It’s just the fourth week of the year and seriously, the amount of quality music being released is quite amazing. All you have to do is look at the albums released last Friday for example; James Blake, Sharon Van Etten, Toro y Moi, Cub Sport and Sports Bra all released albums just three weeks into the year. Gone are the days of waiting till February or March to release!
This playlist always tries to look a little outside the norm for new music. Of course it’s easy to pick the popular artists, but you can find them everywhere. Enjoy this, admittedly very chill, playlist, perfect for a hot Summer arvo.
Even if it appears that they are following in the footsteps of that other big Perth band, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are forging their own path. Dynamic, psychedelic rock with a tinge of fuzz and fun, the Crumpets start 2019 with a bang releasing Keen for Kick Ons?. Apparently, the track tells the story of getting drunk and singing Queen so bad (I mean who can actually do it justice?) that you get fired. 2018 saw them hit up festivals around the country and now they look set to take over the UK and USA with a massive run of dates announced. Sounds like a great reason for some drunken singing.
With an acronym that stands for ‘A Different Kind Of Busy’, ADKOB must be living our their name because judging by the 15 month hiatus on their Twitter account, it’s been some time between drinks. It seems, however, there been good reason. Chalkline comes out fresh in the year and represents the best track I’ve heard from this Sydney four-piece. Straight off the bat, it sucks you in and once the pulsing chorus kicks in, you’ll grow to love the feel of this sharp pop-rock track. 2019 may very well be the break-out year that this band have been promising for some time.
Skinnyfish Sound System incorporates three exciting indigenous acts, B2M (Bathurst to Melville), Birdz and Tasman Keith. Individually they are talented as hell; put them together and it’s next level. This track, Smoking Ceremony, based on the Tiwi chant recorded as part of B2M’s theatre show, Mamanta, brings the sound of the first peoples to life, pulling three different indigenous sounds from three different regions. The Tiwi Islands, Birdz, a Murri man (NW NSW/Queensland) and Keith, a proud Gumbaynggirr man (Bowraville) are all represented with the raps from Birdz and Keith layered over a strong and powerful beat.
Tiny Ruins, aka Hollie Fullbrook, has a voice that glides over you like slightly-heated butter. Her latest track, after a 2018 that saw three fantastic singles, shows off her glistening abilities immediately. Holograms slips into your soul, with a dreamy guitar, a smooth bass line and that voice; it is seriously hypnotic. The New Zealander, signed to Milk Records! is preparing to release her third album on the 1st of February before a big national tour. Put her on your radar and bliss out.
Who are daste? It’s a fair point. Aside from the fact that they’ve gone with the habit of lower case names and capitalised songs (it’s a thing!), they created a groovy-arse song (just their second!) that will get your body moving wherever you are right now. SOBER is a deliciously smooth track, incorporating similar sounds to Flight Facilities in their cool-funk phase. This trio, out of the Gold Coast, have gone for a song that makes you want to lay back in a li-lo in a cold pool on a hot day with a icy cold beverage in your hand. Ignore the title of track, drink as much as you want and let this very cool song infiltrate your soul.
It’s been way too long between drinks for JONES Jnr. The pair already have a very fine reputation for creating pop-groove tracks over the last five years featuring the plush vocal of Ev Jones and the top-drawer production of the man behind Thundamentals’ sound, DJ Morgs. Pin Me Down is a huge track to start the new year with. The pulsing bass line is super-noticeable here and underlies the smooth-funk guitar. Morgs really comes into his own here as well, providing that signature backdrop that perfectly suits the style of Jones. It’s an exciting return and I can’t wait to see what else comes out this year.
She was a surprise find of 2018 and with a new song early this year, she’s setting the scene for what’s the come. Eilish Gilligan, with S.M.F.Y last year made herself known and appeared on many a ‘Next Big Thing’ list for good reason. A voice that’s sensitive but powerful lingers in all of her tracks but she’s really dialled it back for her new one, The Pull. With just her voice and a piano, we are really pulled (pun intended) into Gilligan’s world that sees her weighing up whether to stay with someone when she knows she probably shouldn’t. It’s raw, it’s beautiful and it’ll make you a fan of this excellently talented lady.
When you’re sharing label-space (FLIGHTLESS) with the King Giz guys, there must be some pressure to churn out music, but The Murlocs (who actually have two KGATLW members) prefer to do things at their own pace. Indeed, Comfort Zone is one of their must glacial and expressive songs yet, but it shows off the diversity of a band that have already made waves overseas with psych-tinged rhythm and blues that brings out your dancing and reminiscing for the carefree days. Driven by the organ and the stand-out voice of Ambrose Kenny-Smith, let this track roll over you. Oh and to see the clip, click on the album art above. It’s pretty bloody messed up.
For a band that has just released their second album, they sound like veterans. Sports Bra are the next band you need to hear about. They play DIY indie-pop/punk without pretension. They’re honest, direct and just damn good at what they do. Sobriety Kills is one of the prime rocky cuts from a very solid album that explores issues of trans-phobia and every-day emotions. Produced by Cry Club’s Jonathon Tooke and mastered by Jonathan Boulet, all the ingredients are here to launch the band into the spotlight they deserve.
Whilst I was a little reluctant to add another chill summer-electronic song in the playlist, this won’t get out of my head. Huntly, out of Melbourne, are a trio that have made this slow-rave power ballad that will sneakily bury itself into your brain with it’s droney, ethereal rhythm, a persistent Aussie-as-hell lyric and some intriguing production. It takes us a little bit out of the current sound going around, not afraid to experiment, whilst still being super-chill to listen to. Low Grade Buzz is the final track from the album of the same name, out 15th March on Barely Dressed and Remote Control Records.
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