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
MAXI.
So every once and a while you sleep on a track and then come across a remix that forces you to go back and re-listen to the original. The artist in question is Melbourne singer Maxi and the remixer is new kid on the Sydney block Adam Sandlah.
The track is Maxi’s latest single, ‘From The Start’.
The original has this real funky vibe to it – from those condensed drum sounds to the keyboard groove. And then, of course, Maxi’s super hot vocals on top.
The remix adds this cool, disco house feel to it. Put against this straight up groove, it keeps the verses simple – bass, beat, and vox. Added in the chorus is that hella good horn line and a funkier groove.
I’d keep an eye out on Sandlah. Could be ontoagoodthing.
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Miks
SUGARCRAFT.
I’ve written about Sugarcraft before. I really dug the work that they did – they started putting out stuff in early 2011…but it’s been a little while since drinks.
That all changed this morning though when the duo put up their debut EP up on their bandcamp as a free download.
It still has that real funk feel with Beth’s super sexy vocals.
Perhaps my fave cuts from the release are Holiday and the reworked version of Feeling featuring Ray Mann. But, really, the whole release is pretty great.
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Miks
CHET FAKER.
Melbourne boy Chet Faker has a new single out. After hitting the blogosphere rather large with his cover of No Diggity, there’s been a fair bit of love for the bloke.
For me, it’s that beaty soul sound he got goin on. This new one, Terms and Conditions, as opposed to others, is more focussed on the vocals, which I really dig. It sounds a little more down-tempo r’n'b. And not only does it work, it shows that he can do more than one thing.
Chet Faker - Terms and Conditions
And for some reason, during the second line of the chorus I wanna sing: And there ain’t no holla back girl. Yeah there ain’t no holla back girl. But anyway.
Chet also has a new EP Thinking In Textures, due out late March. Although the presser is calling it an EP, i’m more inclined to call this one a mini album – it’s a seven tracker and features some already well known tracks of his. Keep an eye/ear out – this will be sure to establish this bloke.
Miks
THE HARPOONS.
The new EP from The Harpoons dropped last week and although we’re pretty familiar with the second lead track Keep You Around, it is freakin’ nice to hear the first one, Walk Away. Cheers to the rather excellent Auditor Records for the tip off on this!
Walk Away takes it up a notch, with even more funk and a seriously catchy chorus. This is amazeballs times about a gazillion. LOVE IT!
The EP at the moment is only available at Polyester Records in Melbourne, but it looks as though they’re gonna try make it available for download on their bandcamp and iTunes.
Miks
YEO.
Outta Melbournetown, Yeo is one diverse dude. New track, Selma Blair is a banjo infused folk sing-a-long. But then going through his earlier stuff there’s a massive Pharrell Williams influence in tracks like Two Sides Of A Door. So, we got both.
Anyway, the newy Selma Blair is taken from Yeo’s third album entitled Home, coming out next week (Jan 12), all for free on his bandcamp page.
Also, make sure you chcek him out as he tours the new album – he’s doing Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. More deets here.
Miks
SASKWATCH
Ok, so to me there’s something kinda nostalgic about the sound Saskwatch put out. That old school funk soul vibe – reminds me of a time when I was once them…well attempting to be. I studied music quite a few years ago (failed drummer) and it’s this kind of stuff that everybody would vibe off. Killer sound, so warm…and yet there’s an element of dirtiness about it.
Anyway, enough of me. Saskwatch are a 9 piece crew from Melbourne town. If you’re a local, you might have caught them at Cherry – they’ve had a 2 year long residency there.
The guys are set to launch their new double A side 7″ single Don’t Wanna Try/Pushin’ Me Away next week. They’re both stellar tracks, but also showcase the different sound these guys get out there. Don’t Wanna Try is a more soul inspired slow jam that seriously kills it – those horn riffs that come in at the intro/chorus and during the bridge nail me. Second track Pushin’ Me Away is a far more funked vibe – almost James Brown style in that intro guitar. And the way that bass line walks up when it changes key – love it. And once again, the horns in the chorus give it such a funky kick. MAN!
The guys are launching the new stuff with two shows at the Workers Club next week (Thurs Nov 24th and Fri Nov 25th). More deets here. Also keep an eye out for their debut album, due out early next year.
Miks
THE HARPOONS.
Man. Seriously. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. It seems to be feel good central here at maamf…and yeah, I guess there’s nothing wrong with that!
The Harpoons are a Melbourne crew with some serious old school soul. Think some seriously funky bassline, an amazingly rich lead vocal and some killer harmonies to boot.
The guys are on Two Bright Lakes, home to locals Otouto, Collarbones, Batrider and Oscar + Martin amongst a whole heap of others. Martin from Oscar + Martin plays drums with the guys.
Anyway, check out their new single Keep You Around. If you like, then make sure you check them out as they play a couple of shows throughout November – dates after the jump.
GUERRE
Guerre. This is a name I’ve heard a bit, namely from the excellent To & Fro as well as the equally excellent Sound Lab. It was only until I checked out the very good rose quartz blog that it all clicked.
Guerre do some almost soul style beaty atmospheric kinda stuff. Big track that people might know is Millennium Blues which we got streaming below. You should also make sure you check out the EP though, Darker My Love – grab it over on the Yes Please Records bandcamp.
This is some rather excellent stuff for a night in. or a Sunday morning. It be a win win for me.
We got Millennium Blues and Transnautica from the Darker My Love EP down below as streams. YES!
Guerre – Transnautica
Guerre – Millenium Blues
SUGARCRAFT.
Good name for a band aye?
Sugarcraft are Beth from The Little Stevies and one of the Bens from The Megahorns, two local Melbourne bands.
They produce this really nice soul hip-hop kinda stuff with some freakin nice, super warm grooves.
Not sure what’s happening with these guys, and it was purely by chance I stumbled upon their Facebook page, but it’s good to see a bit of a love-in between two local acts. We’ve spoken about The Little Stevies before, and they’re all sorts of good with their indie folk. On the other hand though however, I think the only time I’ve seen The Megahorns play was when they were just starting out a fair few years ago and they use to play/busk on the streets of Melbourne.
Anyway, you can check out their track Feeling featuring another Melbourne dude Ray Mann. Also, if you like, jump along to their Unearthed profile and grab some more of their stuff.
drink starr
Lauren Pritchard is a folk/soul singer originally from Jackson Tennessee, but is now based in ‘ol London town. She has a pretty amazing sound, killer voice, and has roped in some pretty sweet guests previously – ?uestlove provided some stick work on her first single Painkillers. Painkillers also got the remix treatment by a few out there, namely that awesome remix done by Roni Size that dropped a month or two ago.
This time round, Riva Starr has remixed Pritchard’s brand new single called Not The Drinking. It goes disco and I like very very much. It’s just solid housey disco music that I really feel like has helped make what has been a pretty shit day into a somewhat bearable one!
Andy Bull – We’re Too Young
ok. So this album came out at the beginning of this month. Is actually really good. I was a little unsure about it at first – his first single Small Town Girl was pretty pop, and it got made a pretty big commercial radio hit. But the album has a really good vibe to it. Sure it’s pop, and some people may have a little trouble getting used to the man’s voice, but yeah.
It’s all pretty much piano driven tracks on this album. Mr Bull started playing the keys pretty early on – apparently his dad collected them as Andy was growing up. This shows. The dude has some good chops (muso talk for skills)!
In terms of standout tracks, the opener and title track, is a definite winner. Most of the tracks on this album seem to be about the lllllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddddddiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssssss. yeah…umm…that says ladies just in case you couldn’t read it. We’re Too Young speaks of what could’ve been etc etc.
Other major tracks would be the early single, Small Town Girl, the funk of Young Man, the awesome vocal workings of She’s A Ghost, the slowly building Girls! (yeah, there is an exclamation mark there. Must’ve got excited when thinking about the girls??!!), and the final track, the ballad The Sum Of All My Dreams.
So yeah, that’s it. Andy Bull is definitely a dude to keep your eye on. His local too, which is always a bonus…well he’s from Sydney…but we won’t hold that against him.
People call him ‘soul-pop’…and i’d tend to agree. He doesn’t lose any of his musicalness (new word. Oxford Dictionary will pay me later, I’m sure) either with the commercialness of his tracks. He’s cool. The album is cool. I’m cool. You might be too!
To leave you with, the standout for me. Also, a pretty decent cover of MGMT’s Electric Feel.
Andy Bull – Electric Feel (MGMT Cover)
K. That’ll do the ramble for now.
The Little Stevies – Love Your Band
“…And the planet’s getting hotter. So let’s jump on bikes and cycle round the entire world. With the wind in our hair, we can take off any time anywhere…and I’ll dink you, if you get too tired!”
This band totally rocked my world for a week. They’re kind of funk, with an eclectic soul feel. I think I listened to this whole album back to back for 3 days. They’re a funky melbourne group who sing about life, and people, relationships and all that cheesy shit that sounds awesome when blitzed into an entire record. If you were born in Australia and grew up on trams in Melbourne, music festivals in the bush and trips along the coast- then this is the album for you!
The Tram Song is so far my favourite.
Check them out on myspace, there is a fan club on facebook and they have recently scored residency at the empress hotel on Thursday’s.
You can also check out their video clip for Sunshower just below.
To The Little Stevies- I Love your band!
