GANG OF YOUTHS.
So if these gents aren’t on to something big, then I don’t know what the fuck to believe. Over on the Gang Of Youths soundcloud page, the first track I ever heard from the boys, ‘Strange Diseases’ has been taken down leaving just the amazing and haunting ‘Riverlands’ as well as a newy, ‘Knuckles White Dry (Car Ride Home)’. And whilst taking down a track doesn’t necessarily mean anything, that coupled with the boys relentless gigging, teaming up with Mirror Music, and posting pics of them in the recording studio over on their facebook page has Detective Miks thinking that somethin’s goin’ on. Maybe a proper re-record of the track?
But all we got to go on at the moment is the new track. As opposed to that big anthemic pop that ‘Strange Diseases’ nailed, the new track sounds much like ‘Riverlands’ in that it’s a distorted piano just with vocals as well as some added guitar. It is seriously nice too.
Seriously keep an eye on these gents. 2013 will be a massive year for ‘em I reckon!
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Miks
GOLDSMITH.
Goldsmith are quite excellent. From Newcastle these guys have been kicking around for only 12 months or so, and are already nailing that ethereal indie pop that almost wants to fly above you, lift you gently by the shoulders and fly you away. New single ‘Backbone’ sounds like music from a different era, although an era that perhaps hasn’t happened yet.
Download it from the bands Unearthed page. And if you dig, check em out on tour – details here.
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Miks
MESSRS.
Brand newy from Adelaide gents Messrs. Doing that live indie dance vibe pretty well, these guys know their way around a killer pop song too.
The guys are launching their new single Running Wild with a fair few shows around the country – dates here.
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Miks
JEREMY NEALE.
Bangin’ little 60′s vibe number from that rapscallion from Brisvegas, Jeremy Neale. Comes with added feel goods from fellow Brisvegas babes Go Violets.
Catch Mr Neale as he tours the latest single on a mini east coast 3 dater. Details here.
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Miks
BUCHANAN.
These gents do that big sounding indie rock that is always good.
Buchanan‘s debut full length is due out May 10, and if earlier single ‘Run Faster’ is anything to go by, then it’ll be a pretty fucking good album.
New single ‘Human Spring’ sounds even bigger than earlier tracks, but still manages to ensure that an element of vulnerability remains in Josh’s vocals. You can stream the track below, and if you dig, you can download it for free from the bands website.
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Miks
ALUKA VIDEO PREMIERE.
So, this is pretty exciting. Maamf is lucky enough to be able to debut the making of vid for one of the tracks from Aluka‘s debut full length, Space alongside a whole heap of other excellent blogs. The track we’ve got is track 9, ‘Street’. Tomorrow, make sure you check out the rad All I Do Is Listen as they premier another making of vid.
Perhaps the best thing about Aluka is that sure they’re an experimental vocal pop group, but it’s still all quite accessible and definitely not alienating. The album itself was released a couple of days ago (April 5th) and was recorded and produced by the excellent Nick Huggins, who has worked with Oscar + Martin, Kid Sam etc. The guys vary it up with their sounds (yep, that is possible with just vocals) as well as the stories that they tell. You can also hear the various locations reflected in both the stories and sounds too (each song was recorded in a unique location across their home state of Victoria). It’s a small bit wanky a concept, but my gosh does it work.
The girls are going to be doing a run of dates in support of the album. Make sure you check ‘em out. They’re heaps talented, and also heaps funny (as the clip suggests).
Album Launch Tour
Thursday 11th April- Camelot Lounge, Sydney Friday 12th April- Salamanca Art Centre, Hobart Wednesday 17th April- Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane Sunday 21st April- Nexus Art Centre, Adelaide Friday 3rd May- Uniting Church of Northcote, MelbourneBuy tickets: http://aluka.com.au/tour/
I’LLS.
I’lls are a great little Melbourne band doing some killer moody layered pop. The guys have just signed to Yes Please and are set to release their new EP, A Warm Reception on May 21. The first cut from the release, ‘Plans Only Drawn’ sounds like some excellent Radiohead-styled weird noise guitar gem. It’s an incredibly warm bit of production too, and strangely uplifting.
You can stream ‘Plans Only Drawn’ below.
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Miks
ELIZA HULL.
Eliza Hull has been kicking around for a while. Her work has never really grabbed me in the past I must say. It’s always been strong electronic infused pop music, but maybe I just wasn’t listening properly.
Coz then this happened.
There is this beautiful restraint in ‘Echoes’. Eliza’s voice has a big early Sia vibe (think Zero7 era). There’s a confident sadness somewhere in there. Produced by the legend that is Hayden Calnin, it’s simply a great bit of production and songwriting.
‘Echoes’ is off Eliza’s second EP, due out for release in July. Looking forward to it!
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Miks
CITY CALM DOWN + ZAC HAYSE
Ok, so this is simply fucking genius. Such a feel good remix of a freakin feel good track.
City Calm Down have proven themselves a heap over the past couple of months – from getting bigtime radio play to playing some killer gigs. And then Zac Hayse of excellent Melbourne duo 96 Bulls.
The best way to start your post-humpday day.
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Miks
BEACHES.
Melbourne five-piece Beaches are releasing their second album, She Beats on May 3. The band’s self-titled debut, released in 2008 (feels like ages ago), was pretty lauded – some great surfy indie guitar music.
The first taste of the new album, ‘Distance’ goes for a big driving dreamy vibe with layers and layers of some of the best guitar sounds you’ve heard in a while. So keen for this album!
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Miks
GEORGE MAPLE.
Jess Higgs is George Maple. And whilst there’s a chance you might know her by the new name (she featured on Flume‘s track ‘Bring You Down’), you would definitely be familiar with Jess’s voice – she featured on Flight Facilities awesome track of 2011, ‘Foreign Language’.
As a solo George Maple, the sound is still electronic, but does that whole Jamie Lidell soul vibe. It makes for a freaking catchy, warm, and funky sound.
‘Fixed’ is getting a release on April 15 through her own label, Tuluum Records. The single will come with remixes from Moonbase Commander and Maribou State.
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Miks
JAGWAR MA.
Jagwar Ma are Sydney town peeps currently doing the whole Aussie in LDN thing. And yeah, I know this tune has been doing the rounds for a while, but man, it’s a really good song. When that bass kicks in, fuck me – makes it one of the tunes of the year.
The clip, shot on a monday (apparently), features Jono Ma dancing like a loon and just generally having a top notch time singing his song. Pretty cool little bit of film making.
You can stream ‘The Throw’ below if you haven’t already, as well as the clip.
Also make sure you grab the track on iTunes – the b side, ‘Four’ is fucking ace!
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Miks
GOVS.
Gold Coast does not necessarily always equal party party party music. It’s also, in the case of GOVS, a solo project from Josiah Birrell, a place where dreamy guitar pop lives.
GOVS reminds me a little bit of Bored Nothing, i think partly due to the fact that it’s a one man band, but also that laid back vibe that his stuff exudes. There’s also a real Beach House vibe to some of his other tracks. Put simply, it’s just really fucking good!
The dude’s debut self-titled EP came out a little while ago – you can grab it on iTunes here. I’ve got track two below though as a free download.
DOWNLOAD (Right Click, Save As)
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Miks
RINSE.
And repeat.
Listening to RINSE on a pretty wet and rainy Sydney afternoon kinda really works. These four dudes from Brissie create this 80′s inspired indie that is built around these really distinct melody lines. The track below for instance, ‘Point’ has this guitar/synth line that really is the backbone to the track. That line is the reason this track is catchy as all hell.
You can download ‘Point’ below, and make sure you check out the bands bandcamp page for two other tracks. Their soundcloud has a couple of ace covers too. All that and a brand new EP to drop soon. KEEN!
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Miks
TOMAS STRODE & THE TOUR GUIDES.
Wow. I could listen to this all day. This is easily one of the loveliest songs I’ve heard in quite some time.
Tomas Strode & The Tour Guides are responsible for making me feel pretty warm and fuzzy and contemplative this afternoon. What a freakin great start to the week.
Their new single ‘Broken Road’ features the excellent girls from Aluka - those vocal harmonies add this beautiful extra level of warmth that, in my eyes/to my ears, make the track. I’m actually sitting at my desk kind of wanting to cry.
You can download the track for free below, and if you dig, make sure you check out their other stuff on their soundcloud.
The bands debut full length Graceful Mistake is due out later this year.
If you’re in Melbourne, make sure you check out the guys launch the single at The Workers Club on Wed 27th March.
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Miks
TOUCAN.
Toucan have been kicking around for a little while, but I must admit that this is the first time I’ve had a proper listen. Good thing I did – their latest EP, Swim, released last month, is a bit of wonderful pop music. It’s an ethereal 5 tracker, that doesn’t go out of it’s way. It simply arrives, does what it’s meant to do, and then leaves you wanting to play it over and over again.
The lead single, ‘Warrior’ is, to me, a track full of anticipation, a track that leaves me waiting for an even bigger chorus to kick in. But that’s what’s good about it – it’s restrained, it leaves you hanging, it doesn’t do what you expect it to. All this and it still manages to be an incredibly well written, catchy as fuck pop song.
If you dig this one, then check out their EP (iTunes link). It’s pretty great!
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Miks
DEJA.
DEJA are always going to do something a little outta left-field. Their left-field electronica infused pop music always manages to fit a mood, and never goes go far outta left-field that…well…there’s no more field. It’s just stands.
Their clips equally hit it out of the park (to keep that tortured, pretty crap analogy going). Featuring some pretty stunning photography, the clip for their latest single ‘Holiday’ also includes a small bit of expressive/interpretive dance, but hey, the clip looks absolutely amazing.
Check it out just below, and if you dig the track, you can download that one just below too!
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Miks
GANG OF YOUTHS.
There’s one song that has been in my head non-stop. For a whole week. And, man, it actually isn’t annoying the hell outta me. that’s pretty rare!
Gang Of Youths are from up here in Sydney town (first time I’ve put ‘up here’ and ‘Sydney town’ in such close proximity – but hey, happy to claim Sydney as home when there’s bands like GOY). They’re also pretty versatile. The aforementioned non annoying song, ‘Strange Diseases’ is one of those anthemic pop songs that, you can imagine, live, would be pretty fucking incredible to see.
Then there’s their track ‘Riverlands’. Something on the other end of the freakin’ spectrum. It has this overexposed but still mellow sounding piano, and this deep brooding voice that transports you to another place.
If you dig, and your up in Sydney, then make sure you check out these boys live – they’re playing at FBi Social on Sat March 9. Details here.
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Miks
THE RED LIGHTS.
Is there a better pop-tinged angular punk band out there?
At the risk of leaving that question mid air, it perhaps pays to suggest that Melbourne gents The Red Lights may be the answer.
Their newy, ‘Lesser Today’ gives a moody punch with a catchy as hell (these guys have a knack for that) chorus. Dean’s vocals, yet again, sound amazing. Nah actually, the whole band sound amazing. Sorry Dean.
Stream below and if you dig, you can download from their triple j unearthed profile.
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Miks
THE CORSAIRS.
The Corsairs know their way around an indie pop song, but this one has added swagger.
I first heard ‘Rich Kids’ when they did a gig for the excellent Tram Sessions – you can check out the vid here. Being acoustic though, I must say I wasn’t sold on the track…but then I hear this version and it kills. Also reminds me a fair bit of fellow Melbournians and swagger bringers extraodinaire’s Money For Rope.
If you dig, the boys have it up on their triple j unearthed page for a free download too!
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Miks
BIG SCARY.
So this is a freaking incredible tune. Like, really fucking good. Big Scary are back at it, producing some of the greatest, almost sombre music, that yep, I really dig. Phil Collins is taken off the bands 2nd album Not Art due out later on this year.
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Miks
BRIGHTLY.
This is a great little track. That cut up guitar that the song is built upon give the track this real organic feel, something when melded with some great electronic glitches, works freakin well.
This is the first single taken from Brightly‘s debut full length…and it’s streaming below. But, there is a way you can get your own copy of ‘Preflight Nerves’. And then the possibility of scoring a copy of the album not with cash, but lots of love.
The Beginnings & Endings Project is all about spreading that love and seeing where in the world your love ends up.
More details over at the site itself, but make sure you sign up and grab a copy of the single. And then of course, share the link you get and hopefully you’ll score an album out of it! Check it all out over at beginnings.wearebrightly.com.
These guys are a really hard working Melbourne band…and the track is proof of it. 2013 might just be a great year for them.
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Miks
RIPLEY CALLAHAN.
An acoustic guitar and a voice. Pretty simple. And a heap of people fuck it up royally.
Ripley Callahan doesn’t though. And for a young dude (the fella’s only 17), he’s creating some really easy, honest straight up singer songwriter stuff. There’s this level of restraint it what Ripley does – he uses space really well (especially in some of the melody lines he sings).
You can check out his most recent track ‘Smile’ just below…I’ve also included the first track he uploaded to his soundcloud, ‘Bloom’. It’s over a year old, but I reckon it’s one of the best of the 8 he has up on his soundcloud. I definitely recommend you check out all the other stuff though.
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Miks
THE STEVENS.
Ace Melbourne band The Stevens have signed to equally ace label Chapter Music. Chapter are rereleasing the bands 6 track Cassette/CD-R EP of last year as an excellent 7″ vinyl on April 5. But if you’re that keen to get your hands on it, then you can grab a digital copy right now via the Chapter Music bandcamp page.
You can stream my fave cuts from the EP below (make sure you purchase it if you haven’t already got a copy). Also good news is the fact that Mikey Young is currently working with the guys in the recording of the bands debut full length due out later on this year. The Stevens make some seriously catchy indie pop music. This will be an ace album.
Make sure you check the dudes out as they support UK’s The Wedding Present on Feb 27 at the NSC too. Details here.
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Miks
