Canada’s ethereal songstress, Carissa Kimbell,
https://twitter.com/carissakimbell?lang=en
Donny Benét has released new single ‘Mr Experience’ – premiered yesterday via Double J Mornings. The title track follows on from singles ‘Girl Of My Dreams’ and ‘Second Dinner’. Mr Experience will be released Friday 22nd May via Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records.
Sharing the genesis of the song Donny said: “The song concept came as a suggestion to me. I get suggestions all the time and they never stick – This one did! I like the intro on this one – it’s kind of like a mid 80’s Japanese game show introduction that goes into a little Chic vibe. It’s no secret that I’m a huge Bernard Edwards fan and I tried to play this bass line with as light a touch as possible. Who is Mr Experience? What is he experienced in? Apparently making good scrambled eggs is a huge talent, one that requires a lot of knowledge! It is the title track, and I think it’s an appropriate follow-up album title after The Don.”
Donny Benét’s local and international touring has also been rescheduled for later in 2020. Australian tour dates are now scheduled for October. Details for rescheduled European dates will be announced soon. For a full Donny Benét experience from the comfort of your own home, tune into Double J this Sunday 3rd May at 3PM AEST as Donny takes control of the airwaves and programs three hours of music for Double J’s Artist In Residence.
After humble lo-fi beginnings in the Australian art-pop underground, Donny Benét has expanded his cult-like following across the globe with a resonant array of danceable repertoire dealing with love and affection. His next album marks a new chapter informed by a wealth of musical and personal development.
Sincerity has been a key component of Donny Benét’s output since the beginning. His songs deal with genuine emotion served on a kitsch platter. An alter-ego manifested at the beginning of the 2010s, Donny has blurred the lines of artifice to create a back catalogue that can embrace and challenge – often simultaneously – the notion of irony in art. Mr Experience moves further away from ironic notions as Donny explores lyrical and musical themes which embody observations of maturation in his audience, his tight-knit musical community, and himself. While ‘mature’ is a term that often rings hollow as an album descriptor, the term couldn’t be more apt for Mr Experience.
To push himself musically, Donny envisioned a soundtrack to a dinner party set in the late 1980s. While his earlier recordings drew inspiration from DIY pop conspirators such as Ariel Pink and John Maus, Donny channelled the stylings of Bryan Ferry and Hiroshi Yoshimura as the impetus for new material, evident on the intimacy found on current single ‘Girl Of My Dreams’ and its lush production (with a soothing whistle-along chorus for good measure).
Mr Experience will be available digitally and released on classic black vinyl as well as a special ‘fruit punch’ coloured vinyl available exclusively via independent retailers. UK and European distribution via Proper Music Group.
Pre-order and pre-save Mr Experience via https://donnybenet.lnk.to/
Donny Benét | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
dotdashrecordings
remotecontrolrecords
Introducing Sydney-based artist Elmo Aoyama and her debut single ‘Summertime’.
Listen here.
Out now on the ‘Stay Inside: Songs from the Great Indoors’ compilation and set to appear on Elmo’s debut EP, Spells (out later this year on Dinosaur City Records), ‘Summertime’ was recorded by Aoyama at her home studio in the Blue Mountains of NSW, and mixed and mastered by Snowy (The Ocean Party/Snowy Band).
While Aoyama is best-known as synth-player, bassist and singer in much-loved Sydney band Big White who have released two highly acclaimed albums and one EP on Spunk Records/Caroline and Burger Records (USA), ‘Summertime’ is the first taste of her new namesake synth-pop project.
Taking inspiration musically from the likes of The Knife, Dirty Three, Yann Tiersen, YMO, Miharu Koshi and Yosui Inoue, Elmo says “‘Summertime’ is the longing one gets after a short glimpse of the other side. It’s the bittersweet taste of paradise nestled beyond diplomatic confusion.“
“It was the beginning of Spring and the end of a tour. The water was warm, the surf was flat, it felt easy to swim one or two kilometres out into the ocean. Gazing to the north you could see faint shapes of a land in the distance. That land was Turkey. The shore behind was Lapithos, Cyprus. I swam back and got on a bus with some of my closest friends. Summertime was written in my head on that bus.” Elmo continues.
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Keep up to date with Dinosaur City Records via our website, Instagram and Facebook.
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Global streaming platform has curated a fresh line up of events to keep people dancing and raising money for worthy causes with Technasia, Move D, A Guy Called Gerald, Francesca Lombardo, Shaun Reeves, Hector and many more
#StayHomeFestival, #DanceHome and #StreamWithUs
In response to the coronavirus crisis, the DanceTelevision Network’s FREE online initiative, the #StayHomeFestival, aims to urgently support and share the World Health Organization’s call to the world for social distancing. After early events gained worldwide plaudits, a new series of streams including Analog Room, East London Movement, Athens Showcase, Francesca Lombardo presents Upper Hour, ReSolute Stays Home, The Zoo Project, Vatos locos featuring Hector, VQtv by Shaun Reeves and Armigé Agency are now revealed.
DanceTelevision dedicates its entire platform to #StayHomeFestival streaming FREE 24/7 content from renown artists, events, and labels in the scene. Despite being in lockdown, artists can continue to interact with their fans and reach out with positive messages to millions of new viewers around the world, and across a variety of the most popular shared networks online. The project invites artists, events, labels and fans to join in solidarity to raise public awareness and funds in support of the WHO and select NGOs that are critical in helping the music entertainment industry. The community is called together to celebrate a universal love for music and the culture of a beloved electronic scene.
Since soft launching the project on 15 March 2020, numbers continue to rise exponentially and for the latest event with the likes of Pacha Ibiza, Jack Back, Felix Da Housecat, Luciano and International Music Summit all came together in support of the Red Cross in Ibiza.
Now, once again, some of the biggest names in dance music will be streamed live on DanceTelevision’s Stay Home Festival www.stayhomefestival.org as well as crossposted to many different Facebook pages. It all runs throughout April, May And June.
Up first Detroit techno tastemaker and Visionquest label boss Shaun Reeves will kick off the VQ TV show on Sunday May 3rd at 8pm to 11pm CET on Stay Home festival. The showcase will be revolving around Shaun featuring guests from the Visionquest label and from his close circle.
Divided across 3 nights, May 14, 20 and 28 respectively, Armige Agency is showcasing their roster with contributions from Joeski, Alexi Delano, Animal Trainer, Demuir, Junior Sanchez, Joyce Muniz, Kevin Knapp, Pezzner, Sis and Supernova.
Friday the 15th we welcome the infamous Vatos locos with a surprise lineup with label boss Hector at the helm in a mission to maintain the traditions of a Marathon around the time where they usually get down at the infamous Sunwaves Festival.
On May 16th, Francesca Lombardo’s “Upper Hour” event series cherishes the daytime ‘after party’ vibe and is fundamentally about good music presented in a unique setting, with DJs completely free to explore the full range of their selector skills. Hito and Cesare vs Disorder join curator Lombardo for a three hour showcase.
Vital underground house promoters Analog room Dubai also bring their tasteful soundtracks on May 7th and 21st with residents such as Move D, Alex Kid, A Guy Called Gerald, Siamak Amidi and Karina, and on May 19th and 26th, East London Movement is uniting underground East London promoters famous for their events in secret locations such as Into the Woods, Vox Sound, Bien Aimer Music, Paravibe, Decay Records and Bread and Butter London.
Electronic Labor Day (ELD) Beirut is a three-day virtual electronic music festival from May 1st to 3rd led by Uberhaus in partnership with top electronic music institutions in Lebanon and alongside the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs and Pastries in Lebanon. The three-day music marathon aims at raising funds for the non-managerial employees of the electronic music venues across Lebanon, who have been affected by COVID and the harsh economic circumstances associated with this pandemic. These livestreams will be immersive, entertaining and exciting, taking place across multiple online rooms. More than 150 DJS from 25 countries will be taking part in the cause, helping to spread awareness and unity through music.
ReSolute is without doubt one of the most exciting underground event brands in the Big Apple. Handpicked selection of residents and artists from the ReSolute agency will be presenting their Dj sets and live acts all with visuals from established artists like Cote, Danimation, Defne Onen, Dreamrec, polo_X_polo and Trig Fardust.
The Zoo Project is Ibiza’s infamous Sunday openair party and they will be showcasing quarantine videos of worldwide recognised artists as well as footage from unforgettable events at the old abandoned Zoo of last summer. Expect not only exceptional talent performances, but beautiful and colourful videos from Ibiza’s most spectacular event!
This is a game changing series of streams that will offer music lovers plenty to get excited about in the coming months.
LISTINGS
Friday May 1st – May 3rd
Electronic Labor Day (ELD) Beirut
May 3rd/10th/17th/24th
Shaun Reeves VQ-TV
8pm to 11pm CET
Friday May 15th
Hector presents Vatos Locos
Saturday May 16th
Francesca Lombardo presents Upper Hour
Hito and Cesare vs Disorder
Thursday 7th & 21st of May.
Analog Room
Move D, Alex Kid, A Guy Called Gerald, Siamak Amidi and Karina
Tuesday May 19th and 26th
East London Movement
Various dates May
ReSolute Stays Home
Cote, Danimation, Defne Onen, Dreamrec, polo_X_polo and Trig Fardust
May 14th, 20th & 28th
Armige Agency Showcases
Joeski, Alexi Delano, Animal Trainer, Demuir, Junior Sanchez, Joyce Muniz, Kevin Knapp, Pezzner, Sis and Supernova.
The Spanish DJ and producer’s track is part of Drumcode’s new compilation, “A-Sides Vol.9”, available from 27th of April.
There are several labels in the world but not so many that have Drumcode’s relevance, significance and influence. Adam Beyer‘s platform is one of the world’s leading techno catalysts. Its annual compilation “Drumcode A-Sides” has become very popular in the scene. Every year artists from all over the world capture the attention of Beyer and Drumcode thanks to their talent, work and original approach to the genre. The last to achieve this has been the Spanish DJ and producer Oscar L.
The name of the artist from Madrid is not a novelty within the international electronic music circuit. Oscar L, throughout his consolidated career, has signed releases on Suara, Toolroom, 1605, Stereo, Knee Deep In Sound and Truesoul where he has released three EPs in less than two years. Now the time has come for Oscar to add a new milestone to his career by becoming one of the few Spanish artists who have released on Adam Beyer’s label.
A mix of techno and groove, this is how Oscar L defines his track “Dark Fate”. The source of inspiration for this creation was the original soundtrack of the movie “Terminator“, hence the title of the track itself. The objective of Oscar L with this track is to provide DJs with an infallible weapon. A track that regardless of particular contexts and circumstances can transfer the public to techno terrain in a completely subtle, cunning and determined way.
In addition to Oscar L, Joyhauser, Dubfire, Christian Smith, Thomas Shumacher & Victor Ruiz, Eats Everything, Balthazar & JackRock, Reset Robot, Thomas Hoffknecht, Oscar L, Anfisa Letyago, Harvey McJay, Loco & Jam and Juliet Fox participate in the compilation. “Drumcode A-Sides Vol.9” will be available via Drumcode from April 27th.
Tracklist:
1. Joyhauser – Fierceness
2. Dubfire – Deadbug
3. Christian Smith – Just Close Your Eyes
4. Thomas Schumacher & Victor Ruiz – Intuit
5. Balthazar & JackRock – Red Village Disco Hustle
6. Reset Robot – Grains
7. Thomas Hoffknecht – Code 1
8. Anfisa Letyago – Are U In
9. Eats Everything – Organico
10. Oscar L – Dark Fate
11. Harvey McKay – Find Yourself
12. Loco & Jam – Addicted
13. Juliet Fox – Our Fantasy
1. Joyhauser – Fierceness
2. Dubfire – Deadbug
3. Christian Smith – Just Close Your Eyes
4. Thomas Schumacher & Victor Ruiz – Intuit
5. Balthazar & JackRock – Red Village Disco Hustle
6. Reset Robot – Grains
7. Thomas Hoffknecht – Code 1
8. Anfisa Letyago – Are U In
9. Eats Everything – Organico
10. Oscar L – Dark Fate
11. Harvey McKay – Find Yourself
12. Loco & Jam – Addicted
13. Juliet Fox – Our Fantasy
Parallells duo launch their A Day In series with a fantastic first film from Essaouira in Morocco, during Moga Festival
A DAY IN ESSAOUIRA
WATCH THE FULL EPIZODE HERE – https://vimeo.com/412308564
The Parallells duo are proud to launch their A Day In series with a fantastic first film from Essaouira in Morocco, during Moga Festival. The film features a new and exclusive track “A Day In Essaouira” which will be available for purchase on Bandcamp and profits will go to the Associations Yerma Gnaoua and Issaouas in order to help Moroccan traditional musicians and their families to overcome the CV19 crisis.
Julien and Thomas de Bie, former students of the Academy of Music, grew up influenced by jazz and classical music and are now underground electronic stalwarts who are based in Amsterdam. They perform at major festivals such around the globe, manage Klassified Records and the Klassified Music Festival and have just opened “The House of Klassified” in Amsterdam; a creative hub for their artists combining: studios, recording facilities, an art gallery and co-working spaces.
With this ambitious new project, Parallells have taken their musical venture even further by discovering different cultures, tribes and their specific sounds. This episode is the first one of the video series “A Day In” where Parallells translate, through field recordings, a specific culture, city or country. It is said that “Music is the universal language” and Parallells aims to show how it connects people as well as showing the world’s beauty and use music as a force for change. This video was filmed by friend Arnaud Moro who does a remarkable job of capturing the process through his lens.
This last October, Parallells, Maalem Omar Hayat and his crotales players performed a unique show combining Gnawa music infused with electronic music. It came about as an initiative from Moga Festival called Moga Creation. Creating bridges between tradition and modernity, perpetuating the heritage of Essaouira, a city of mixed cultures, highlighting local creativity and hospitality, this project is what Moga Creation aims for.
Parallells rehearsed in the middle of Essaouira’s Medina, in a sacred place where the synergies were shivering when electronic music met traditional Gnawa’s rhythm and culture. After 3 days together, they played this memorable live at Moga Festival, a performance forever engraved in many people’s hearts.
Gnawa culture is a centuries-old Moroccan practice rooted in African rituals, Sufi traditions and music played with the guenbri, a type of lute with three strings, and steel castanets called krakebs or crotales. Gnawa refers to a “set of musical productions, fraternal practices and therapeutic rituals where the secular mixes with the sacred”
Essaouira is an exceptional example of a late-18th-century fortified town, built according to the principles of contemporary European military architecture in a North African context. Since its foundation, it has been a major international trading seaport, linking Morocco and its Saharan hinterland with Europe and the rest of the world.
Maalam Omar Hayat is delighted with this collaboration with Julien and Thomas, because it perfectly reflects the cultural exchange between Gnaoua music and electronic music. It was a truly unique experience with, as a highlight, this superb live performed at Moga festival, which perfectly symbolizes this alliance. “Moga création”. It is the DNA of Moga festival and a great opportunity to represent these different worlds in the hope of future collaboration, because it was really magic.
This is a fantastic way to launch this new video series which will breakdown borders between music, culture and people all over the world. Watch out for the second episode which finds the pair immersing themselves in the Huichol culture in the Mexican mountains later this year.
After the success of the first edition, Carl Cox’s Awesome Soundwave label (in partnership with Beatport) is announcing a second online festival for May 9th. The line-up includes Carl himself, who will also be joined by the likes of Christopher Coe + Ehsan Gelsi, Bloody Mary, Digital Afrika, Mat Playford, Giorgia Angiuli, An On Bast, Julien Chaptal and Satoshi Tomiie, who will all play live from their lockdown locations around the world.
Awesome Soundwave is a live electronic label with a big reputation for releasing music from the cutting edge. It is exclusively for artists who play and perform it live and recent times have given rise to standout albums and EPs from a host of its ever evolving assembly of artists.
The stream is headed up by the boss himself. Christopher Coe and Ehsan Gelsi will play a live collaboration from two different locations — the first of its kind in the world. New York based house legend Satoshi Tomiie will also line up, as will Dutch tech house titan Julien Chaptal (who debuted on the label last year thanks to his brilliant LP, The Way), Australia’s Digital Afrika (whose new album will drop on Awesome Soundwave later this year), fast-emerging Polish talent An On Bast, France’s acid queen Bloody Mary and the highly-regarded Italian Giorgia Angiuli. Additionally, viewers will also be treated to the sounds of UK live act, Mat Playford, (whose last LP, Solar, also dropped via Awesome Soundwave) who’ll be showcasing his rich, inimitable melodic sound.
Awesome Soundwave stand in solidarity with their artists and, as such, have set up a fundraiser platform whereby 50% goes to the artists performing and 50% goes to the Crisis Kitchen Bali, an organisation set up specifically to feed the local community in Bali who are on the brink of starvation due to the impact of the current crisis on their local economy. Once again this is a fantastic way to dance away your woes and indulge in the sound of one of the finest techno labels in the world, all from the safety of your own home.
Carl Cox (AUS)
Christopher Coe + Ehsan Gelsi (AUS / AUS)( (live Internet jam)
Bloody Mary (FR)
Digital Afrika (AUS)
Giorgia Angiuli (IT)
An On Bast (PL)
Julien Chaptal (NL)
Satoshi Tomiie (US)
Mat Playford (UK)
Donate here (50% to Awesome Soundwave artists and 50% to Crisis Kitchen Bali).
#ASWLive. #WeLoveItLive #awesomesoundwave #liveartist
Bandcamp: https://awesomesoundwave.
Facebook: facebook.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/
Instagram: instagram.com/awesomesoundwave
Label Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Label Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/
The Spanish producer and BeatFreak label owner collaboratively sign what is the first release for them both on Paul Thomas and Aly & Fila’s platform.
Anjunadeep, Glasgow Underground, Armada Electronic Elements, ZEHN Records, Einmusika, BeatFreak, Renaissance and now UV. Spanish producer GRAZZE continues adding important names to the list of labels that have released his work over the last few months.
The British DJ Paul Thomas and the Egyptian duo Aly & Fila are behind the label Future Sound of Egypt, and therefore behind UV, a digital sublabel that since its creation in 2017 has become an influential international platform. Its latest release is the EP “Howth“, a creation that GRAZZE and D-Formation, the owner of the label BeatFreak, have made together.
The EP consists of two original songs that the label has described as authentic house bombs. On one hand “Howth“, a track that freely explores the most melodic side of house music, giving us an enveloping and dreamy piece especially thanks to the subtle and intermittent layer of Chinese spheres. And on the other hand, “Bhai”, a track that moves in the same creative line adding suggestive and attractive vocals.
“Howth” is now available on all digital platforms: https://fsoe.lnk.to/howthep
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Introducing V.I.P.P (Volunteers in Policing Program) and new single ‘Letters’.
Originally a recording project of Ewan Finley (Sex Tourists, Aloha Units), V.I.P.P has evolved into a four-piece band, featuring members from Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys, Romance, The Baby and Witness K.
Described as “savagely heartfelt and weirdly dry” and “downer R. Stevie Moore…with a doomsday prepping, pots ’n’ pans percussion aesthetic”, V.I.P.P write and perform downer pop/anti-folk that elicits feelings of hopelessness and hopefulness at the same time.
New track ‘Letters’ is out now on ‘Stay Inside: Songs from the Great Indoors’.
Listen to letters here.
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Born and raised in Mexico City, Mateo González aka Bufi (aka Theus Mago) developed a profound connection with the culture of his ancestors. As well as the nature and beauty of their enigmatic sounds. “Ópala”, the track that lends its title to this new release is a thrilling example of all this. A unique background that at all is fought with his passion for clubbing and analogue sounds. Bufi proposes on the EP “Ópala” (3 original tracks, 1 remix) the perfect storm between ethnicity and remarkable elements of early house, nu-disco and robotic sounds. All of them smoothly blend in, while still enriching every track.
“Ópala” will be released on May 8
by the Madrid label Depaart
(Depaart is now back to the industry 100% renovated)
Where are you currently based?
I am based between Barcelona, London, Newcastle, Andorra & Ibiza.
How did you first start playing music/producing?
First DJed (as a cheesy pub DJ with pop music and a microphone) from 1997, then started DJing house music from 1999/2000. I started in 2003 in a production duo. Then started releasing and producing on my own since 2006/7. Then the rest is history really. Evolved ever since.
How has your Lockdown experience been so far?
Frustrating & annoying. Lots of changes in my personal life, not the same amount of time to make music as I have a small daughter so she requires more time with no schools or nanny’s an option. Love spending time with her, she is the world but I also like to lose myself in my music as it helps to relax me. I also can’t wait to get back to DJing.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I have actually been revisiting albums from the likes of Fatboy Slim, UNKLE, The Who, Fleetwood Mac and others. Plus I listen to new music daily via my labels 33 Music & 1980 Recordings.
Please describe your production process:
Sit down. Open Logic. Open a starting template I have set up. Get a beat going. Maybe use a sample to get inspiration (I don’t always end with that sample in it). Then add a bassline. And a synth line. Maybe add vocals. Then arrange. Send it off for mastering. Plus always keep hydrated while I work.
What programs/equipment do you use?
Logic X. UAD Apollo Twin. Waves Plugins. Fab Filter Plugins and many other plugins & softsynths. Access Virus TI Snow.
How are you staying creative during lockdown? Any tips for other artists to assist with stay inspired and creative?
Well if you look at my answer above, the creative side has taken a knock with not having enough time. For me I usually finish a track a week that is release ready but I have finished one track over the last 6 weeks. Frustrating.
My advice would be if you don’t have the distraction of children make as much music as you can. Don’t rush the finished production. And don’t rush to sign them, they are only old to you at the end of the day. The other day I sent an email to a person who sent me some demos. This was the 5th or 6th email in about 2 weeks of new music. Some of them had good ideas but some of them needed to be finished. Take your time and make that one demo/release ready track a week sound the best it can rather than dilute and make 7 ok/average tracks.
How are you coping mentally during lockdown?
Not going to lie, it’s been tough. Trying to remain positive. I am quite a strong positive person in general, yes I like to be grumpy just like any other Englishman ha but in general I try to stay positive. Not like a happy smiley positive in your face but try to see the positives in situations for the better. Being locked in the house with a child and partner and no escape is hard for a social person who is a DJ.
What advice would you give for others to help with the mental strain caused during this period?
Talk to people, talk to your parents, talk talk talk. It really is good to talk and get stuff off your chest. Talk. Don’t keep it all to yourself. That never turns out good.
Your EP ‘Dance’ is out on 8th May, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this EP?
The influence was the vocals. I worked on another track with King Hitz & Paul Browne (the lyric writer), called Cake which was signed to EDX’s label Pinkstar Black. Paul said he had this accapella, so he sent it to me. I loved it. I wanted to do something cool with it but not ’too commercial’. I think I have made it have that accessible radio vibe but still making it cool and underground.
Where and when did you record/produce it?
I produced this one in Barcelona in January 2019. I then sat on it, revisited and had it finished in Feb 2019. I did the usual send to larger independant labels then decided to get a good set of remixes and release myself as the offers I had for it from labels were shocking.
What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of ‘Dance’?
Nothing really challenging. I just wanted to not over do it and make it cheesy. Keep it with that underground vibe. Which I did. So I guess that was rewarding.
You have a proposed stream set to run on 1st May with artists across your own labels 1980 Recordings and 33 Music running over 14 hours, how did this concept come about and what can we expect?
I saw the likes of Beatport & Defected doing this and they seemed great and what better oppitunity to raise money for charity and showcase the talent I have been working with over the years on both labels. You will have a plethora of genres from funk, disco, soul to house, deep, & tech to techno. It really does have it all.
What’s planned for 2020?
More releases across both labels, some rather large ones on 33 Music. More live streams, I have a taste for it now. I currently do one every Friday around 15.00h (GMT)/16.00h (CEST) and let me followers on IG (@danmckiedj) vote for which genre they want to hear. Then use mine & my labels catalogues to make the mixes live. We Are Live.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
I have a bar in Barcelona which is my favourite to go sink a few caña with mates but I don’t want to name it as it might get ruined ha. My favourite food is for sure Curry.
Dan McKie’s ‘Dance’ is out on 8th May and is available via Beatport
Today, Melbourne based anomalistic collective DREGG release TU TRACK, a two-song single featuring “FREAKING OUT” and “FEELING FINE.”
“‘TU TRACK’ is a two-part story that places you in the negative and positive thoughts of the philosophical, over thinking psyche,” says DREGG. “Both songs, ‘FREAKING OUT’ & ‘FEELING FINE’ address morality, nihilism, religion, death and the little to no knowledge we have about what being alive really means.”
The band will release a super limited run of 100 cassettes worldwide of TU TRACK that are available for purchase HERE
CHECK OUT “FREAKING OUT” AND “FEELING FINE” NOW
DREGG make powerfully energetic music, driven by themes of fierce individualism, with a sound that hungrily consumes metal, hardcore, and rap, only to heave it back up in a colourful rainbow of bombastic brutality and iconoclastic absurdity, lovingly fed to the audience like mother birds. The thought provoking five-piece, known for tongue-in-cheek take on the current state of the world, continues to push the boundaries of hardcore with their recent single “Hectic.” A song that explores the current state of the music scene, criticisms the band has received, and their journey of signing with Epitaph.
DREGG is Christopher Mackertich (vocals), Jordan McQuitty (guitar), Sam Yates (guitar), Aiden Zovic (bass), and Horhay Delalopez (drums).
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“Rising star DVNA continues her winning streak with ‘Half Past Sober’”
– Emma Jones, Purple Sneakers
“…seriously worth keeping an eye on…”
– Pilerats
“a truly fucking mindblowing song”
– Nic Kelly, Project U
Following the immense success of the single release, DVNA (pron. da-na) returns today with the deeply emotive music video for ‘Half Past Sober.’
Directed by Alex Greaves, the music video premiered via triple j Unearthed and heartbreakingly juxtaposes the bliss of new love with the hurt that follows when it ends. Explaining her vision for the video, DVNA said that she wanted it “to be real and super raw. We shot on a combination of film and camcorder to establish the narrative in the purest, most personal form and kept the wardrobe very minimal.” As a result, the video feels like an intimate snapshot into a relationship gone wrong: the highs, the lows and the crushing emptiness of losing love.
However, shooting parts of the music video at an electrical field in Melbourne wasn’t all smooth sailing. As DVNA explained, “my manager – bless his soul – drove us out to the electrical field in his little Mazda2, but the road to get there was FULL of water-filled potholes and slimy mud with no way of getting around it. We had to drive through it all and the poor car was beaten, battered and bruised.” Despite these trials and tribulations, however, they got the shot.
Telling a true story of heartache and betrayal, ‘Half Past Sober’ hit home with fans and tastemakers alike after its premiere with triple j’s Home and Hosed. Amassing 20k streams, a slot on Spotify’s ‘New Music Friday’ and ‘Just Chill’ playlists as well as Apple Music’s ‘Rising R&B’, Half Past Sober has also received praise from Purple Sneakers, AAA Backstage and NME among others. With a few other surprises to come in the next few weeks and more music on the way for DVNA, this Gold Coast artist is on the up and up.
Watch the new music video for ‘Half Past Sober’ – OUT NOW.
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ABOUT RICH BRIAN:
The first Asian musical artist to reach #1 on iTunes’ Hip Hop charts, Indonesian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer, Brian Imanuel Soewarno, better known as Rich Brian, has blazed into the forefront of a movement that’s diversifying and transforming hip-hop culture. One of the leading figures of Asian rap, with more than 3.2 million followers on Instagram alone, Brian continues to earn broad audiences and critical kudos. Billboard called him a “rap wunderkind”, the L.A. Times praised him as “a phenom… a gifted MC and producer [with an] introspective, authoritative voice”, and Rolling Stone tagged him on its ‘25 Under 25‘ list.
The 20-year-old, whose singles regularly feature guest artists like Ghostface Killah, 21 Savage and Offset, performs to sold-out shows across North America, Europe and Asia, and festivals including Bonnaroo and Rolling Loud (he’s slated to perform next at the postponed Coachella). On April 10 his music label 88rising releases his newest single, ‘Bali‘, a rap track infused with melodic threads and wisps of reggae, which uses the popular Indonesian island paradise as a metaphor for his life. In the pipeline to drop later this year is a yet-titled concept album spotlighting Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley and its influential Asian community.
Brian pushed his musical style to a new level – while revealing his personal immigration story and rise to stardom – on his second album, The Sailor, released in July 2019. Featuring guest appearances from RZA and Joji, and co-written with Bekon and the Donuts, it’s crossed over 400 million streams since its release. The Huffington Post wrote that its tracks “evidence a more sophisticated, evolved artist compared to the earlier work that propelled him to his prominent place in the Asian hip-hop movement.” Its first single, ‘Yellow‘, mixes hard-punch rap with beautifully structured harmonies; his second, ‘Kids‘, the product of an inspired night-to-dawn writing and recording session, paints Brian as a role model and provocateur with lyrics like “Tell these Asian kids they could do what they want / Might steal the mic at the Grammys just to say we won / That everyone can make it, don’t matter where you from.”
Brian experienced a modest upbringing as the youngest of four siblings raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. Of Chinese lineage – his father a lawyer, his mother a café owner – he worked at his family’s business while being homeschooled. At 11 years old, he discovered Twitter and YouTube and began creating content, including dark comedy sketches inspired by the likes of American filmmaker Freddie Wong, leaning toward a career in cinematography.
He began listening to hip-hop music when an internet friend introduced him to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, going on to discover Drake, 2 Chainz, Kanye West, Logic, and Childish Gambino. He taught himself English by listening to rap and watching YouTube videos and comedy movies, beguiled by “multi-layered” American humor. He posted daily videos on Vine and wrote his first rap song, recording it on an iPhone over an instrumental by British rapper MF Doom.
In July 2015, Brian posted ‘Living the Dream‘ on YouTube as a tongue-in-cheek intro. His breakthrough came in early 2016 with his debut single, ‘Dat $tick‘, which quickly went viral, especially after a reaction video was released by music label 88rising featuring prominent rap artists. It peaked at #4 on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and was certified gold by RIAA. The original music video has racked up over 145 million views to date. A remix of ‘Dat $tick‘ was later made featuring rappers Ghostface Killah and Pouya.
A string of singles came in its wake: ‘Who That Be‘ (produced by Sihk), ‘Seventeen‘ (quickly
By now distinguished by his resonant baritone vocals, catchy hooks, and lyrics which mixed universal rap themes with his personal experiences and those of the Asian community. In January 2018, he changed his name to Rich Brian following the release of his revelatory single ‘See Me‘. The following month came his much-awaited debut studio album, Amen, a grateful paean to his new American life with guest appearances from Offset, Joji, NIKI, and August 08, earning widespread critical acclaim and rising to #18 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Other recent work includes the 88rising compilation album Head in the Clouds.
Harking back to his early youth through cooking Indonesian food on YouTube based on his mom’s recipes, Brian isn’t afraid to show different sides to his fans, many of whom rarely listen to rap by other artists. Musically, he says, “I’m always trying to bring something new to the table. I love metaphors, poetry, melodic material. I’m always looking for ways to tell my story, to make it personal”. Proud of being an Asian artist, still a commodity in short supply, Brian is blazing a path for himself and innumerable others.
Watch the ‘Bali‘ music video here,
out now via 88rising/12Tone Music.
Stay connected with Rich Brian:
Facebook | Instagram | Soundcl
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