Monthly Archives

December 2020

Family Piknik announces 2021 edition of festival while releasing All Stars 2020 compilation

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

Date: 7th & 8th August

Location: Montpellier, France

Family Piknik Festival 2021: https://www.facebook.com/events/213464916956416

All Stars 2020 (Out now): http://fanlink.to/allstars2020

Family Piknik will celebrate 10 years of the festival in 2021 with an array of huge talent

Some of the biggest DJs have contributed to Family Piknik’s legacy over the past decade including Carl Cox, Solomun, Sven Väth, Maceo Plex, Richie Hawtin, Marco Carola, Loco Dice, Luciano, The Martinez Brothers, Jamie Jones, Sasha & Digweed, Joris Voorn and more, the list is pretty long! After a terrible 2020 due to Covid-19, the Family Piknik team are delighted to be working on its 2021 line-up, celebrating its 10th birthday over two-days of open-air extravaganza with some of the best international acts. Many of the rescheduled artists for 2020 can be expected, namely Charlotte de Witte, Adam Beyer b2b Ida Engberg, ARTBAT, Fisher, Worakls Orchestra ect. but there will also be many surprises!

In other news, Family Piknik Music has become a real home for young and promising French talents : Pontias, Abstraal, Albanø, Mood Gorning, B/O/M, Hugo Cantarra, The Dualz, as well as rising international newcomers : Cadillac Express, Gigee, Ki Yera, for example… Quoted as “France’s leading techno label” by Sweet Music, Family Piknik Music showcases a very wide vision for electronic music, from Afro-House to Techno, going through Progressive, Deep, Melodic, Organic, Dark Disco and Electronica. A large range of genres to push quality over quantity and monotony. The label also published its first music video clips, with Pontias ‘Go Bro’ official video scoring more than 35K views under 4 weeks on Youtube and being broadcasted on TV in 50 countries thanks to Clubbing TV.

Time has come to sum up this amazing year with a new compilation. ‘Family Piknik – Casa de Flamingos All Stars 2020’ is a collection of the 15 most marking releases of the year, with key remixes by Hernan Cattaneo, Theus Mago, Popof, Quenum, K.E.E.N.E. and the strongest original tracks released these past months. It also features a 2 hours continuous mix by Tom Pooks himself, recorded during the lockdown. French maestro gives much relief to these 2020 releases, incorporating some additional effects, adding some hypnotic loops to build a timeless mixed manifesto.

Tom Pooks says “2020 has been such a frustrated year for all of us in the music and entertainment industry. We kept on releasing music while most of us on this planet were not allowed to dance and enjoy live music because of the pandemic. It is very painful to release Dance music when you can’t share it behind the decks and have a party going with crazy people in front of you. Releasing this compilation is a way to celebrate the great evolution of our label in this very specific context. It is also a message of hope and faith in the music we do love and support.”

Tom Pooks mix is available to stream and download via Soundcloud.

Tracklist:

1) Pontias, Convergence System – Go Bro (Radio Edit)

2) B/O/M – Brothers (Short Edit)

3) Hugo Cantarra & Jinadu – The Sign (Radio Edit)

4) Cadillac Express – Moonstore

5) Abstraal & Teenage Mutants feat. Jim – Broken Smiles

6) Tom Pooks & Time – Red Castle

7) Pontias, Convergence System – Go Bro (Hernan Cattaneo & Marcelo Vasami Remix)

8) Albanø – Canuli

9) Ki Yera – Coming Down (Radio Edit)

10) Sebass – Mind Control

11) Delon – GirlBoy

12) Pontias, Convergence System – Go Bro (Theus Mago Meet Her At A Zoom Parade Remix)

13) Tom Pooks, Time – Red Castle (Bock & Fuchs Remix)

14) B/O/M – Brothers (GIGEE Remix)

15) Hugo Cantarra & Jinadu – The Sign (K.E.E.N.E. Remix)

Bonus Tracks:

1) Tom Pooks & Joy Kitikonti – Journey To France

2) Mood Gorning & Pontias – Branca

3) Essence of TIME x TIY – Consequences

4) The Dualz – Acid Dream

5) Nosssia & Rhodas – Universe Things

Family Piknik

Website: https://www.familypiknikfestival.com

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

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/familypiknikfestival

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

BURIAL + FOUR TET + THOM YORKE Release two new tracks ‘Her Revolution’ & ‘His Rope’ Double A Side 12″ out now via XL Recordings

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

Burial, Four Tet and Thom Yorke today release two new tracks, ‘Her Revolution’ and ‘His Rope’.

It has been over nine years since their first release together, the double A-side of ‘Ego’ and ‘Mirror’. ‘Her Revolution’ and ‘His Rope’ prove a more subdued release for 2020.

Released on double A-side vinyl in a limited run to a small group of record stores, both tracks are now available to stream across DSPs, the first two of their collaboration tracks to do so.

As you’d expect from three of the last decade’s most vital voices in alternative music, both tracks have moved on from the ecstatic sound of 2011’s ‘Ego’ and ‘Mirror’ and reflect the precarious wider world around them…

Listen / Save / Download: https://xl.ffm.to/her-revolution-his-rope

our darling revolution

she is always in us

cracks appearing at the centre

while we go spinning

walking offline

as rings up in the sky

she demanding diamonds

we are breaking her heart

cracks appearing at the centre

says all this revolution

has such a cost

(how my wooden heart it feels nothing )

Burial + Four Tet + Thom Yorke – ‘Her Revolution’

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

LISTEN TO ‘IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?’

In wake of the hugely anticipated and just released LP ‘K.G.’ – Australia’s most in-exhaustible sextet King Gizzard are back at it with another surprise drop of microtonal meddling. Barely giving their fans a chance to to take a quick breath before diving back into the multi layered and always inventive Gizzverse. ‘If Not Now, Then When?’ is a classic bait and switch from the genre defying band. Opening with a raucous wall of sound, before pushing the scuzzy riffs aside to make room for a clavinet driven expedition into cosmic funk and celestial beat. Falsetto in tow, Mackenzie’s vocals are on lock with the groove. Hitting the syllables with careful consideration, ‘If Not Now, Then When?’ brings more resemblance to a psych bedtime story than the fuzz imbued sound the group are widely known for.

Collaborating for the first time with animation master Dr. D Foothead, his mesmerising imagery on show once again here. Defined by hypnotic detail, saturated colour and dynamic, flowing form – the character floats between inner and outer worlds in this three and a half minute neon odyssey. “The song made me consider how individual action or inaction affects the world,” Dr. D Foothead says of the video. “What happens when our repressed pain, darkness and confusion manifest and influence our surroundings and relationships? I wanted to explore the journey of a character who has neglected their inner shadow, and how this energy manifests physically and becomes a force of its own.”

Watch here.

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Festival News Music News

Dashville announces 3 day New Years Concert series ‘A Fresh Start’ feat. William Crighton & The Bellbird Rats, Wagons, Little Quirks and more…

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

As restrictions continue to ease around the country, the Hunter Valley’s shadiest outdoor music venue Dashville, is gearing up to host a New Years escape to shake o the vibes of an incredibly challenging year, they’re calling it A Fresh Start.

A Fresh Start will be a three-night concert series held in the lush confines of Dashville, running across 31^st December 2020, 1^st January and 2^nd January 2021. Alongside the live music component will be a range of COVID safe creative workshops, kids activities and a rather interesting installation, known as the Splashville Waterpark.

Today Dashville is pleased to announce the line-up for the three concerts, featuring plenty of great local acts, alongside a number of talented interstate friends, keen to make their return to the hallowed site.

THURSDAY 31st DECEMBER 2020

You can guarantee a blistering set from William Crighton & The Bellbird Rats as they lead you into the new year (featuring a big band full of surprise guests). Also entertaining you on the night will be local underground superstar punk rockers Bloody Hell, the dark brooding blues-rock sounds of Brisbane trio The Blackwater Fever, and 5 piece funk-pop outfit Viragos will have you getting your groove on from the get-go.

FRIDAY 1st JANUARY 2021

The sweet indie-folk sounds of Central Coast trio Little Quirks will be the perfect tonic as they take to the stage on New Years Day. You’ll get Magpie Diaries pulling out their sublime cosmic country tunes, the infectious jangly psych-pop-rock of Geelong’s Bones and Jones and a wealth of muso talent coming together when the mighty Dashville Progress Society bust out the big numbers in a blockbuster tribute to the 80’s, narrated by Ben Quinn.

SATURDAY 2nd JANUARY 2021

Their first NSW show in a year will see the almighty cosmic psych-country outfit Wagons return to the Dashville stage, along with internationally acclaimed Blues & Roots duo Hat Fitz & Cara. Eleven of the Hunter region’s best female musicians will come together as Huntress – paying tribute to the female artists who have shaped their lives, and you’ll be in for a rockin’ treat with Sydney melodic hard-hitters Front End Loader.

Dashville like many venues around the country has battled through a challenging year with valour, pioneering the return of live music in the local region, hosting a number of COVID Safe live music concerts since August, based around the ‘party pen’ formula.

In October Dashville hosted Sky Ball, which became a tribute to their cancelled 2020 festivals, culminating in five nights of live music, with over 30 live performances broadcast online, in a very challenging legal and financial environment.

As we inch closer to the end of the year, organisers are keen and confident to say that the party pens will be a thing of the past, with easing restrictions allowing for more lenient social distancing techniques across the spacious 20 acre site.

WHAT WILL A FRESH START LOOK LIKE?

Each day there’ll be a range of planned activities for people to choose from. We’re currently fine tuning the activities, but to give you an idea:

Practise your slow start in serenity, enjoy decadent breakfasts, morning yoga and relaxation rituals, some creative up-skilling workshops, plenty of arts and crafts, volleyball, skateboarding or hammock time? You can bring your own plunge pool and we’ll fill it up for a small fee, or dabble in some nearby river swimming. There’s some lush bush walking in the National Park, or pop over the road for some Wine Country touring, sneaky country pub lunch, perhaps with a sneaky midday busker or two…

As the sun begins to bend beyond the Dashville  ironbarks, we’ll be kicking off an evening concert of four acts.

New Years Eve we have extended trading until 2am, but otherwise each night will come to a close at midnight.

Here are some current key points of info,

You can purchase single day tickets or grab a 3-day bundle ticket. All tickets include the option to camp onsite.
It’s incredibly family friendly, kids love it, they can bring push bikes, balls and games with plenty of space to run around in the campground.
You’re free to come and go during the days, but please sign in again for COVID tracking when you re-enter the gates.
Credit holders from our cancelled events in 2020 can use their dollarydoos for this gig. Don’t know your credit code? Email us at mail@dashville.com.au and we’ll sort it as soon as we can.
BYO alcohol is permitted in the campground only, the arena is licensed so there is no BYO inside the concert gates.
This is an all age event, under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult (25+) at all times whilst in the arena.
Dogs are not permitted.
Campground open from 12pm Friday 31st of December.
Live Music generally kicks off around 6pm each night.
Bird Bath Bar Open from 3pm until 11.30pm each day, except New Years Day where we’re open to 1am.
The Swoop Inn will be providing breakfast, lunch and dinner. Food and beverage items are not included in your ticket but you can order and pay on arrival.

A FRESH START
Dashville – Lower Belford, Hunter Valley

FIND TICKETS & MORE INFO
HERE

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

TASMAN KEITH SHARES DEBUT MIXTAPE TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN LISTEN TO ‘ANSWER’ FEAT. PARISSA TOSIF

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

Photo by Snappatronik

PRAISE FOR TASMAN KEITH

“A man on a mission”
triple j

“One of the best examples of pure Australian hip-hop we’ve been treated to”
Complex

“Tasman’s razor-sharp lyrics tackle family, identity and race with potency.
His talent has been obvious from the get-go.”
Red Bull Music

21 Top Indigenous Acts To Tune Into
Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil)

“Determined to use his platform to give a voice to the voiceless”
Acclaim Magazine

“Tasman Keith is taking control of the narrative”
FBi Radio

“One of the most exciting voices in hip hop in Australia right now”
Purple Sneakers

“Leading Australia’s hip-hop and soul future”
Pilerats

Fresh off a sold-out headline tour and securing 2020 J Award for Best Australian Music Video Of The Year for ‘BILLY BAD AGAIN’, rapidly rising Bowraville-born rapper Tasman Keith continues his seemingly limitless ascent by today unveiling his debut mixtape, To Whom It May Concern, and sharing new single, ‘ANSWER‘, featuring Vallis Alps vocalist Parissa Tosif. Listen HERE.

The idea of hometown pride has always ridden deeper than most in Tasman’s music: everything he does is indebted to the community that raised him, to the idea of giving back and carrying on the storytelling traditions of his family. For Bowraville – a small town on New South Wales’ mid-North Coast most commonly recognised for housing one of the country’s most notorious missions and as the site of one of Australia’s most shameful chapters in history – Tasman is attempting to write a new history through his music, reclaiming pride by lifting up and giving back.

As it happens, Tasman Keith wears this responsibility very, very well throughout To Whom It May Concern, balancing a willingness to interrogate the darkest crevices of his life and Australian society as a whole with a perfectly weighted knowledge of when to shake it off with braggadocio, self-assured confidence, and beats that remind you why subwoofers were invented in the first place. Across To Whom It May Concern, Keith addresses the death of his older cousin, reflects on his career thus far and forwards, drawing connections between structural racism and the music industry, and more.

From the bare-bones, truck-rattling furore of lead single, ‘Confident‘, to the hypnotic, horror-inspired, nocturnal soundscapes of ‘Nightmares on 9th.‘, Tasman’s penchant for fearless stylistic choices is, at this point, already well established. To Whom It May Concern doubles down on that expansive flexibility, allowing Tasman to comfortably, confidently occupy so many artistic lanes at once while also carving out a space of his own.

With a shifting structure, lavish production, a tripping flow, and auto-tuned vocals that tread the line between rapping and singing, latest single ‘ANSWER‘ recalls the swirling, hallucinogenic panoramas of Travis Scott’s Astroworld and the shadowy introspection of J Cole, Tasman’s most outright excursion into pop territory to date. Atop percolating layers of interweaving guitars and synths, Tasman embarks on a journey of self-reflection, healing, and reconciliation, untangling a troubled state of mind whose weight is cushioned against the floating, atmospheric vocals of Vallis Alps‘ Parissa Tosif.

Of the track, Tasman says that ‘ANSWER‘ is “representative of a goodbye, a goodbye that unfortunately can cause confusion or a lack of understanding for what the other person or yourself has sacrificed up until that point. I’ve lost a lot of people in my life whether that’s to death or simply paths going different ways, this joint was me using an example of a relationship as that outlet. With the whole mixtape being titled ‘To Whom It May Concern’ I feel like this is almost the sign-off, the letting go of the ego and the confidence for a moment to be really open”.

Tasman’s debut mixtape captures a rapper in the midst of a propulsive, undeniable artistic streak, capping a year that has seen his profile rise through collaborations and guest features, appearing on Jimmy Nice’s ‘Same Water‘, Northern Territory producer Kuya James’ powerful single ‘No Country‘, including its own stripped-back version ‘No Country (Piano In F Minor)‘, and alongside Jessica Mauboy on ‘First Nation‘, the second single lifted from The Makarrata Project, Midnight Oil’s first studio album in over 18 years, together with his debut TV performance twice on the second season of The ABC‘s live music series, The Sound.

His stratospheric 2020 comes off the back of an equally prosperous 2019 for the Sydney-based emcee, who, off the strength of critically acclaimed singles, ‘BILLY BAD AGAIN‘, ‘move up‘ and Evenings, his collaborative EP with Northern Territory singer Stevie Jean, introduced himself to larger and larger national audiences, playing Laneway Festival, Groovin’ the Moo, BIGSOUND and more, coupled with the release of his Mission Famous VICE documentary, which shone a light on the collective achievements of his hometown, the highs and lows of life living in Bowraville.

With his technical proficiency as a rapper, his storytelling, and the resonant social justice messages of his mission, Tasman has long been positioned as an emergent leader in Australia’s hip hop resurgence. His debut mixtape coronates his reign and exceeds the promises preceding its release, cementing Tasman Keith’s status as a wholly essential artist and a resolute, unassailable voice for the voiceless.

To Whom It May Concern is out now, buy/stream it here.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN TRACKLIST
10SPEED
65 ft. Wire MC & Gamirez
CONFIDENT
THESE DEVILS
ANSWER ft. Parissa Tosif

Stay connected with Tasman Keith:
Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Soundcloud

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

FRANK IERO AND THE FUTURE VIOLENTS PREMIERE NEW SINGLE ‘SEWERWOLF’ + NEW EP ‘HEAVEN IS A PLACE, THIS IS A PLACE’ OUT JANUARY 15 VIA UNFD

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

Image: Mitchell Wojcik

Following its premiere via Consequence of Sound, Frank Iero and the Future Violence aka The Future Violents are sharing a brand new single today. ‘Sewerwolf’, the second track from the group’s forthcoming EP Heaven is a Place, This is a Place, unleashes a ferocious and redemptive anger where in the chorus frontman Iero professes, “I come alive forged in fire, My love will break these chains built from pain, they can’t hold me down.”

Serving as a companion piece to 2019’s critically acclaimed full length, Barriers, the forthcoming EP, due out January 15, 2021 is split into two distinct movements.

Side A reveals the true meaning of “Violence”, a song title Iero has teased on bass drums in all his Future Violents music videos. Indeed, it’s opening gambit of “You got so sick, I thought I’d die, you got so down, I couldn’t get high” before the chorus refrain of “Your violence feels like kisses to me, your silence makes it harder to breathe, your distance feels like I’m not enough… I need your touch” sees Iero at his most scathing and damaged. Never have these words felt more relevant as they do now. This ferocity and redemptive anger continues into “Sewerwolf “ where in the chorus Iero professes, “I come alive forged in fire, My love will break these chains built from pain, they can’t hold me down.”

In total contrast to side A, side B finds the band more delicate and thoughtful, complete with soaring soundscapes before the final crescendo of Record Ender. All while paying beautiful tribute to Iero’s journey with The Future Violents and its members musical fortitude.

STREAM ‘SEWERWOLF’ NOW:
https://unfd.lnk.to/HIAPTIAP

PRE-SAVE ‘HEAVEN IS A PLACE, THIS IS A PLACE’ EP:
https://unfd.lnk.to/PresaveHIAPTIAP

‘HEAVEN IS A PLACE, THIS IS A PLACE’
EP TRACKLISTING:
1. Violence
2. Sewerwolf
3. Losing My Religion
4. Record Ender

In 2016, Iero and his guitar-playing brother in law, Evan Nestor, were involved in a brutal motor vehicle accident in Australia – one they barely survived. During the process of recovery, the REM song, ‘Losing My Religion‘ started making pivotal appearances in unusual places / weird circumstance and the mantra repeated itself as time went on.

When Iero resumed touring, post accident in 2017, one of the members of the support band, Kayleigh Goldsworthy, struck a chord both literally and proverbially.

Iero notes “From the first show I was completely impressed with her musicianship and by touring together I realised she was also a rad human being who I desperately wanted to write and play music with. In my mind she was already in my next band, I just had to write the music, name the band, find the other musicians, oh and of course ask her. But during that first tour together we got to talking about how she played the mandolin and how we shared a love for R.E.M., and more specifically ‘Losing my Religion’. So, on the last night of tour in San Francisco we found an empty room/hallway/stairwell type place and made an iPhone voice memo demo of the song. It felt like magic and that was the moment I was convinced this couldn’t be the only thing we did together.”

Goldsworthy’s band was subsequently invited to tour the UK & Europe and in London, a BBC session at the legendary Maida Vale studios culminated in Iero, Nestor, and Goldsworthy recording their unique take on ‘Losing’ amidst analogue history and English rain. The magic in the air was palpable and despite being on a sold out tour for an existing album (Parachutes) everyone in the room knew that this was the starting point of something new and truly great.

Iero has always employed a new band name for each stage of his solo career (The Cellabration / The Patience / The Patients / The Future Violents / The Future Violence) and there surely can be no doubt that as ‘Losing My Religion’ is the start of the band then ‘Record Ender’, the closing track, is the bookmark conclusion as Iero sings “Maybe we fooled them all, at least I hope we did.”

Heaven features Evan Nestor on guitar and backing vocals, Murder By Death’s Matt Armstrong on bass, Thursday’s Tucker Rule behind the drum kit and Kayleigh Goldsworthy on keys, mandolin, and violin.

Heaven Is A Place, This Is A Place is out in full Friday January 15, 2021 via UNFD.

LATEST ALBUM ‘BARRIERS’ OUT NOW:
https://unfd.lnk.to/barriers

CONNECT WITH FRANK IERO:

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

Plastic Bouquet – Marlon Williams and Kacy & Clayton – Out Now

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

Hear Plastic Bouquet in full here

Kacy & Clayton and Marlon Williams are set to release their debut collaboration Plastic Bouquet tomorrow via Caroline Australia. The 11-song set was produced by Kacy Lee Anderson & Marlon Williams and was recorded in Saskatoon, SK and Nashville, TN. Plastic Bouquet has been met with wide critical acclaim with Uncut Magazine awarding the album 8 out of 10 stars and Album Of The Month, calling it a “cross-hemisphere collaboration between two teams of very distinctive artists.” Mojo stated in their 4 out of 5 Star review, “Both acts keep country tradition close to their hearts, and Anderson’s crystal-clear voice wraps itself around Williams’ Roy Orbison croon like a modern Gram and Emmylou. Linthicum’s guitar adds texture and twang, as the interplay between the trio delivers their Plastic Bouquet close to country perfection.” The Music called the album “Enigmatically good,” Rolling Stone Country stated, “Williams’ otherworldly croon leads the way, blending beautifully with Kacy Anderson’s voice in a winning combination of diverse talents,” and The Associated Press said, “It would be difficult to find another 2020 album featuring three more distinctive instruments — the voices of Anderson and Williams, and Linthicum’s electric guitar.”

Between his critically acclaimed, self-titled debut in 2015 and its equally acclaimed follow up, 2018’s
Make Way For Love, the New Zealand-based Williams has played many of the world’s major festivals, toured and performed with Bruce Springsteen, Florence + The Machine, Brandi Carlile and Lorde. He has won multiple New Zealand Music Awards and APRA Awards, and was handpicked by actor & director Bradley Cooper to appear in the Academy® Award-winning film A Star Is Born. He also appears in the films True History of the Kelly Gang and the upcoming Lone Wolf. Building a discography of five albums since 2011, the Saskatoon-based Kacy & Clayton delivered a pair of critically acclaimed albums, The Siren’s Song in 2017, and Carrying On in 2019, both produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Beyond praise from Q Magazine, Uncut, and more, they have racked up millions of streams, cemented themselves as an “artist’s artist,” and toured with Wilco, The Decemberists, Ray LaMontagne, Vetiver, Blitzen Trapper, among others.

As far apart as Christchurch, New Zealand and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan may seem, the three musicians find common ground between a lifelong shared passion for Western Country, Folk, and Troubadour traditions on Plastic Bouquet. “We wanted to see if we could meld hemispheres,” says Williams. “I’m bringing this Pacific style of country music with the harmonies and choral elements. Kacy & Clayton have a super identifiable sound. They embody everything I love about North American folk. There’s a rural weariness where they’re telling tales that have been told a million times in their own way. I feel the strength in it.”
While his Summer was in full swing, Williams hopped a flight to the below 20 degrees of Saskatoon for Christmas 2018. The three wrote and recorded the bulk of what would become Plastic Bouquet over the course of just three weeks, with final sessions to follow in Nashville, TN in September of last year.
In the end, Kacy, Clayton, and Marlon have brought sounds and traditions together and unlocked undeniable chemistry.

Plastic Bouquet is out NOW via Caroline Australia

www.kacyandclayton.com
www.marlonwilliams.co.nz

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

W ZEALAND’S MELODOWNZ SHARES HARD HITTING ANTHEM ‘BIG DEALS’ FEAT. DIGGY DUPÉ OUT NOW VIA DEF JAM ANZ / SNIFFERS RECORDS

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

PRAISE FOR MELODOWNZ

“A mainstay of New Zealand’s hip-hop scene and now he’s ready to take on the world”
Earmilk

“About to become every NZ rapper’s favourite rapper”
VICE

“Readying to have a breakout year”
HotNewHipHop

“Sensational”
COLORS

“MELODOWNZ is on a roll”
Acclaim Magazine

New Zealand rapper MELODOWNZ has shared ‘Big Deals‘ featuring Diggy Dupé, the Polynesian wordsmith’s second single of the year following ‘Fine‘. Listen to ‘Big Deals‘ HERE.

While his last cutthroat collaboration, 2019’s ‘No Mercy’ saw MELODOWNZ barring out alongside Florida rap weapon Denzel Curry – on ‘Big Deals‘ the MC recruits Auckland-based Niuean rapper Diggy Dupé for a dominant community celebration. Longtime friends and collaborators, the two first appeared on a song together back in 2016, and since have both become leading figures in New Zealand’s hip hop landscape. With both rappers repping alternate sides of Auckland City, on ‘Big Deals‘ two respective stomping grounds collide to create a hard-hitting anthem.

Opening with a slinky guitar melody loop, pounding drums propel ‘Big Deals‘ into gritty street territory as Melo introduces his turf with a spirited holler on the snappy hook, “Auckland city born and raised, 828 with a smile on my face / big deals get done you get none, big deals get done you get none”. Diggy Dupé’s gruff tone commands on the second verse before both rappers unite on the final hook; their spirited chant an uproar for the city that raised them and the respective hustles within it. Released in tow with a music video directed by Auckland visionary Connor Pritchard, MELODOWNZ and Diggy Dupé take viewers on a tour of the streets that symbolize their identities and upbringings in the music video, in the company of their day one crews. Watch BELOW.

“Lately I’ve been really inspired and impressed with Polynesian rap in NZ and AUS. Seeing other Poly’s winning is really empowering and pushes me to do the same. That’s where the energy from the song comes from, and being proud of my community and the hood that raised me,” MELODOWNZ says. “My Uso is a top salesman at a popular car dealership in Auckland, and when he seals a deal I used to say “BIG DEALS GET DONE” as a joke. I say the same thing with my manager, and to a lot of the bros still trapping and what not. Diggy’s one of my day ones in this music shit, even before the music, I grew up with a few of his cousins, so we’ve been team since way back. Him being from Central, Arch Hill / Grey Lynn and me being from West Auckland / Avondale, I knew our verses would be the perfect contrast for the song.”

The release follows MELODOWNZ recent nomination for Best New Act at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards and the debut of his new YouTube series Kava Corner – where Melo interviews some of New Zealand’s biggest names over a bowl of Kava. About to embark on an extensive run of summer festival shows across New Zealand, ‘Big Deals‘ is another taste of what MELODOWNZ has been cooking up this year as he works towards his debut album in 2021.

‘Big Deals‘ is out now via Def Jam ANZ / SNIFFERS Records,
buy/stream it here.

Stay connected with MELODOWNZ:
Facebook | Instagram | Youtube | Soundcloud | Bandcamp

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

JUNO DISCO UNVEIL IDIOSYNCRATIC NEW SINGLE ‘YOU’RE SO HUNG UP ON MY COLOURS’

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

PRAISE FOR ‘YOU’RE SO HUNG UP ON MY COLOURS’

“‘You’re So Hung Up On My Colours’ provides a very vibrant colour palate with its energetic electronic instrumentation that ignites the mix significantly before the lush vocals of Jones and Salt combine and float effortlessly above.“
– Acid Stag (AUS)

Premiered on triple j’s Home & Hosed w/ Declan Byrne

Melbourne-based dance-pop duo Juno Disco have just revealed their extraordinary new single ‘You’re So Hung Up On My Colours’ – produced by the band themselves and Joe Carra (King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Pond).

Fusing funk-laden synth basslines, sparkling chimes and ethereal vocals, ‘You’re So Hung Up On My Colours’ is an exquisite example of engrossing songwriting and ingenious sampling. The tracks intricate rhythms playfully intertwine, with each layer deftly mixed together in an amalgamation of cleverly produced dance music.

Juno Disco talk about the inspiration behind the track:

“This single is our ‘love-letter’ to the world of showbiz. It muses on what it means to be a musician or any kind of creative performer in this day and age, but also touches on some timeless truths about the entertainment industry.”

Previous releases have been widely embraced by Spotify, MTV and Australian radio stations triple j, triple j Unearthed and community radio. They’ve also seen extensive support from tastemaker blogs Indie Shuffle (ZAF), Pilerats, Surviving the Golden Age (USA), Trouble Juice, Deafen County and Futuremag Music.

In the live arena, the duo has sold out multiple headline shows, supported LEISURE (NZ) and Luke Million, and played Australian festivals like Beyond The Valley and St Kilda Festival.

Juno Disco is made up of Melbourne artists Nick Bond and the classically trained Albert Salt. Taking cues from dance luminaires Todd Terje, Client Liaison and Hot Chip, the duo create exciting, left-of-centre dance-pop, with the duo mentioning, “Juno Disco is our first foray into making poppy dance bangers and it’s very fun”.

In the coming weeks, Juno Disco will reveal an accompanying music video for ‘You’re So Hung Up On My Colours’.

‘You’re So Hung Up On My Colours’ is available worldwide now through Inertia Access

Click to stream ‘You’re So Hung Up On My Colours’

FOLLOW JUNO DISCO

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

ROMY Releases piano session version of ‘Lifetime’ Shares intimate live performance

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

Praise for ‘Lifetime’

“Romy Madley Croft shows that she’s not afraid of a bit of rave-tinged pop. And we are here for it.” – triple j

“A bright, jubilant, future summer anthem” – Double J

“A disco dream” – Music Junkee

“It’s powerful in how emotional it is… Turn this one up loud and let it all out.” – Purple Sneakers, Best Songs Of The Week

“An optimistic, kaleidoscopic dance tune that leans into the xx’s clubbiest moments and tie dye’s it.” – The Interns

“A club hit with euphoria in spades.” – Happy Mag

“A celebration” – Pilerats

“a stunning return to music” – i-D Magazine

“Lifetime finds comfort in club pop’s revivifying powers and life-enhancing potential in Madley Croft’s reminder to seize the moment, to stay open to the wonder that instils those powerful memories” – The Guardian

“a celebration of life, love and friendship, this heady, pulsating debut single from the xx singer plugs you straight into the emotional mains” – Sunday Times

“We will dance together again, and this will be our song” – NME

“a gloriously euphoric debut solo single… a joyous exultation of a record, it has that unique blend of euphoria and melancholia so often found in timeless dancefloor records” – Mixmag

“a warm blast of dance-pop euphoria that might just mend your heart” – The Face

“the song of the year” – Wonderland

Today, Romy releases a piano version of her debut solo single ‘Lifetime’. Captured at the end of the day during studio sessions for her forthcoming debut album, the stripped-back filmed performance is a moment of pure intimacy, putting the focus back onto Romy’s song writing and the emotion of her vocal performance.

It comes at the end of an exceptional few months for the London singer and songwriter, who released her debut solo single in September. Produced with Marta Salogni and Fred again.. ‘Lifetime’ combined Romy’s love of yearning, emotional club music and timeless song writing (having written songs for the likes of Dua Lipa and Mark Ronson in addition to co-writing The xx’s three acclaimed albums); an exhilarating piece of warm, club-influenced pop that has already found its way into a host of end of year best of lists (including The Guardian, NPR and NME’s).

Meanwhile, Romy recently further explored her club and electronic influences, collaborating with Jayda G, Planningtorock, HAAi and Anz on a ‘Lifetime’ remix package that stretched the original into a variety of stunning dancefloor directions. This week she also appeared on the cover of the iconic dance publication Mixmag, releasing her first official DJ mix alongside an in-depth interview.

To round things off, Romy brings us right back to where the song started, just her vocal with minimal accompaniment. It’s still a moment of escapism, just in a more delicate and intimate form. Watch it here.

Listen / Save / Download: Romy – Liftetime: https://romy.ffm.to/lifetime
Listen / Buy: Romy – ‘Lifetime’ Remix Collection https://romy.ffm.to/lifetime-remixes

Romy
Website | Instagram | Twitter

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

Trace Decay – Unveil Triumphant Debut EP ‘Monstrous Subconscious’

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

PRAISE FOR SINGLES OFF ‘MONSTROUS SUBCONSCIOUS’

“It’s a brilliant moment that doubles down on the indie-pop brilliance they’ve carved over the last few releases, and while acts often stay semi-stagnant when they string together singles as such a pace, there’s a clear progression amongst Trace Decay’s work.”
– Pilerats (AUS)

“Another top quality one that feels sombre and resigned but maybe, just maybe, there’s some hope laced in the mix too.” – 4/5 stars
– Declan Byrne – triple j (AUS)

“When it opens up in that final third, it’s like the blinds have been opened to the most glorious day and everything is gonna be ok.” – 4/5 stars
– Zan Rowe – Double J (AUS)

“The Melbourne indie-pop pair have deftly created a brilliant debut that plays with melancholy and hope.”
– LIKE VELVET (AUS)

Melbourne-based indie-pop duo Trace Decay has just revealed their blissful debut EP ‘Monstrous Subconscious’ – produced by frontman Jordan De Pas and Edvard Hakansson and mastered by Malcolm Besley (Northeast Party House, Client Liaison, Slowly Slowly).

‘Monstrous Subconscious’ is five tracks of ethereal indie-pop, deftly arranged with compelling instrumentation, as the bass and rhythm sections playfully interact to create a vibrant, yet somewhat bittersweet listen. Each track carefully delivers its own story and feel, while contributing to the wider narrative of the EP which offers insight into Jordan’s personal journey over the past few years, both mentally and emotionally.

Opener ‘Surprised At Something’ bursts out of the blocks with bright hi-hats, warm snares and sliding guitar riffs, equal parts nostalgic and melancholy. Next up, track two ‘Reality Check’ incorporates syncopated basslines, helping drive a kaleidoscope of reverberating instrumentation.

Lead single ‘Empty Handed’ melds captivating backing vocals and the commanding lead vocals of Jordan effortlessly. The technicolour choruses help propel the track through crescendos, rounding out an elegant slice of notable indie-pop.

This leads into the fourth track ‘Never Felt Like This’, a deftly mixed slow burner, highlighted by inviting synths and dreamy guitars. Focus track ‘Arcade Games’ satisfyingly closes out the record, as exquisitely arranged guitar arpeggios intertwine with Jordan’s enchanting croons.

Previous releases have been widely embraced by Australian radio stations triple j, triple j Unearthed, 3RRR, 4ZZZ, RTR FM, Edge Radio, PBS FM, SYN FM, Radio Adelaide and Aussie Music Weekly. They’ve also seen support from online blogs Pilerats, NME, Music Feeds, Trouble Juice, The AU Review, AAA Backstage, Something You Said and The Soundcheck. Their previous single ‘Photobooth’ was also featured on the new ABC iView show Retrograde.

The two-piece has sold-out headlining shows in their hometown and supported the likes of Art Vs. Science, San Mei and Shag Rock. When they aren’t writing pop hits, you can find them either running music festivals in Queensland (Arcadia Music & Arts Festival), managing up and coming Melbourne artists (IJALE + Quiet Blue) or studying at university.

‘Monstrous Subconscious’ is available worldwide now

EP Track Listing

1. Surprised At Something
2. Reality Check
3. Empty Handed
4. Never Felt Like This
5. Arcade Games

FOLLOW TRACE DECAY

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

Melbourne art-punk duo NOCON return with new single ‘Back of the Truck’

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

Photo by Kate Durman

“Dangerous and addictive stuff with drops of Damon Albarn in its blood, ‘Back Of The Truck’ is a fuzzy punk blend worth going in on.” – Declan Byrne, triple j

“Best listened to on repeat.” – Deafen County

“Snazzy scuzzy punk that’s about as humble in its origins as any off-the-cuff bedroom recording, but with a sharper edge.” – Weirdo Wasteland

“[‘HOAX’ is] one of the year’s catchiest singles.” – Happy Magazine

STREAM/SHARE ‘BACK OF THE TRUCK’

Melbourne art-punk duo, NOCON, today share contagious new single ‘Back of the Truck’. Premiered last night on triple j, the track was written and recorded during
Melbourne’s stringent lockdown, with co-frontmen Jamie Timony (These New South Whales/MOSSY) and Jake O’Brien sending stems back and forth via email.

Stream/share ‘Back of the Truck’ here.

With frenetic drum and bass, pitched-down vocals, skuzzy guitars and a custom “beep” sample from Melbourne artist Purient, ‘Back of the Truck’ captures the delirium brought about through prolonged isolation.

Speaking of the new single, Timony (lead vocals on this track) says:

“I remember the first time I ever got stoned in the back of my friend’s Jeep while we were driving down a country highway, I was trying to speak to my friends who were in the front and they couldn’t hear me over the music. It was a strangely harrowing experience. I started thinking my blood was made of Sprite and basketballs and it was all downhill from there. I think we captured a bit of that energy in this track.”

NOCON enlisted artist and engineer Jonathan Boulet to mix ‘Back of the Truck’, while the “shitty CD sleeve from under the car seat”-inspired artwork featuring a Transformer in pride of place was designed by Melbourne artist James Neumann.

NOCON are building a catalogue of earworms that when transferred to a live show, will make their audience feel “sweaty and satisfied”. “We wanted to pump some real energy into [Back of the Truck].”, O’Brien says.

‘Back of the Truck’ Lyrics

With the air-con on
And the windows down
I’m a goddamn clown (I’m a goddamn clown)
Got a cig in my fingers
I could flick out the window
Burn it all to a cinder (burn it all to a cinder)
Got a gas station drink
And the wind in my hair
And no mind left to think! (Think!)
I’m feeling left out
When I scream and shout
No-one ever turns around (no-one ever turns around)

Sitting in the back
Back of the truck
Back of the truck
Can’t hear the conversation up front
Back of the truck
Back of the truck
Hear no conversation

ABOUT NOCON

NOCON are a Melbourne-based art-punk duo brought to you by Jamie Timony (MOSSY/These New South Whales) and Jake O’Brien. The self-described “no-punk” project takes its name from an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm in which Jerry Seinfeld refers to Larry David as a “nocon”—the opposite of an icon. Since the release of debut single ‘AGAG’ in April, and September’s ‘HOAX’, NOCON has been embraced by fans and critics alike including NME, Weirdo Wasteland, Tone Deaf, Deafen County, FBi Radio and triple j.

Keep up to date with NOCON by following them on Spotify and Instagram.

Keep up to date with Dinosaur City Records releases and events:

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen Praise for first single ‘Faith Healer’: "There are traditional verse/chorus peaks here, yet every element contains its own micro- tempest – rich guitar tangles rearing like waves – as Baker stares down the conflict of what pleasure means to an addict" – The Guardian “An immersive journey (…) a blend of electronica, soundscape and folk” - i “an understatedly exciting new direction for one of the best songwriters of our time" - DIY "An anthem of vigorous hope" – Fader "2020 needed more Julien Baker in it, and the emotive singer-songwriter came through" – Teen Vogue “Stunning" – Nylon "When Julien Baker sings, the people listen, and “Faith Healer” — the raspy-voiced indie rocker’s new single — is no exception. The soul-baring cut is as much a song about literal addiction as it is an ode to misplaced faith." MTV Julien Baker will release her third studio album, Little Oblivions, on February 26 via Matador Records / Remote Control. Today, Isolate/Create is launching a campaign around the album’s critically acclaimed first single 'Faith Healer,' inviting fans to get creative with the track. For the exciting Isolate/Create project, Julien Baker offers the stems for 'Faith Healer' for the purpose of remixing and reinterpretation, hopefully offering some fodder for creativity during this challenging time. Fans are invited to share their creations on YouTube or Soundcloud, using the hashtag #julienremix when posting. If sharing on socials, they are asked to tag @julienrbaker and @matadorrecords as well. 'Faith Healer' introduced the exhilarating, widescreen musical palette and infectious spirit of risk-taking found on Little Oblivions, a transformative sonic shift from Baker’s more spare and intimate previous work. Engineered by Calvin Lauber and mixed by Craig Silvey (The National, Florence & the Machine, Arcade Fire), both of whom worked with Baker on 2017’s Turn Out the Lights, the album was recorded in Baker’s hometown of Memphis, Tennessee between December 2019 and January 2020. Baker’s tactile guitar and piano playing are enriched with newfound textures encompassing bass, drums, synthesisers, banjo and mandolin, with nearly all of the instruments performed by Baker. The album weaves unflinching autobiography with assimilated experience and often hard-won observations from the past few years, taking Baker’s capacity for starkly galvanising storytelling to breathtaking new heights. Little Oblivions is the follow up to Baker’s 2017 sophomore album and first on Matador, Turn Out The Lights. The New York Times said Turn Out The Lights is “the work of a songwriter who has resonated with an international audience (…), the rare second album that, despite new self-consciousness, stretches beyond an unspoiled debut to reach for even bigger things, with all its passion intact”. The Sunday Times said “the mix of detached vocals, lush arrangements and laid-bare post-mortems on love, loss, dysfunction and acceptance is devastating". Baker went on to perform songs from the album on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and CBS This Morning. In 2018 Baker formed boygenius with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. The resulting eponymous EP and joint North American tour made for one of the most celebrated and talked about musical communions of 2018, highlighting Baker among the forefront of a burgeoning generation of era-defining artists. Baker shot to worldwide attention in 2015 with show-stopping debut, Sprained Ankle. Recorded in only a few days, it was a bleak yet hopeful meditation on identity, addiction, faith, resilience and redemption. MOJO called it “comforting as it is unsettling as it is cathartic”, while Pitchfork noted, “if you prefer redemption songs to sound as raw as they feel, Sprained Ankle could bring you to your knees”. The album went on to appear on many end of year lists. An intense and immersive performer, her live shows were described by The New Yorker as “…. hushed, reverential. The only sounds you hear between songs are her fingers as she tweaks the tuning on her electric guitar, scattered whispers between friends, and the rustling as the crowd waits patiently for Baker to start strumming again”. Baker has collaborated on studio recordings with Frightened Rabbit, Matt Berninger, Becca Mancari, Mary Lambert, and on stage with Justin Vernon, The National, Sharon Van Etten, Ben Gibbard and others. An essay on the album by poet, author, and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib (Go Ahead In The Rain, They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, A Fortune For Your Disaster) is below. Pre-order Julien Baker - Little Oblivions: https://julienbaker.ffm.to/littleoblivions Download Isolate/Create stems: https://julienbaker.ffm.to/isolatecreate Julien Baker - Faith Healer (Official Video) Listen / Save / Download: https://julienbaker.ffm.to/faithhealer Little Oblivions If you are lucky enough to have a future where the present anxieties of distance become romantic memories, I hope there are people who turn this album over in their hands years from now and remember the world it tumbled into. A world that, in whatever future moment exists, will likely be defined by the work people undertook and the fights people continued to show up for. But it will also be a world defined by how many of us exist on the other side of distance. In the moment, here is a new Julien Baker album that arrives as a world comes to newly understand its relationship with touch, with distance. At the time of this writing, I shouldn’t want to run into the arms of anyone I love and miss, and yet I do. In an era of hands pressed on the glass of windows, or screen doors. An era of hands reaching back. An era where touch became an illusion. If we have been unlucky enough, our own lifetimes have prepared us for the ever-growing tapestry of aches. To wrestle with the interior of one’s self has become a side effect of the times, and will remain a side-effect of whatever times emerge from these. The first time I ever heard Julien Baker, I wanted to know how an artist could survive such relentless and rigorous self-examination. I have been lonely, I have been alone, and I have been isolated. There are musicians who know the nuances between the three. What whispers in through the cracks of a person’s time alone. Julien Baker is one of those artists. A writer who examines their own mess, not in a search for answers, but sometimes just for a way out. A lighthouse to some newer, bigger mess. It is hard to put into words what this feels like. Little Oblivions is an album that steps into that feeling and expands it. Sonically, from the opening swells of sound on 'Hardline' rattling the chest, loving but persistent jabs to the way 'Relative Fiction' spills into 'Crying Wolf,' which feels like speeding down a warm highway that quickly turns into a sparse landscape, drowning in a hard rain. Lyrically, too, of course. There are writers who might attempt to bang at the doors of their listeners, shouting their particular anguish of the hour. And there are undoubtedly times when I have needed that to get from one sunrise to the next. But there are also writers who show up assuming anyone listening already knows what it is to crawl themselves back from one heartbreak, or to shout into an enduring darkness and hear only an echo. Little Oblivions is an album that details the crawling, details the shouting. An album that doesn’t offer repair, or forgiveness. Sometimes, though, a chance to revel in the life that is never guaranteed. Yes, the life that grows and grows and is never promised. How lucky to still be living, even in our own mess. The grand project of Julien Baker, as I have always projected it onto myself, is the central question of what someone does with the many calamities of a life they didn’t ask for, but want to make the most out of. I have long been done with the idea of hope in such a brutal and unforgiving world, but I’d like to think that this music drags me closer to the old idea I once clung to. But these are songs of survival, and songs of reimagining a better self, and what is that if not hope? Hope that on the other side of our wreckage – self-fashioned or otherwise – there might be a door. And through the opening of that door, a tree spilling its shade over something we love. A bench and upon it, a jacket that once belonged to someone we’d buried. Birds who ask us to be an audience to their singing. A small and generous corner of the earth that has not yet burned down or disappeared. I can be convinced of this kind of hope, even as I fight against it. To hear someone wrestling with and still thankful for the circumstances of a life that might reveal some brilliance if any of us just stick around long enough. Julien, how good it is to hear you again. And now, in all of our anguish and all of our glory. I miss the way the outside world reflected myself back to me. Now, I make mirrors out of the walls. I am so thankful for a better noise than the howling of my own shadows. Julien, you have done it again. You expert magician. You mirror-maker. Thank you for letting us once again watch you maneuver through all of your pleasant and unpleasant self-renderings. If there is a future, there will be people in it who might not remember how this album came at a time when so many hungered for a chance to put themselves back together. When the imagination of a person, a city, a country, was expanding. When, despite all of that, in the quiet moments, there were people who still wanted to be held by someone they maybe couldn’t touch. Thank you, Julien, for this comfort. This glass box through which a person might better be able to see a use for their own grief. This kingdom of small shards of sunlight, stumbling their way in to disrupt the darkness. — Hanif Abdurraqib Julien Baker - Little Oblivions 1. Hardline 2. Heatwave 3. Faith Healer 4. Relative Fiction 5. Crying Wolf 6. Bloodshot 7. Ringside 8. Favor 9. Song in E 10. Repeat 11. Highlight Reel 12. Ziptie Julien Baker - Little Oblivions is out February 26 2021 via Matador Records / Remote Control Records. Julien Baker Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Music News

JULIEN BAKER Announces Isolate/Create Project New album Little Oblivions out February 26 2021

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

Photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen

Praise for first single ‘Faith Healer’:

“There are traditional verse/chorus peaks here, yet every element contains its own micro- tempest – rich guitar tangles rearing like waves – as Baker stares down the conflict of what pleasure means to an addict” – The Guardian

“An immersive journey (…) a blend of electronica, soundscape and folk” – i

“an understatedly exciting new direction for one of the best songwriters of our time” – DIY

“An anthem of vigorous hope” – Fader

“2020 needed more Julien Baker in it, and the emotive singer-songwriter came through” – Teen Vogue

“Stunning” – Nylon

“When Julien Baker sings, the people listen, and “Faith Healer” — the raspy-voiced indie rocker’s new single — is no exception. The soul-baring cut is as much a song about literal addiction as it is an ode to misplaced faith.” MTV

Julien Baker will release her third studio album, Little Oblivions, on February 26 via Matador Records / Remote Control. Today, Isolate/Create is launching a campaign around the album’s critically acclaimed first single ‘Faith Healer,’ inviting fans to get creative with the track. For the exciting Isolate/Create project, Julien Baker offers the stems for ‘Faith Healer’ for the purpose of remixing and reinterpretation, hopefully offering some fodder for creativity during this challenging time. Fans are invited to share their creations on YouTube or Soundcloud, using the hashtag #julienremix when posting. If sharing on socials, they are asked to tag @julienrbaker and @matadorrecords as well.

‘Faith Healer’ introduced the exhilarating, widescreen musical palette and infectious spirit of risk-taking found on Little Oblivions, a transformative sonic shift from Baker’s more spare and intimate previous work. Engineered by Calvin Lauber and mixed by Craig Silvey (The National, Florence & the Machine, Arcade Fire), both of whom worked with Baker on 2017’s Turn Out the Lights, the album was recorded in Baker’s hometown of Memphis, Tennessee between December 2019 and January 2020. Baker’s tactile guitar and piano playing are enriched with newfound textures encompassing bass, drums, synthesisers, banjo and mandolin, with nearly all of the instruments performed by Baker. The album weaves unflinching autobiography with assimilated experience and often hard-won observations from the past few years, taking Baker’s capacity for starkly galvanising storytelling to breathtaking new heights.

Little Oblivions is the follow up to Baker’s 2017 sophomore album and first on Matador, Turn Out The Lights. The New York Times said Turn Out The Lights is “the work of a songwriter who has resonated with an international audience (…), the rare second album that, despite new self-consciousness, stretches beyond an unspoiled debut to reach for even bigger things, with all its passion intact”. The Sunday Times said “the mix of detached vocals, lush arrangements and laid-bare post-mortems on love, loss, dysfunction and acceptance is devastating”. Baker went on to perform songs from the album on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and CBS This Morning.

In 2018 Baker formed boygenius with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. The resulting eponymous EP and joint North American tour made for one of the most celebrated and talked about musical communions of 2018, highlighting Baker among the forefront of a burgeoning generation of era-defining artists.

Baker shot to worldwide attention in 2015 with show-stopping debut, Sprained Ankle. Recorded in only a few days, it was a bleak yet hopeful meditation on identity, addiction, faith, resilience and redemption. MOJO called it “comforting as it is unsettling as it is cathartic”, while Pitchfork noted, “if you prefer redemption songs to sound as raw as they feel, Sprained Ankle could bring you to your knees”. The album went on to appear on many end of year lists.

An intense and immersive performer, her live shows were described by The New Yorker as “…. hushed, reverential. The only sounds you hear between songs are her fingers as she tweaks the tuning on her electric guitar, scattered whispers between friends, and the rustling as the crowd waits patiently for Baker to start strumming again”.

Baker has collaborated on studio recordings with Frightened Rabbit, Matt Berninger, Becca Mancari, Mary Lambert, and on stage with Justin Vernon, The National, Sharon Van Etten, Ben Gibbard and others.

An essay on the album by poet, author, and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib (Go Ahead In The Rain, They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, A Fortune For Your Disaster) is below.

Pre-order Julien Baker – Little Oblivions: https://julienbaker.ffm.to/littleoblivions

Download Isolate/Create stems: https://julienbaker.ffm.to/isolatecreate

Julien Baker – Faith Healer (Official Video)
Listen / Save / Download: https://julienbaker.ffm.to/faithhealer

Little Oblivions

If you are lucky enough to have a future where the present anxieties of distance become romantic memories, I hope there are people who turn this album over in their hands years from now and remember the world it tumbled into. A world that, in whatever future moment exists, will likely be defined by the work people undertook and the fights people continued to show up for. But it will also be a world defined by how many of us exist on the other side of distance.

In the moment, here is a new Julien Baker album that arrives as a world comes to newly understand its relationship with touch, with distance. At the time of this writing, I shouldn’t want to run into the arms of anyone I love and miss, and yet I do. In an era of hands pressed on the glass of windows, or screen doors. An era of hands reaching back. An era where touch became an illusion. If we have been unlucky enough, our own lifetimes have prepared us for the ever-growing tapestry of aches.

To wrestle with the interior of one’s self has become a side effect of the times, and will remain a side-effect of whatever times emerge from these. The first time I ever heard Julien Baker, I wanted to know how an artist could survive such relentless and rigorous self-examination. I have been lonely, I have been alone, and I have been isolated. There are musicians who know the nuances between the three. What whispers in through the cracks of a person’s time alone. Julien Baker is one of those artists. A writer who examines their own mess, not in a search for answers, but sometimes just for a way out. A lighthouse to some newer, bigger mess.

It is hard to put into words what this feels like. Little Oblivions is an album that steps into that feeling and expands it. Sonically, from the opening swells of sound on ‘Hardline’ rattling the chest, loving but persistent jabs to the way ‘Relative Fiction’ spills into ‘Crying Wolf,’ which feels like speeding down a warm highway that quickly turns into a sparse landscape, drowning in a hard rain. Lyrically, too, of course. There are writers who might attempt to bang at the doors of their listeners, shouting their particular anguish of the hour. And there are undoubtedly times when I have needed that to get from one sunrise to the next. But there are also writers who show up assuming anyone listening already knows what it is to crawl themselves back from one heartbreak, or to shout into an enduring darkness and hear only an echo. Little Oblivions is an album that details the crawling, details the shouting. An album that doesn’t offer repair, or forgiveness. Sometimes, though, a chance to revel in the life that is never guaranteed. Yes, the life that grows and grows and is never promised. How lucky to still be living, even in our own mess.

The grand project of Julien Baker, as I have always projected it onto myself, is the central question of what someone does with the many calamities of a life they didn’t ask for, but want to make the most out of. I have long been done with the idea of hope in such a brutal and unforgiving world, but I’d like to think that this music drags me closer to the old idea I once clung to. But these are songs of survival, and songs of reimagining a better self, and what is that if not hope? Hope that on the other side of our wreckage – self-fashioned or otherwise – there might be a door. And through the opening of that door, a tree spilling its shade over something we love. A bench and upon it, a jacket that once belonged to someone we’d buried. Birds who ask us to be an audience to their singing. A small and generous corner of the earth that has not yet burned down or disappeared. I can be convinced of this kind of hope, even as I fight against it. To hear someone wrestling with and still thankful for the circumstances of a life that might reveal some brilliance if any of us just stick around long enough.

Julien, how good it is to hear you again. And now, in all of our anguish and all of our glory. I miss the way the outside world reflected myself back to me. Now, I make mirrors out of the walls. I am so thankful for a better noise than the howling of my own shadows. Julien, you have done it again. You expert magician. You mirror-maker. Thank you for letting us once again watch you maneuver through all of your pleasant and unpleasant self-renderings. If there is a future, there will be people in it who might not remember how this album came at a time when so many hungered for a chance to put themselves back together. When the imagination of a person, a city, a country, was expanding. When, despite all of that, in the quiet moments, there were people who still wanted to be held by someone they maybe couldn’t touch. Thank you, Julien, for this comfort. This glass box through which a person might better be able to see a use for their own grief. This kingdom of small shards of sunlight, stumbling their way in to disrupt the darkness.

— Hanif Abdurraqib

Julien Baker – Little Oblivions

1. Hardline
2. Heatwave
3. Faith Healer
4. Relative Fiction
5. Crying Wolf
6. Bloodshot
7. Ringside
8. Favor
9. Song in E
10. Repeat
11. Highlight Reel
12. Ziptie

Julien Baker – Little Oblivions is out February 26 2021 via Matador Records / Remote Control Records.

Julien Baker
Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Music News

YESYOU REVEAL TRANQUIL NEW EP ‘THIS IS PASSION PT.1 (EDIT)’

by the partae December 11, 2020

written by the partae

PRAISE FOR SINGLES OFF ‘THIS IS PASSION PT.1 (EDIT)’

“YesYou blending some class production with that warm and floaty vocal melody. Feels like an intro to a day at the beach.” – 4/5 stars
– Dave Ruby Howe – triple j Unearthed (AUS)

“This is some laid back soul that’s got me in a real nice mood. there’s just a bit of trip hop to that production and otherwise it’s just got that vintage, classic feel. smart stuff!.” – 4/5 stars
– Declan Byrne – triple j (AUS)

“Complimented by the richness in the accompanying instrumentation of lush pianos that add plenty of character to the mix.”
– Acid Stag (AUS)

Brisbane-based electronic-soul group YesYou have just unveiled their hypnotic new EP ‘This Is Passion Pt.1 (edit)’, featuring edits off the original nine-track mixtape, as well as remixes from Brisbane’s Spare Time Collective.

‘This Is Passion Pt.1 (edit)’ is six tracks of sophisticated electronic soul, filled with blissful instrumentals and feel-good vocals. The EP showcases the groups expert layering and gorgeous textures, culminating in a fulfilling manner from start to finish.

YesYou talks about the process behind ‘This Is Passion Pt.1 (edit)’:

“At the beginning of 2016, we started to realise we’d lost sight of why we started the project and it stopped being fun. We’d been in the studio five days a week for the last three years and getting bogged down in making music we thought people wanted to hear. We’d lost ourselves in overthinking each second of every song.”

“We gave away ‘This is Passion Pt.1’ mixtape in October, which featured nine records we’d been sitting on since 2015. Putting it out was the therapy that we needed and pushed us to finish a few more demes. The result being ‘This is Passion Pt.1 (edit), which features some edit’s off the mixtape and a few new records.”

Opener ‘This Is Passion (intro)’ combines hypnotic guitars and a dream-like dialogue, beginning the EP in an idyllic way, leaving the listener wanting more. Up next is lead single ‘So Real’, driven by the captivating vocals of Damon Truiett and a smooth rhythmic section.

Third track ‘Losing My Touch’ is co-written by Marcus Azon (Jinja Safari) and opens with bouncing percussion and sun-soaked vocals, building towards a wholly satisfying ending. While track four ‘Pray For Me (Only One)’ is driven by velvety baselines and mellow guitar chords, it is capped off with dream-like vocals and explores blissful acoustics and strings.

This leads into ‘How You Feel (Wanna Dance)’, which opens with distant vocals and soft bongo’s, before the introduction of groove-laden guitar chords and compelling melodies. Closer ‘Something Special’ finishes the EP off with an upbeat slice of disco, moving between jazz instrumentals and serene synths, completing a fitting end to this collection.

Previous releases have been widely embraced by worldwide tastemaker blogs Consequence of Sound (USA), Clash Magazine (UK), The Line Of Best Fit (UK), Beautiful Buzzz (USA), EARMILK (USA), Stereofox (DEU) and Acid Stag. They’ve also received support from Australian radio stations triple j, FBi, 3RRR, 4ZZZ, 2RRR, Bay FM, Triple H and Radio Adelaide.

YesYou are currently working with Sydney-based designer Kris Andrew Small, who has worked with the likes of Nike, Sony Music, It’s Nice That, Adidas, Dazed and The Presets to create a 24-page zine to accompany the first mixtape. This comes in addition to working with Brisbane collective Spare Time who mixed and mastered the project, as the pair focus on building more of a community around them.

YesYou began in 2010 out of their parents’ bedroom and in 2011 released their first single ‘Half of It‘ which went onto to be the 11th most played song on triple j that year. Over the coming years, the group went onto support the likes of Rufus Du Sol, Midnight Juggernauts and Neon Indian. While working with Jordan Rakei (Ninja Tune), Noah Slee (Majestic Casual), Michael Marshall (Timex Social Club) and Damon Trueitt (FKJ, Todd Edwards) the group landed 4 top 5 Hype Machine releases with 2017’s ‘Change is Going to Come’ hitting number one.

‘This Is Passion Pt.1 (edit)’ is available worldwide now: https://yesyou.bandcamp.com/merch

EP Track Listing

1. This Is Passion (intro)
2. So Real
3. Losing My Touch
4. Only One (Pray For Me)
5. How You Feel (Wanna Dance)
6. Something Special

FOLLOW YESYOU

December 11, 2020 0 comments

Festival News Music News

INTRODUCING THE 2020 MUSIC VICTORIA AWARD WINNERS + WATCH BACK THE AWARDS ON YOUTUBE

by the partae December 10, 2020

written by the partae

Last night, the 16th edition of the annual Music Victoria Awards honoured Victoria’s best acts, albums, songs and musicians of the year in another exceptional awards night. Taking place as part of the Melbourne Music Week Extended program at the Melbourne Recital Centre, the live-streamed event and Channel 31 TV special revealed the seven public-voted winners and 14 industry-voted winners following a handful of previously announced 2020 awards and accolades handed out at last month’s Industry Awards event.

Co-presented by RRR 102.7FM and PBS 106.7FM, and MC’d by beloved community radio presenters and stalwarts of the Victorian music scene, Lyndelle Wilkinson and Chris Gill, the evening also featured exciting live performances on the Recital Centre stage from Alice Skye, Elizabeth, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Simona Castricum.

This year’s Awards queen is the ineffable Sampa The Great who took home a massive four awards including Best Album, Best Solo Artist, Best Soul, Funk, Gospel or RnB Album and Best Song for her hit single ‘OMG’, and winning a $3000 in cash from APRA AMCOS. Beloved pub rock trio Amyl and The Sniffers took home three awards for Best Band, plus Best Live Act with frontwoman Amy Taylor being crowned Best Musician. Yamaha Music sponsored four Awards categories this year, providing $5000 in vouchers for Yamaha gear for the lucky winners.

Amy Taylor – Amyl and The Sniffers by Martin Philbey

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 9TH 2020:The Music Victoria Awards at the Melbourne Recital Centre on the 9th of December 2020, in Melbourne Australia. (Image/Martin Philbey) Local Caption***Music Victoria Awards

Kuku Yalanji, Jirrbal and Badu Island singer songwriter Kee’ahn took home the coveted Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent as well as a $2000 cash prize from the Foundation, and post-punk outfit Pinch Points were awarded Best Breakthrough Act, along with a $1000 credit for custom made merch from Australia’s leading merch company Sound Merch. Three-time previous Awards nominee Lloyd Spiegel took home Best Blues Album for his album Cut and Run, and previous two-time Award nominees Robin Fox and Birdz were named this year’s Best Experimental or Avant-garde Act and Best Hip Hop Act respectively.

Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife won Best Country Album for their album You Be The Lightning, four years on from taking out the same title for their previous LP Thieves, and previous Best Global or Reggae Album winners Black Jesus Experience were announced as this year’s Best Intercultural Act. The Best Regional/Outer Suburban Act with a cash prize of $3000 from Bendigo Bank, this year went to everyone’s favourite siblings The Teskey Brothers, who are still based in Warrandyte.

Inaugural Awards entrants, Fiona Ross & Shane O’Mara, Sleep D, Diploid, Vanessa Perica Orchestra and Dub FX were each crowned first-time winners of their respective categories, with cathartic punk trio Cable Ties claiming their debut Music Victoria Award win for Best Rock/Punk Album for their 2020 record Far Enough after four years and eight nominations across almost every eligible category including Best Album, Best Live Act, Best Band, Best Song, and Best Emerging Act.

Simona Castricum by Martin Philbey

Music Victoria would also like to thank all their very generous partners for all of their contributions this year, plus each of the nominees of Best Song and Best Album were also awarded the opportunity for a paid and professionally filmed livestream event, thanks to funding from the Victorian Government’s Victoria Together Program.

The evening also saw Australian music icon Paul Kelly induct the late, great Chris Wilson into the Music Victoria Hall Of Fame, presenting a touching speech and inviting Chris’ wife Sarah Carroll and sons Fenn Wilson and George Carroll Wilson to the stage to accept the induction. Kim Salmon and Jo Roberts presented fellow Hall of Fame Inductee Mary Mihelakos with her official induction to celebrate her extensive and prolific industry career. Music Victoria’s outgoing CEO Patrick Donovan was also acknowledged for his work growing the Awards over 16 years and for his achievements at the helm of the organisation.

George Carroll Wilson, Paul Kelly, Sarah Carroll & Fenn Wilson by Martin Philbey

A testament to the strength of the Victorian music community, Music Victoria would like to thank Major Partners Bendigo Bank, City of Melbourne, Creative Victoria and Melbourne Recital Centre in their ongoing support of the Music Victoria Awards and send a big thank you to everyone who voted or tuned in to the 2020 Awards and to all those who continue to support and champion local musicians, venues festivals and industry. Here’s to the next 12 months of world class Victorian music!

THE 2020 MUSIC VICTORIA AWARD WINNERS:
PUBLIC-VOTED WINNERS

Best Album
Sampa The Great – The Return

Best Band (Prize $2000 voucher from Yamaha)
Amyl and The Sniffers

Best Song (Prize $3000 cash from APRA AMCOS)
Sampa The Great – OMG

Best Solo Artist (Prize $1000 voucher from Yamaha)
Sampa The Great

Best Musician (Prize $1000 voucher from Yamaha)
Amy Taylor (Amyl and The Sniffers)

Best Breakthrough Act (Prize $1000 value in custom made merch from Sound Merch)
Pinch Points

Best Live Act
Amyl and The Sniffers

INDUSTRY-VOTED WINNERS

Best Regional/Outer Suburban Act (Prize $3000 cash from Bendigo Bank)
The Teskey Brothers (Warrandyte)

Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent (Prize $2000 cash from Archie Roach Foundation)
Kee’ahn

Best Blues Album
*Lloyd Spiegel – Cut and Run

Best Country Album
Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife – You Be The Lightning

Best Electronic Act
Sleep D

Best Experimental or Avant-garde Act
Robin Fox

Best Folk Album
Fiona Ross & Shane O’Mara – Sunwise Turn

Best Heavy Album
Diploid – Glorify

Best Hip Hop Act
Birdz

Best Intercultural Act
Black Jesus Experience

Best Jazz Album
Vanessa Perica Orchestra – Love is a Temporary Madness

Best Reggae and Dancehall Act
Dub FX

Best Rock/Punk Album
Cable Ties – Far Enough

Best Soul, Funk, Gospel or RnB Album
Sampa The Great – The Return

INDUSTRY AWARDS WINNERS
Best Small Venue (under 500 capacity) – The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood
Best Large Venue (over 500 capacity) – Forum, Melbourne
Best Festival – Golden Plains
Best Regional/Outer Suburban Venue (Over 50 gigs per year) – Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong
Best Regional/Outer Suburban Venue (Under 50 gigs per year) – *Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Outstanding Woman In Music – Sarah Hamilton (One Of One)
Best Producer – Joelistics: Mo’Ju & Joelistics Ghost Town EP

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
TO BE INDUCTED AT THE MUSIC VICTORIA AWARDS
Mary Mihelakos (industry)
Chris Wilson (musician)

Music Victoria Facebook

Music Victoria Website

Music Victoria YouTube

Music Victoria Instagram

Music Victoria Twitter

December 10, 2020 0 comments

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INTRODUCING THE 2020 MUSIC VICTORIA AWARD WINNERS + WATCH BACK THE AWARDS ON YOUTUBE