Introducing LA-based artist Jonny Kosmo and his new single/video ‘Firefly’. The funked-out track tells a story about the archeology of hope, and is accompanied by a vibrant video created by Salvador Cresta. The new track comes with the announcement of Jonny Kosmo’s sophomore album Pastry, due June 4, 2020 via Dinosaur City Records and Feeding Tube Records digitally and on limited edition 12″ vinyl.
Listen/watch ‘Firefly’ here.
Featuring a twisted synth solo from Tomas Dolas (Oh Sees/Mr. Elevator) and an outro composition from Logan Hone, ‘Firefly’ leads with the assumption we all have an inner glow; an inherent resourcefulness.
Kosmo says of the new track. “At times we have to dust off the artefacts to reconnect. The fossilisation of our lived experience is an invitation to be unpacked in learning to get out of our own way. I’ve always felt there is so much to learn from nature and bugs. Taking time to slow down and bring mindful curiosity to their presence always yields something new for me.”
Honeyed in funk and R&B, and steeped in pop-strange composition, Pastry touches upon themes of community, spiritual metamorphous, and inherent resiliency of spirit. These are spring-boarded by the records construction itself; songs often created from samples of others, continually folding in on itself. The pastiche speaks to the intention: the meta-narrative of personal and communal change. Pastry was recorded and mixed at Kosmo’s home studio Slimehouse as well as Record Studio 22 with Tomas Dolas (The Oh Sees/Mr. Elevator) and mastered by Alex Cooley. All of the album’s artwork was created by local Northeast Los Angeles muralist Rodolfo Kardona in celebration of community essence.
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“Joelistics is operating here with the kind of alternative hip-hop sonics yet to reach the Australian scene – in large part because the country’s mainstream rap identity is still finding popular form. It’d be wise to watch his renewed second phase, particularly with the launch of his own label Odd Head Music.” – MTV Australia
“He’s someone always at the cusp of what’s next, pushing forward new and unexplored ideas in a way that makes it feel like his specialty.” – Hayden Davies, Pilerats
Over the past few months Australian hip hop royalty Joelistics has been trickling out the first tastes of his ambitious new production record Joelistics Presents Film School. After rounding out a trio of genre-melding releases – ‘Yokai’, ‘Memory Palace’ and ‘5 Rivers’ – Joelistics is thrilled to finally reveal the remainder of his highly anticipated, moody and angular concept album, of over five years in the making.
OUT NOW via Odd Head Music, Film School is a departure for Joelistics as vocalist and MC, and sees the multi-instrumentalist leaning into his recently lauded ‘Best Producer’ role to concentrate his efforts on an expansive catalog of beats and synths. ‘70s Asian pop samples, psych-rock journey music and studio improvisations weave deep explorations of sonic experimentation, with string compositions, guzheng (Chinese harp), synths, samplers, drum machines and more.
“Who knew in the midst of writing a collaborative album of weird beats and psych jams I would find treasured collaborations with filmmakers and dancers? Joelistics presents Film School is a lot of things, it started off as an album and evolved into a series of collaborative filmed dance pieces that work as a unified whole drawing imagery from Asian ghost stories recontextualised in suburban Melbourne.” – Joelistics
Recalling his love of instrumental hip hop and trip hop from the ’90s and his penchant for post rock stylings, Film School is a record of collaborations. Predominantly instrumental, the few vocalists that feature on the album are all women of Asian descent. Parvyn Singh of The Bombay Royale features on the psych rock groove of ‘Samsara’ and dreamy single ‘5 Rivers’ and Hailey Cramer aka HAYTCH lends her vocals to the future soul of ‘Fool’. Joelistics’ underground string and synth side project, Garden Tiger made up of Francesca Mountfort on cello, Mindy Wang on guzheng and Joel on synths/beats, also feature on the record adding even more dimension to an already sensual piece alluding to fear and its connection to the senses in ‘Memory Palace’.
“With this music and the film, I wanted to weave an eerie feeling, reminiscent of empty streets, a distant sense of dread and the hypnotic patterns of lockdown life. I wanted the dancers to personify our collective fear of sickness and loneliness and how those fears dance at the edge of every moment we hold dear. Musically it is a blend of Pan Asian psychedelia, post rock stylings and lo fi synthscapes, made from the scraps of your ancestor’s vocals, dusty loops and traditional Chinese and Western instruments. The underlying feeling of this project is a meditation on the anxiety of our times and the transcendence that comes from facing fear.” – Joelistics
An ode to surreal dreamscapes and cinematic atmospheres, Film School draws on themes of Asian ghost stories, time displacement and sonic surrealism and traverses left-field beats, kraut rock and traditional Chinese and Indian music.
Joelistics Presents Film School is out now via Odd Head Music
Vinyl available via Joelistics’ Bandcamp
On the 15th of March 2020, we lost our dear friend and Ivy League Records founding father, Pete Lusty to cancer. It’s a loss that resonates throughout every single member of our Ivy League family – artists, staff past and present, friends, family, and fellow travellers. We loved him. Without Pete there is a hole in all of our lives that we will never, ever be able to fill.
Exactly one year on from Pete’s heartbreaking departure, Ivy League Records are proud to release the debut single from Snakeheads, a posthumously named garage band partnership between Pete and his lifelong friend and collaborator, James Roden (John Reed Club, The City Lights). The song, ‘Shit I Don’t Have Time For’ is a musical white-knuckle celebration of Pete and James’ older siblings record collections (Buzzcocks, The Jam, The Clash). Featuring one of Pete’s favourite Ivy League artists, Andrew Swayze from A. Swayze and the Ghosts on lead vocals, the song perfectly encapsulates the vitality and endless energy that Pete brought to everything he did, and that swept up everyone in his orbit.
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Title: Distant Memory
Label: CYB3RPVNK
Release date: March 12, 2021
In an epic collision of forces, R3HAB partners with Timmy Trumpet and W&W for the new single “Distant Memory,” a big-room progressive house track that’s destined for future festival anthem status. Opening with haunting, singsong vocals and lullaby-esque melodies, it lulls the listener into a relaxed state before upping the ante with cinematic synths and a driving bassline, working into a goosebump-worthy drop. The contrast between the dreamy vocal verses and the intensified drop makes “Distant Memory” a standout of 2021 thus far, and we hope this isn’t the last collab we’ll see from R3HAB, Trumpet and W&W duo. R3HAB and Timmy Trumpet previously collaborated on 2020’s successful release “911.” Check out below what the artists had to say about the new release:
“Making music for a living is a special feeling, and to do it with friends is a next-level high. I’m excited to work with Timmy Trumpet on our second collab and have been looking for the right song to create with W&W for a long time. ‘Distant Memory‘ is going to be a festival hype builder, but what makes it special is the contrast between the dreamy dazed verses and the drop. Timmy, Willem, and Ward have great energy, which keeps the artistic process fresh and inspired. Hope you love it.” – R3HAB
“There’s nothing I love more than making music with my friends, and these guys are the best in the business. I’ve collabed with both W&W and R3HAB before but never on the same record and you can hear all 4 of us inside its elements. I can’t wait to drop this on stage with all 4 of us and blow up the dance-floor!” – Timmy Trumpet
“It was a real pleasure working with R3HAB and Timmy Trumpet on ‘Distant Memory.’ Both R3HAB and Timmy are really good friends of us which made it very easy going! We also feel it really combines the best of all of us as artists, and we hope you like listening to it as much as we liked working on it!” – W&W
Dutch/Moroccan DJ and producer Fadil El Ghoul, better known as R3HAB, has been trailblazing his way through dance music for the better part of the last decade. From his breakthrough hit remix of Afrojack, Pitbull and Ne-Yo‘s “Give Me Everything” to his dance anthems, such as “All Around The World (La La La)” and “Lullaby,” which have collectively amassed over 600M streams, to his collaborations with the likes of ZAYN, Andy Grammer, Sofia Carson, Timmy Trumpet and more, R3HAB has proven to be one of the most talented and forward-thinking artists in the game. He partnered with Spotify and GATTÜSO to create the first-ever official “mint” single release. In 2016 he founded his label CYB3RPVNK, which passed one billion streams on its catalog within the first two years since its inception. R3HAB himself continues to evolve and diversify his sound by working with a variety of artists around the globe, experimenting with everything from hip-hop to pop through his collaborations. With his combination of innate artistry and innovative attitude, in 2021 R3HAB is continuing his journey among electronic music’s elite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c53C5Rfewqs
Title: Body
Label: Stabby Records
After releasing her debut single “Too Late” just last month, the multitalented LA-based DJ/producer Sam Blacky returns with her follow-up release “Body,” a smoldering vocal house track that was inspired by Sam‘s world travels. Opening with beats that call to mind a frenzied tribal drum circle, Blacky incorporates ethereal vocals for a touch of complexity and contrast. When the deep, driving bassline kicks in, you’ll be taken to a beachside set in Mexico as the sun is going down and the dancefloor is heating up. “Body” perfectly reflects Sam‘s “A New World” video series, which includes her most recent upload from Sian Ka’an, a picturesque secluded peninsula in Mexico.
“‘Body‘ was 100% inspired by my love of travel & tropical, foreign destinations. Obviously, before COVID, what seems like so long ago, I would be in a different country almost every weekend and get exposed to all sorts of new styles of music. I took it all in like a sponge, I was obsessed with every new song I heard & I couldn’t believe how different all the sounds were. I collected bits and pieces from all over the world to culminate my own sound & take different aspects from every place I had been and combine them all together. The song went through tons of rounds of changes and edits because every time I would come home from another trip, I would have something more to add. I hope it comes across in the work, because it truly was inspired by the world.” – Sam Blacky
Samantha Black is a multitalented DJ/producer, model, and influencer professionally known as Sam Blacky. Originally from San Diego, Sam spent several years in Australia, where she first fell in love with producing music and performing live. Since moving back to Los Angeles, music and performing have taken a front seat in her life. In addition to her hectic modeling schedule, Sam has performed live across the world from 2017 to 2021, from Mexico to Ibiza to Bali, racking up over 120 gigs a year at some of the premier electronic festivals and clubs on the planet. With the global pandemic in 2020, Sam released a series of videos on Youtube called “A New World,” where she streamed live sets from some of her favorite places in Mexico, giving viewers a taste of vacation vibes even while staying safe at home. Before all the music, her modeling portfolio included brands such as Nike, L’Oréal, Galore, Marie Claire, Superdry, Guess, Sports Illustrated, Malibu, and Playboy, giving her a unique creative perspective to all types of cultures and styles to bring to her music. With the launch of Sam Blacky‘s label, Stabby Records, and her first releases, 2021 is set to be a breakout year for Sam as she expands her artistic brand.
Where are you currently based?
Vancouver, Canada.
How did you first start playing music?
Around the house as a lad, borrowing my stepdad’s guitar (much to his chagrin).
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
Right now, I’m on a little west coast island trying to get into a songwriting headspace. I noticed that I wasn’t sitting down to play or write much at home this past year. For whatever reason, I’m sure Covid has something to do with it, I haven’t felt that inspired to write any music. One thing that is missing as a result of the pandemic is getting to play with other people, which can be a major source of inspiration for me.
Your new album ‘Homebody’ came out recently, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
The sound of the record had a lot to do with my other collaborators, namely the producer and bassist Daniel McNamara. I compose on guitar and write the lyrics and sing so we built around that foundation but he did a lot of the heavy lifting. The Athens crew of musicians and Daniel really helped give ‘Homebody’ it’s flare and colour.
I tried to write songs about my home (Vancouver) and about the people and places I was connected to there.
I started by setting up a schedule to practice regularly and just stuck to it. I try not to really worry about each day’s productivity but rather trust that as long as I keep showing up, things will come to completion in time. That’s how I approached ‘Homebody’.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?
Chase Park Transduction Studios in Athens, Georgia is where we recorded and the record was mastered by CPS Mastering in Vancouver.
How did you approach the recording process?
We scheduled everything really well because recording studios cost lots of money each day that you rent them. We went into tracking pretty well rehearsed so that was helpful. After the beds were down, we brought in other musicians for keys, back up vocals, etc. At this point we were happy to express what we wanted them to do but were also open to their unique style and interpretation of a part. I think that this approach helped ‘Homebody’ sound so full.
What did you find most rewarding and challenging during the creation of ‘Homebody’?
Geez…all these people coming together around an idea that I had for an album was very rewarding. Them being onboard felt great and was so so necessary. Challenges arose for me when I had to let go of being in control of something.
How has the reaction been from fans?
Pretty good I think. Everyone I chat with about it has nice things to say. It’s certainly my biggest effort to date and I think fans felt that leap from the previous two records. Although, any song or album you put out, no matter the budget or effort or scale, has its own magic.
Your new single ‘Blue’ is out now, what did this single mean to you?
I like this song because musically speaking, it’s a good example of an “off” take on a traditional style. The weird twangs and the bridge and the chords kind of make it strange enough to feel interesting to listen to I think. Plus it’s personally interesting to me because it’s about wandering around my neighbourhood, thinking thoughts and feeling feelings, two things I do quite often. So, it felt great to write a tune that captured my own subjective experience of something that is wholly regular and benign.
How did the concept for the ‘Blue’ music video come about?
I wanted to make a video that looked and felt different than the other videos I was seeing. Parameters can help me focus so I applied this logic to the location of where we would play: my van. In the van we could only do so much, which felt comforting and I think we all felt pretty loose as a result. And, any musician will tell you that the best music comes when you’re feeling loose.
Where and when did you film and who did you work with?
November 2019. It was kind of cold actually, we may have run the vehicle for heat in between takes. Matt Sawatzky made the video, he did a great job.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Aofie Nessa Frances, John Fahey, Cian Nugent, Rex Orange County.
What do you like to do away from music?
Body movement stuff, cooking, chit chatting the day away.
What’s planned for 2021?
We’ve got three more tunes from that same recording session in Athens that couldn’t fit on the record. So expect some more videos in unique settings.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Chips, my couch.
Sydney producer/rapper is back with a new single! ‘Things Are Getting Better’ is available on all music platforms NOW!
The single has a future bass theme with the usual Hussykat old school hip hop flow and the one liners the rapper is known for. In addition, there was some heavy 808 bass all over and some catchy melodies. The Sydney rapper expressed how he feels about the year 2020 in general and how from now on, everything will keep getting better and better.
The single is produced, Recorded and mixed by Hussykat himself and mastered by veteran sound engineer Nicholas Di Lorenzo, it’s safe to say HussyKat is making a statement with this single, you can keep up to date with his future releases via his social media links below.
Where are you currently based?
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
How did you first start playing music?
I come from an incredibly musical family and in a way, music was a part of my life right from the beginning. I still have vivid memories of my mom singing in 5-part harmony with her brothers and sisters and father around campfires when I was very young and my parents singing to and with me even long before then. Music was a big part of my life until I started royal conservatory piano lessons, which honestly turned me away from it for a while, haha.
After a bit of time away from the rigidness of the lessons, I started to fall in love with playing songs by ear again and making things up on guitar and piano. This led to me eventually write my first songs. I loved the process and the outlet so much that I never stopped and haven’t looked back since.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
If Covid had to hit, it happened at the perfect time for me. I absolutely love performing live and miss it like crazy, but because of how often I was playing for people before Covid, I never took the time to finish a recording project. In the forced solitude and open time that the pandemic gave me, I finally finished my first EP. My days consist now of everything that’s involved with sharing the music I made and it’s an incredible feeling that I didn’t know I was missing.
Your debut EP ‘Only Pieces of The Truth’ will be released on March 12, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
The songs on this EP were written over the past 6 years of my life as a performing artist. They explore a desire to deepen my relationships with the people in my life and with myself. Sonically, I was influenced by all of the music that has inspired me most throughout my life as a musician. I think listeners will be able to hear everything from my love of roots, electronic, orchestral and experimental music. I think all of those influences thrown into a mixing pot with who I am as a live performer, and tossed around within the boundaries of my simple home studio set up created the unique and eclectic sound of this EP.
How did you go about writing Only Pieces of The Truth?
Only Pieces of the Truth was lyrically inspired by a couple in my life who really love each other but are fighting through a distance that came with a build-up of little unresolved tensions over a significant period of time. While I can say what it is about with confidence now, this inspiration happened subconsciously, as almost all of the melodies and lyrics in this song came from an improvisation. I find that my favourite lyrics and melodies that I write come when I am able to get my brain out of the way and flow in an improvisation.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?
I recorded and played all of the instruments myself in my home studio in Toronto, as well as a bit in Alberta while I was visiting family using my portable studio set up. The EP was then mixed by my friend Jason Dufour and mastered by Joao Carvalho.
How did you approach the recording process?
Each song on this EP came with a different approach. For example, Docks (the opening track), came together as a collage of improvised ideas. Nothing was pre-envisioned; it was all just done by playing with interesting delays and sounds, massaging them together and then improvising over the result. In contrast, I Don’t Want to Let You Go and Freedom (both of which I had been performing for quite a while before I brought them into the studio), were put together very intentionally with a clear vision in mind before laying down the first tracks. Only Pieces of the Truth was probably the most difficult. I must have produced more than 10 distinctly different versions of that song before I found one that felt right.
What programs/instruments did you use?
I primarily use Logic as my DAW and use software from UAD, Fabfilter and Soundtoys daily. In terms of instruments on this EP, I played a variety of guitars, percussion instruments and keys as well as many different software instruments ranging from pianos to synths that I created myself.
What does the EP mean to you?
This one means a lot to me! It’s the first body of work that I created fully on my own. I am planning to explore collaboration with many different writers and producers in the future, but it will always be special to be able to look back and know that I started with something that was just me. With all of its flaws and imperfections, it’s a snapshot of who I am at this time in my life. I really hope that this music helps people find peace and vulnerability in themselves as they listen to it and that the songs become theirs now as much as they are mine.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Right now, I can’t seem to turn off Leif Vollebekk’s music! His vibe is just perfectly complimenting the way I’ve been feeling lately. Other than that, I always love to hear songs from Matt Corby, Frank Ocean, Bon Iver, Labrinth, Jacob Collier and Novo Amor, just to name a few.
What do you like to do away from music?
I love playing basketball! It’s been tough now that it’s winter and the gyms are closed for the pandemic. I’m itching to get back out when it all clears up. Other than that and music, my favourite thing to do is to be in beautiful places with people I love. Give me a campfire by a mountain lake, a guitar and my friends and family and I will die a happy man.
What’s planned for 2021?
I am actually just putting the finishing touches on another EP that I am planning to release soon after my first! After that, I hope the pandemic clears up so that I can sing with and for people again. I have so much pent-up performance energy. Feels like I could tour for a couple years straight now and not take it for granted. I hope that’s in the cards for this year or next!
Favourite food and place to hangout?
My favourite food right now is sushi and I love hanging out in this secluded spot by the water in Toronto where my friends and I go to have driftwood fires in the summer. I don’t want to say exactly where it is because for now, we seem to be some of the only people that know about it but if you ever come this way, we’d love to take you there!
https://www.jordanhartsound.com
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https://www.instagram.com/jordanhartsound/
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Where are you currently based?
I live in Sydney, Australia
How did you first start playing music?
I started piano lessons when I was 7 or 8. I first realised I could sing in year 6 of primary school when I auditioned for the school musical and got a lead role. I wrote my first songs on piano and self-taught guitar when I was 13 (I recorded me playing them on my webcam at the time- humorous content which I may leak someday)
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
Recently I’ve been doing a residency program at Church Street Studios and have been busy creating music there. I’m also working on songwriting and producing collaborations with a few international artists which I’m excited about!
I found myself making the most of quarantine- I wrote songs (I’ve got a quarantine-themed track called ‘All My Friends Have Boyfriends’), I became a better producer, I drank wine, and had plenty of time with my family and my dogs (one is sitting on my lap as I write this).
Your new single ‘Catastrophe’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I was listening to a lot of contemporary rnb around the time I made Catastrophe, artists like Snoh Aalegra, Lolo Zouai, H.E.R. I can definitely hear a combination of the genres of music that I love: pop, indie, rnb. I think my production style of including lots of vocal harmony is a defining factor to my music. I have a degree in classical composition which has influenced the way that I arrange vocal harmony in all my tracks, and especially in catastrophe.
How did Catastrophe come about?
Catastrophe was an assortment of different ideas that came together. I first had the ‘ah’ melody (which is heard behind the verse melody at the start of the song, and in the ‘breakdown’ sections).
I developed the main melody off of a few samples – I’ve never done production before melody before but that’s kind of how it turned out. I had the words ‘lean on me’ but I quickly realised the song was destined for a different meaning and it became ‘catastrophe’. The rest of the lyrics rolled out after that.
I’ve spoken a lot about the creation process on my Instagram (@jofimusic) if you’re interested to know more.
What does the single mean to you?
It was pretty cathartic to write about my character flaws and lay them all on the table for me to reflect on (and for everybody who hears it, whoops). Making the track was healing, to reflect on the times I did things I regret, learn from it and move forward with the hope of not being much of a catastrophe in the future.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?
Most of it I recorded and produced at home. I had mixing done by Jerome Blazé and a final mix + tightening of production ideas with David Muratore. The track was mastered by Becki Whitton (Aphir). I worked with Robbie Walcott on producing the retro-90s music video which you can find on my YouTube channel.
How did you approach the recording process and what programs/equipment did you use?
I lay down all the vocals at home, and I had the opportunity to redo some using a great mic at Noodle Music Studio. I originally took a can opening sample off the internet, but David and I recorded it live by opening a beer can next to a mic in the studio. Everything else heard in the track is midi! The DAW I use is Logic Pro X.
Please tell us about any new music on the way:
Catastrophe is the first single from an EP of tracks I made last year! Very excited to get more music out this year.
What do you like to do away from music?
Listen to true crime podcasts, read, go running.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Becky and the Birds, Kelsey Lu, Sevdaliza.
What’s planned for 2021?
I’m currently working on a live show so definitely some shows plus more music!
Favourite food and place to hang out?
I’m too indecisive a person to know what my favourite food is. Favourite place to hang out is wherever live music is happening.
Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Triple J Unearthed
Today, Sydney skate punk band Kids Of Yesterday drop a video for their latest single Horsin’ Around, off their debut album Escape Planet.
Watch The Video For Horsin’ Around
“Based on true events, ‘Horsin’ Around’ aims to make you think twice about chucking that pineapple on the trots. The gambling and racing industry create ‘wastage’ that extends far beyond the lives that wind up in your pets bellies. If you manage to squint through it’s fun sensory overload, you’ll see it for the machine churning suffering into profit that it is” – Duncan Davidson
Escape Planet was recorded at The Grove studios on the central coast of NSW. The album was produced by the band and Jack Nigro (DMA’s, Skegss, Vacations).
Kids Of Yesterday have combined elements of Frenzal Rhomb, Bad Religion, Rise Against, Frank Turner and NOFX with their own brash form of punk on their debut album Escape Planet. For fans of late 90’s classic skate punk from Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph Records.
Escape Planet opens up with uptempo punk number Twenty Fifteen which sets the tone for the rest of the album. Thought provoking lyrics, aggressive yet melodic guitars along with vocal harmonies akin to Green Day, this is seriously some of the catchiest, well written skate punk to come out of Australia in a long, long time.
Kirsten Salty today reveals her irresistible new track ‘Limbo’, the second single released by the up-and-coming artist hailing from Sydney.
Another peak into the chronicles of Kirsten Salty, ‘Limbo’ accentuates the restlessness of new relationships; the unknown of whether to keep moving forward while never wanting to take a step back. ‘Limbo’ shines a shimmering light on the situation with a bright and colourful instrumental all the while being enriched by Kirsten’s cunningly apt lyrics, it’s an ode to the fantasy of new love in all its shapes and forms.
‘Limbo’ is the compelling follow up to November’s debut ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’ produced by and featuring Taka Perry which Kirsten performed live on ABC’s ‘The Sound’. ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’ was welcomed with acclaim from fans and critics alike, earning Kirsten a #13 debut on Spotify’s New Music Friday along with playlisting in Front Left, Indie Arrivals, We Be Vibin’ plus loads more and gaining 22.9k streams in its release week. Apple Music followed suit with the track winning spots in Breaking: Pop, Pop Chill, Mellow Days and Alt Pop as well as earning praise from tastemakers at triple J Unearthed:
“Loving this! It’s got a bit of oomph, an easy flow, you sound effortless Kirsten and it just sticks” – Claire Mooney
“This one leaps off the page, what a debut! Such vibrance and style and the Taka touch is brilliant.” – Declan Bryne
Following the release of ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’, Kirsten supported Fergus James at his sold out Great Southern Nights shows, with those in the room being some of the very first to hear the project live.With her moody mix of bold R&B and sophisticated pop, Kirsten oozes prowess in new track ‘Limbo’. Fearless in her sound, don’t miss out on what’s next to come from Kirsten Salty.
For Fans Of: BENEE | Merci, Mercy | George Alice | MAY-A | Stevan
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CIVIC have this morning announced that their debut album ‘Future Forecast’ will be released on March 26th, 2021. The album comes as a follow up to their highly sought after ‘New Vietnam’ EP (2018) and is their first major release through Flightless Records. |
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Pre-save Future Forecast HERE |
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Following the release of ‘Radiant Eye’ (Nov 2020) the band have shared their second single from the album, ‘Tell The Papers’. The track explodes with thunderous energy, every riff a visceral harness of power and propulsion, before snapping into a slide guitar driven hook that commands attention with its brazen assurance. Listen HERE, and watch the video HERE. The video, shot by Oscar O’Shea, boasts a new visual direction for the five piece. Taking a shift from their previous lo-fi videos (Radiant Eye and Call The Doctor), for a more conceptualised approach. |
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“Jim and I wanted to do something that would capture the narrative of the song, whilst still remaining abstract and outside of that – aiming to create a video that was driven by visuals and feeling, rather than the narrative itself”, O’shea says. “We took some simple shots that we felt would work well to the song, whilst at the same time, trying to create some sort of world and story line for it to exist in. CIVIC’s sound is unique in that it is both catchy and playful, while remaining fast, hard hitting, and at times dark, especially on this album. That is what we tried to capture here visually, it’s a new direction for the band and this speaks to that”. |
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Vocalist Jim McCullough speaks of the idea behind the Future Forecast cover art: |
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“The image can be read in many ways. Its ominous uncertainty and sense of apocalyptic aftermath is maybe a reflection on recent times and a glimpse into the future. It seemed fitting to have this as the face of the record, for me it gives off a sense of totalitarianism and a vastness. it’s like an iron curtain or something from space or maybe it’s just a wall”. |
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Driving and tenacious, but never losing sight of a good hook and how to use it – CIVIC don’t tip-toe around the edges, but obliterate them with primal intensity. Finding a home somewhere between 80’s glam rock and Australia’s 70’s greats, they break the pieces of influence before crafting them into their own beast on debut LP ‘Future Forecast’. |
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Full Bio: |
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An origin story since time immemorial, the five piece came together in 2018 through the traps of the Melbourne music scene. Bonding over a shared love of tightly coiled riffs and a collective musical ethos, they channelled this into their first EP ‘New Vietnam’. In a head rush recording session, the 7 tracks were slammed out in a single day, with the underground hit going on to sell more than 1500 units worldwide. Making a name for themselves through the intensity of their live shows, their ‘New Vietnam’ launch would become one of those folklore moments within Melbourne. Taking to the stage with a contoured cheek and darkened eyes, McCullough’s glamoured stage presence beamed and boomed over the sold out crowd. Cutting through the scene with cult-like vigour, their garnered momentum would lead them to a string of sold out 7 inches, a European tour, a spot on the beloved Golden Plains Festival, a new found home on the revered Flightless Records, and a fan in punk icon Henry Rollins, “I am digging that band… not one bad track in their recorded catalogue”. |
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With momentum in the tank, they took to various locations across Victoria to get the beds of Future Forecast down. From Richmond’s historic Bakehouse Studios in all its grandeur, to a DIY run storage shed on High St, there’s consideration for the new and old on this album. Paying homage to the classics, but pivoting on them with avant-charged edge. It’s raw, searing guitars; pummeling rhythms; driving bass; with vocals that lock into and synergise with their wall of sound. Balanced by the raucous and restrained weaving of melodies and textures, the imbued sense of nostalgia, and the vocal variation which broadens their sound past any one genre label. There’s the horn fuelled drive of album opener ‘Radiant Eye’, the power pop ladden hook of ‘As Seen On Tv’, the emotively atmospheric and vocally subdued ‘Sunday Best’, culminating with closer ‘Come To Know’, before ending in a tightly wound splay of feedback and groove. |
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CIVIC – FUTURE FORECAST |
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CIVIC are: David Forcier (drums), Jim McCullough (vocals), Lewis Hodgson (guitar/ backing vocals), and Roland Hlavka (bass). |
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