Local
Sweater Curse: I Can't See You Anymore (Single)(Independent)
- Long-beloved locals Sweater Curse keep putting out music that feels instantly classic in its canon. This is another one of those times. Catch them launching this one at The Foundry on July 13. (Liz Ansley)
Yù Yī: Peaches feat. Ellen (Single)(Independent)
- Effervescent, slinky and with plenty of groove, this debut from Brisbane-based producer Yù Yī is the first taste of a forthcoming album FRÖÖTI, promised to us within just a few months. We don't know much about the enigmatic artist at this stage - though we're told "Yù Yī is the story of a little astronaut who goes by the name of Mister Hugo" (whatever that means) - but colour us intrigued. (Liz Ansley)
Humblet: I Do Like My Troopy But I Sure Love You (Independent)
- Nick Humblet follows up his fantastic debut EP with a new, similarly rousing, sunny collection of songs - complete with a lo-fi clip for the title track that might actually achieve the gargantuan task of making you miss the sticky, unbearable summer (or maybe just holidays). From the heart, wholesome Aussie blokeyness. (Liz Ansley)
Brief Habits: Another Mistake (Single)(Independent)
- Local boys Brief Habits have dropped a catchy, sweet, (initially) slow jamming tune that doesn't outstay its welcome. While speaking of loss and reconnection the band deliver a short track with polished production, emotionally charged vocals and just an old fashioned gosh-darn earworm. Heavy rotation in the foreseeable future for me! (Peter Strasser)
Australian
DRMNGNOW: Indigenous Land (Independent)
- Coming in strong with his second official single is self-described "song carrier" DRMNGNOW, confronting us with important truths over a trap-influenced beat. River Boy brings a subtle stylishness to the track's production, carefully interplaying percussion with pitched woodwind samples. Says DRMNGNOW of the track, “To build just relationships in this land as best we can with a horrific history of genocidal implementation in tow, we need to truly acknowledge and gear change towards showing true support behind the fact that it is Indigenous lands we are all living out our lives upon.” DRMNGNOW furthers. “We have gone down the path of so many diversionary conversations only to still find ourselves trying to get back to square one 51 years on from the ’67 Referendum.” “As a result, the matters of grimness of the current state of life generally across this land is intense. Though some who have benefited from the privilege of exploitation of this land and resources and structures thrive in bubbles; the land is largely desecrated beyond repair, with the social structures and fabrics on this land similarly entrench in withering disarray. The idea of a “Fair Australia” is evaporating inevitably as it always was bound to, for it never was in any shape, fair from the moment first fleet arrived in 1788. We are not getting back to square one in this land until we acknowledge we are all living on stolen Indigenous Land. It simply cannot occur.” (Liz Ansley)
imbi the girl: Swell (Single)(Independent)
- Unpacking personal struggles in the same wholly universal, genuine, warm way we've come to expect, imbi the girl gets real about internal overload over a winkingly laid-back beat. Parsing individual struggles - all the way from major, through avoiding checking your mail to stay ignorant about the state of your taxes to losing a pen - with impeccable flow, imbi the girl feels poised for big things this year. (Liz Ansley)
Casual Workforce: Different Sides (Independent)
- Echoing the sounds and honouring the pedigree of Australian rock/metal heavyweights like COG and The Butterfly Effect, this debut release from Melbourne based Casual Workforce has the polish and variation of a well established band. Second single "Your Fix" hooks you in immediately with the grooving bass but later gets under your skin with the eerie vocals and wallowing guitar effects. Surely not a release to let go under your radar this June. (Peter Strasser)
Tanaya Harper: Some Kinds (HEALTHY TAPES)
- Ever wonder what sorrow sounds like in song form? Look no further than Some Kinds, EP from Perth based singer Tanaya Harper, who delicately guides you through her personal journey of mental illness. Tanaya uses bare and simple instrumentation which both comforts and leaves the listener isolated, while her silky smooth vocals deliver carefully chosen, yet memorable lyrics. If you need a tune to wallow within, Graceless is the one to go for. (Peter Strasser)
Ripple Effect Band: Ngúddja (Indie)
- Comprising eight women from Maningrida, Arnhem Land, The Ripple Effect Band make driving rock/roots music sung in four different Aboriginal languages, reflecting the multilingual nature of their hometown, and also in English. Their official debut single Ngúddja is "about the languages of Maningrida," say the band. "The first verse describes the wind that blows across the land bringing the words and the spirits to us. The second verse lists the languages you can hear every day in our community. We all speak different languages but we sit down together." (Liz Ansley)
Nelipot: Hudson Lane (Single)(Independent)
- A soaring, anthemic slice of indie-pop from NSW Central Coast outfit Nelipot. The guitar parts beget searing nostalgia, with tightly executed bass parts chasing the melody, all underscored and highlighted by the synth cascading and receding underneath it all. This single drips with a sense of sincerity, refreshing amidst the wave of melodic dream-pop bands flooding the east coast. (Clayton Bick-Paterson)
Retiree: Pumice Stone (Single)(Rhythm Section)
- The latest offering from Sydney/Melbourne trio Retiree is an amazingly authentic piece of retro-pop brilliance, the synths and drum sequences carry the melodies with almost effortless simplicity. With tightly executed funk basslines, a reverb-soaked guitar plucking out melancholic phrases and a soaring chorus that will have you putting your hands in the air, dancing like you just don't care, Pumice Stone is a subtle banga that will help you shake off all of that dead flesh. (Clayton Bick-Paterson)
Overseas
serpentwithfeet: soil (Secretly Canadian / Tri-Angle Records)
- Classically trained singer and relentless RnB/soul experimentalist Josiah Wise aka serpentwithfeet finally unveils his gorgeous, sprawling opus soil - a quasi-religious rumination on and exploration of queer love, with collaborators and contributors spanning Katie Gately, Clams Casino and Paul Epworth. Björk, a fan and previous collaborator of Wise's, described him as "one of the most emotionally generous singers," but on soil he makes it clear his generosity expands far beyond that. (Liz Ansley)
Hilary Woods: Colt (Sacred Bones Records)
- Not often does a record come around as hauntingly beautiful and immersive as Hilary Wood's 'Colt'. The Irish singer-songwriters' release through US cult label, Sacred Bones Record, follows on from two previously released EP's. The layering of instruments such as the piano, synths and field recordings are gorgeous and enveloping, swooping you in to bathe amongst the inner warm glow. Woods songs pull from the depths of the musing of relationships and the passing of time, reflections on both love and letting go. She so thoughtfully articulates the dissonance of these experiences, which can so often leave us feeling vulnerable and unsure. This time however, the impression of triumph over defeat is the lingering mark. A well curated example of thoughtful modern music. (Jasmine Dunn)
Japanese Summer Orange: Let Me Get You Some Beers (Single)(Independent)
- Making music described as "sweet and bitter like marmalade", relative newcomer Japanese Summer Orange hooked us instantly with his buoyant, washed-out lo-fi indie pop and highly-saturated aesthetic. The track's visuals were indeed shot with plenty of the titular Beers in hand within the space of a day, lending it an easy familiarity on top of the song's already endless charms. (Liz Ansley)
LUMP: LUMP (Secretly Canadian / Inertia)
- If you're partial to some deep and introspective alternative pop, the self titled release from LUMP is a must listen. Featuring 7 tracks (one of which is a credits track) that seamlessly blend into one another, this EP is one that rewards concentration and repetitive listens. And boy, what details can be discovered if you sit with LUMP a while. (Peter Strasser)