Flight Facilities have been busy boys. Having just returned from a run of festival dates in Europe, and gearing up for another US tour later in September, Jimmy and Hugo took to the stage as part of the RBMA Weekender in Sydney to play a mesmerising sold out show with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and a bunch of guests, including Touch Sensitive, Michaela Baranov, Owl Eyes, Kurt Kristen, and Surahn Sidhu. With some ambient support from Melbourne-based producer András, the tone was set for an unforgettable night.
András:
Flight Facilities x Sydney Symphony Orchestra:
Images: Dani Hansen/Howl & Echoes
It’s happened. The summer is well and truly over. With a bunch of festivals, sideshows and tours over the New Year absolutely blowing our minds, it’s with a heavy heart that we say goodbye as it all drifts further and further back into our memory. However, before it leaves completely, there’s still some time to bring the heat.
Future Classic’s series of MCA shows have over the last few months seen some absolutely legendary performances. Kenton Slash Demon, Roland Tings, Harvey Sutherland, Tornado Wallace, Sampa The Great, Wafia, Anthony Naples, Pelvis and Kenji Takimi have all graced the MCA’s Sculpture Terrace with their presence, and crazy fun shows. So it’s only fitting that the mega-label is seeing it off with a bang, putting on a final show this Sunday packed full of Future Classic Allstars. They’re being super secretive about the lineup and not giving any hints until it’s actually happening, so we’re here to speculate and myth-bust as to who may be jumping behind the decks.
Our little dog friend is barking all over the northern hemisphere at the moment. He’s just done a bunch of shows in the U.S. and Paris, and his Saturday night is taking place in London. That’ll be the 9th of April, which, with time differences, is almost exactly when the FC Allstars show will be going on. We can sit on his latest track Chroma, to make him feel a little bit closer, but we won’t be able to see him do his thing at the MCA.
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Since the release of Built on Glass in 2014, Chet’s been all over the world playing shows, and even making an appearance on Ellen. Towards the end of last year though, he released Work, an EP he produced alongside London’s Marcus Marr. It’s 4 tracks of beautiful house, which would be phenomenal to see played live. He’s proven himself to be very comfortable behind the decks, having a slap at the Ray Ban x Boiler Room show in Melbourne late last year, so we can hope we get to see it go down again.
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His show alongside Cyril Hahn in late February is still fresh in our minds, and sadly, leads us to believe that he won’t be back to play so soon.
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Though it’s been a while since we’ve heard from LA duo Classixx, their last album releasing all the way back in 2013, it’d make sense to get a surprise appearance from them on the Sculpture Terrace. They’ve just released their latest single Grecian Summer from their second album Faraway Ranch, and been announced as part of that absolutely mammoth Lollapalooza lineup, we imagine to tie in with its release. So, maybe to kick off what is to be an absolutely massive year for them, we’ll see them Sydney-side this weekend? Fingers crossed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3q_Pr9hYzo
Though we’re on the precipice of the release of Skin, Flume’s second album, and yes it would make sense for a huge hometown show before it releases – it’s super unlikely. He’s playing Ceremonia Festival in Mexico on Saturday, so we can live in the hope that maybe his set is early and he could make a flight, but let’s not get them up.
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Side-project of beatmakers Ta-Ku and Kit Pop, HWLS’ most recent release was two months ago with Ty Dolla $ign as part of Adidas’ #songsfromscratch series. They’ve played a few shows here and there, their last one in Sydney being the Laneway Festival afterparty with Hudson Mohawke. With them going quite for a while, it’d make sense to have them as part of the allstar lineup, but Ta-Ku is doing so much at the moment that he legit may not have the time. He’s debuting his live show with Wafia (who just released her own EP) at VIVID LIVE, and has a residency at the MCA starting next week – though maybe that’s in our favour set-wise?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQ3WHMfcD8
It’s been quite a long time since we’ve heard anything from these two boys from Sydney. They’re playing quite a few shows in Europe over the next three months, starting in May, but haven’t done a Sydney show in quite some time. Reading between the lines though, Future Classic call specific attention to the fact that the Allstars are “jumping behind the decks”, and so we may not be able to get the full Jagwar Ma experience if they are to make an appearance. Maybe a lil DJ set though? Time will tell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP8k6fmxWe4
Not much is known about Midnight To Monaco, the project of Donnie Sloan, co-producer for Empire Of The Sun, and Ricky Ducati, but their sound speaks for itself. 50’s doo wop flung far into the future, Midnight To Monaco are set for big things the world over. Their latest single One In A Million was released on the latest Future Classic compilation, also called One In A Million, so we can clutch at straws and hope that they’re on the lineup, but would we consider them allstars yet? No doubt they will be eventually, but so far they’ve only been around a minute.
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Panama have just come home from a tour across Asia, though their last release was a while ago with Jungle just last year. Unless they do a DJ set, we imagine they won’t be gracing the MCA stage due to the fact that they use live drums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1m0mceKkx4
The boys are doing a bunch of European shows in September, and just last week did a DJ set in Berlin. They seem to be spending more and more time overseas at the moment, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if they were still kicking it European style, but they are definitely one of Future Classic’s most allstar teams, so it’s very possible they’ll come home to pay a visit.
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Melbourne producer Thrupence has been flying under the radar for a while now, releasing New Light, his only track since Lessons all the way back in 2014, in September of last year. Though his lush and textured sounds would fit right at home at the MCA, if you follow his Instagram you’ll know that he’s been much more busy working in his design and art scheme of things.
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Off the back of his remix of Flume’s Never Be Like You, Wavey is unfortunately, for those of us at home, also on tour. Taking his Flash Drive tour across North America, Saturday night sees him play Madison, Wisconsin, alongside Promnite. This Sunday won’t be as wavey as we’d hoped in Sydney, take care of him Wisconsin.
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They’ve just wrapped up their Avocado Galaxy tour to promote their EP of the same name, but it’s unlikely we’ll be travelling through the Avocado Galaxy come this Sunday. Why? Instruments.
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OTHERS
Now though everyone else has gotten their own section on why they might or might not play, there’s some very simple explanations for the ones in this section. Though we’d love to see them again, Kenton Slash Demon and Perth singer songwriter Wafia have already played as part of this round of FC x MCA shows, so we’re banking on them not making a return just to give others a red hot go. Sidenote: Wafia could maybe come back, but it’d probably only be to accompany Ta-ku like she will be as a part of VIVID Live. Now, you may have also noticed that Charles Murdoch, Flight Facilities, Hayden James and Touch Sensitive haven’t been mentioned till now. Though all these artists are phenomenal in their own rights, and definitely all a part of Future Classic’s Allstar roster – these boys are the real allstars. Allstars are the players who come back and play in the game day after day, or in this case, rock the house again and again. They’re our best bets for Sunday’s show, but we can’t wait to found out properly.
New Year’s Eve is always a bit of a gamble, usually resulting in either a roaring success or an absolute flop. However, there is one route which is always guaranteed to be fun and that’s choosing to spend your last few days of the year at a music festival. The music festival of choice for me this time round? Lost Paradise.
Lost Paradise is a festival still in its infancy; it only began last year and was much smaller in numbers. This year, they chose to amp up the patronage as well as the scope. Once again set in the idyllic Glenworth Valley, the drive down the punishingly steep 5km road into the festival gave you the kind of views normally reserved for a fairytale.
Set just a stones throw away from Sydney at a brisk one hour car journey, Lost Paradise was certainly easy to get to. Festival are jammed packed events chock full of activity, so we’ll aim to give you a categorical breakdown of the attributes that went into making Lost Paradise as good as it was.
Location, location, location…
The Lost Paradise organisers could not have chosen a more idyllic location. Set in the gorgeous and edenic confines of a beautifully forested valley, swathes of lush eucalyptus trees blanketed the valley walls under the blue summer sky. A cool breeze swept through the valley, and through the geographic good fortune of being situated in a valley, managed to create a gentle wind tunnel which kept temperatures down to an enjoyable 28 degrees.
It is hard to understate the impact that one’s environment has on the experience you have, least of all at a music festival. The stresses of work fade away, the banality of everyday life dissolves and you can just be. You come away feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to take on another year. And as clichéd as it sounds, a better appreciation for good ol’ Mother Nature. Never underestimate the impact of your environment. This is in part a reason for Lost Paradise’s impetus on the ‘Leave No Trace’ mantra, which aims to minimise the impact of the festival on the Glenworth Valley.
Amenities
One of the best things about Lost Paradise was the sheer amount of space. The smaller patron numbers can account for this, and unlike bigger events, our campsite never felt boxed in. We’d especially like to shout out the lovely river, snaking through the valley, perfect for a soothing late night swim.
However, one of the detriments of big open spaces is a lack of shade. It was hard to keep cool. Sure, you have your Bunnings tarp to keep you out of the sun, but the shade has a funny habit of shifting throughout the day, leaving you and your friends frying under the harsh summer rays. Similarly, portaloos aren’t exactly enjoyable in strong sunlight, effectively turning into giant ovens. The smell almost knocked us over backwards. I suppose this is an inevitable byproduct of summer, but it didn’t help that many of the toilets very quickly went out of commission, with those in need left waiting in massive queues.
The food, however, was sensational, offering a wide variety of cuisines like German, Vegetarian, Mexican, Yemeni and pizza, to name a few. Even better was the money system, or lack thereof, on hand. The ‘cashless’ wristband system in place meant that you had to go to a cashier and deposit credit of your choice, which would then be placed in an electronic account you could access by paying with a little microchip inside your wristband. This is an incredibly convenient, modern, shrewd system: you, as the patron, didn’t have to carry around cumbersome loose change and the vendor doesn’t have to fiddle around either; a seamless, quick transaction that benefits both parties. A friend, who worked at the festival in 2014, even mentioned that a benefit is preventing her co-workers from stealing from the till, which apparently happened a lot during the festival’s inaugural event.
Music
Of course, a music festival is nothing without the music, and Lost Paradise well and truly delivered. Offering up a hearty selection of electronic, acoustic and indie tunes, punters could chill out during the day in front of the main stage on the grass, catching the more down-tempo acts while saving their energy for the DJ sets playing at night.
City Calm Down and Angus and Julia Stone brought the chill factor, keeping crowds placated under the heady summer sun while they swung in tune to the mellow cadence of the music. At night, revellers would head towards the thumping beat of the teepee stage, a triangular stage housing all the DJs who came show off their skills on the turntable.
On the first night, it was Hayden James, revered homegrown DJ act, who energised the crowd after a successful first day of festivities. Permission to Love and Something About You were obviously pleasers, as well as the Odesza remix of Something About You.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfttyNSCI-g&w=560&h=315]
Touch Sensitive really needs to release some new material, because his set felt both tired and short. He didn’t seem to be into at all, looking like someone who was simply going through the motions, or a worker desperately praying for his shift to be over. However, his lack of energy was certainly made up for by his perpetual partner in crime George Maple, who strutted onto the stage shortly after, looking seriously lit in a fishnet body stocking. Absolutely destroying her most iconic hits like Talk Talk, Vacant Space and What So Not’s Gemini, the only question on my mind is, why isn’t this songstress bigger? She’s immensely talented and so charismatic, with huge vocals seldom possessed by any other Australian female singer at the moment.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6nt3Sw3Isk&w=560&h=315]
Of course, the main act everyone was hoping to catch on the second night was the wonderful Jamie XX. Appearing on the main stage at around 11pm, he completely enraptured the crowd with tracks from his recent solo album, In Colour. Loud Places was simply a treasure, swaying the crowd in gentle, rapturous glee as everyone danced to one of the best tracks of 2015. Playing most of the tracks of his critically acclaimed debut, In Colour, the crowd was lost to to hypnotic beats of his music.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP9luRtEqjc&w=560&h=315]
Lost Paradise was awesome. It was a great way to ring in the new year, surrounded by your best mates and the gorgeous Glenworth Valley. A real concluding highlight was how easy it was to leave; we just packed up, headed out and were on our merry way.
The festival is undoubtedly still young and developing, but its teething issues were no deterrent. It was one of the best New Years experiences I’ve ever had.
One of the hardest parts of planning your New Years celebrations is exactly where to go. If you’re picking a festival, you’re not exactly starved for choice. If there is one festival that is surely the place to be this New Year’s Eve, it would definitely have to be Lost Paradise.
Established almost exactly one year ago, Lost Paradise impressed audiences from the start. Set in the bucolic confines of the Glenworth Valley, just over an hour out of Sydney, the festival has succeeded in combining all the elements of an amazing music experience: a boss lineup, a beautiful location, fantastic amenities and plethora of daytime activities. Hell, you can even bring your kids!
For those of you who are still unsure where to spend your NYE – look no further. We’ve compiled a list of why Lost Paradise should be your number 1. destination.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E0Q7X8bOZQ&w=560&h=315]
You don’t have to rough it
For the faint-of-heart, there’s the option of ‘glamping’ in the very comfortable and palatial confines of a decorated teepee, which resembles a hotel room more than a run-of-the-mill tent. However, these oases of comfort have almost sold out, so get in quick.
If that weren’t luxuriant enough, you can enjoy a three course meal at the CornerHouse prepared by UK fine chef Simon Sutcliffe. You and your mates can enjoy a good feed to rejuvenate you after a long night of partying, consisting of spit roasts and food with a local tropic flare, all while listening to some ambient music in the background courtesy of a private band.
And it wouldn’t be a boutique festival without the availability of a spa, where you can cleanse your weary soul with an organic facial and massage.
Get around it , y’all
The music, duh
Activities aside, we’re all going for one reason: the music. And at Howl & Echoes, there’s nothing we love more than music and trust us, Lost Paradise delivers an awesome lineup. Must see acts include Four Tet and Jamie XX on DJ duties, who has had a massive 2015. He released his solo debut album In Colour to widespread critical acclaim and punters cannot get enough of his adorably dorky bedside manner and ambient brain melts.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP9luRtEqjc&w=560&h=315]
She’s the Aussie songstress with the vocal chops potent enough to blow you off your feet, so it’s safe to say George Maple will be one to watch at Lost Paradise.Collaborating with some of the biggest names in Australian music, such as What So Not on Gemini, Maple is also a regular partner in crime of Touch Sensitive, the creating an unmistakable blend of synth-tastic power ballads that sound fresh and symptomatic of the Australian golden age of music.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6nt3Sw3Isk&w=560&h=315]
Other acts you cannot miss are Angus and Julia Stone, Hayden James, Daniel Avery, Anna Lunoe, Saskswatch, City Calm Down, Grizzly and Sons of the East.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mVJJvx04_w&w=560&h=315]
So. Many. Activities
Normally punters are content just to get their tent pitched and head straight into the moshpit with of all of their mates. But if you’re feeling like you’d like to keep yourself entertained in other ways, then LP has got you covered. The Glenworth Valley has over 200 quality horses for you to pick from, allowing anyone from any skill level to see the world from the back of one of these majestic beasts.
However, if you’re feeling like you need to give your arms a bit of a workout, escape the heat with some kayaking in the peaceful upper reaches of Mangrove Creek. For the steeplejacks out there, test your hand at the abseiling or connect with your inner-kid and verse your mates in a game so lasertag. There’s even an ‘organised’ skinny dip you can partake in as well. I wasn’t lying when said there were MANY activities.
I wasn’t making the skinny dip bit up either
Get A Little Weird (in the best way possible)
Most festivals are a chance for you to shed your plebian outerwear for something a little more, well, festive. Lost Paradise goes a little further to suggest that you most definitely should get dressed in your finest and weirdest attire. New Year’s Eve is the night to shine and LP has its own costume shop Snog The Frog to help you out if you’re a little lost for ideas. There’s even a marketplace where you can flog your own wares at the festival.
And when the sun goes down, the carnies will come out to play. Delight in the extravaganza of the travelling circus performers, who will stimulate the senses every night between 9pm to 1am with trapeze and clown acts – you can even take a few classes and have a go with the circus equipment.
Get Jiggy with it
Find yourself
LP helps you rejuvenate your soul after a long year of working hard (or hardly working). Head to the Shambala Tent for a morning meditation sesh or lose it in one of the guided laughter yoga classes. Or show your salutations to the sun during a yoga class. Get your rig out and work those abdominals at the Belly Dancing workshop so learn some moves straight out of Bollywood.
Catch up with the Raw Sisterhood sisters Brenda and Vivian for ideas on how to eat healthily (and deliciously) without compromising the nutritional integrity of the food. Or visit one of the many healers, meditation experts or yogis to reset the dials on your body and your mind. The variety of experiences on offer in this tent are truly staggering.
Hopefully you’ll walk out with a body like this
So get around it and buy your Lost Paradise tickets here.
Lost Paradise 2015 Lineup
Hot Dub Time Machine
Daniel Avery
Hayden James
Sampa The Great
World Champion
A.D.K.O.B.
Angus & Julia Stone
Jon Hopkins Live
The Jungle Giants
Tkay Maidza
George Maple
Saskwatch
Seekae
Northeast Party House
Crazy P
Touch Sensitive
City Calm Down
The Babe Rainbow
Lime Cordiale
Little Bastard
Steve Smyth
The Lulu Raes
I Know Leopard
Hockey Dad
Bootleg Rascal
Sons Of The East
High-tails
Big White
Ocean Alley
The Sea Gypsies
Polish Club
Burn Antares
Deep South & Down
Tropical Zombie
+ more to be announced
DJ sets
Jamie xx
Four Tet
Motor City Drum Ensemble
Âme
Ben UFO
Finnebassen
Prosumer
Anna Lunoe
Young Franco
Grizzly
Will Saul
Bjorn Wilke
Goodwill
Pantheon
Color Castle
Phil Smart
Kate Elsworth
Mikail & Emel Rowe
Francis Xavier
Mo Funk
Motorik Vibe Council
Robbie Lowe
Cassette
Gabby
CO-OP
Sam Roberts
Foreigndub DJs
Mantra Collective
Kali
Valerie Yum
Tristan Case
Mark Craven
Phondupe
Danny La Ru
– Check our interview with Max Hershenow from MS MR here.
Although excited about the prospect of an evening with two of my favourite artists in the Splendour sideshow line-up, I was worried about bumping into to someone I knew (having never been to a concert alone before) and the subsequent conversations that would follow:
“Oh hey! Who are you here with?”
“Oh just myself haha.”
“Oh, you’re alone? Why haha.”
“I’m reviewing it, and there wasn’t room for +1s so I’m here by myself. I have friends, I promise!
*Slowly backs away away in horror*
Approaching the stairs of the Metro, my heart pulsated anxiously. I ascended the stairs and no one seemed to recognise me. Entering the venue was a little trickier. There were tiers up the back of the venue for revellers who preferred a better vantage point and a little more elbow room. I navigated them as deftly and inconspicuously as I could until I was right at the back.
I took my place next to a blonde haired youth self-consciously, hoping he wouldn’t think I was some freak sidling up to him in a desperate attempt to have friends. Luckily, he also seemed to be unaccompanied.
When the music came on, he swayed with his head down, in time to the beat, as if in a solitary trance of musical nirvana, connecting to the music in a very unique, individual way.
But soon, much to my avail, Sydney local George Maple took to the stage, bursting onto the scene in an explosion of lights and auditory eargasms. Wearing a fluffy, white fur jacket and a sexy bodice, she was accompanied by partner in crime, the synth-tastic Touch Sensitive on keys, remarking that they had just arrived from their Splendour slot the day before, and we “had better be louder”.
Next was Fixed and Vacant Space, a gradual crescendo of flashing lights and thrashing drums, ending in a note that brought goose bumps to your skin. It’s one of my favourite songs in her repertoire, ending on a ghostly, apocalyptic note echoing off into the fray.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcRnr7HlkqA&w=560&h=315]
With no intermission at all, she launched into her collaboration with Kilo Kish & Kwes Gripp, commending her drummer Jules before launching into a song, with a beat not all all dissimilar to J-Kwon’s Tipsy and with an enormously melodic and catchy synth rift by Touch Sensitive that magnified the incredibly sexy charisma exuded by Maple.
Performing Gemini by What So Not next, it was by far the most energetic track of their set, with Maple reaching impossibly high vocal notes in a display of auditory showmanship. Finishing on Talk Talk, Maple and her entourage swiftly departed the stage.
If I thought that performance was energetic, I was about to be blown away by what came next. When the MS MR ensemble took to the stage, Lizzy Plapinger (the MS of MS MR) and her powerful voice permeated the entire venue, her silhouette and hair lit ablaze by the pulsating lights behind her. Other half Max Hershenow, matched her energy by jigging his legs beneath him maniacally, albeit rhythmically, like the loom of a sewing machine, somehow managing to remain affixed to his keyboard only by his hands.
Plapinger greeted the crowd with genuine enthusiasm, screaming ‘Sydney’, rousing everyone to a deafening roar. Having just released their sophomore album How Does It Feel, the Sydney crowd was unique in being the second to hear it performed live.
Second song to played was Fantasy, off first album Secondhand Rapture. Plapinger moved with an incomparable energy the entire time, literally taking centre stage with her powerful charisma. She truly moves in her own way, dancing between the beams of translucent light jubilantly, a kaleidoscopic display to match the power of her own.
Everyone on stage seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves and the crowd loved them. They stopped intermittently between song to express their gratitude at the turnout and dedication of each punter jumping up and down wildly in excitement. Their Sydney fan base was evident by the crowd, who knew the words to most of their new songs, despite the album being out only a week.
During one of her renditions, Plapinger spun her microphone round like a pendulum, effortlessly catching it mid-swing and continuing on with her performance, shaking the entire venue with her husky, powerful voice and resonate bass.
One of the highlights of the night had to be title track How Does It Feel – written about the amazing performances Plapinger and Hershenow experienced during their last visit to Australia in 2013 for Splendour in the Grass. They urged everyone to sing along with them during the chorus, screaming ‘How does it feel!’ in rapturous glee.
After such a series of high energy medleys, everything was slowed down with performances of Wrong Victory and Criminals, a welcome, poignant moment in the night.
Seemingly finishing off on their first single from their second album, Painted, before leaving the stage, the crowd was left hungry for more. But much to everyone’s relief, they returned, Plapinger chiding the crowd, “C’mon! You didn’t think we’d leave you like that!” They finished off their performance with two of their most well known songs, Bones and Hurricane, a perfect end to their perfomance.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhx0IWXUMOA&w=560&h=315]
What I realised about going alone to a concert is that, if you love the artist and enjoy their music, at the of the day it doesn’t matter if you’re on your own. When you listen to the music you love, everything else around you fades into the background, until you’re left with what you came here for: an experience.
After a spectacular first run at things last year, boutique festival Mountain Sounds returns February 21 2015 with a killer homegrown line up, with the final act announced today.
Touch Sensitive joins an already exciting crowd of performers, many of whom have recently proved their festival chops at Falls and Southbound. Headliner Alison Wonderland brought down the house on New Years Eve at Falls Byron Bay, and if DZ Deathrays blast out their cover of Sandstorm again Mount Penang Parklands might just collapse in on itself in a mosh-related natural disaster.
I am a big fan on Mountain Sounds, and was glad to see a small, well-run festival outlive the flurry of festival failures that seemed to be resulting in the cancellation of a festival every other week for a while there. The venue is truly spectacular and only a few hours from Sydney, once home to the glorious but sadly defunct Peats Ridge Festival. Camping out in this special place with these sick beats is an end-of-summer festival must. I have the feeling Mountain Sounds might be in for a sell out crowd this year, so get your tickets ASAP here.
THE FULL LINE UP…
Touch Sensitive
joining…
Alison Wonderland
Safia
DZ Deathrays
The Kite String Tangle
Luke Million
Northeast Party House
East
The Griswolds
Daniel Lee Kendall
The Jungle Giants
Tkay Maidza
D.D Dumbo
Winterbourne
Odd Mob
Little Earthquake
Acaddamy
PH Fat
Nova & the Experience
Dr Kong & the Stem Cells
AViVAA
Owen Rabbit
Colour Cage
White Walkers
Rookie
Via Alchemy
East of Here
Carmada
Coda
Harper
Hatch
Kilter
Lemond
Pepa Knight
Ratlife DJ’s
Stephane 1993
Sydney Social DJ’s
Tropical Zombie
Zavier
The Metro was the place to be last Saturday night, as record label Future Classic and BBE brought together some of this year’s best talent for their Xmas Weekender, celebrating a year full of musical greatness. A special shout out goes to special attendee Flume, blending into the crowd seamlessly as punters milled about restlessly in anticipation of a night full of electronic goodness.
Being a music label Christmas party, you’d expect the line up to be pretty phenomenal, and Future Classic did not disappoint with international imports such as Lido, SOPHIE, Nadus and QT coming in all the way from the UK, Norway and the US to perform. Local talents such as the magnificent George Maple, HWLS and UV Boi also made an appearance, making for a pretty impressive set list of performances.
First up were the FC DJ’s, followed by Brisbane-based producer and DJ UV Boi, pumping out tunes like A Q U A T I C. Soul-pop chanteuse George Maple was up next, delivering beautiful renditions of her hits Talk Talk, Fixed and Vacant Space among others, with Touch Sensitive supporting her on keyboard. Norwegian DJ Lido delivered an amazing set, playing some of his classic remixes such as Why I’m Single, Ain’t No Sunshine and Zhu’s Faded, interspaced with some playful crowd banter, before finishing off with his two biggest hits Often (Lido Remix) and I Love You.
George Maple performing her amazing set
On stage next was the mysterious and elusive producer SOPHIE, who, despite going under a female pseudonym, is actually a guy who decided on this particular moniker because he thought “it tastes good and it’s like moisturizer.” The London-based producer teamed up with QT to deliver some of their iconic collaborations, such as Hey QT and Lemonade, incorporating high, pitch-shifted vocals with QT’s brilliant but bizarre tin-foil jacket get-up.
Burning the midnight oil was homegrown Aussie act HWLS, who kept the crowd going with the conveniently and consecutively named playlist of tracks 001, 002, 003 and probably his most well-known 004 w/ Noah Breakfast. Last, but not least, was Nadus. The American, hailing from Newark, New Jersey, capped off a night of brilliant performances with Nxwxrk, his remix of Kanye West’s Send It Up, Sharpe James and many more.
George Maple, Nadus and QT were all spotted mingling with the crowd after each of their respective performances. I think it’s always great when artists take the time to interact with their fans, it allows for that level of interaction and dialogue between the two parties. The venue was full, but not packed, with everyone in the audience having enough elbow room to dance and really appreciate the music. To say it was an epic night would be an understatement. More like the perfect send off for an amazing year of music and emerging artists. Check out Future Classic’s playlist of the night to get a little taste of what went on at the best kind of Xmas celebrations.
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Dear Chinese Laundry,
Please would you install air conditioning?
Sincerely,
Everyone.
Last Saturday night one of Sydney’s longest running clubs, Chinese Laundry was graced by the presence of DJs Touch Sensitive, Bag Raiders, A-Tonez and more. It was a crazy fucking night.
Touch Sensitive kicked us off with an amazing set at midnight, although it was hard to fully appreciate whilst being crushed in the incredibly sweaty throng of people. To dance uninhibitedly, one ran the risk of either punching someone in the face, or being confronted by their neighbour’s sweaty armpits. Not fun.
One could argue that the humidity and the sheer quantity of people is the hallmark of Chinese Laundry. But would it really kill them to install some ventilation?
Luckily by the time Bag Raiders came on the crowd had thinned out a bit, and that’s when the night really went to the next level. Bag Raiders had people jumping and screaming right up until their unwanted departure at 3am. They really played to the crowd, letting the music fade and encouraging fans to scream parts of the song and then pumping it right back up again.
All in all the night was amazing, both DJs really know how to keep a crowd buzzing. But for the love of God turn on some fans or something!
Welcome back to Friday, everyone! This means two things: 1) the pub and 2) our weekly playlist! This week I’m jumping on board curation duties to hit you with some of the best new music I’ve heard this week. From the hypnotic saxophone infused worldy jams of Oisima, to the garage rock of The Gooch Palms, the alt 90’s rock stylings of Kagoule and the bliss hip hop of Jon and Midas.Gold – there is a lot going on here, so strap yourselves in.
- Oisima ft Mei Saraswati, Sun of Truth
I fucking love Oisima. I caught him a couple of times this year and he astounds me with the precision of his drum pad beats and world music influences. This latest track came out in conjunction with him signing to CREATE/CONTROL, and he’s tipped to have an album out next year. If Sun Of Truth is anything to go by – with it’s meticulous layering of synths, beats, hypnotic vocals and some casual flutes and saxophones – Oisima is going to have a very big year ahead of him!
- Hayden James, Something About You
This one dropped just today! Hayden James has been one to watch for a while now, after the success of his debut EP that included Permission To Love. This is an extension of the production chops he demonstrated with that EP; vocals driven, house beats, and bass so groovy you don’t really have a choice not to dance along! The breakdown is flawless, and as it builds back up slowly it’s clear this guy is a forerunner in Australia’s dance scene!
- The Gooch Palms, Trackside Daze
The Gooch Palms are one of my favourite Australian bands, and this track is no exception. Trackside Daze is fuzzed out, sing-a-long prompting, thumping drums; garage pop at it’s finest.
- Touch Sensitive, Teen Idols
A step away from his usual sound, Touch Sensitive is trying “Doo Wop” on for size, and it is definitely working! This track is so damn funky – what Touch Sensitive is all about – and shows a versatility we perhaps haven’t seen before from the bass playing Pizza Guy.
- Total Giovanni, Can’t Control My Love
I’ve already proclaimed my love for Total Giovanni, but seriously, just have a listen to them! Talking Heads meets LCD Soundsystem meets Architecture in Helsinki: what could possibly be wrong with that?!
- Shlohmo, Emerge From Smoke
King of the “future R&B” scene, Shlohmo is a man that needs no introduction. His latest release is an intricately layered slow burner that is brimming with suspense and anticipation. It’s dark, it’s mysterious, and it’s Shlohmo doing what he does best.
- Sans Parents, Coming Back To You
They might seem like new comers, but Sans Parents have been around the traps for a while (two former Hungry Kids of Hungary members and an Andy Bull collaborator). This then explains their well developed sound. Coming Back To You packs more than a few punches, with it’s aggressive guitar licks juxtaposed with smooth vocal harmonies. Watch out for these guys.
- Kagoule, Gush
UK rockers Kagoule have delivered a scorching track with Gush. Before the plethora of 90s comparisons flood in, just listen to that slide guitar and intriguing riff – this is a band that is so much more than just their influences.
- Jackson and His Computerband, Pump (Brodinski Remix)
Part of the RedBull 20 Before 15 series, where 20 artists who have worked with the RB team are highlighted over the remaining 20 days of 2014, French producer Brodinski has gone above and beyond with this remix. Completely spinning Jackson and His Computerband‘s track Pump on it’s head, this is one of the most exciting remixes I’ve heard all year!
- Jon ft. Midas.Gold, What I Hear
Brisbane rappers JON and Midas.Gold team up to continue championing a new movement of Australian hip hop. The raw lyricism, both artists’ seemingly effortless skill, the subtle beats carrying the track; What I Hear blows a breath of fresh air into the local and national hip hop game!
Australia’s own True Blue groove maker Touch Sensitive has announced a new track Teen Idols, AND it will be featured on an album of the same name that showcases Future Classics 2014 release’s, in an amazing collection of banging tunes which have soundtracked the year. Also featuring the likes of; Flight Facilities, Basenji, Wave Racer, Seeake and a whole lot more the compilation is probably the funkiest collection of tunes we’ve seen for a while.
Speaking out about his new track, Touch Sensitive stated that his “cousin Michael Bartucciotto introduced me to lots of deep Doo Wop and I’m familiar with most of the Teen Idol stuff because my dad listens to it, so to me this track is about a little bit of the past in a current context. People have short attention spans these days and some pop hooks are only a couple of words (if that), so it’s a bit of a nod to that world you could say.”
We’ll be honest, it’s a lot different to his signature funky bass lines, but the “Doo Wop” sure is a welcome change, stream the new track below. The compilation album is now available for pre-order and honestly seems like the perfect soundtrack to summer.
Teen Idols Tracklist:
1. Touch Sensitive – Teen Idols
2. HWLS – 004 w/ Noah Breakfast
3. Basenji – Heirloom
4. Chet Faker – Gold
5. Seekae – Test & Recognise
6. George Maple – Talk Talk
7. Karma Kid – Bird of Prey
8. KOA – All Of My Love
9. Thrupence – Silk
10. 123Mrk – Gotta Choose feat. Martin Mey
11. Cashmere Cat – With Me
12. Wave Racer – Streamers
13. Hayden James – Something About You
14. Chrome Sparks – Goddess
15. Flight Facilities – Two Bodies feat. Emma Louise (Lido Remix)
16. Woolfy – City Lights
Teen Idols is available for pre-order now, and drops December 19 through Future Classic.