September 2026

First Nations musicians, bands and producers across Australia are being invited to submit their music for First Sounds Volume 15, with submissions officially opening today, Tuesday 15 September.

A collaboration between the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) and Gadigal Information Service / Koori Radio (GIS), First Sounds provides a national platform connecting First Nations artists with Australia’s community radio network.

Since launching in 2020, First Sounds has released more than 14 volumes, with the initiative continuing to document and promote the breadth of contemporary First Nations music across the country. The project has delivered hundreds of tracks to radio presenters, with Volumes 10–14 generating more than 10,000 community radio spins over the past 12 months.

The latest volume will continue that work, bringing together music from artists working across genres including alt-pop, soul, rock, hip-hop, country and Blaktronica, while reflecting the stories, languages, cultures and connections to Country that sit at the heart of much First Nations music.

For artists, being selected offers exposure beyond the compilation itself. Successful applicants will appear on both digital releases and physical compilation CDs distributed directly to community radio stations around Australia through AMRAP, putting their music in front of broadcasters, tastemakers and audiences nationwide.

The impact of First Sounds can already be seen through artists who have featured on previous volumes. Filipino-Muruwari hip-hop artist DOBBY, who appeared on First Sounds Volume 1, went on to win an ARIA Award and reach No. 6 on the ARIA charts with his debut album Warrangu: River Story.

Community radio also plays an important role in supporting Australian music more broadly. Recent research led by Monash University and Griffith University found that Indigenous-led stations account for a third of the sector’s most Australian-music-intensive stations, highlighting the role community broadcasting continues to play in developing and connecting local First Nations talent with audiences.

For Volume 15, submissions will be reviewed by a panel bringing together First Nations artists, broadcasters, radio programmers and music industry professionals. The panel includes Thalia Skopellos, First Nations Project Coordinator at MusicNSW and producer and composer; Charlie Woods, artist and frontperson of Charlie Needs Braces; Gunai/Kurnai and Yorta Yorta artist, DJ and producer DJ PGZ, who is also a radio presenter at 3RRR; and Eora Sydney-based broadcaster Aaron Langford, presenter and producer at Koori Radio.

Charlie Woods, who has previously been featured twice on First Sounds, will join the selection panel for the first time for Volume 15.

“First Sounds means being connected to a community that recognises the power of our stories, culture and creativity,” Woods said. “It creates a space for mob to be heard, celebrated, and supported on our own terms.”

The panel will be looking for radio-ready tracks released within the past 18 months, with submissions open to First Nations musicians, bands and producers based in Australia.

First Sounds Volume 15 submissions are open from Tuesday 15 September until Tuesday 13 October 2026.

With its combination of national radio distribution, industry exposure and a focus on self-representation, First Sounds continues to provide an important pathway for First Nations artists to place their music directly in front of community broadcasters and listeners across Australia.

How to Apply

First Nations musicians from across Australia are invited to submit radio-ready tracks released within the last 18 months. Submissions will be reviewed and selected by an esteemed panel of First Nations artists, broadcasters, radio programmers and music industry professionals, bringing together decades of experience across music, radio, production and creative practice.

The panel includes Thalia Skopellos, First Nations Project Coordinator at MusicNSW and producer and composer; Charlie Woods, artist and frontperson of Charlie Needs Braces; Gunai/Kurnai & Yorta Yorta artist, DJ and producer DJ PGZ and radio presenter at 3RRR; and Eora Sydney-based broadcaster Aaron Langford, presenter and producer at Koori Radio. Together, the judges bring a deep understanding of First Nations music and culture, contemporary Australian music, radio and the evolving pathways for First Nations artists to connect with audiences.

Having been featured twice on First Sounds, Charlie Woods is thrilled to join the selection panel for Volume 15: “First Sounds means being connected to a community that recognises the power of our stories, culture and creativity. It creates a space for mob to be heard, celebrated, and supported on our own terms, and I am very excited to get the opportunity to listen to new music from mob, and support the next wave of great First Nations artists.”

Successful applicants will feature on both digital releases and physical compilation CDs distributed directly to stations nationwide via AMRAP.org.au, putting their sound in front of key taste-makers and community audiences across the country.

Submission Details:

Who can apply: First Nations musicians, bands, and producers based in Australia.

Eligibility: Radio-ready tracks released in the past 18 months.

Format & Distribution: Digital and physical CD distribution directly to community broadcasters nationwide via amrap.org.au.

Don’t miss the opportunity to take your music to national airwaves.

Submit your song and artist profile today to shape the next chapter of contemporary First Nations music.

Applications open from Tuesday 15 September to Tuesday 13 October 2026 via firstsounds.amrap.org.au

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Standing On The Corner have released their new album STANDING ON THE CORNER “II” via XL Recordings / Remote Control Records.

Founded in Brooklyn, New York in 2015, Standing On The Corner is a music recording group whose work moves between composition, performance, film, installation, social work and sound. The project is rooted in cultural exchange between the United States, Puerto Rico and Africa, bringing together elements of soul, punk, salsa, doowop, jazz, funk, avant garde and rap through a distinctly New York City sensibility.

The group’s work has also been characterised by an emphasis on ephemerality, lived experience and site specific signification, with releases often distributed unexpectedly and within limited physical windows.

STANDING ON THE CORNER “II” was recorded by bandleader Gio Escobar alongside core collaborators Jack “Wacko” Nolan, Buz “Man-man” Donald and Clérida “Ca$h Clay” Eltimé. The album moves between fried psychedelia, rock and roll, no wave rap, R&B and post hardcore energy.

Featured artists on the album include The Warlockettes, Ladybug Mecca, Styles P, Bubba Dupree, Claudette Ortiz, Sonia Sanchez, Solange and Danny Brown.

The album includes previously released tracks including “Gimme my gun”, “Mr. Postman, wait!”, “Doesn’t mean a thing” and “Secrets”, alongside “Will it ever be the same?”, “Man may not last”, “Evil man 9”, “Roll over beethoven”, “Rifle prayer”, “Worried about what i say”, “Baby, oh baby!”, “The Night has arrived”, “Sonia”, “How deep is the sea?” and “Go 2 sleep pu$$y”.

Standing On The Corner – ‘Doesn’t mean a thing’ (Official Visualiser) Stream / Download: https://standingonthecorner.x-l.co/doesnt-mean-a-thing

Standing On The Corner – ‘Secrets’ (Official Visualiser) Stream / Download: https://standingonthecorner.x-l.co/secrets

Standing On The Corner – ‘Mr. Postman, wait!’ (Official Visualiser) Stream / Download: https://standingonthecorner.x-l.co/mr-postman-wait

Standing On The Corner – SOTC II 1. Will it ever be the same? [ft. The Warlockettes] 2. The word 3. Man may not last [ft. Ladybug Mecca, Styles P] 3. Evil man 9 5. Gimme my gun 6. Mr. Postman, wait! 7. Roll over beethoven 8. Rifle prayer 9. Doesn’t mean a thing [ft. Bubba Dupree] 10. Worried about what i say 11. Secrets [ft. Claudette Ortiz] 12. Baby, oh baby! 13. The Night has arrived 14. Sonia [ft. Sonia Sanchez, Solange] 15. How deep is the sea? [ft. Danny Brown] 16. Go 2 sleep pu$$y

Standing On The Corner – STANDING ON THE CORNER “II” is out now via XL Recordings / Remote Control Records.

Standing On The Corner Website

September 14, 2026 0 comments

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British duo Y U QT have returned with their latest single, ‘Get Me High’, released via Ninja Tune’s Technicolour imprint.

The duo, made up of lifelong friends Darryl Reid and James Cooper, follow recent releases including ‘Really Works’ and ‘Call My Name’ with a track built around pulsing rhythms, soaring synths and vocal hooks.

‘Get Me High’ arrives as Y U QT announce a new monthly residency on Rinse FM, adding another chapter to an increasingly active period for the duo.

The new single follows their recent remix of Gorgon City and Jem Cooke’s ‘Oracle’, which was released via REALM Records in August. It also follows ‘Really Works’, released through Technicolour on June 25, and ‘Call My Name’, which arrived earlier in 2026.

Both ‘Call My Name’ and ‘Really Works’ have received support from BBC Radio 1 tastemakers including Danny Howard, Sarah Story and Arielle Free, according to the release.

Y U QT have also continued to build an international live profile, with recent appearances including a sold out four week Phonox residency, Land Beyond, Baltic Weekender, Cab Vol Barcelona’s Razzmatazz and Boiler Room Nottingham. The duo also toured across Asia earlier this year.

Their Tokyo set is now available on YouTube and has been featured by Mixmag Asia, while their wider catalogue includes the collaboration ‘Technique’ with Bullet Tooth and an official remix for Sub Focus.

Away from Y U QT, Darryl Reid has writing credits with artists including Charli xcx and Mike Skinner, while James Cooper runs a record store in Leicester.

‘Get Me High’ is out now via Technicolour

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Melbourne outfit Internet Romance have just dropped “Deep Blue,” and it’s the first real signal of what’s coming on their debut EP, IRL (In Real Life).

There’s a very specific feeling the song is chasing: that pull to just switch off, tune out the noise, and float somewhere else for a while. Sonically it splits the difference between dreamy and driving, atmospheric enough to get lost in but with a pulse underneath that keeps it moving. It might be the most immersive thing the band have put out yet.

Singer Tilly Abdallah puts it simply: “Deep Blue is like a deep breath, it’s the feeling of visiting my favourite place – the ocean. The song serves as a break from reality and stepping out of the constant fast-paced rush of life.”

The track was produced alongside Blake Bashfield (Sesame Girl, smartcasual), and it feels like a bit of a turning point for the band, a new sound setting the tone for the EP to follow.

And IRL sounds like it’s going to have a lot going on. The band are using the record to poke at escapism, feminism, internet culture and the general contradictions of modern life, wrapped up in alt-rock that doesn’t take itself too seriously, think pointed digs at the manosphere sitting next to random Anchorman references, all held together by a pretty dry sense of humour.

If you want to hear it in person, Internet Romance are throwing an EP launch at The Evelyn Hotel on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, on 9th October 2026.

“Deep Blue” is Out Now

I.R.L (In Real Life) is launching at @theevelynhotel on Friday 9 October 2026

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Madrid based punk rock outfit AmyJo Doh & The Spangles have released their new single ‘It’s a Girl’ through Strap Originals.

Fronted by British singer songwriter AmyJo Doherty, the band’s latest track takes the familiar setting of a gender reveal party and uses it as the starting point for a wider reflection on women, history and social change.

‘It’s a Girl’ moves from the pink and blue imagery of gender reveal celebrations into a roll call of women who have been written out of history, while addressing what the band describes as ongoing patterns of silencing.

“It’s not about gender,” Doherty says. “It’s about reconnecting with the feminine energy in all of us — compassion, respect, harmony, empathy.”

She adds: “Look where all that anger and ‘divide and conquer’ energy has actually gotten us. Enough is enough. The time has come for change, and it starts with each one of us.”

The track reflects the band’s description of their music as “punk with a purpose”, combining a raw and energetic approach with a message centred on social change.

The release also features the Spanish language B side ‘Menú del Día’, which pays tribute to the traditional dishes and lunchtime atmosphere of Madrid’s tascas. The band says everyone is welcome at the table, apart from racists and fascists.

AmyJo Doh & The Spangles have built their reputation through an extensive live schedule, performing more than 100 shows a year. Their touring history includes shows with The Libertines and AmyJo Doherty’s brother Pete Doherty across the UK and Europe.

Following a recent UK run, the band are set to perform in Sevilla on 11 September and Madrid on 12 September. The Madrid show will serve as an Amnesty International partnered single launch at DIY punk venue Sala La Trinchera.

The band have released two albums, ‘Calle De The Spangles’ in 2017 and ‘SpangleLandia’ in 2024.

AmyJo Doh & The Spangles are AmyJo Doherty on vocals, German Ormaechea Hernandez on bass, Matty Tyack on guitar and Jorge Javier Armijos on drums.

‘It’s a Girl’ is out now through Strap Originals

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17-year-old Southeast Sydney rapper TOKO NLZ has released his debut single, “Family Over Everything”, via Kobie Dee’s new label, Twenny47 Records.

The track introduces TOKO NLZ through a raw and deeply personal hip-hop record centred on grief, memory, loss and the importance of family, including the experience of losing a brother and finding connection in the family that remains, as well as bonds built throughout life.

“Family Over Everything” is built around a soulful, Boom-Bap-influenced hip-hop style. The song was originally sketched out over 2Pac’s “Thugz Mansion” and was the first song TOKO NLZ ever wrote. It was later rebuilt with producer LANDZZ during their first session together at Kobie Dee’s Twenny47 Studios in Maroubra.

The release also marks the first single from Twenny47 Records, the new imprint established by Gomeroi hip-hop artist Kobie Dee in partnership with BAM for distribution.

Twenny47 Records grew from Twenny47 Studios, a community-focused space in Maroubra where Kobie Dee runs music, arts and culture workshops focused on culture, connection and creativity.

Kobie Dee first became aware of TOKO NLZ through young people attending the studio. After hearing about the young rapper’s ability, Dee invited him to the studio, where TOKO NLZ performed across multiple beats and styles during a workshop.

Kobie Dee said he was immediately impressed and was surprised to learn that TOKO NLZ was only 16 at the time.

“Family Over Everything” was also the first song TOKO NLZ recorded at Twenny47 Studios. Producer LANDZZ was in the studio at the time and created the beat, with TOKO NLZ then recording the track.

The pair have continued working together at the studio, with the release describing them as being in the studio every week since that first session.

For TOKO NLZ, “Family Over Everything” establishes the starting point for his music and the relationship he wants to build with his audience.

“Making this my first single is a great way to introduce the audience to my sound and for others to help understand me as an artist,” TOKO NLZ said. “It sets the tone for future releases and the relationship I want to build with my audience.”

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TOKO NLZ
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