After 23 glorious years, Falls Festival continues to provide us with the most unforgettable moments across the New Year festivus. The 2016-17 lineup saw some major international names, as well as our best local acts rounding up another year in style. In Byron Bay, it was a balmy 33 degrees across the three day event and climaxed with a torrential downpour for the very last performances on day three.
Straight into day two, multi-instrumentalist Hein Cooper opened the amphitheatre to a nice swell of punters, braving the extreme heat just after midday. Meanwhile, Sydney locals Middle Kids ambled their way across the Forest Stage with a stellar set, followed up by Norwegian act Lemaitre. Ultra-talented crowd favourite Matt Corby delivered an as-per-usual spine-tingling performance, with POND and Violent Soho going on to take the Valley Stage later in the night. Finally, The Avalanches and The Rubens clashed to close out another massive day of amazing music.
In this gallery you will find Hein Cooper, City Calm Down, The Jezabels, Middle Kids, Lemaitre, Matt Corby, POND, Ta-ku, Violent Soho and The Avalanches.
PHOTOS: Falls Festival Day I
PHOTOS: Falls Festival Day IIIHein Cooper
City Calm Down
The Jezabels
Middle Kids
Lemaitre
Matt Corby
POND
Ta-ku
Violent Soho
The Avalanches
Photos: Dani Hansen/Howl & Echoes
It’s time for your weekly dose of the hottest new musical visuals, and this week we’ve got a bit of everything, including healthy doses of nostalgia, action and surrealism. Some of these videos are truly cinematographic while others are a bit of fun, either way they’re made for solid viewing, so you best pull up a seat.
Kllo – Sense
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSPETjXwLOA
First up for this week’s collection of weird and wonderful videos is the new one from Melbourne duo Kllo, off their EP Well Worn. A hazy meander, the video for Sense opens with a shot of the instantly recognisable Royal Arcade off Bourke Street. From there,the duo travel through the suburb they grew up in and wrote a majority of their music and other parts of the city they hold dear – everything from a typically chilly coastal adventure to restaurants, arcades, shopping centres and blossom dappled, homely gardens. The muted tones (courtesy of the Super 8 camera the entire thing was filmed on) of the video offset the nostalgia dripped mumble of the track, the piecing together of the different locations calling to mind the duo’s knack for blending pop and r&b. Intentionally unrefined, the duo have said that the am of the video was to “capture the honest aspects of our life at the moment,” in the same way they do their music.
Rainbow Chan – Pearled Into
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbifrpOlWOg
Headed to Sydney now with Rainbow Chan’s new visuals from her debut album Spacings. Her clip for Pearled Into is decidedly minimalist and plays with blank space. Dressed in all black, she pulls shapes around a stark white box of a room. The simplicity of the clip is captivating and calls attention to the crux of the song, which about working to rebuild yourself. With Rainbow’s angular, interpretive moves and the song’s themes, there is a wonderful marriage between the idea of dancing as though no one is watching and the line “Wear it with pride, girl/ Nothing can hurt you now”. Directed by Rainbow’s frequent collaborator Ellie Graham, the dance was choreographed by Amrita Hepi and while at first it seems simple and perhaps delicate, as it progresses it becomes clear that there is a certain strength at play here.
Tkay Maidza – Carry On ft. Killer Mike
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXKN_IBdhRA
Back down to Adelaide and we’ve got a fresh clip from the wonderfully talented Tkay Maidza. The first single off her highly anticipated, upcoming debut album TKAY (out October 28) Carry On was already a beast of a track and now it’s got a video equal parts gritty and vibrant to go with it. While the song features one half of Run The Jewels, Killer Mike, who was quoted last year singing the praises of Tkay, he doesn’t make an appearance in the clip. Rather, the video focus on Tkay and a small troupe of dancers as they switch up outfits, stomp around what looks like a makeshift photoshoot set and unashamedly make their presence known, as Tkay so often does. Filmed in London during her recent UK & European tour, the clip is a frenetic flurry of colour, style and shape that calls to mind Tkay’s live show and makes you want to dance like nothing else.
L-FRESH The Lion unBECOME ft. Jimblah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry4YrknLDdU
While Sydney’s L-FRESH The Lion has just finished a national tour, that doesn’t mean he isn’t taking time off. He’s just dropped the video for his Jimblah featuring track unBECOME. A captivating gray scale simplicity, the clips follows L-FRESH and Jimblah as they explore the implications of burnout that is often experienced by activists and social workers. Speaking about the concept, L-FRESH said that upon first approaching Jimblah to feature on the track, they spoke about “balancing your own expectations with other people, including you own community’s… We’d spoken about all of this a few times in the past.” The song itself discusses the anxiety that can come with trying to balance all those expectations while still doing the work to be a better person every day and how “many times, we are our own worst enemies.” The stripped back approach to the video allows the lyrics to really come across on their own.
Ta-ku & Wafia – (m)edian
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSQUYCh1rd-SSrQW6ckOofOtIDovWEiVh
Not content with selling out a New York date on their maiden US voyage, for their next trick Australian duo Ta-ku and Wafia have presented not one, not two, but three new videos for an EP they’ve titled (m)edian. Comprising of three tracks, the videos were co-directed by Ta-ku (his debut) with Collider’s Damon Cameron. A surreal, a cool-toned three part series, videos for the songs Treading Water, Meet in the Middle and the inescapable Love Somebody make up (m)edian. As the videos progress, we follow a number of central characters on their strange adventures that are best explained through simply watching the videos themselves. A highly stylized aesthetic which showcases Ta-ku as a multi-talented and yet utterly focused artist, the series feel more like a short, wordless and wonderfully perplexing film than video clips.
Sampha – Blood On Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oM1DFL43Lk
The international entry for this video roundup comes courtesy of one of the most intriguing acts out of the UK, singer-songwriter Sampha. Having collaborated extensively with a number of widely acclaimed artists (we’re talking everyone from FKA twigs and SBTRKT to Beyonce, Kanye West and Frank Ocean), Sampha has given us a frankly stunning piece of film which cuts together a number of threatening and somewhat bizarre scenarios. Perhaps most fitting thematically is the shot of Sampha running on a greyhound track before eventually collapsing, however it is the dramatic ending to the entire piece that tends to stick with you, giving off a sort of Weasley’s-flying car-meets-macabre-Green-witch vibe.
Pixx – Grip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4kONnKvqG0&feature=youtu.be
Also out of the UK is the new offering from Pixx (real name Hannah Rodgers), titled Grip. The song is lifted from her debut album slated for release early next year. Through a series of angular yet fluid movement and a forever twisting and turning camera, the song shows Pixx in what appears to be an abandoned home. Of the song and video, which seems to defy gravity, she said that “we go through life facing backwards, moving forwards without a clue what is in front of us.” much in the way we did watching the video, she said that is a concept she finds herself getting lost in.
Flatbush ZOMBiES – Trade-Off
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPYsfMd16JQ&feature=youtu.be
Finally, we wind things up in Shanghai with the new video from Flatbush ZOMBiES and the short film that provides the visuals for their track Trade-Off. Titled 65 to Life, the film was written and directed by British filmmaker Jayga Rayn and produced by his Shanghai-based production house. The video follows a, perhaps unlikely, duo as they embark on a night’s wicked antics. From a convenience store hold up to the drunken outing that ensues to the call into work the next morning, the film is fast-aced and utterly frenetic and makes for entertaining, enthralling viewing.
Image: Pixx (supplied)
Well here’s a nice bit of news! Perth-based producer Ta-ku and Brisbane-based singer Wafia are teaming up to present a joint EP. In the lead up to its release later this week, they’ve dropped one of the singles from the record. Love Somebody is set to be the final track on the five-track EP, and the pair have really done something special. If the entire EP follows this level of quality, consider me very excited.
The track is a really solid offering, with a mellow line of synths opening it, then kicking in with a more layered sound once the vocals enter. It’s got a very optimistic feel to it but it never devolves into giddiness, instead playing with a sense of maturity that it commendable. It’s a fantastic level of quality from Ta-ku and Wafia, so check it out below:
The pair have previously worked together on Meet In The Middle, which will also feature on the EP. The five-track release will be titled (m)edian and is set to drop this Friday (August 5). Wait a minute… that date sounds awfully familiar… oh. OH. Right. Well, my ears will be torn as to which to listen to first, but Ta-ku and Wafia have released two stunning singles so far, so their EP is beginning to sound very promising indeed.
Image: Matsu
The definition of ‘live’ electronic music is often contentious. Often, a ‘live’ set is quite simply a DJ set. However more and more often artists who had previously only been seen behind the decks have attempted to set themselves apart by doing “live” shows. Often times these live shows may include the use of MIDI pads and drum kids which play samples and sections of tracks, and it’s arguable just how “live” these performances are. However, one artist took it to the next level in The Opera House’s Concert Hall on Friday evening as part of Vivid Live.
Ta-ku is the definition of a jack of all trades. Having his fingers in every pie – from photography to video, music to his own barbershop – he’s a busy man to say the least. Like all his work, his music is unable to be defined. Known also as “genre-killer”, Ta-ku’s work has taken him from the trap and heavy sounds of side project HWLS with Kit-Pop, to the stripped back and soulful beats of his 50 Days for Dilla project. By far his biggest claims to fame however, and the subject of Friday’s double sellout performances, are his Songs To Break Up To & Songs To Make Up To EPs.
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Boasting kaleidoscopic visuals, a string quartet and vocal accompaniment by Perth local and recent collaborator Wafia, the first of two shows kicked off at 7. The audience took their time to file in at first, but the last of them hurried in as the string quartet sat at the front of the stage. Ta-ku rose above his own platform centre-back, and the show was set to amaze.
But that’s where things took a turn for the worse.
The projections ran and the audience were treated to was a slight ringing of feedback – something definitely wasn’t right. After a few minutes of looking over cords and conferring with stagehands, Ta-ku announced that there had been some technical issues and they would be taking just a few moments before starting everything over.
While none of this was his fault, and didn’t detract from the show, it did remind me about the perils of a live electronic show; like any other electronic music, it relies completely on the communication between technologies. I don’t want to dwell on this point for too long, but I feel like it’s an interesting point to keep in mind as electronic music becomes more of a performance art. it did work to bring out Ta-ku’s fantastic sense of humour, however. In between every track he’d always manage to crack a joke – whether it was asking the audience who could yell out the funniest thing, commenting on everyone being there for him, or just his generally lovely nature. It brought everyone closer to a person who for the most part, has been pretty enigmatic and out of the limelight.
When it all started over a few minutes later though, the performance – which also included a live drummer and keyboard player – was magic. Setting itself apart from other electronic performances was the fact that each track was played separately, rather than a continuous mix. The drums brought a much appreciated pop into each song, with rolls and symbols clanging both in the microphones they were recorded in, and fading perfectly into the acoustics of the Opera House. It was difficult to differentiate between the sounds the keyboard was playing and the samples that Ta-ku was cueing, but moments of improvisation shone through beautifully constructed live pieces.
While Wafia was largely on vocal duties, the performance also marked Ta-ku’s vocal performance debut. Although his voice was slightly strained , it was impressive to see him step outside of his comfort zone. Their latest single Meet In The Middle, from their (m)edian EP out soon was an obvious crowd favourite, as well as Wafia’s own Heartburn. While Wafia darted between on and off stage, Oscar Key Sung, Thandi Phoenix and Thomston all reamined on the stage throughout. Oscar Key Sung’s feature in place of JMSN on Love Again was one of the highlights of the evening, with his own adlib working perfectly over samples of JMSN’s chorus. The biggest highlight was set climax, American Girl, a take on Estelle‘s American Boy. Everything came together in the most perfect and emotional way, really hearing the individual passion coming from each of the performers. Although only one hour long, it was nevertheless emotionally captivating.
Read our interview with New Zealand up-and-comer Thomston here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI9X47eVM1c
Although the music was of course the main event, it was so easy to become lost among the kaleidoscopic visuals. With Ta-ku no doubt having a huge part in the direction and animation, it was interesting to see what he paired with his own music. Loops of marble halls lined with huge flowers, cartoon hands falling in on themselves, his own face, in metal, crumbling away, ribbons running around and forming human hearts – it was really beautiful to watch, with the lights enhancing the colours and cues of the music alongside it. It begs the question, why don’t more electronic artists put visuals alongside their sets? Hopefully we start to see more of it in the future, it works wonders.
There’s no question that everyone who got the chance to see Ta-ku live walked out of the Opera House feeling like they’d seen something special. Whether it was the raw emotion delivered in the performance, or the blending of live instrumentation and electronic music, there’s no denying that Ta-ku has and always will be an artist ahead of the curve.
Check out our full gallery of images from the show here.
Image: Danielle Hansen / Howl & Echoes
Mainstay champion of Australian electronic music, Ta-Ku took to the beautiful Sydney Opera House stage this week to perform as part of Vivid Live, which also featured artists including New Order, Bon Iver, Hiatus Kaiyote, Bjork, Max Richter and more. Ta-Ku performed alongside Wafia, with whom he has announced a joint EP, (m)edian, due August 5 via Future Classic. The pair had previously collaborated on a number of tracks including Charles Murdoch‘s Frogs and Ta-Ku’s American Girl (a cover of Estelle’s American Boy). Listen below to the first track from the new EP, titled Meet in the Middle:
https://youtu.be/dbtcVc0Tv-4
We were lucky to catch them perform at one of their two performances at the Sydney Opera House, on Friday June 3, 2016.
All images: Danielle Hansen / Howl & Echoes
Ta-ku is heading to Sydney next week for a week-long residency that will highlight a myriad creative institutions and minds, in the realms of music, food, photography and more. This is a really exciting little series of events, sure to pique the interest of many beyond his typical fanbase.
Ta-ku has got to be one of the most creative people in Australia today – although many know him only for his beautiful electronic productions, he is also a photographer, fashion designer, and even owns his own barbershop in Perth.
Throughout the week, a photography series titled Songs To Make Up To, will be on display in the Paramount Building in Surry Hills. Let’s take a look at the events taking place next week at Our Golden Age cinema in Surry Hills.
Monday April 11: @Takueats, 5pm
Chefs and owners of restaurants including Acme, Mr. Wong’t and El Loco, as well as DJ Andrew Levins will chat about current trends in the culinary world and more.
Tuesday April 12: Create+Explore Photo Walk, 11am
Book the morning off work to let Ta-ku take you on a guided tour throughout the MCA, as part of Future Classic’s FCxMCA collaborative series.
Tuesday April 12: @Takubeats, 5pm
One for those who want to make it big, takubeats will see the producer chat to 18-year-old producer Kuren and other rising talents, about musical inspirations and more.
Tuesday April 14: Create+Explore Photo Walk, 11am
Tuesday April 14: @Takuspeaks, 5 pm
Ta-ku will chat with photographers about bringing social media and photography together, and their role in branding and advertising.
Friday April 15: @Takufleeks, 5 pm
Finally, Ta-ku will chat with as-yet-unannounced guests from the fashion world about sneakers, clothing design, pop culture and more.
You can enter the draw for tickets right here, and for those unable to make it, Drop Everything allows you to check the whole thing out from the comfort of your own home.
As Ta-ku gears up for his first live tour of America, what could be more fitting than covering Estelle’s 2008 R&B classic American Boy? Featuring guest vocals from Wafia (who you might recognise from Japanese Wallpaper‘s Breathe In), this version translates to a male perspective, entitled American Girl, and is gorgeously stripped down.
Originally started as a joke, inspired by old Kobe Bryant highlights featuring the original song, Ta-ku said of the release “I really wanted to make a stripped back emotional version that would play on its really great melodic structure”. Along with most of the internet, we are in agreement that there is very little that is funny about Ta-ku’s American Girl. Resting on the original melody and vocal line, the song becomes fragile and haunting in his hands.
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Wavering on the soulful, understated vocals and set to delicate instrumentation, light piano touches and cinematic strings hint at Estelle’s upbeat club classic – only now it has a far more tender feel. Echoing hand-claps keep time, and Wafia’s sweet lo-fi vocals are a thoughtful touch. There is a touch of dark pop around the brooding feel, but mostly the track is airy and ethereal.
As covers go, Ta-ku’s American Girl is definitely a success, and great spin on the original. Likely to melt a few hearts in this homage to the U.S ahead of his tour, it’s a fitting release.
American Girl is out now Future Classic.
Statik Selektah – In The Wind Ft. Joey Bada$$, Big K.R.I.T and Chauncy Sherod
We were getting a little impatient in the lead up to the release of Statik Selektah‘s Lucky 7 album, but thankfully this week, that wait is now over. In The Wind is another track taken from that record, and like its predecessors, is another shining example of just how incredible Statik is. Blending so many elements and whipping them into a groovy, blissful, hip hop storm is no mean feat, but Statik goes about about it in such a way it looks almost easy.
Youngs. – Serasan Shakes
Slow but fast, gentle but powerful, Melbourne band Youngs. have dropped a doozy with Serasan Shakes. Hypnotic in the way it soars and crashes, it’s a promising release from a very promising band. The frenetic beats are reminiscent of acts like Seekae, but the vocals and melodies distance the band from too strong a comparison, and put them in a league of their own.
LIR – Chasing
Melbourne and Tel Aviv are pretty different I would imagine, but the best of both worlds have combined in the new duo, LIR. Chasing is their debut single and as far as debuts go, this one is very special. The layered vocals, the frenzied loops, the dulcet tones of Liron Tru and the fed up lyrics swirl together to create a glitchy, unpredictable but totally enthralling track that I just can’t get enough of.
HANA – Avalanche
Having received support from Lorde, Grimes and Lana Del Rey before releasing your second ever song is no mean feat, but when it comes to HANA, you can understand why. It also helps that Blood Diamonds is your boyfriend as well as your producer. The two clearly work superbly together, with this track really speaking for itself. Crisp but muffled drum beats, the intricate production and HANA’s feather soft voice – Avalanche is a total dream.
cln – Found
Cln is definitely an up and comer that deserves your attention – and with tracks like Found, he’s bound to get it. One of the better producers to pop up in this post-Flume world, Cln’s work is delicate, meticulous and considered, and it’s this thought and care that he takes with his tracks that make them what they are. I’ve got both my eyes on this guy!
The Ocean Party – Guess Work
In my opinion, The Ocean Party are one of the best bands in Australia right now, so any new music from them is pretty much guaranteed to be good. Guess Work marks their return to the scene after dropping one of the best albums of last year, Soft Focus. With lyrics that sing of “feelings of guilt and disenfranchisement of living in an age of globalization and drone warfare,” and such precise guitar leads, poignant keys and a drum beat that carries the track, Guess Work is one hell of a way to mark their return.
Major Leagues – Someone Sometime
Brisbane darlings Major Leagues are definitely not wasting any time accumulating a loyal fan base with their dreamy tunes, and rightly so. The serene vocal harmonies, the fuzzy guitars and hard hitting drums might seem like something you’ve heard before, but there is something special about this band that keeps them separate from the pack. They’re about to go on tour as well as performing at BIGSOUND later this year, and I insist you go along to see them in action!
Ta-Ku – Down For You Ft. Alina Baraz
It’s basically a given that any song that Ta-Ku releases will end up in many a “Best Songs” playlist, and this one is no exception. Down For You is taken from the prolific producer’s latest EP, Songs to Make Up To, and it makes us want to do more than that! The gorgeous vocals from Alina Baraz and Ta-Ku’s exceptional as always production make for another outstanding track.
Coda Conduct – Paint it Gold
Canberra/Sydney hip hop duo Coda Conduct have only just come onto my radar recently, and I am so glad they did. Sally and Erica can rap, and they can rap really good. Sally makes their beats too, and their EP released in March Butter Side Up is one of the better releases I’ve heard this year. Paint It Gold is so much fun, delivered with high energy, dynamic production and a spotlight on just how much these two ladies have going in. I am predicting very big things to come from these two!
On Friday, June 12, Perth’s multi-talented Ta-ku will be curating his own Boiler Room session in collaboration with Red Bull Music Academy. As written about here, he’s selecting an array of local and international talent to support him, as well as premiering his stunning new EP, Songs to Make up To.
To get us all pumped up for what is sure to be an incredible event, Red Bull Music Academy have released a little teaser video. Filming the artist in the barbershop that he opened in his hometown just last year, they explore his many creative passions, as well as how Red Bull Music Academy affected his career as an artist.
Never one to sit idle, Ta-ku is constantly pushing the limits of his own creativity, to the point that he’s created his own mini empire. He has a passion for visual arts photography, which has spawned a burgeoning sneaker community on Instagram labelled #TeamCozy and the collaborative project Create&Explore.
The mini-documentary is beautifully filmed, striking that fine line between advertising and art. Red Bull as a company is known for pouring billions of dollars into their own marketing, some of it more conspicuous that other. Ta-ku talks on the documentary of how he applied to Red Bull Music Academy, and upon being selected went to Barcelona to team up with 30 other musicians. It changed his life, as well as his trajectory as a musician.
“For me being from Perth, and being able to have an opportunity like that was, I think that was a pivotal change in making it a career.”
It’s crazy that in the name of selling an energy drink, incredible artists and creative communities can be born. I guess that’s just modern marketing for us.
If you aren’t in Perth, tune into boilerroom.tv/chronicles on Friday June 12, 22:00 – 0.100 AEST to hear Ta-ku’s Boiler Room session.
Red Bull Music Academy and Boiler Room are returning for a second round of the unique Chronicles in June, following on from a highly successful launch in November last year. The Boiler Room session will be run by the incredible Ta-Ku, alongside a number of had-selected artists who have impacted the evolution of his music. In support of the Perth artist will be Jordan Rakei, HWLS and Wafia.
Hiatus Kaiyote and Taylor McFerrin took to the stage and left dance floors heaving in November, so without a doubt we can expect an awesome array of local and international talent.
Chronicles 002 marks the release of Ta-Ku’s gorgeous new EP Songs to Make Up To, which works as a companion piece with his 2013 album Songs the Break Up To. While the first work contained a yearning and a deep sense of loss, Songs to Make Up To promises to be more uplifting. Love Again, released on Soundcloud a month ago features the gorgeous vocals of JMSN and Sango and hints at a softer, more soulful sound for the new album.
Not just limited to music, Ta-Ku has a multi-disciplinary create empire to his name. Aside from running a sneaker-based Instagram account which is about to become a fully fledged clothing line, he regularly contributes to Create+Explore, a collaborative design community that celebrates travel and lifestyle culture, and feautures beautiful photography and video production, as well as co-owning Westons Barbershop in Perth.
Chronicles 002 will be a premiere for Ta-Ku’s new album in full, and promises to be one of the most exciting musical events for the year.
Watch the trailer here, and full details in the posted below:
