Previous Support For Chloe Styler
Finalist in the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition 2021
Nominated for the Gold Coast Music Prize at the 2021 Gold Coast Music Awards
“Chloe Styler creates warm, gentle pop music that may not hit you in an overwhelming wave of noise and production, but does something even better – captures your heart and warms your soul.” (Women In Pop)
“She can sing like an emotional, empowered angel, and has songs that she owns, lyrics of observation, heart and soul that she delivers with an intensity and commitment that make you believe she experienced the events and then wrote about them five minutes before she walked into the studio.” (Amnplify)
“Chloe Styler’s… love for storytelling is the driving force for the next chapter of her career.” (The Music Network)
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Where are you currently based?
Newcastle.
What’s been happening recently?
Pretty much just been getting ready for the EP launch at The Oxford Art Factory June 9th, finishing up this short film ‘Jaguar Serpent’ and getting stuck into recording my second EP.
What or who influenced the concept for your recent short film ‘Jaguar Serpent’ ?
I really love Alejandro Jodorowsky ! He would have to be my favorite film maker. David Lynch is really groovy too. I just really like unique surreal films, they make my bloody day and are so refreshing to discover. Films like ‘The Holy Mountain’ and ‘El Topo’ are such a trip.
Why did you decide to create Jaguar Serpent?
I basically just really wanted to write and direct a short film to release instead of another music video single. Don’t get me wrong I love doing music videos, I just wanted to make a little unique short film so my pal Dave Fulham and myself created one.
How did you go about filming and editing?
100% DIY, youtube video tutorials mostly.
Who did you work with?
I worked with Dave Fulham to make Jaguar Serpent. Seeing as though this short was my first go at writing and directing it was really interesting because I had not much of an idea of what I was doing. Dave works in film and could help me along with the process but it happened really organically. Dave has a camera and we both have similar interests so we thought what the hell, let’s make something weird together. We shot the whole thing around my house in Newcastle one afternoon earlier this year.
Will you be creating more films in the future?
Yeah for sure, I love the idea of making more shorts. Music videos are great too but having dialogue and a story for the viewer to ride along with is terrific.
You’ll be launching your latest EP at the Oxford Art Factory on June 9th, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I like to draw inspiration from not just music, but also life in general. Traveling, relationships, bus drivers, your pets, baristas, homeless people on the street, psychedelic ceremonies, sobriety, drunken madness; anything and everything inspires me to write. Writing and recording music is almost like my form of therapy. The collection of songs I have written is like a terrarium of trinkets plucked from my brainz, one by one a narration of different events that have transpired and affected me in one way or another.
What can we expect from the June 9th show?
The Oxford Art Factory is always a bloody great time! Such a fantastic Sydney venue ! Our EP launch show June 9th is going to be nothing short of that. Pretty stoked to finally have some vinyl pressed for the show also ! Supported by two really awesome bands Miramar and Trip Fandino. Expect exceptional vibes and lovely people.
How did you go about writing the EP and the recording process?
Extremely DIY ! Everything is mostly done on my laptop. My debut EP ‘Enter Echo’ was recorded in many ways in many different locations; in the back of my car, on park benches, libraries, hotel rooms, ashrams, garages, friends lounge rooms smashing out vox takes, bus stops, monasteries, on trains, on planes. Anywhere and everywhere you can put a laptop down basically. Extremely DIY! I don’t really stick to any kind of writing process. It’s more like if something comes to me, I just write it down or record the bloody thing. I like to write and collaborate with friends on
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?
I do the majority of it myself but I do love writing and collaborating with friends. William J Coleman is a pal who I’ve collab’d heaps with! William and I co-wrote a track off my EP ‘Sonder’ and also a mate Thomas Rawl mixed Sonder and Valis. Collaborating with filmmakers for music videos is something I really love doing too, it always turns out so differently to what you’d expect initially.
Please tell us about your latest video single, how it came about, where did you film and who did you work with?
The latest video single is called ‘Enter Echo’. It was shot over in Northern India with my friend and French Filmmaker Toa Doget. The video itself follows the journey of a man through the picturesque landscape, ingesting interdimensional hallucinogenic pills. It is a journey of self-discovery that leads the man to his own death that turns out to be quite transformative and he is reborn. The theme of the video is not too dissimilar to what the song ‘Enter Echo’ originally was written about. I wrote the song after a mind-altering experience on DMT, the theme of the song also has these underlying tones of self-discovery, death of the ego and a transitioning rebirth.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I listen to so many different genres and it’s always changing. Currently I can’t get enough of Ravi Shankar!
What do you like to do away from music?
I work as a disability support worker so that keeps me pretty busy away from making music.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2022?
More live shows ! Finishing up the rest of my second EP and organising a couple of music video singles to put out at the end of the year. Stay tuned – Can’t wait !
My Short film release – JAGUAR SERPENT – https://youtu.be/ixFOdUQflJM
My SPOTIFY link – https://spoti.fi/2VdvEeJ
My INSTAGRAM link – https://www.instagram.com/
My FACEBOOK link – https://www.facebook.com/
ENTER ECHO VIDEO SINGLE (released end of 2021) – https://youtu.be/X3NYEJd9sQc
We know you are from Adelaide but where in the world are you currently based?
I have been based in a suitcase for the past 6 years! But since the pandemic, i have applied for a visa in The UK and now my main two baes are Adelaide and London. But, I am always travelling.
What’s been happening on your recent trip to Australia?
Lots of music!! I am always in the studio working but this time as well i spent alot of time in Adelaide seeing family. It was the first time in a long time and it was just amazing to get to slow down and just see everyone again.
How did the success of Fake Friends with PS1 in the UK make you feel?
I have worked really hard for a long time, and i wrote Fake Friends a long time ago so for the song to finally get reconigsed and then released and be successful felt great. It was a real validation that I am doing a good job! Haha!
Your latest single ‘Need Your Love’ is out now, describe your sound
I make piano house dance bangers! And i love it! That has been the consistency with my last 3 songs and i love making up beat music that people can dance too!
What’s the concept behind the song?
I wrote Need Your Love at the start of 2020 it was my first zoom session and I had just recently been separated from my boyfriend who was in Americ and I wasnt sure when I was going to be able to see him again.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?
I started off by writing the record with Jonasu who was in Berlin and Yoshi Breen who was in Amsterdam. I recorded the vocals myself and then Joansu did the production. Then I recut the vocals with my friend Israel Amoy in Adelaide and sent them then to Majestic who then finished off the production and made it the tune it is today!
How did you approach the recording process?
It was a funny situation actually because we were all separated it wasnt like a normal session.
I recorded the vocals in my bedroom and that beginning it was all difficult because normally you would just change things on the spot, but we have time differences and geographical issues! So everything worked a little slower. Then when majestic got the track it was a little easier because we were both on the same time zone. So we were able to just go back and fourth on production ideas.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I listen to a lot of new music! I am loving the new Kendrick Lamar music. I recently was put on to Alexis Ffrench who is amazing the music he makes is my night time zen music. I just love Tove Lo, Mø, Raye, Becky Hill, Anne Marie, Fred Again, Jax Jones and so many other artists!
What do you like to do away from music?
Im a massive foodie! So i am always looking for new restaurants and hiking! When I am back home in Adelaide i do a morning hike every morning Monday through to Friday and i love it! Gotta get my steps in.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2022? Will we see you back in Australia?
1000% will be back in Australia! Hopefully doing some live performances!! And lots of new music coming this year!
Favourite food and place to hang out in London?
Dishoom is my go to place to take people who come to London! Its amazing and on the weekends if im not walking around one of the many parks you will find me in The Science Museum.
Chapter & Verse Throws It Back To UK’s Rave Days With “Ready For The Rave.” Out Now on Helix Records
Title: Ready For The Rave
Label: Helix Records
Helix Records debuts rising talent Chapter & Verse with his new single “Ready For The Rave,” which throws it back to the old-school UK raves, as the name clearly suggests. Opening with catchy vocals and a strong buildup of stabbing synths, Chapter & Verse wastes no time by upping the ante. The track breaks down in a driving, four on the floor beat that will slay dancefloors all over the globe and bring listeners back to the infamous underground, sometimes illegal, days before electronic dance music’s mainstage heyday. True to his dynamic style, Chapter & Verse also weaves in some modern tech-house influences with kickdrums and chopped vocals. Read on for the inspiration behind the track from the artist himself:
“I wanted to create a track which incorporates old-school rave along with modern-day tech house. I found and modified an old rave stab to create the sound heard throughout the 90s. I added a vintage Chapter & Verse bassline, an old-school vocal and ‘Ready For The Rave‘ was born” – Chapter & Verse
Now one of the hottest new talents out of the UK, Chapter & Verse just started his career back in 2020. So far, he has released on such labels as Sony, Solotoko, Heldeep, Warner, Thrive, Insomniac, and more, while receiving major nods from the likes of Alesso, Green Velvet, Roger Sanchez, Gorgon City, to name a few. His Spotify listeners clock in at 750k per month and growing, and his music has been featured on the platform’s popular Dance Rising and Housewerk playlists. Things are only going up for Chapter & Verse, so keep an eye out for more new music coming soon!
Chapter & Verse‘s forthcoming dates:
21 May – EDC Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV
04 June – Freshtival Weekend – Enschede, Netherlands
18 June – Playa Dirty – Gradina, Bulgaria
24 June – Spybar – Chicago, IL
25 June – Halcyon – San Francisco, CA
26 June – Academy LA – Los Angeles, CA
09 July – NOIR – Toronto, ON
10 July – Elixir – Orlando, FL
16 July – Playground Music Festival – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
17 July – Playground Music Festival – São Paulo, Brazil
19 August – Elements Festival – Lake Como, PA
Title: The Club Is Jumpin’
Label: CONTROVERSIA
Alok‘s newest release – “The Club is Jumpin’” is his true celebration of electronic dance music’s grand re-opening after the global pandemic. Featuring the very familiar samples taken from Destiny’s Child‘s 2000’s hit song “Jumpin’ Jumpin’,” the Brazilian superstar ups the ante with a tech-house-inspired bassline and funky synths to create the elements of an unquestionable dancefloor filler. Alok is no stranger to breaking genre molds, which he proved last month with “Run Into Trouble” with Bastille. “The Club is Jumpin’” is dubbed “future-tech” – Alok‘s new funky and innovative mixture of old and new dance sounds that are absolutely sure to light up the dance floors across the globe during the forthcoming festival season, which will see Alok debuting his Summer residency at the famous venue Hï Ibiza, becoming the first Brazilian to ever hold residency within the mega-club’s main room.
“Now that the pandemic seems to be easing up and clubs are re-opened, ‘The Club is Jumpin’ is my party anthem for the summer. I always was a fan of Destiny’s Child‘s original when I was younger, and I wanted to take a classic like that and put a fresh electronic spin on it. I hope everyone enjoys it as well as my next releases under the new ‘future-tech’ style” – Alok
With a strong resume full of remixes and collaborations with artists such as The Rolling Stones to Zara Larsson, from Jason Derulo to Tove Lo, and more, Brazilian Alok has gained an immense international following and is currently having his global breakout moment. He already has the second-largest Instagram following of any electronic artist globally (over 27M), and his 20M devoted monthly listeners on Spotify have made him the most listened to Brazilian artist in the world. In 2021, he was named the 4th Best DJ in the world, according to the prestigious DJ Mag Top 100 DJ Poll. In 2019, Alok was nominated for the International Dance Music Awards for his hit remix of the Meduza single “Piece of Your Heart,” and he also worked with global pop sensation Dua Lipa for the official remix of her hit single “Physical.” Recently he also collaborated with Grammy-award pop sensation John Legend on “In My Mind” and with renegade vocalist John Martin on “Wherever You Go“, and lended his talents to remix Ed Sheeran‘s “Shivers.” The sky is the limit for the Brazilian superstar.
Alok’s forthcoming dates:
May 20 – San Francisco, CA – 1015 Folsom
May 21 – Hollywood, FL – DAER Nightclub
May 22 – Las Vegas, NV – EDC
May 27 – Brooklyn, NY – Avant Gardner
May 28 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live
May 28 – Boston, MA – Boat Party Double
May 29 – Atlantic City, NJ – HQ2 Beach Club
June 03 – Orlando, FL – The Vanguard
Based in LA, up-and-coming country stars (and married singer songwriters) – Adam Lazio and Frances Lawson are Smoky Mountains, forging classic outlaw country and Americana to create a sound all their own. Hailing from different parts of North America, they fatefully met in Los Angeles and started playing music together in 2019. Their swampy debut single “The Baptism” features pedal steel by Bob (Boo) Bernstein and tells the story of a woman’s desperate quest for redemption after committing a mortal sin.
An incredible debut video, this duo is definitely set to take the world by storm.
Rising star of Chicago House Nicky Roland is heading for an explosive year with the release of his next single, Feel It, a blazing hot Nu Disco track with elements of jazz and soul, with a dash of Daft Punk.
As one of only a handful of new artists to be signed to legendary Chicago House record label DJ International Records for its 2021 relaunch with the Jackmaster 7 compilation, Nicky’s Latin House premiere I Lose Myself featured as one of the focus tracks, alongside new songs and remixes from house pioneers such as Frankie Knuckles, Joe Smooth, Chip-E, K-Alexi Shelby and Tony Loveless, and Anthony Thomas and Chuck “The Voice” Roberts, and currently sits as the second most streamed track on the album, beaten only by Loleatta Holloway.
Feel It shifts direction from Latin House to a more Chicago centric Nu Disco sound, blended with European House and Jazzy, soulful vocals, it blends styles while remaining firmly planted in a Classic Chicago sound.
Born and raised in London, England, Nicky first started making music in his early teens, locking in his first studio session with Pinky and Longsy D at age 14. Five years later he signed to a major label under the name K-Lory, and was briefly managed by Snob, the then president of the London chapter of The Hells Angels. For a while he worked with various underground DJs, most notably with Travis Edwards from Satin Storm, especially during Travis’s shift towards UK Garage.
After spending several years working with Nick, Maddie and Julian from Coalesce Sound and Vision, orchestrating parties labeled “London’s Best-Kept Secret” by the likes of mixmag, The Face, ID and TimeOut, Nicky moved to the US to launch an online music company, focusing his life on tech for a while, reemerging in 2019 with his first DJ International release, Broken Promises.
Nicky’s music carries the stamp and sound of the original Chicago House groove, mixed with his unique fusion of Latin Jazz, Reggae, and Techno. Watch out for a slew of new tunes over the next few months, including the upcoming Reggaeton-House remix of I Lose Myself on DJ International.
Nicky’s just getting started so strap yourselves in, 2022 is set to be one hell of a ride.
Fee It will be available on all major streaming and download platforms on June 17th.
Presave link (will automatically update on release date): https://music.nickyroland.com/feel-it
Smart Link: https://linktr.ee/NickyRoland
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nickyroland
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nrolandmusic\
IG: https://www.instagram.com/nickyrolandmusic/
Where are you currently based?
I’m originally from London and currently based in Denver, Colorado.
How did you first start playing music?
Both my parents were heavily involved in the music scene, so it was something I was around, long before I was even born. That said, it wasn’t really until my teens that I really got interested in making music. I was a huge fan or Electro and early House and I’d jam on the decks, mixing and scratching, but not much more than that. One day a friend came over with a keyboard and four track recorder and I was hooked.
What’s been happening recently?
I’ve been experimenting with a bunch of different styles ranging from Classic House, to Electro, Techno and Ragga House. I love music from dozens of genres, so I tend to blend a lot of influences. I recently released a Latin House track (I Lose Myself) with DJ International on their Jackmaster 7 album. This was a huge bucket list achievement for me. I’ve been a fan of the label since the mid 80s, and being on a compilation with the likes of Frankie Knuckles, Loleatta Holloway, Paris Brightledge, Chuck Roberts, K’Alexy Shelby and other Chicago legends was like a dream come true.
Your next single ‘Feel It’ will be out on the 17th of June, what or who influenced the sound and songwriting?
I’d been thinking of doing a Nu Disco track for a while and had been listening to Suki Soul (by far one of the most talented singers on the scene today) quite a lot. I also love the dreamy trippy sounds of Daft Punk and the vocals Benoit & Sergio used in $100 bill. All of them greatly influenced the outcome of this track.
How did ‘Feel It’ come about?
As mentioned, I’d been thinking of doing a Nu Disco track, but I didn’t set out with this in mind as being the one. Funnily enough, I was working on a YouTube tute to show my workflow, but as I developed the drums, and layered on the baseline I realized that it was far too good to be used as a tute. More often that not the music guides me as to what it wants to be, I’m just a bystander following it’s orders. That was definitely how it felt writing Feel It.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?
I recoded it solo a few months ago at my home studio. Technology has made it easy to produce quality productions without the overhead of a full blown recording studio.
Please tell us about your involvement with Satin Storm and Coalesce Sound and Vision in the early 90s:
In the early 90s I got signed and sat-on by a major label. It’s a dirty trick they use to keep artists from competing with their stable/releases, so I worked with Travis of Satin Storm on a number of white label Happy Hardcore and early Jungle/Drum and Bass, and U.K. Garage releases. Going uncredited allowed me to work around the restrictions of the publishing agreement I’d been duped into signing.
Right around that time I was running a record shop in Dalston (East London). One day I was playing some tunes I’d just fished out of the distributors truck when a car pulled up outside, the driver would down his window, then jumped out and came running into the shop. The driver in question was Julian from Coalesce, arguably the greatest techno DJ I’ve ever heard, seen or met. Anyhow, Julian and I found a deep connection through music and he invited me to check out the parties he was organizing with Nick and Maddie, the founders of Coalesce. For the next ten years I helped organize dozens and dozens of warehouse parties across London and the surrounding counties. Great times!
When and why did you get back into music?
A few years ago my dad was dying from pulmonary fibrosis and I desperately needed an outlet to keep my head above water. Music was the key and I sank my teeth back in and started dedicating all my spare time to it.
How did your signing to DJ International come about?
I’ve been friends with Rocky Jones (the founder of DJ International) for many years, and he is the only person in the music industry that I’d trust with my first born (if I had kids that is). The first new track I produced was a DnB track called One Step Closer. I sent it to Rocky to get his opinion and he loved it, and asked if I could to a House version. That was quite a head trip! Anyhow, that was the start of the One Step Closer EP and opened the door to all the other releases I’ve done with DJI over the last couple of years.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2022 and beyond?
In addition to lining up releases with DJI, I’m releasing Feel It and several other tunes under my own label Nicky Roland Music, and have tracks in the works ranging from Classic House to Synthwave and even an early 90s French hip-hop style track. The next DJI release I do will probably be the I Lose Myself remix, which fuses the original Latin Jazz grooves with a Reggaeton beat and vocals.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’ve been listening to a lot of tunes from classic Chicago artists like K’Alexi Shelby & Sinclair, my all time go-to’s Juan Atkins and Green Velvet, and amazing emerging artists like Suki Soul and my brother from another mother House of Seb.
What do you like to do away from music?
I work in tech and am involved in a couple of startups (ZeLoop and NewBin) trying to fix plastic recycling. It’s a huge issue for public health, the planet and wildlife. I also love to tinker with electronics and do fashion photography on the side.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
That’s a tough one. I love food. Cooking it and eating it. My favorites are without a doubt Indian and Sushi. There are some great places here in Denver, but my favorite has to be Kampai on Lincoln Blvd in LA. I could live in that place. For clubs, it has to be London or Chicago. The best party cities in the world – IMHO (bar perhaps Berlin and Amsterdam – it’s a close call).
Feel It: https://music.nickyroland.com/feel-it
My main smart link: https://linktr.ee/NickyRoland
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nickyroland
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nrolandmusic
IG: https://twitter.com/nrolandmusic
TikTok (new): https://www.tiktok.com/@nickyrolandmusic
Website: https://nickyroland.com/
Photo Credit:
For songwriter and producer Yoste, his catalogue has become synonymous with striking and immersive alt-pop: music that hits differently and draws the listener into a sonic space all his own. Today, Yoste reveals his new project, the dynamic new EP Never The Same.
Featuring lead single ‘Violet’, the six track collection is Yoste’s strongest material to date. His endearing and earnest songwriting talent bolstered, Yoste presents the most assured insight into his artistry with Never The Same. For newcomers, this is the most perfect time to get onboard.
On ‘Violet’, Yoste describes the single as featuring some of his ‘riskier’ lines to date, as the track deals with public perceptions of depression and anxiety in today’s pop culture climate. The track is already well known to fans, first appearing in Yoste’s sets in 2019.
“I did write the bulk of it [‘Violet’] when I was touring in 2019. I was playing it on tour as well; it’s what always sticks in my head about putting it out, all this time later. I was actually starting my set with it! It’s what I was starting my set with all the way back in 2019. It feels good to finally put it out!”
“It’s not to say those things [depression, anxiety] aren’t huge problems, of course they are and I write about them often, but it’s more about the temptation within all of us to wear those things as a badge of honour rather than something we can and must try to deal with. Give young people in particular their teeth back!”
YOSTE
It’s the introspective nature of Never The Same that immediately draws the listener in. Yoste’s ability as a songwriter to balance vulnerability with confidence is a strong attribute for the young artist (named as one of Tone Deaf’s Artists To Watch in 2020) – this EP sees him galvanise and push himself in new directions. Splitting his time between Los Angeles and Brisbane, Yoste recorded this material on either side of the globe. Vocals laid down in Los Angeles at Valley Underground and at Yoste’s personal studio in Brisbane, the music never strays from his central sonic vision.
“This record is focused on growing up, but not in an entirely optimistic or carefree sense. It’s really about self-reflection and doubt as well as confidence and exuberance. I feel like the title – Never The Same – captures that feeling of change and perhaps loss, but also hints at something beyond.”
YOSTE
Across his first two EPs, Yoste (aka songwriter and producer Kurt Sines) garnered early acclaim and momentum, accruing over 150 million streams online and building a worldwide fanbase straight out the gate. As a live performer, Yoste has developed an inimitable live presence off the back of standout headline shows and supporting the likes of Running Touch, Shallou and Slow Magic in recent years.
Since signing with Palm Tree Records (Kygo’s first label venture with Sony Music) in 2021, Yoste has found himself stepping up to the plate, unafraid of putting heart on sleeve with regard to songwriting and yet, producing music that has remained incredibly accessible to people everywhere.
PRAISE FOR YOSTE
“Yoste is sending me to such a gorgeous place right now, I don’t really wanna go back to reality.”
Triple J, Declan Byrne (‘Sink’, 2021)
“Yoste really wanted to make us tremble and quiver with this one. Slow burning emotion and he delivers it beautifully.”
Triple J Unearthed, Dave Ruby Howe (‘Sink’, 2021)
“His ability to be transparent about his emotions through his music has garnered him over 85 million streams to date. Yoste has the potential to be something great…”
Music Talkers
“You can listen to it and back in a certain warm glow, or wallow in a darker, intimate anguish. That these two opposing emotions can co-exist within the same song speaks to the brilliance of Yoste’s songwriting skills.”
Atwood Magazine
“The comparisons to James Blake and Bon Iver come readily and easily. While the parallels can certainly be drawn, this is an artist undeniably crafting something entirely his own.”
Ones To Watch
PLAY/LISTEN
Never Be The Same is out now.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed
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You know when I was your age, the kids used to go out and see real live ROCK music down at the local pub for free. We’d see iconic Aussie legends like the Oils every week. Well grandpa, I’ve got news for you, current “iconic” Aussie “legends” Polish Club are playing just down the road and it’s as free as. To celebrate the upcoming release of their record Now We’re Cookin’ In Hell on Friday June 10th, Sydney rock duo Polish Club are playing two free shows at Melbourne’s Leadbeater Hotel on Thursday 2 June and Sydney’s Botany View Hotel on Sunday 5 June. They’ll be playing all 8 (or 10, depending on your definition of song) new songs from the record live, most for the first time, including ‘Boys On Vacation’ and ‘Bad Vibrations’. The shows are free, with first come first serve limited capacity, but fans can guarantee themselves 1 of 15 double pass spots on the door at either show by pre-ordering Now We’re Cookin’ In Hell now via polishclubshop.com.
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Chock full with 30 minutes of the rockingest rock songs to ever have rocked, Now We’re Cookin’ In Hell, is also available as a limited edition 180-gram red & yellow coloured vinyl, with a full menu of exclusive merch available. |
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For further info on Polish Club you can check out: |
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Art radical and multi-platform creative visionary Santigold has shared a new song, ‘High Priestess,’ and an accompanying video short. Always on the front lines of innovation, Santigold eschewed sonic conventions and challenged herself, both in the songwriting and production, to push her music into new frontiers and reimagine the sound of her influences for the future. The video short is a stand-alone piece that evokes the emotions and themes of ‘High Priestess’. Confined by the pandemic and isolated from her creative community, Santi went inward to reconnect with her personal strength and purpose to create this invocation to gather your powers.
Santi shares the song’s inspiration and creation: “I had started working on this beat and I didn’t have anything in mind for a topic, I just knew I wanted to do a sort of rap punk song (as dangerous as that sounds). My buddy Ray Brady and I started working on something, trying to add in all the elements that made sense, kicks, subs, new wave synths. Boys Noize ended up bringing something super cool that really built the song and made me get even more excited about it. It was coming along quickly, until it wasn’t. The punk rock energy, the angst, that I wanted to come across wasn’t quite there. I tried adding guitar and a live drum kit, and that was a big red buzzer ‘’X”. I ended up tagging in Psymun (Simon Christensen) who brought in Ryan Olson, and they brought the final missing element. The energy I was looking for couldn’t be the old version of punk rock, it had to be the future sound of punk rock. They brought the angst, the push and pull that was missing, but it was very fresh sounding and totally unexpected. It all came together in a way I could never have imagined when we started, but it was exactly what I set out to make. I want to make music that sounds like the past and the future all in one; music that makes you feel safe enough to jump in, but then takes us on a journey to where we needed to go but have never even heard of. I want my music to be the bridge.
I love working in this way, a communal effort, a meeting of minds and hearts to make something that is a true collaboration, more than any of the single parts themselves. For me, music is about community, it’s a way to connect, both in the making of it and in the listening to it. I made this song over the past two years during the pandemic, and was desperate for this type of connection. I started working on it in my studio with Ray a few weeks before the first lock down in 2020, but after that, I was completely by myself in a room. Part of the time, I was in a room in a cabin in the middle of the woods in Canada, completely isolated. Technology was amazing though, because I felt like I was hanging out with these guys the whole time. My engineer recorded me on my computer in my studio from afar. Boys Noize and I hung out everyday on Zoom and talked and laughed more than we’d had a chance to in years. I worked with Simon for the first time in this way, over Zoom with us in different countries, and immediately figured out what I love about him as a producer. It was like teleporting a vibe into the studio, being able to sit for hours face to face working on songs together.
I had also been in just Mom mode for months, and it was like finding gold to have found a cabin to escape to during the days, to run away and be with music and friends after having not had the opportunity to do that for months on end. It literally saved my spirit. And that brings us to the name of the song. I called this song ‘High Priestess’ because this song was about my greatness. I needed to be a witness to myself at that point, calling out my own power, my own fortitude, my own wisdom, because I felt like I had become disconnected from it, having been stripped out of the rhythm of life that I had cultivated for myself, and thrust into this smaller, one dimensional version of myself, grounded and isolated for too long. The lyrics are fun though, rap lyrics in general, boastful, cocky, but that’s what I was talking about underneath it all.”
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Where are you currently based?
Launceston, Tassie/Lutruwita
How did the band form?
Long time friends and former band mates Alex Wadley and Alex Britton put the band together via messaging possibly every drummer in Launceston and eventually finding Daimon Shelton. After the first practise it was pretty clear that the line up was going to work both on a personality and skill level.
What’s been happening recently?
Recovering from covid, changing nappies, puppy training, and gearing up for the release of searching!
Your debut single ‘Searching’ will be released on May 20, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
Definitely influenced by the new wave of Aussie rock i.e. Slowly Slowly, Violent Soho (to whom we attribute our name), and of course fellow Taswegians Luca Brasi! But mixed with early noughties emo punk sensibilities like Thursday, Thrice, Taking Back Sunday which is where my passion for songwriting(Alex W) really spawned from. ‘“Searching” is a song about finding purpose, amidst the daily grind of the working week and the insecurities that we face to make wholesale life changes. All lyrical content is based on personal experiences from my life that probably most average people go through, and in that way hopefully it is relatable!
How did you go about writing Searching?
I’m an instruments first, lyrics second type of songwriter, however in this case I had the lyrics written and needed something to inspire the instrumental. That came from playing around with different tunings which some of the students that I teach at school actually showed me. The guitar is in Open E tuning and I basically wrote four songs straightaway in that tuning which formed the basis of our live set and upcoming EP! So I can attribute this song to my students, they know who they are!
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?
We worked with up and coming local launceston producer and recording engineer Doug Briton at his home studio, and started that process in early 2021 so it has been a long, but rewarding process. We then used Grammy Award winning engingeer William Bowden form “King Willy Sound” to master our tracks. William is Launceston based and it is pretty exciting to work with someone of his calibre locally.
How did you approach the recording process?
Given that Doug has been a friend for a longtime this allowed us to basically use his studio as a drop-in centre, as working around life commitments means that it is sometimes difficult to dedicate a week or two to the whole recording process. We definitely wanted a polished sound that explodes from the speakers and we think that we were able to achieve that!
Please tell us about your upcoming 5 track EP:
Our full EP will be released late June, and we’ll release a second single before that possibly in the next few weeks. There are five tracks, all with a uniqueness that will hopefully sustain interest form start to finish, and all songs inspired by deeply personal experiences. There’s dark moments, lighter moments but most importantly the music itself is (hopefully) uplifting and anthemic which for me is what I look for in my music tastes.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Turnstile’s new album is outrageously good, most recently, however, Cosmic Psychos. Put on their “Blokes You Can Trust” documentary and you will not find an hour and half of content on youtube more engaging I promise!
What do you like to do away from music?
We’re all pretty diverse in what we do away from music, Britto our guitarist is pretty busy training his new puppy and co-owning/operating local restaurant Levee Food Co. Daim our drummer is a huge car man and also a brilliant photographer. I myself love nothing more to spend time with my wife and son and as a day job teaching music!
What’s planned for the remainder of 2022?
Ep Launch in July, then as many gigs as we can fit in before the end of the year, then write another EP! We’re really hoping to play some shows on the mainland, so contact us if you need to fill a lineup!
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Sneaky walk along the Seaport (as long as the tide is in…#fixthemud) and a nice coffee and feed at Levee Food Co. 🙂
Having spent years in the studio helping bring other artist’s visions to life, both locally and internationally (including with Aussie heavy weights Birds Of Tokyo & Stand Atlantic), Sydney based duo Jared Gecko are ready to reveal their debut single ‘California’ on May 13th. Inspired by whirlwind summer romances and the naive promise that young love never dies, Jared Gecko’s ‘California’ draws sonic inspiration from the likes of The Neighbourhood, Børns & Halsey. The debut single ducks & dives between moments of dark introspection and bright pop hooks.
Produced in collaboration with ARIA Award winning Pete Holz (Peking Duck, Gang of Youths, Vance Joy) this is the first taste of a multitude of songs set for release in 2022.
Listening link: https://gyro.to/California
“‘California’ is the song I always wanted to write and the sound I had been searching for, for as long as I can remember,” says singer Sam Biland. “It’s the fastest topline I’ve ever written. I had 30 minutes in between sessions writing for other people and I was just trying to relax with my feet in the pool. Turns out I don’t do relaxing very well. I sent the voice note to Tim straight away and he was really into it. We had been talking about doing something together for a while at that stage. As soon as we sat back and listened to the demo through the studio speakers for the first time we knew it wasn’t a song for someone else. This was the start of an adventure and something we needed to keep chasing”.
Jared Gecko is Sam Biland (Vocals) & Tim Blunt (Multi-instrumentalist/
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As Australia’s cocktail culture continues to boom, Diageo World Class, the globally renowned bartending competition, has announced its top 100 Australian Bartenders for 2022, and, in turn, the best local bars cultivating industry-leading talent nationwide.
Following an overwhelming number of applications, this year’s Top 100 reflects the formidable talent that is being nurtured in leading bars across the country. From Sydney hotspots will’s, Maybe Sammy and Cantina OK to Gold Coast’s Rosella’s, Rude Boy in Hobart, Perth’s Foxtrot Unicorn and Melbourne’s NOMAD, the competition will see the industry’s leading bartenders battle it out for the chance to be crowned the nation’s best bartender.
During the next phase of the competition, candidates will continue to test their skills and push the boundaries in a series of unique challenges to capture the imaginations and votes of industry-leading judges. The show stopping cocktail creations will be available in their respective bartenders’ venues for all to try from May 30 – 13 June 2022, giving Aussies the chance to truly experience World Class drinks. Last year’s Australian winner, Evan Stroeve of Re, Sydney’s no-waste bar recently named in The World’s 50 Best Bars, wowed the global judges with his skill, creativity and commitment to sustainability and innovation.
Speaking of his win, Evan Stroeve commented “Winning the title last year was such a momentous moment in my career in hospitality. When I started bartending, I never thought it would lead me to where it has and I feel honoured to be part of such a close-knit Australian community that continues to bat well above its weight on the global stage”. Following in Stroeve’s footsteps, Matthew Dale and Siôn Roberts from Re are among the top 100 and will be battling it out to be named Australia’s best bartender.
The Top 5 will be announced on June 13, before the finals are held in July to determine the Diageo World Class Australian Bartender of the Year for 2022. The winner will then go on to represent their country at the Global Final, held in Australia for the first time this September 12th – 16th in Sydney for the World Class Cocktail Festival.
A vibrant celebration of Sydney’s cocktail culture, Sydneysiders can expect a week of pop-up food and drink events, immersive drinks experiences and inspiring cocktail collaborations, all championing the very best of Australia’s exciting and diverse local bar scene as it reignites after a challenging few years.
For more information, please visit Diageo Bar Academy. More details will be announced in the coming months.