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Photo credit: Maclay Heriot
“Psych-pop constructed with a painterly touch, Babe Rainbow seem to thrive on feeling, unhooking themselves from logical realms and embarking on lengthy journeys across turbulent inner oceans.” – CLASH
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Melbourne producer Big Boss (AKA Rafael Chavez) has come out swinging with the punchy tech-house ditty ‘Just Like That’. Someone who’s not afraid of mixing up the tempo of his productions, Big Boss has clearly designed ‘Just Like That’ to fit squarely in the main room. Pitch-warping bass, swinging around a rock solid house beat make this track both unusual and accessible to bass music and house music crowds. A definite change of pace from his recent collaboration with Watermelon Boy, this jam will no doubt be saved for peak time in the grittiest nightclubs. Landing a couple of Spotify Editorial playlists on release day (Today) this song is clearly going to be pumped on home stereos, car systems and Club PAs alike. Give this one a spin and keep an ear out for Big Boss, because his 2021 is about to go ballistic.
The infectious Vocal hook ‘Just Like That’ plays a total 177 times throughout the song, with a vocal call and response primed perfectly for TikTok. Clever use of the classic ‘House Organ’ and driving Techy Bass delivers something primed for Festivals and clubs alike. A remix EP with Melbourne’s electricshady & NAMA is scheduled for June to capture those primed for the basement clubs that Melbourne has become a hub for.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
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caroline – Skydiving onto the library roof 12″ is out Friday 25 June
via Rough Trade Records / Remote Control Records
Following the release of their debut EP ‘Friends’ in 2020, Adelaide’s pop-punk outfit Wing Defence is back on the court with the video for their latest single ‘Greener Pastures‘ (watch HERE).
‘Greener Pastures’ is the spicy comeback from South Australia’s ‘Best Group’ (as awarded at the 2020 SAM Awards) accompanied with fierce and honest lyrics. The incredibly catchy new number is a powerful nod to anyone that’s ever felt trapped in a job where you’re overworked, rarely appreciated and under-paid.
Since its release only a few weeks back, the track has been played on Triple J’s Home & Hosed, Triple J Unearthed’s ‘Tops’ and has received love from Pilerats, Dave Ruby Howe – as well as being added to playlists including Spotify’s Local Noise, Domestic La La’s Tuna Tuesday, Home & Hosed on Spotify + more!
“You’d be pretty lucky if you’ve avoided a situation where you’ve been treated unfairly by your boss or a colleague… It’s incredibly frustrating and upsetting when this happens and you just want to tell them where to go, which most of the time, you can’t! That’s what this song is all about — a way of releasing all the frustration around the things you can really never say.” states guitarist Benny Tamblyn.
Formed in 2018 by Skye Walter and Paige Court, the indie act has been quick to generate hype around their punchy bubblegum-punk melodies and distinctive Australian sound. Since their debut release, ‘Stuck’ in 2018, Wing Defence rapidly positioned itself as one of South Australia’s most exciting new exports. Within twelve months they received national praise after performances at BIGSOUND, Groovin’ The Moo and Laneway Festival (Triple J Unearthed Winner, 2018) and toured the country with Polish Club and The VANNS.
Recorded at Depict Studios & mixed by Wade Keighran (Wolf & Cub and Polish Club) at Rolodex Studios, ‘Greener Pastures’ is the beginning of a new direction from the band, who are using their latest single to formally introduce touring musicians, Benny Tamblyn, Anthony Costanzo and Miles Sly to the Wing Defence line-up. Lead vocalist Skye Walter elaborates, “They’ve always been WD’s at heart and we’ve been through a lot together, so we figured now was the perfect time to bring them along for the ride with us”.
With big plans for 2021 and beyond, Wing Defence have recently signed a distribution deal with Korean music distribution company Sound Republica and are on the Dock 7 Records label in Germany.
‘Greener Pastures’ is the band’s first release of 2021, with a sophomore EP teased for 2022
(answers by Skye Walter)
Where are you currently based?
Adelaide, South Australia.
How did you first start playing music?
I knew how to sing but needed an instrument to help me write music. So I picked up a guitar and started playing it. And then, a bunch of awesome friends and musicians came into my life and we began to make magic together… this is called Wing Defence.
What’s been happening recently?
We signed to a great record label in South Korea called Sound Republica. That was very exciting. Other than that, writing new tunes, going to work, eating, sleeping, repeating.
Your new single ‘Greener Pastures’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
Benny (our guitarist and producer) wrote this one. He’s fed up with his job, if you can’t tell! Haha.
How did you go about writing Greener Pastures?
Benny wrote it in a moment of pure frustration and anger… great time to write a bloody banger of a tune! Thanks Benny’s shit job, you’re the best!
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?
Recorded most of it in Benny’s bedroom studio, then we headed to Depict Studios with the legend that is Lachy to record the live drums and bass. We then sent it over to Wade Keighran (Wolf and Cub & Polish Club bassist) to mix and master. What a team!
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Dream Wife, The Grates, Avalanches new album, Yo La Tengo, Jeff Buckley… so many!
What do you like to do away from music?
Vanlife, Yoga teaching, playing with my beautiful one year old & eating delicious foods.
Any gigs coming up?
-Tonight at Jawbreaker with our great mates Bitchspawn and Yorke Heath.
-A regional show in Paigy’s home town, Port Pirie on May 28th.
-And then a really exciting one coming up that I’m not allowed to tell you about.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2021?
Release another single and hopefully play some more rad shows.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
My favourite food used to be pickled octopus but then I watched My Octopus Teacher and I can never eat it again… I have now replaced this with marinated asparagus spears (the crisp ones not the soft ones) and truck loads of spicy sauerkraut.
I like hanging out at home with my baby Billy, my partner Stevie and my mates. I also enjoy travelling in my Campervan.
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Photo Credit: Kamil Szczucki
‘Together’ is the latest progressive house track from Perth artist, Solsta. It features electronic songstress BEXX on vocals and follows on from his 2020 singles ‘Everything’, ‘Falling’ and ‘Want You’.
“The track came together so smoothly. I instantly fell in love with the vocal effect BEXX put over the drop and her voice really complements the production. I’d have to say I’m really impressed and proud of how the vocals flow from the verse to build to chorus. The vocal swells and harmonies really work to drive the track forward and build this sense of momentum when paired with the various synths and other instruments I used. The track just constantly moves and pushes forward in such a gorgeous, lush way.”
Solsta
With comparisons to Golden Features and Rufus Du Sol, ‘Together’ showcases why the Australian dance community is in formidable shape, with this track fusing Solsta’s love of trance, house and progressive synths. ‘Together’ was recorded and mixed at Solsta’s home studio in Perth and mastered at Dark Arts Mastering by Mike Bell.
Discussing the genesis of the track, Solsta says “Together was born from my first piece of analog gear, the moog grandmother. The day it arrived I plugged it in and just jammed, figuring out its nuances and imperfections. It was second hand so a couple of the knobs were a bit wonky and fucked up but this gave it a unique touch. I honestly wrote the skeleton of the song in about 2 hours and then just polished it off over a couple more days.”
Teaming up with BEXX on the track evolved from a discussion with one of the producers Jeremy Palais, with Solsta further adding “We sat through and listened to some of my demos and talked about the direction the Solsta project was heading. He linked me up with BEXX straight after and we’ve been creating music since. I sent her the demo for Together and she hit me back up the next day with that stutter effect over the drop and i couldn’t believe how perfectly it suited the track, we continued to work on the rest of the vocals over the next week as Perth was in lockdown and it came together effortlessly. Her vocal and production style is unique to herself and I feel it really compliments the direction the Solsta project is headed.”
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Photo Credit: Tim Lambert
One of Melbourne’s favourite punk rock groups is back, delivering the first in a string of releases for this year – Clowns with ‘Does It Matter?’. Released on the band’s own label – Damaged – ‘Does It Matter?’ is pointed and melodic at the same time. It’s an easy track to get taken up by and as the band’s first hit of new music since 2019’s Nature/Nurture album, ‘Does It Matter?’ lands at the perfect time.
Time to get reintroduced to a proper crew of legends, time to get revved up again for Clowns!
Setting out to write ‘the most Clowns song that had ever existed’, the band have created a belter that encapsulates the best of their already dynamic sound. There’s punk, garage, anarchic energy; mixed in with some big sing along moments poised to rile their fans up.
“Does it matter if I steal a car from my yuppie neighbours front yard, and use it to drive through the door of the casino and steal a bunch of money? Opinions are like arseholes, here’s mine: NO! This song is about breaking the law. We all do it sometimes – and if you say you don’t then chances are you are a liar or a coward. “ Clowns
For fans of the band, ‘Does It Matter?’ marks a change in the Clowns sound. Working with US song writer & producer Matt Squire (Panic! At The Disco, Ariana Grande), Clowns welcomed some outside writing influence into their process: something they had not done previously.
Written last year, ‘Does It Matter’ became an international project, with the band and Squire working on the track from Melbourne and on the other side of the globe, where Squire is based in Baltimore.
Recording the track at Melbourne’s Red Door Studios with award winning engineer Woody Annison (The Living End), Clowns found themselves exploring some new sonic territory, with more pop and cleaner rock influences coming into play.
“It’s cleaner than any Clowns song has ever been, and the sense of melody is stronger than it’s ever been. This time we focused on using our own equipment, which we use to tour and rehearse, which gives the listener a purer image of what the song will sound like in a live context. Annison certainly helped polish a fresh and new take on our existing sound responsible for this track’s listenability, making it comparatively easier on the ears, however still maintaining the same raw energy of our practiced ‘thrash about’ playing style. You can take the band out of the punk studio, but you can’t take the punk out of the band.” Clowns
PRAISE FOR CLOWNS
“I have no doubt, Clowns will one day get the recognition they deserve for punk music in this country, until such time, I’ll keep telling all in sundry how fucking good they are! Get on board!”
Wall Of Sound
“It’s hard to argue against Clowns not creating one of the best rock – not just punk – albums of the year.”
Rolling Stone
“Clowns solidify the notion that they are not to be a band to be confined by genre boundaries.”
Heavy Magazine
“The perfect example of what hard work and a handy dose of wit can do if you stick to your guns.”
The Age
“…a record of real circumspection and depth. This reminds me of the kind of intellectual thunder you get from a band like Fucked Up.”
4ZZZ
“What pretty much started as Australia’s answer to The Bronx back in 2010, has since evolved into one of Down Under’s most adventurous exports…”
Punk Rock Theory
LISTEN
‘Does It Matter?’ is released Wednesday 12th May
Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Triple J Unearthed
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Multi-talented singing, song-writing and dancing machine, ALIA, has announced the release of her highly anticipated self-titled debut EP, cementing a new era of ALIA as an artist.
A star in the making, as the daughter of the highly acclaimed RnB soul singing and bass playing legend, Doug Williams, music is truly in ALIA’s blood. She has performed all over Australia at iconic venues as well as on a global stage along-side international artists including Craig David and Nelly Furtado.
ALIA is no stranger to the music industry, she has previously released hit records as a member of all girl group Fox Fire 4 whilst signed to Village Roadshow. Last year, ALIA celebrated two number 1 records, Only Now and Victim on the iTunes Dance charts under the guidance and production of Jonny Sonic from The Potbelleez.
ALIA brings a fresh sound and new direction to her own music and live shows as a solo artist. Through her new EP, she aims to draw her listeners to the insight of the core nature of their existence, self-evolution, and love.
The EP was produced by the highly acclaimed Phil Anquetil (Little Mix, One Direction, Tinie Tempah) who is a veteran in the music industry and has drawn inspiration from rock bands such as Evanescence, Paramore and Guns n Roses, along with the pop influences of artists such as Pink and Rihanna.
Made up of tracks including her current single Calling Me – “to be called” to your true purpose. Forever, to understand the ultimate test of human strength; Just Love Me a bonus track in which ALIA sings about releasing old feelings and coming to terms with heartbreak and You’re The Song, a playful, fun tune that describes and embodies the mood and feelings of summer love.
“It’s time that live music graced our ears again and the element of live instruments and performance makes a commercial come-back!” says ALIA
ALIA has reinvented her style, image and artistry to evolve into a glam-rock goddess, transforming her sound into a pop/grunge fusion that will leave the listener craving more.
ALIA’s debut EP will be released this Friday, 14 May 2021
To pre-save click HERE
For more information on ALIA visit www.aliasound.com
Listen to ALIA on Spotify
Follow ALIA:
“Vice City II” leaves no doubt that as one of Australia’s premiere live acts, The Southern River Band are more than able to translate that raw power into the confines of the studio, producing one of their most inspired singles to date.
When The Southern River band released “Vice City 1” back in 2018, their reputation as a wild rocking outfit was only just starting to spread around their home state, since then their sophomore studio album Rumour & Innuendo and tours with the likes of The Darkness, Cold Chisel and sold out headline shows right around the country have proven that Aussie rock is in the safest of hands.
“Vice City II” finds leader Cal Kramer and The Southern River Band exercising their expansive song writing chops, railing against the confines of genre and creating a future classic in the process. Guitar harmonies, massive hooks and totally off the chain solos are just a few of the sights and sounds travellers will encounter on their journey into Vice City.
Cal Quote Here – “Man, picture this – Peak lockdown, the virus takes hold, doesn’t let go. Hang on a minute, that’s it! It needs to grab you from the word go, then not let up till it’s finished. That’s Vice City II. We should put that in the press release’
The Southern River Band launch Vice City II with two WA shows, at The Prince of Wales in Bunbury on the 28th of May, then at The Ravenswood Hotel on May 29th.
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Liberation Records are excited to share the new single from upsidedownhead ‘higher ft. Ric Rufio’. upsidedownhead (aka Ross James) is joined by fellow Sydney-based singer, song-writer, multi-instrumentalist and frequent Flight Facilities collaborator, Ric Rufio whose anthemic vocals soar over the track’s titanic beat and cinematic production.
“‘higher’ is an ode to that little smile when the good guy wins. It’s an ode to that feeling that you could take on the world when you walk out of the movies riding that high. It’s an anthem that was written with the purpose to create euphoria in all that listen to it…”
– Ross James (upsidedownhead)
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