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Stay connected with Luke Hemmings:
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About imbi x Slim Set
imbi is an experience. Through intention, authentic expression and musical magick imbi transfers tantalising and tangible energies to audiences around the world. imbi uses fluid lyricism, poetry, harmony and the raw power of their voice to share vulnerable feelings and foster intimate moments with every individual they perform for/share space with. Having performed for audiences across so-called ‘australia’ and Aotearoa (N.Z.) imbi has left many strong impressions, continuing to expand their practice of performance and push the limits of crowd engagement/intimacy every time they sing.
Slim Set are a rapper-producer duo hailing from Western Sydney. They mangle electronic and rap sonics into a hybrid sound that’s unique in the Australian music landscape. Slim Set’s 2020 included a peak time set at Golden Plains, where they shared a stage with huge names like The Pixies, Sampa The Great and Hot Chip. They also took part in Conscious 2020, a music program run by Campbelltown Arts Centre, alongside A-Girl, Spvrrow and T-Breezy. They burst onto the Australian rap landscape in 2018 with ‘Cooked’ and ‘Lazy’, which ended 2018 as the #1 and #2 most played songs on FBi Radio. Those singles saw them nominated for three FBi SMAC awards and support international acts including The Streets, Flohio, AJ Tracey and Sir Spyro. They’ve also appeared as guests on Triple J Mixup and taken up the Wednesday Sunset slot on FBi Radio where they pushed the hottest talent out of West and South West Sydney every week.
RELEASES COVER OF NO ROME’S
‘SEVENTEEN’
OUT NOW ON ASTRAL PEOPLE RECORDINGS / [PIAS]
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Where are you currently based?
Living in Sydney at the moment.
How did you first start playing music?
I’ve been singing all my life, and my mother is a piano teacher. I’d have the occasional lesson, but I didn’t take it too seriously. I liked learning things by ear, rather than reading music. I learned Oboe for 9 years at school, played for my HSC. Towards high school, I was introduced to Logic, where I started producing and recording covers (some of which might be available on Youtube – I warn you, it’s a cringefest.)
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?
As a result of the lack of gigs and events, I’ve been scheduling writing sessions with new friends! I haven’t done much collaboration in writing and production, I find the process of creating a very personal thing, and I was too afraid to share that with anyone else. What I realize now is how beautiful it is to share that creative energy with someone else, and I love it.
Other than that, the quiet period before this upcoming release has ended, and now the responsibilities have snowballed! I was planning for months, so it’s really quite exciting to finally catch up on all that I had planned for bl!nk!
Your new single BL!NK is on the way, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I kid you not, my reference track for this song was all I listened to for months. In the week I found this song, I think I’d already listened to it 100 times on day 3 (Spotify literally told me so). I’m A Kid by Jadu Heart was my sole inspiration for bl!nk. I was OBSESSED with its sound and the way it made me feel. I think bl!nk takes a slightly harder turn throughout, a little more of an edge to the lyrics and sound. I’m pretty bitter in this song. Lyrics tell all.
How did you go about writing BL!NK?
I was meeting with Alistair (Alistair Hayes, Sydney drummer, co-writer + producer) to write our first song. After discussing for a while, we decided to write something rebellious and sexy, very self-assuring and assertive. As I mentioned before, I was pretty bitter at this point in my life, so a storyline wasn’t hard to find. We took inspiration in sound and feel from Jadu Heart, Ainslie Wills and Lucky Daye, to name a few.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?
We recorded bl!nk in Alistair’s home studio, a.k.a, his bedroom. Started in November 2020 and finished soon after. We enlisted the help of our friend Oscar to mix the final demos, and I sent the final off to 301Studios for mastering.
What does BL!NK mean to you?
Bl!nk’s purpose actually changed for me, once we’d finished the song. I think that change results in the bridge, it hits pretty hard. It makes me feel alive and fierce and wicked! Originally I think I wanted to write something a little sly and witty. Something polite, but still truthful and a little bit sexy. As we kept writing, a darker attitude formed. The bridge turns into this rude, grungy therapy session. I basically let out everything I know I shouldn’t say, and I don’t care.
You’ll be filming a music video soon, for which track?
The music video coming up is for bl!nk!
How did the concept for the music video come about?
The concept is based very much on the cover for bl!nk. The story of the song also tells itself really, it’s easy to find inspiration in something that actually happened to you. I love dark colours, eerie photos. Picture black and white ghost documentaries… mixed with cute 90’s girls… that’s my aesthetic. OR I just like flash photography in the dark, that’s a safer angle. Let’s stick with that.
Where will you film and who with?
We’re hoping to go back to where I shot the cover artwork, on the way to North Head Lookout, Manly. I’ve asked Sydney Director + Photographer Maya Luana to help me with the project.
What do you like to do away from music?
I love cooking! And I have a problem with buying too many indoor plants.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’m eagerly awaiting Snoh Aalegra’s next album! By the time this interview is released, her album will be out! So I’m going to strongly bet that’s what I’ll be listening to. Lost You is a single Aalegra has released in anticipation of the album – it’s a blessing. Remi Wolf’s recent single Liz, Ocean Grove’s 2020 album Flip Phone Fantasy, Easy Life’s latest release skeletons, Mel Blue’s recent album Sanctuary Point, Pt.1 – I could go on! Those are current favourites.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Usually, I try to eat pretty well… but my favourite cheat meal is at a friends place in Crows Nest, Plan B. They have loaded fries and savage burgers. Hangout locations change according to where the next gig is, as most of my friends are all independent artists.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2021?
The bl!nk video is yet to be released! And #spoiler another single is coming! Ending the year with a pretty fun dance track. I’m tying up loose ends for next years releases… stay tuned.
Mailing List: https://10onuhmt64w.
Instagram: https://www.
Facebook: https://www.
LISTEN HERE
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LIGHTMAN JARVIS ECSTATIC BAND – BANNED
TRACKLIST
1. Olamim
2. Ancient Chain
3. Recurring Theme
4. Red Champa
5. Trillium
6. Nymphea
7. Bone of a Hound
8. Ein Sof
9. Lift My Heart
10. Elastic Band
11. Becoming
12. Mother’s Rope
13. Slick Oil
14. Stomach Pit
15. Tomb of the Patriarchs
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Now with the wind of her debut album beneath her wings, Maple Glider takes flight. Happy Mag has announced that Maple Glider is the winner of the 2021 Needle in the Hay competition – judged from over 3,000 entries. As a result, the goosebumps-inducing album closer ‘Mama It’s Christmas‘ will be pressed to 7” in the coming months. Speaking of vinyl, the first pressing of To Enjoy is the Only Thing is available in pearly green wax. It can be ordered in a bundle with a green tie-dye tee with the LP logo up-titled to To “Fang It” is the Only Thing… a personal saying of Tori’s, inspiring one of her tattoos.
To Enjoy is the Only Thing is out now via Pieater / Partisan Records,
buy/stream it here.
TRACKLIST
As Tradition
Swimming
View From This Side
Friend
Be Mean, It’s Kinder Than Crying
Good Thing
Baby Tiger
Performer
Mama It’s Christmas
TOUR DATES
Thu 23 Sep – Northcote Social Club – Naarm / Melbourne
Thu 30 Sep – The Vanguard – Warrang / Sydney
Tickets available at mapleglider.com
Stay connected with:
Maple Glider: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
Pieater: Pieater.net | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Tumblr
Title: Expensive Sounds For Nice People
Label: Physical Presents
Download/stream “Expensive Sounds For Nice People”
Platinum producer Felix Cartal releases his 4th studio album “Expensive Sounds For Nice People” via Physical Presents. Also taken from the album are previously released “Mine” with Sophie Simmons, and “Love Me” with Lights; both are certified Platinum in Canada, with the latter one also winning the Dance Recording of the Year at the Junos 2020. Other remarkable tracks on the album include “Only One” with the hit UK singer-songwriter Karen Harding and “My Last Song” with the rebellious Norwegian songstress Hanne Mjøen, “Too Late” with the Juno Award-winning singer and composer KROY (from Quebec duo Milk & Bone), as well as “The Life” with Fjord as well as several solo indie dance anthems from Felix, which find themselves at home on the album. Cartal‘s earlier “Get What You Give” also reached Platinum status, while one of the most recent singles “Happy Hour” with Kiiara was featured on 32 Spotify New Music Friday playlists as well as Billboard’s Best New Dance Tracks.
A release nearly 3 years in the making, “Expensive Sounds For Nice People” covers a range of emotions: from the ecstatic highs of new love to the frustrating lows brought by inevitable heartbreak, all held up by a backbone of unique house music. Felix Cartal lures listeners onto the dancefloor with an array of strong female vocals, showcasing some of the best singers the pop world has to offer one unforgettable track at a time, as each occupies its own sonic realm of indie dance, and none is quite like the other.
Felix Cartal shares the history behind the album: “My fourth album Expensive Sounds For Nice People is part of the second musical chapter in my life. My first two albums were the first chapter of my musical career: a scrappier, undeveloped, experimental phase where a lot of the ideas didn’t quite get executed how I would want from lack of skill or know-how. I’m still fond of that time and those releases, but was ultimately frustrated that I couldn’t make what I wanted come to life exactly how I heard it in my head. The other big problem from that era was consistency, and basically that’s what I’ve become obsessed with. Growing up arguably through one of the worst eras of one-hit-wonders in musical history, I remember constantly being disappointed when I bought an album and there was only one good song. I hated that. And I think remembering that has guided me into this second chapter of my life. Where I’ve just tried to grind it out daily at the studio and work on my skills, and trying to become more consistent. I’m more into the ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi‘ chef approach nowadays, where I just try to log hours every day to refine my craft. Not too concerned with the result from that specific day but knowing that if I stack those hours I will in fact improve. I want every song to be 100% something I’m proud of, or it’s not coming out.“
He goes on to further elaborate: “The title of the album is a tongue in cheek description of all this. The Sounds, to me, are Expensive because I know time is a valuable commodity and I’ve logged the hours to get there. On the other hand, as an artist, who knows what even gives art value half the time? But for me, the fact that people still to this day take the time to write me heartfelt messages about my music, inspires me to keep going and to keep creating. So this album is for them, the Nice People who take the time to care, and for me, because I care too. I hope the album, from front to back, is enjoyable. I’ve worked very hard on every detail for the past 3 years.“
Vancouver-based Felix Cartal has collaborated with several major artists such as Kaskade, R3HAB, Gallant, and has also created official remixes for the likes of Selena Gomez, Zedd, Galantis, Dillon Francis, MØ, Ellie Goulding, Diplo, Anne-Marie & Doja Cat as well as Daya & Shallou‘s “Older.” He has been featured by major Youtube channels Trap Nation, MrSuicideSheep, MrRevillz, Chill Nation, The Vibe Guide, Selected, xKito, among others, and has earned over 360 million plays across all platforms. He has also seen support from BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard and Diplo & Friends, and SiriusXM Chill has also heavily supported several singles, while his Weekend Workout radio show is also featured on SiriusXM‘s Diplo’s Revolution.
“Expensive Sounds For Nice People” Tracklist:
01. The Life (feat. Fjord)
02. Over It (feat. Veronica)
03. Harmony
04. Layover
05. Mine (feat. Sophie Simmons)
06. 500 Days (feat. Matilda)
07. Old Self (feat. Ofelia K)
08. We Fall
09. Only One (feat. Karen Harding)
10. My Last Song (feat. Hanne Mjøen)
11. Love Me (feat. Lights)
12. Going Up
13. Happy Hour (feat. Kiiara)
14. Jealous
15. Hygge
16. Too Late (feat. KROY)
“Friday vibes are exemplified on ‘Happy Hour,’ a joyous new collab between Canadian producer Felix Cartal and anti-pop star Kiiara.” – Billboard
“It goes from a cool electro place into some more mellow, halftime vibes during the hook. No earth-shattering drops, no pandering. This is just good music for great people.” – Complex
“Felix Cartal has turned ‘You Get What You Give’ into a full-on EDM blast, the kind of thing you expect to hear at four A.M., as you’re waiting for the sun to rise.” – Popdust
“The platinum-selling producer is back, matching his arena-level electronics to a potent pop touch.” – Clash Magazine
“‘Mine‘ follows the producer and DJ, Taelor Deitcher’s irresistible sonic formula: melting melodic electro-pop sensibilities with slick body-shaking bass lines, this time relaying an ode to lost love with the honey vocals of singer Sophie Simmons” – Wonderland Magazine
Learning music comes naturally to some people, where they can pick it up and have an easy time learning and understanding. Additionally, some have a great ear for music and are able to play songs with ease. However, not everyone is provided such gifts, and even those that have a great ear would benefit from learning the fundamentals of music theory. Here are some basics in a theory guide to help you get started.
Tempo And BPM
Tempo is the pace of a song. It can be either fast or slow, of course in relativity. A beat is a standard unit of time in music. Tempo is measured in beats per minute or BPM. The higher the BPM, the faster the tempo and the faster the song. This is important to consider for pacing when you are trying to play in harmony with others, or in music production where you have different instrument sounds and are trying to match them with each other to create synchronicity. Drummers and other rhythm instruments are often tasked with keeping this consistent tempo, and DJs will need to consistently match BPM on their playlists and mixes to create a seamless transition between songs.
Time Signatures
The concept of time signatures expands on the previously explored concepts of tempo. You will use this in order to determine how to count your music. Utilizing fractions, you will measure the beats that you will find in each individual bar as the top number, while the bottom number in the fraction will signify the length of the note to count. An example of the most common time signature looks like 4/4 and means there are four quarter notes to account for. Keep in mind, this is shown this way specifically for music purposes, and unlike math, would not be reduced to 1. The importance of time signatures breaks down to organization and creating an easy identify the structure for musicians to understand and be able to play.
Frequencies And Notes
A note consists of a pitch of a sound and its duration. A pitch refers to the frequency of the sound, which translates to how high or low the note is. The frequencies are more commonly known and associated with the letters A through G, creating what most musicians will feel familiar with as notes. The notes will then repeat, just in different In a single octave, there are 12 notes to account for. These include sharps and flats as well. Grasping the basics of notes is your first step in musical notations. This is important because you have to be able to read music in its written form in order to properly play music if you cannot reasonably memorize entire songs, and when you also want to create pieces of your own. When you are first learning music and instruments, learning the piano provides a strong foundational basis, as the notes are aligned in order.
Sharps And Flats
Sharps and flats are unique types of notes used to reference when you play certain notes a semitone or a half step higher or lower. For sharps, the semitone is higher, while the flat denotes a lower played half step. When it comes to sheet music, sharp is indicated by the # while a flat is indicated by ♭. On a piano, you will find sharps and flats easy to identify as they are the black keys. Keep in mind, sharps and flats can share the same keys, since they are either one semitone higher or lower than a root note. For example, a C sharp is also known as the D flat. Both are correct and used, depending on the situation or key that a piece or song is in.
Octaves
An octave is used with notes that are of the same frequency but played at different speeds, creating different sounds. They are the distance from one note to the next same note, either lower or higher. Octaves separate the groups of notes by their pitch, as you will notice a significant difference in notes played from different octaves, as they have easily distinguishable pitches from one another.
Chords
Chords are multiple notes played in harmony at the same time. The most common note is composed of three notes, creating what is known as a triad. Triads are often the most common note you will find, hear, and play. A chord is named after its root note or the note that you start with when you are playing your chords.
Before you progress in any learning environment where the material can be complicated, it is important that you always begin with the basics. This is the same for learning music, as the theory and fundamentals are important to build before you proceed to more in-depth learning.
DEBUT AA-SIDE SINGLE FROM
JESSIE WARE / JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW AND THE JOY
OUT NOW ON TRANSGRESSIVE RECORDS
photo credit. Alex Kurunis
During the first few weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown, London-based producer Two Inch Punch had the idea of a collaborative project in which the artist and producer community, given their sudden slow down of pace, could have the opportunity to continue working, collaborating and making connections with fellow producers and musicians that they may already know but also hopefully connecting with those that they didn’t, and that they may have admired from afar.
Two Inch Punch has now curated a new project titled A Month Of Sundays and in the spirit of the collaborative nature of the project will be releasing a series of AA-side singles over the coming months, with the full album A Month Of Sundays: Volume 1 set for release Friday 3rd September on Transgressive Records. Further details, including a full list of the collaborators plus the tracklisting, will be revealed soon.
Proceeds from A Month Of Sundays: Volume 1 will be going to the independent charities Young Minds and Black Minds Matter. It’s vitally important that we support each other at this time, and hope that this project is able to provide a small offering of relief.
The debut release from A Month Of Sundays shares two cuts, a brand new collaborative single from Jessie Ware and James Vincent McMorrow ‘Lost In LA’ plus an introduction to the truly exciting new South African group The Joy with ‘Nginothando Lwakhe’. On the project, Jessie Ware comments:
“It’s an absolute pleasure to be involved in such an exciting, collaborative project. Not only did I get to work with one of my great friends again, I got to sing with one of my favourite voices, James Vincent Mcmorrow. The other collabs on this project show just how instinctive and brilliant Two Inch Punch is, it’s been a total pleasure.”
Discussing the first release from A Month Of Sundays, Two Inch Punch offered the following:
“A Month Of Sundays started as soon as lockdown began. Every producer I know brought their studio setup home and tried to work out how to keep busy. All artists touring had suddenly stopped so creating music was the only thing we had. The idea came from Hamish Harris who is my friend and manager at September. He was suggesting using the unique time to collaborate on Instagram – sending ideas to other producers and artists with the hashtag #PassItOnProject. Quickly ideas, beats & song nucleus’s were being formed at different levels & stages in peoples bedrooms.
It started out with completely random records – from ballad ideas, to drill instrumentals. Some formed quickly, some fell away. Some had 4 or 5 producers, some 1 or 2. The best thing about it was there were no rules, no campaign. Just the most free and expressive we could be in a time we felt most trapped. Pass it On (A Month Of Sundays) built momentum and snowballed. Having so many labels and artists trying to get involved was great to see.
‘Lost In LA’ & ‘Nginothando Lwakhe’ are so important to me, and encapsulate the time and process of the making of this record but also couldn’t be more different. ‘Nginothando Lwakhe’ is a pure acapella song from the township in Durban SA, while ‘Lost in LA’ is a record, reflecting about chasing a dream in LA, while being written, recorded & produced in our bedrooms in London & Dublin. Both tracks reflect the time, having been made purely as a result of the pandemic, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
A Month Of Sundays: Volume 1 is available to pre-order on CD, alongside donations to Young Minds and Black Minds Matter, here.
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Hey Rashid, congrats on your latest release, your TOR label debut! For our readers who might not have heard it yet, can you describe each of the tracks in three words/a sentence?
That’s a good question ! I would say…
“Never Knew” is soulful, nostalgic and raw.
“Chasing Ghosts” is industrial, haunting and warm.
“Still Think of You” is melancholy, lush and dreamy.
You’ve had a really strong 12 months with releases on the likes of Tale & Tone, TOR, XYZ… What do you think was the reason behind this exciting collection of new tracks? Have you been having an extra creative phase?
I think these tracks came from a desire to create during lockdown. I had a few months of creative focus in which the tracks came together. They each have their own story and meaning behind them, but in the end they worked quite nicely as a collection, even though this was not what I initially intended.
Where do you usually get your inspiration from, and has lockdown affected that (either in a good or bad way)?
My inspiration comes from nature, art and mainly from experiences in my life. But when it comes down to it the inspiration comes from within and is at a deeper level. It comes from being in the moment of creation fully.
Where would be your dream gig or show when the world opens back up properly again?
My dream is to tour the world and play in multiple countries, meet new people, and have unique experiences.
What’s next for you? We’ve heard that you’re big into NFTs and artwork, and are working on some cool installations… can you tell us more about that?
I will be launching my first NFT collection soon. It consists of 6 pieces all with unique visuals and music. I’m very excited about it and I really enjoyed the project! I’m looking at many new artistic projects that involve bringing together art, music, film and immersive experiences. Stay tuned for more updates!
Rashid Ajami’s ‘You Don’t Know Me’ EP is out now on Tale & Tone. His ‘Never Knew’ EP is Out Now on TOR, get it here.
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At 20, Finn Askew is more focused than ever; ambitious, self-reliant, and prepared for the thrilling future he is building for himself. Praised by The Line Of Best Fit for his “candied indie-pop” that would “fit on your 2014 Tumblr dashboard”, “genre defying” by Equate Magazine, “a young prodigy” by Rolling Stone Australia, “an artist to be reckoned with” by Tone Deaf, and amongst others, a “breakout musician to know in 2021” by GQ Australia; Finn’s meteoric rise from zero studio experience some two years ago, to his signing to Polydor Records in 2020 who released his debut Peach EP, is a testament to his constant hustle and enthusiasm for experimentation. Trying on genres as often as he does new sartorial styles, guided by his own intuition, Askew continues to deliver with ‘Paranoia‘ taking his artistry to new heights.
‘Paranoia‘ is out now via Polydor Records, buy/stream it here.
Stay connected with Finn Askew:
Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
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