May 2020

As COVID-19 wreaks havoc on the international music industry, artists like the global superstar DJ/producer Oliver Heldens have moved swiftly to provide unique virtual experiences for fans. In his next move to boost morale and raise money for charity, Oliver Heldens will perform at ‘The  Royal Concertgebouw’, Amsterdam on June 5th as the headlining artist for the American Digital Mirage Festival by Proximity.

The Royal Concertgebouw is considered one of the most important concert halls in the world because of its unparalleled acoustics and wide range of high-level programming. The concert hall has a great tradition for legendary concerts by musical greats in classical, jazz and now electronic music. In a time where cultural institutions remain abandoned, Heldens’ performance aims to showcase the Concertgebouw on a world stage with an hour-long DJ show filled with electronic classics and new, unreleased music.

‘I look forward to playing at such a legendary venue in the Netherlands and around the world’, says Oliver Heldens. ‘A big thanks to the team at The Royal Concertgebouw for having me and to Digital Mirage for providing an important platform for electronic music while the world remains indoors. It’s a difficult time in our industry, for artists and for venues. It’s devastating that so many upcoming shows have been cancelled but it’s comforting to know we are staying at home for the greater good. I hope this stream can be enjoyed by as many as two sides of music collide. The venue is beautiful and will make for a unique experience that can still be enjoyed from home!’

All donations raised during the Digital Mirage Festival including Oliver’s show will go directly to Plus 1, a non-profit organization that helps musicians in the music industry.

Fans can RSVP to the show via https://digitalmirage.io/.

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“‘Hi Gene!’ is the song the world never knew it needed to help get through these current times.” – Tyler Jenke, Rolling Stone Australia

If you’re still not around the basic precautionary measures currently in place to tackle this “Rona” situation, sit down, pour yourself a bath-brewed bev and let Glenn Richards spell it out for you. The beloved Augie March frontman has captured the quirky idiosyncrasies of the lived, imagined and projected iso-experience in his first ever solo release, ‘Hi Gene!’ out today. Timely though it is, this instant classic harks back to spelling lessons from Van Morrison with a neurotic nod to Neu and a salty salute to Sparks. As catchy as the global P-word it so cleverly dances around, ‘Hi Gene!’ is the hilarious, danceable mantra to this weird moment in time and one to look back on as the soundtrack of the “lost year/s”, and is out today.

“Augie had a big year planned and we’re hoping to be able to reschedule our Sunset Studies shows for November, but the virus has meant that a planned album will now take a back seat to something entirely new and, so far, really bloody good. I’m confident we’ll see an excellent GR album this year followed by an extraordinary AM album next year. In the meantime I hope you enjoy this half cut home brew, it harks a little to my early years when I had more brain cells but there were far less chords in music. The gist is we need to be clean with our bodies but our culture, in general, could use a little more dirt beneath its fingernails. Also, dogs are the best people. Stay safe and spread this ludicrous clip like it’s a vaccine. Xg2020.” – Glenn Richards

A widely accomplished singer, songwriter, composer, engineer and producer, Glenn Richards has written and released some of Australia’s most cherished music for over 20 years, touring the world extensively in its wake. Glenn has released several albums and EPs with Augie March including one platinum and two gold albums and has served as arranger and mixer on many notable releases including albums from Toni Collette, Christopher Coleman, Frederik Kinbom, The Beautiful Few among others. He is the winner of APRA Songwriter and Song of the Year Awards, and in 2010 he released a stand alone LP under his eponymous side project with Chris Richards (Dust), Dan Luscombe (The Drones, The Blackeyed Susans), Ben Bourke (Ned Collette & Wirewalker) and Mike Noga (The Drones), assuring us this was not a solo record.

Fast forward to 2020, add a little isolation with a hint of cabin fever, and fans of Glimjack can finally revel in the official new sounds of Glenn Richards’ solo material, with a new record set to be released later in the year. Until then, take comfort in the remedial satire of ‘Hi Gene!’ and remember to wash your hands.

‘Hi Gene!’ is out Friday 29 May via Believe
Stream via Spotify

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PARLOPHONE
PARX – ‘FEEL RIGHT NOW’
OUT NOW

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In a plan to bring artists together during this unconventional time, BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard launched the ‘Lockdown Link Up’ on his Friday night show. Pairing up sixteen artists & producers at random, he landed on two of dance music’s most renowned in their own right, Yousef & Gorgon City; becoming the very first of eight pairs called upon by Danny Howard to collaborate on a production during their time in isolation. The trio now officially present, ‘Free Myself ft. EVABEE’ out on Yousef’s Circus Recordings label.

With their unconventional link-up now set for release, the summer anthem features BBC Introducing championed, singer-songwriter, EVABEE. Written especially for this record, the lyrics focus on the constant struggle people face to find their true self when there’s many distractions that get in the way. The words ‘never be louder than my sound’ are an ode to the strength and power that music holds, to break down the walls and reach the soul.

The result is a very emotive dance track, that see’s each artists production expertise shines through with a blend of drawn out strings harmonies and atmospheric synth tones providing a swelling pulse for the shimmering vocal lines from EVABEE. The grooves come fat and chunky, with a rugged 4/4 rolling kick and stacks of 909’s and bright percussion all bouncing over a fiercely large bassline, moogy and rich, the blend of tones in the low-end deal serious damage and inject uncontrollable movement.

‘Free Myself’, has already received support across BBC Radio 1 with Danny Howard, Pete Tong, Annie Mac and Ariella Free all spinning the track weekly since its launch. It stands as a celebration of music’s medicinal capabilities and the positive impact it can have.

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Today’s the day: Tiësto’s Musical Freedom drops its first ‘self-titled’ compilation in 11 years of releasing quality dancefloor music. ‘Musical Freedom Unlimited’ unites 20 superb dancefloor tracks from producers across the world, bringing the club into your home with its diverse and energetic flavours.

To celebrate the compilation’s release, Musical Freedom are hosting the biggest back-to-back remote DJ set live stream ever seen. The immense line-up will consist of artists from all around the world including Breathe Carolina, Sunstars, Ice & Diaz, Valy Mo, Ayor, Magnificence, Cheyenne Giles, MOSKA, BYOR, SWACQ, Antoine Delvig, Love For Justice, Massapeals, Kodat, Softest Hard, Silkdope, ALRT, Reece Low and Olly James. The live stream begins at 6PM CEST on May 28 and can be viewed on Musical Freedom’s Youtube, Facebook and Twitch channels.

The compilation features 16 never before released productions, among them is the first production of label favourites Breathe Carolina after releasing their album 6 months ago, a pumping house groove called ‘That’s My Music’ which is peppered with old skool chord stabs. Valy Mo’s ‘WTF’ is a resounding slice of dramatic bass house that comes on like a swarm of wasps after a few cans of energy drink, while Magnificence & Ayor’s ‘Set Me Free’ pushes the limits of decency with its razor sharp buzzsaw leads that destroy all in their path.

Cheyenne Giles ‘Don’t Wanna’ is sheer lunacy, with pitched-up ravey vocals recalling early Prodigy while mind-melting riffs rip shreds out of the groove. MOSKA’s ‘90s’ is another retro leaning cut, taking some of those old school chords and marrying them to a stomping modern house groove. BYOR’s ‘Feeling Right’ blurs the lines between fierce electro and rampant bass house through its dizzying array of phat synth sounds and SWACQ’s meaty ‘POW!’ contrasts euphoric breakdowns with stuttering, bleepy grooves.

There’s incredible production throughout and a huge diversity of music on display from these brilliant producers. Wherever you are and whatever you’re able to do, ‘Musical Freedom Unlimited’ will bring energy, colour, vibe and positivity into your day. You’re going to have to carve out a dancefloor for yourself somewhere, because there’s no way you’ll be able to avoid the urge to move when you listen to it.

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WILLARIS. K TEAMS UP WITH RAPPER WAVEIQ
ON FIRST SINGLE ‘CHAPEL’ FROM
FORTHCOMING EP ‘FULL NOISE’

FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF HIS CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED EP ‘LUSTRE’, FEATURING VERSATILE TRACKS LIKE ‘5 O’CLOCK’,
‘PAST LIGHT,’ AND ‘INDIFFERENT’ FEAT. GORDI

ASTRALWERKS
WILLARIS. K – ‘CHAPEL’
OUT NOW

Australian producer Willaris. K (Jack McAllister) introduced today the first taste of his forthcoming club EP, Full Noise. “Chapel” features rapper WaveIQ, who boasts writing and producing credits for Lil Yachty, Jaden Smith, Goldlink and others. Receiving a first play from BBC Radio 1’s Mary Anne Hobbs, the track packs a powerful dose of bass and frenetic warehouse energy, in juxtaposition to Willaris’ latest introspective EP, LUSTRE. The post-apocalyptic rap-rave anthem is a testament to his underground sensibilities, setting the tone for more club-oriented tracks to come.

“Chapel” was born out of a midnight meeting of the minds inside a silhouetted chapel perched on a hilltop at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La Studios in Malibu. The historic edifice emanated an unmistakable energy of endless creativity as Passion Pit’s Nate Donmoyer commands a roaring bass while rapper and sound designer WaveIQ lays on the ground nearby, spitting out verses into the mic. Willaris presides over the evocative studio scene with one hand on his laptop, another on a vintage synth, while Tim Anderson (Halsey, Banks, etc.) pieces it all together with unparalleled precision.

Full Noise follows Willaris. K’s April EP LUSTRE, which was met with praise from the likes of Mixmag, The Guardian UK, Beats 1, among others. The six-track EP is a varied package of electronica, ambient, and techno cuts that showcase his artistic depth. From his first track to incorporate vocals to his abstract dancefloor rhythms, the EP is a robust reflection of sonic and personal growth nearly two years after his debut album Alchemy. Across that time, he earned performance slots at world-class festivals like Coachella, Splendour in the Grass and Lollapalooza, alongside touring with GRAMMY-nominated band RÜFÜS DU SOL and selling out his own headline shows.

Willaris’ eclectic body of work has drawn him comparisons to a league of greats like Jon Hopkins, Brian Eno, and William Basinski. His previous career as an electrical instrumentation technician led him to music on an unconventional path. While out in the field he’d collect recordings as he walked through the bushland and across the metal trays that protected the electrical cables, later feeding them into the tech-driven productions that brought Willaris. K to life. Most recently, he provided a remix of DMA’s track “Life Is A Game of Changing” and previewed new music on Untitled Group’s digital live stream with the likes of Dom Dolla, Torren Foot, and others.

Willaris. K ‘Chapel’ feat. WavelQ is available now on Astralwerks

Artist: Kleur & Keary
EP: For You
Label: Jackie Knows Karate Records
Release Date: 25^th June 2020

Tracklisting:

1. For You (Original Mix)
2. For You (Dub Mix)
3. For You (Lotrax Remix)

Glasgow’s own Kleur teams up with local lad Keary for the next release on Jackie Knows Karate Records. ‘For You’ sees the two producers combine their unique sound to bring a dark minimal feel to the label. Pulsing synths and distorted drums create an atmospheric feel to the EPs original mix as it builds up to the vocal hook heard throughout the EP.

Following on from this is the ‘Dub Mix’ which introduces dark piano chords and long drones into the mix perfect for those late night parties in a rave cave.

Lotrax features on the EP contributing a huge remix which delivers summer vibes alongside a catchy bassline, dreamy pads and groovy drums.

Kyle Hawkins, Jackie Knows Karate Records Label Manager, said: “ As soon as we heard the original we knew the lads were onto something special and we knew it would be a big release for the label. Then you add Lotrax’s take on the original and you’ve got a winning combination.”

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Melbourne Alt-Rockers The Mean Times are back with the brand new EP “Stunned Mullet” that releases today. The release includes the just dropped sludgy rocker, Faking Death and the first single She Lives on Oxygen released earlier in the year.

Melbourne Alt-Rockers The Mean Times are back with the brand new EP “Stunned Mullet” that releases today. The release includes the just dropped sludgy rocker, Faking Death and the first single She Lives on Oxygen released earlier in the year.

The EP shows a darker and harder side of the band who have been a live staple on the Melbourne scene for many years. Stunned Mullet was recorded and mixed at Rolling Stock Studios in Melbourne by Nao Anzai (Cash Savage and the Last Drinks, Kim Salmon) and mastered by Mikey Young of Eddie Current Suppression Ring.

Live the band deliver a raucous, high-energy, spirited live show that makes you smile. They’re raw yet polished; weird, yet digestible; punk yet hard rock with pop elements.

Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/themeantimes

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/4biuvyNOTAiGAcMzeoQhOS

In the back half of 2017, after nearly a decade of chaos and carnage fronting one of the most successful bands of the ’00s, and a few quiet years living in Berlin, Milan and Como, Nic Cester returned to the fray with Sugar Rush – his debut solo album. Produced by Jim Abbiss (Arctic Monkeys, Queens Of The Stone Age) and recorded with his amazing all-Italian live touring band The Milano Elettrica, Sugar Rush melds soul, blues, lost Italian soundtracks and sheer musicianship.

Following the release of Sugar Rush, Nic and his band toured the world. A number of shows were recorded, and Nic now brings us Live Across Europe – a live album recorded in Bologna, Koln, Munich, and at the iconic Castello Sforzesco in Milan (a 15th century castle built by the Duke Of Milan at the time). Live Across Europe will be released on 19 June, and is available to pre-order now.

Today, Nic Cester releases a live video for ‘God Knows’, recorded at Castello Sforzesco. Nic says, “it’s probably my favourite tune on the album, certainly my favourite to perform with my live band, the Milano Elettrica. What began as a simple blues tune became a pretty epic, brooding, James Bond-esque number.” Nic Cester will perform ‘God Knows’ live from Milan for tonight’s State Of Music event.

Sugar Rush was welcomed by music lovers everywhere, with Cester’s knack for arrangements and melody and one of the most powerful voices in rock ‘n’ roll celebrated.

“Watt’s most personal and revealing work; you just have to tune into it. If he believes, then we believe.” – Hysteria Mag

“Teeming with raw power and rage.” – Mixdown

“R U N has landed with a ground-shaking thud.” – Depth Mag

“An absolute gift for Aussie metalheads.” – Tone Deaf

Australia’s freshest heavy act R U N have surprised us with their extraordinary debut release, For You Will Never Find Peace Within Your Quiet, arriving in full today. Now streaming not only via audio, but also a fully-animated visual format, a physical product is also available for pre-order. The project’s future-oriented nature means that this product does not need to contain any vinyl or CDs. In order to streamline the process for all, and lessen the impact on the environment, it will be printed to the appropriate demand. 

A duo composed of vocalist Lochlan Watt (host of triple j’s The Racket) and guitarist Mike Deslandes (YLVA/High Tension), R U N debuted their first single on 4/20 last month, to what can be safely described as a huge response. Then, they slyly unveiled one song at a time over the course of the past week, hinting of what was to come. The sequence of release saw each track title build upon the previous one to slowly reveal the name of the record and complete the journey. You can now watch the fascinating, moving artwork of the record from start to finish right here – thanks to the efforts of Patrick Galvin at Hollow Bones Studio.

A unique blend of extreme metal fury, hardcore accessibility and the heady contemplation of post-rock, the music ruminates on themes of suicide, heartache, fear, mental health, struggles with queerness and identity and, on top of it all, coming to terms with the life-threatening illness that is cancer. For You Will Never Find Peace Within Your Quiet was produced and engineered by Mike Deslandes, mixed and mastered by Will Putney (Northlane/The Amity Affliction), with session drums provided by Joel Taylor (The Abandonment/Galaxy). Artwork and animations are by Patrick Galvin (Architects/AB Original). A physical version is available now for pre-order, but just not how you’ve come to expect it…

STATEMENT FROM LOCHLAN WATT:

With where R U N has landed, we feel as though we have been handed a once in a lifetime opportunity to try out new things above the unstable ground we all find ourselves now navigating. I cherish my old CD collection, and I love supporting my friends and bands I like by buying their records, but I also almost never listen to any music this way anymore. My means of consuming music on a day to day basis are purely digital, and being an independent, self-financed band that so far only exists on the internet, we don’t have to cling to dated technology or tradition for the sake of what is now a quite visibly broken system of capitalism. I’ve seen far too many CDs and LPs end up in bins during my time in the music industry – and I know the production of them is not exactly good for the planet. We want this music to leave behind a massive impact on your mind, not the environment.

As such the physical product for ‘For You Will Never Find Peace Within Your Quiet’ will slot perfectly into your existing 12” collection, yet you won’t be able to listen to it. You will, however, be able to open the folding cover to pore over Patrick Galvin’s incredible artwork, with high quality full sized prints of all five songs and their lyrics on the inside, while you listen to the record via your preferred digital service. It being a purely cardboard creation gives us a lot of flexibility, and the size of this first ‘pressing’ will be determined by the demand. We’re also cutting Patrick in on the financial side of things here, because we think he deserves it. So, the more of these we sell, the more money all three key artists involved will make.

In these times especially, is consuming more plastic products really essential, or do we just want to be able to hold onto something special, and support the music that connects with us? This is an experiment and we welcome you to take part in it.

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