presented a collection of wispy, floaty, synth-based tunes that evoked feelings of walking through a forest. Whilst Woodes is certainly gaining an impressive hold on her craft, her far more tender music brought the energy down in the room after the impressive opening from Wallace. Perhaps it would have been better to switch the supports around, but Woodes still put on an impressive set of synth-pop and a collection of Anderson. Paak tunes on the P.A helped to pick the energy back up in the room before the main act.

A lengthy pre-recorded spoken word intro courtesy of Ngaiire herself heralded the arrival of the headliner for the evening. The venue, now just over three-quarters full, was rapt with attention and erupted with sounds of adoration when the singer slowly walked up to the mic. She opened proceedings with a slow, theatrical chorus from House On A Rock before breaking into the first full song for the night, Around.

From the opening, things didn’t feel like your average gig. The backing singers wore gold garments and performed choreographed dance moves, while each member of her band wore large gold chains around their necks emblazoned with the word “BLAST!”, referencing the title of her 2016 ground-breaking album Blastoma. Instead of merely performing, Ngaiire would direct traffic onstage, motioning to different performers when it was their time to shine. More the director of a production than a performer, the show had a sense of choreography not often seen in mid-sized shows like this.

The music itself was well executed given the complicated instrumentation. Cruel faltered at the beginning but Ngaiire appeared unphased, calmly restarting the song and pulling off a seamless vocal duet with her synth player and collaborator, Jack Grac. Feature slots seemed to be the order of the evening (albeit the tour, given the singer had performed with Flume that morning on Like A Version), with both backing singers taking the spotlight throughout, the main highlight being Dirty Hercules which saw her backing singer, Billie McCarthy unleash with a furious chorus, “if you wanna pick a fight, then why don’t you?” The song descended into a vocal battle between Ngaiire and the backing vocalists, showcasing the extraordinary abilities of all onstage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea_HriZLPiQ

Anchor saw the introduction of two black-clad dancers to the stage, who returned for main closer Diggin’ to add an extra visual element to the show. Show closer Fall Into My Arms saw the singer further use outside resources, inviting both Wallace and Woodes onstage to join in the slow-burner to see the night through. Her main cuts were memorable, but the little additions added to the lesser-known tunes felt even more special.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYmbZkP3LfU

Ngaiire is an art-pop performer who has crossed over to a more streamlined audience through the help of radio. Whilst some might snub their noses at this, the fact remains that, despite the increased audience to her music, she has remained uncompromisingly creative and abstract in the way she presents her art. Her show at the Factory Theatre, one of the blander venues Sydney has to offer, showed the effect of some simple creativity to the overall feeling of a show. Not just your ordinary night out.

Image: Supplied

The ambassador for Australian electronic music known as Flume has dropped by Triple J to do Like A Version for the very first time. Currently on his biggest Australian tour to date, Flume showed up with a whole bunch of friends – Vince Staples, who is in town as the main support act for Flume, Vera Blue, Ngaiire, Kai and Kučka. Staples, Kai and Kučka all feature on Skin, while Vera Blue and Ngaiire joined him on stage at Splendour in the Grass.

Although Vince and Kučka were both in tow, he didn’t play [my personal favourite track on the album] Smoke & Retribution. Instead, he delivered a really beautiful rendition of smash hit Never Be Like You with Kai in the lead and Vera Blue, Kučka and Ngaiire on backup vocals.

For his cover, Flume brought Ghost Town DJs’ My Boo to life, with the help of Vince Staples and Kučka, along with Vera and Ngaiire on backing vocals. Watch both here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqdAc56tfSM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miqsQf7ZvCU

Not only did Flume finally release his sophomore album this year, the extremely packed in follow-up to his genre-defying eponymous debut, but he’s just released a short companion EP too, which included a collaboration with Preatures singer Isabella Manfredi.

Read our in-depth review of Flume, Skin

Flume is currently on tour in Australia along with special guests Vince Staples and SOPHIE. Check out the remaining dates below:

Image: Triple J/Twitter

It’s that time of year again: the denim jackets are peeled off, the BBQs begin to sizzle in backyards across Australia, and we’re suddenly hit with a veritable cornucopia of incredible music events to signal the march towards the end of the year. There are festivals being announced left right and centre, sure, but not all of us are wallet-endowed enough to skip from fest to fest just to catch our favourite acts for a paltry 30 minute set. Thank god for the Spring headline tour. But, you might say, there are so MANY tours being announced! I feel overwhelmed with choice – how can I make sure I won’t miss the best of the bunch? Shhh. We got you. Credit cards at the ready, fam, let’s dive into the creme de la creme of upcoming tours over the next few months.

NGAIIRE – Inside Blastoma tour

Ngaiire’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric and we are bloody stoked as hell about it. Her album Blastoma climed to #41 in the ARIA charts, #6 on the Urban charts, and is shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize. Ngaiire is fresh off touring with Listen Out festival, before that she absolutely SLAYED at Splendour in the Grass (I should know, I was there). She’s insanely talented, a phenomenal live performer, and even has Grimes‘ stamp of approval. Oh, and the incredible Woodes and Wallace are supporting. Literally what the hell other reason do you even need to pony up the dough and head along to her last headline tour of the year?

Tickets for Ngaiire on sale now via www.ngaiire.com.au

Fri 25 Nov | Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Fri 2 Dec | The Factory, Sydney
Fri 12 Dec | The Zoo, Brisbane

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYmbZkP3LfU]

Polish Club – Beat Up tour

I’ve been on the Polish Club train for a very long time now and it warms my heart to see that they are finally embarking on their very first headline tour. The thing about seeing Polish Club live is that you will feel very euphoric, then utterly confused as to how the fuck two people can make such a glorious racket, and then very euphoric again. You’ve probably heard their rock banger Beeping, because it climbed its way up into triple j’s 15 most played tracks for a while there. They played BIGSOUND this year and have racked up a laundry list of supports featuring music’s who’s who: Courtney Barnett, Northeast Party House, Gang Of Youths… it’s a little bit ridiculous actually. Oh, and they’re releasing their debut album next year. Why are they so talented? I bet you they’re really nice guys, too.

Tickets for Polish Club on sale now via www.polishclub.co

Horrorshow – If You Know What I Mean tour

This one has actually already kicked off, so if you’re a fan of not missing out on cool things then you might want to jump on tickets very, very quickly. Horrorshow are touring the country – yes Perth, you included! – in support of their super-tight track If You Know What I Mean. To add onto the pile of very good reasons to catch the Sydney duo, rapidly rising MC B Wise will be joining Solo and Adit across the run of dates. Watch the Harry Hunter/ENTROPICO (Hayden James, Touch Sensitive, The Meeting Tree) directed video for If You Know What I Mean below and get keeeeeen.

Tickets for Horrorshow on sale now via HORRORSHOW.COM

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rRAc7_Z4G4]

Julia Jacklin – Don’t Let The Kids Win tour

Julia Jacklin seemed to come out of frickin’ nowhere (although, of course, this is never the case) to dominate the back half of 2016. The accolades are stacking up faster than you can say “fuck, I missed out on tickets” – with BBC 6, LA Times, Uncut and Mojo all heaping praise on the alt-country singer and her raw, stunning debut album Don’t Let The Kids Win. There’s only one other Aussie artist whose rocket-fuelled trajectory has taken off this fast in recent memory and her name rhymes with Schmourtney Schmarnett. So you should probably catch Jacklin on this tour before she starts playing her tunes on the US late night television circuit and appearing on Ellen.

Tickets for Julia Jacklin on sale now via Oztix

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fua9nrkUYew]

LANKS x Hein Cooper – Co-headline tour

Q: What’s better than one innovative Melbourne musician embarking on an 8-date tour? A: Two innovative Melbourne musicians embarking on an 8-date tour together. You likely don’t need an introduction to either of these dudes. LANKS, perennial striped shirt-wearer and top notch human being, just wrapped a national support with Vera Blue and released his second EP Viet Rose, and I honestly have no words for how good it is. Basically, he’s been busy dominating and it really doesn’t seem like he intends on stopping. Hein Cooper is like Ed Sheeran if Ed Sheeran was cool and made good music (there I said it). To hear his gorgeous singles Art Of Escape and Rusty (together they boast over 3 million streams on Spotify) is to feel feelings. They’re gonna make a formidable duo and if you don’t go see them you’re dumb.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQNvaGJyraA]

Good Boy – Plum EP tour

Hi, have you been living under a rock? Good Boy are a band that are, as their name suggests, very Good. They are also all Boys I guess. They’re touring in support of their EP Plum, aka one of the best, most self-aware snapshots of the Aussie youth zeitgeist we’ve seen in recent memory. Their set at BIGSOUND was so packed I had to stand on a chair and triple j are smashing their tunes basically on the daily, like new single S.O.G.K. They put on a bloody good show. Get your butt to one of them.

Tickets for Good Boy available from Oztix

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rm6zVEsvXc]

We were lucky enough to catch Leon Bridges at his headline show in Melbourne on Tuesday July 19, while in Australia to perform at Splendour in the Grass. The stunningly soulful artist delivered an incredible performance, with support from Ngaiire, who recently released her brand new album Blastoma.

Leon Bridges and Ngaiire both perform in Melbourne again tonight, July 20, and on Thursday July 21 at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney, before heading to Byron Bay for Splendour in the Grass, where they will play alongside the likes of The Cure, The Avalanches, The Strokes, James Blake, and Flume. Full details can be found here.

Howl & Echoes Top Picks: Splendour in the Grass 2016
Splendour in the Grass maps, timetables and more
Click here to view all other Splendour sideshow dates

Ngaiire

View our photo shoot with Ngaiire here

Leon Bridges

All photos: Juan Castro / Howl & Echoes

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 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:

Metronomy – Night Owl

London electro veterans Metronomy have another single out. Taken from their most recent album Summer ’08, it’s called Night Owl, featuring one hell of a fat bass line anchoring the track and Metronomy architect Joseph Mount’s silky smooth, laidback vocals. The deep synths that kick in

The video, directed by Quentin Dupieux, follows Mount going on a very interesting road trip with his girlfriend through the Palm Desert in sunny Palm Springs. It features a whole lot of mysterious symbolism but it’s sunny and warm and picturesque.

Summer ’08 is out now on Warner Music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0drWXOpm-Q

Ngaiire – House On A Rock

The uber-soulful Ngaiire is enjoying a whirlwind of acclaim after releasing her latest album Blastoma earlier in the year to rave reviews. The latest single from that record is House On A Rock, dark and brooding with discordant rhythms and clashing synths as well as that catchy as hell chorus that has seen the track cop plenty of spins on airwaves everywhere.

Directed by Dan Segal, the music video was shot in Tel Aviv in Israel in stark black and white and depicts Ngaiire at the end of a rocky relationship, the tense atmosphere of the relationship mirroring the vibe of the song perfectly.

Blastoma is out now on Maximillion Brown. Catch Ngairre as she supports Leon Bridges on his Australian tour and at her Splendour In The Grass set next weekend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYmbZkP3LfU

Hinds – Warts

To Spain next and rocking all-girl foursome Hinds, out with their latest single Warts. Taken from their debut album Leave Me Alone, the track is a lot more pleasant than its namesake, sunny and evenly-paced with warm guitar licks and warped out vocals running all over it.

Shot in Barcelona, the video focuses on the same story the song tells, of a guy falling for a girl that everybody knows is bad news except him. Hinds try their darndest to save this oblivious chap and it makes for some interesting viewing.

Leave Me Alone is out now via Mom + Pop Music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLygTTOpE5w

Set Mo – Comfort You (ft. Fractures)

Back to Sydney with partners in crime Set Mo, who are seeking to back up their huge 2015 breakout in 2016 and are well on their way with latest single Comfort You. It’s a melodic banger featuring a stellar vocal turn from Melbourne’s Fractures, slowly building the pace to a cacophony before falling away into a gorgeous piano-driven chorus. The intricate layers of sound only grow as the song charges along and its evident this is going to be a huge hit for Set Mo.

The video features some absolutely gorgeous scenery from around Japan, stunning natural gardens and landscapes mixed with bustling urban nightlife and echoing the warm sentiment of the song itself beautifully.

Catch Set Mo right now touring Australia in support of the single.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAm7kZpNUSc

Banks – Fuck With Myself

Orange County songstress Banks this week announced the official release date for her next album, the follow-up to her 2014 debut Goddess as well as putting out its lead single, the superb Fuck With Myself.

A song of fierce independence, Banks’ feather-soft, spine-tingling voice shows considerable range over minimalistic, semi-industrial production to keep the focus squarely on her vocals. The video is unsettling as hell, Banks in a grimy warehouse flanked by contortionist dancers and a lifelike bust of herself, which she subjects to a lot of torment.

Banks sophomore album is out September 30^th via Harvest Records.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-99e4geCm2w

Chvrches – Bury It (ft. Hayley Williams)

After sophomore album Every Open Eye won them stacks of new fans and saw them as one of the most critically acclaimed bands in 2015, Glasgow synthpop trio Chvrches are still releasing singles from that huge record, their sixth out this week isBury It.

Featuring gigantic synths and Lauren Mayberry’s famously powerful set of pipes as well as an alley-oop from Paramore vocalist Hayley Williams, Bury It is the kind of banger Chvrches have become so highly-regarded for. The video is comic book inspired, animated version of Williams and Chvrches meeting up and using what look like telekinetic superpowers to fly and levitate objects (we’re presuming for good).

Every Open Eye is out now via Goodbye Records.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9BLMNn0PrQ

JOY. – Like Home

Brisbane-born multitalented siren JOY. Is another of 2015’s success stories, all off the back of one mesmerizingly good four-track EP Ode and a metric shit-tonne of touring and coveted support slots. Her first solo track of 2016 is the dangerous Like Home.

Almost menacing production anchors the song, a filthy beat that is totally measured and covered in a tangible darkness, the lone source of light coming JOY.’s gorgeously lilting vocals. The video finds the singer wandering a cold-looking carpark after dark and looking as un-fuck-with-able as the song she’s made.

Let Like Home be just the tip of the iceberg for what this hugely talented young artist has in store for the rest of 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvvDjDhVs3E

Polish Club – My House

Sydney power duo Polish Club, like a lot of other artists in this week’s roundup, had themselves a massive breakout 2015. Off the back of their debut EP featuring hits like Beeping and Able and followed up at the tail end of the year with the single for their latest video My House.

It’s more of the same good old time, soul-infused rock and roll with frontman Novak’s unmistakeable raspy growl. Big guitars, thunderous drums and just a ripper two minute slice of rock from one of the most exciting young acts in Australia. The accompanying video features the two, unintentionally hilariously playing such a killer tune stock still in various rooms around the house.

Keep your eyes planted firmly on these two for the rest of 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIThMqKkKjs

There is no question that Ngaiire is becoming one of the most exciting artists in Australia right now. After a whirlwind trip to the US for CMJ earlier this year, she has come back with guns a-blazing in the lead up to the release of her second album, Blastoma. Having quickly jetsetted around the country at the start of the month for Groovin’ The Moo and announcing an upcoming tour of her own, it’s safe to say Ngaiire is only just getting started – and her latest single, House On A Rock, is her best release yet.

With thick synths buzzing to open the track, the electronic influence is much stronger in this one than previous singles like Once, Diggin’ and I Can’t Hear God Anymore. With almost garage-y/footwork drums, her native soul and R&B elements are still very strong here, particularly in the verses but overall this is much more danceable and almost liberating to listen to. Set to be an absolute stand out for her upcoming tour, her soaring chorus and catchy loops add to the impressive nature of the song.

But, although on first listen to may make you think otherwise, this is no positive, good vibes song. With lyrics like “Living on ‘I love you’s and recycled prayers,” Ngaiire puts her poignant lyricism to task once again here, managing to effortlessly capture the frustrations and disappointments of love and loss. Blastoma is looking set to be one of the best Australian releases of the year, and it’s singles like this that will see Ngaiire take her (very well deserved) place as one of the most recognisable and interesting home grown artists in recent times.

Blastoma is out June 10.

See more: Read our interview with Ngaiire

BLASTOMA NATIONAL TOUR

Supported by triple j

TICKETS HERE

Sat 11 Jun // Peak Festival, Perisher Valley

Fri 17 Jun // Fat Controller, Adelaide

Sat 18 Jun // Jack Rabbit Slims, Perth

Fri 24 Jun // Karova Lounge, Ballarat

Sat 25 Jun // Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

Sat 02 Jul // The Foundry, Brisbane

Wed 06 Jul // Festival of Voices, Hobart

Fri 08 Jul // Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

Sat 09 Jul // Transit Bar, Canberra

Also catch her at Splendour In The Grass

Image: Supplied

One of our favourite, not to mention most talented Australian artists is the wonderful Ngaiire, who has recently announced her highly anticipated sophomore album Blastoma, along with her first headline tour dates since 2013. Blastoma comes out on June 10, after which she will embark upon her national tour, with support from Lanks and Jack Grace, who also co-produced her album. The album is also set to feature production from Paul Mac and vocal contributions from Megan Washington.

Ngaiire recently performed at Groovin The Moo, and will take to the stage at Splendour in the Grass in July following her own headline tour dates – see below.

Listen to her incredible new single I Can’t Hear God Anymore:

Ngaiire will be released Blastoma on June 10 2016 via her own label Maximillion Brown. Tour dates can be found below.

All photos copyright Danielle Hansen / Howl & Echoes

NGAIIRE BLASTOMA NATIONAL TOUR
With support from Lanks and Jack Grace
TICKETS HERE

Fri 17 Jun: Fat Controller, Adelaide

Sat 18 Jun: Jack Rabbit Slims, Perth

Fri 24 Jun: Karova Lounge, Ballarat

Sat 25 Jun: Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

Sat 02 Jul: The Foundry, Brisbane

Fri 08 Jul: Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

Sat 09 Jul: Transit Bar, Canberra

There is just under one month to go until Ngaiire shares her highly anticipated sophomore album, Blastoma. Shaping up to be a formidable release, she has been slowly teasing us since last year’s sensational Once, and later down the track with Diggin’. Now, on the heels of the release of I Can’t Hear God Anymore, we not only have her album to look forward to, but a national tour as well.

After touring the country with Groovin’ The Moo, Ngaiire has found her feet again on the national touring circuit and is gearing up for her own jaunt across the country – her first national tour since 2013. Finishing up in early July, that will also give her enough time to prepare her mind, body and soul for the nation’s biggest festival, Splendour In The Grass, where she is also set to take the stage.

With soul, RnB, pop, electro and more all thrown into the mix with Ngaiire’s incredible voice, Blastoma is already sounding like one of the best releases of this year, and we’re only three songs in. Teaming up with the likes of Jack Grace and Paul Mac for production and collaboration duties, as well as Megan Washington for added vocals, Blastoma is a who’s who of Australian music, and serves as a tale of triumph over adversity and suffering. Having been lucky enough to witness her at BIGSOUND last year (check out our interview with her here), I can attest to how truly spellbinding Ngaiire is live, so it goes without saying that this tour is a must-have on any gig-goer’s calendar. Check out the details below and do yourself a favour by buying a ticket!