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DZ Deathrays Announce All Or Nothing Tour Confirming Multiple East Coast Shows This Month!

by the partae February 4, 2021

written by the partae

DZ DEATHRAYS
ANNOUNCE ALL OR NOTHING TOUR CONFIRMING MULTIPLE EAST COAST SHOWS THIS MONTH!

I OH YOU are very pumped to announce DZ Deathrays’ return to the stage with the All Or Nothing Tour. After almost 12 months without playing a single riff (live), the punk trio are back to tear up your local with some huge new anthems, DZ classics & everything in between.

This will be the first shows DZ have played in Australia since their Positive Rising: Part 1 Tour which saw the band play to 5,000 fans nationally, and the first time fans will get to hear new songs ‘Fired Up’ and ‘All Or Nothing’ live! DZ are frothing to get back on the stage, not wasting any time with the announced shows happening in a matter of weeks. Kicking off in Melbourne, the band will hit Geelong before heading north for shows in Brisbane, Byron Bay and on the Gold Coast.

‘All Or Nothing’ is lifted from DZ Deathrays fifth studio album Positive Rising: Part 2 (out Fri 9 July 2021), the highly anticipated follow up from 2019’s Positive Rising: Part 1. The track is coated in classic DZ Deathrays punk attitude, demanding attention to what they do best, slashing guitars and heavy riffs. The sonic mastermind gives a peak into the little world of DZ Deathrays and what Positive Rising: Part 2 has in store for fans.

All tickets will also be eligible to add a Pre-Order of Positive Rising: Part 2 digitally or on limited edition Translucent Purple vinyl at a special bundle price! Fans are urged to get in quick!

DZ DEATHRAYS
ALL OR NOTHING TOUR
Tickets & ticket bundles available
from 9am local time Thursday 4 February
via dzdeathrays.com

DZ DEATHAYS

February 4, 2021 0 comments

Music News

JULIEN BAKER Shares new single ‘Favor’ With backing vocals from Lucy Dacus & Phoebe Bridgers New album Little Oblivions out February 26

by the partae February 4, 2021

written by the partae

Photo Credit: Alysse Gafkjen

Praise for Julien Baker

“Everything on Little Oblivions will make you feel, and it’s the catharsis we all need” – Uncut

“… she expands her instrumental breadth with bass, drums, keyboards, banjo and mandolin, paired with her typically honest and piercing lyricism”
– Evening Standard ‘Best Albums to Look Forward to This Month’

“Little Oblivions unflinchingly reflects on the traumas that have defined Baker’s young life to date, channelled through haunting melodies and her plaintive, country-lonesome voice” – MOJO

“Her most striking album yet” – DIY

“Stunning” – Nylon

Today, Julien Baker has shared another single from her forthcoming album Little Oblivions by way of a new single, ‘Favor’. The track follows up Baker’s previously released singles, ‘Hardline’ and ‘Faith Healer’. Fans can pre-order Little Oblivions here and the album will be available on February 26th via Matador / Remote Control Records.

“I used to think about myself, like I was a talented liar,” Baker sings on the track, “turns out that all my friends were trying to do me a favor.” Here those friends are Baker’s boygenius collaborators, Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers. Phoebe says, “Julien is one of those people whose opinion you want to hear about everything. A true critical thinker with an ever-changing and ridiculously articulate worldview. Her music changes in the same way, and this record is my favorite thing she’s ever done. I’m sure I’ll think the same about the next one.”

Lucy noted, “We sang on Favor in Nashville the same day we recorded vocals for Graceland Too and a song of mine. That day had the same atmosphere as when we recorded the boygenius EP. Making music was just a natural result of being together, easy as can be but also rare in a way that feels irreplicable. I love the song for its stark but sensitive picture of friendship, what it looks like to recover from broken trust. Makes me think about how truth only ever breaks what should be broken, and how love is never one of those things. I’m always honored to be brought into Julien’s life and music.”

During a recent at home performance for Seattle’s KEXP, Baker performed songs off of Little Oblivions as well as a cover of Soundgarden’s 1995 single ‘Fell On Black Days’. Watch the full session and interview with host Cheryl Waters here.

The New York Times included the album in their ‘11 Things To Look Forward to In 2021’, column noting “How does a songwriter hold on to honest vulnerability as her audience grows….she scales her music up to larger spaces, backed by a full rock band with ringing guitars and forceful drums. But she doesn’t hide behind them; she’s still ruthless and unsparing, particularly about herself.” Rolling Stone said “Little Oblivions’ is not only the most richly produced, pop-aware release of Baker’s career, but also her the most unsparingly honest in its messiness” and Variety stated “While the basics of her autobiographical and cathartic songwriting style remain the same, the arrangements are far more fleshed out with multiple instruments, nearly all of which are played by Baker herself. Without pushing an obvious comparison too far, what Bridgers’ ‘Punisher’ was to 2020, ‘Little Oblivions’ is very likely to be to 2021.”

‘Faith Healer” first introduced the exhilarating, widescreen musical palette and infectious spirit of risk-taking found on Little Oblivions, a transformative sonic shift from Baker’s more spare and intimate previous work. Engineered by Calvin Lauber and mixed by Craig Silvey (The National, Florence & the Machine, Arcade Fire), both of whom worked with Baker on 2017’s Turn Out the Lights, the album was recorded in Baker’s hometown of Memphis, Tennessee between December 2019 and January 2020. Baker’s tactile guitar and piano playing are enriched with newfound textures encompassing bass, drums, synthesizers, banjo and mandolin, with nearly all of the instruments performed by Baker. The album weaves unflinching autobiography with assimilated experience and often hard-won observations from the past few years, taking Baker’s capacity for starkly galvanising storytelling to breathtaking new heights.

Little Oblivions is the follow up to Baker’s 2017 sophomore album and first on Matador Turn Out The Lights. The New York Times said the LP is “the work of a songwriter who has resonated with an international audience (…), the rare second album that, despite new self-consciousness, stretches beyond an unspoiled debut to reach for even bigger things, with all its passion intact”. The Sunday Times said “the mix of detached vocals, lush arrangements and laid-bare post-mortems on love, loss, dysfunction and acceptance is devastating.”

In 2018, Baker formed boygenius with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. The resulting eponymous EP and joint North American tour made for one of the most celebrated and talked about musical communions of that year, highlighting Baker at the forefront of a burgeoning generation of era-defining artists.

Pre-order Julien Baker – Little Oblivions: https://julienbaker.ffm.to/littleoblivions

Little Oblivions

If you are lucky enough to have a future where the present anxieties of distance become romantic memories, I hope there are people who turn this album over in their hands years from now and remember the world it tumbled into. A world that, in whatever future moment exists, will likely be defined by the work people undertook and the fights people continued to show up for. But it will also be a world defined by how many of us exist on the other side of distance.

In the moment, here is a new Julien Baker album that arrives as a world comes to newly understand its relationship with touch, with distance. At the time of this writing, I shouldn’t want to run into the arms of anyone I love and miss, and yet I do. In an era of hands pressed on the glass of windows, or screen doors. An era of hands reaching back. An era where touch became an illusion. If we have been unlucky enough, our own lifetimes have prepared us for the ever-growing tapestry of aches.

To wrestle with the interior of one’s self has become a side effect of the times, and will remain a side-effect of whatever times emerge from these. The first time I ever heard Julien Baker, I wanted to know how an artist could survive such relentless and rigorous self-examination. I have been lonely, I have been alone, and I have been isolated. There are musicians who know the nuances between the three. What whispers in through the cracks of a person’s time alone. Julien Baker is one of those artists. A writer who examines their own mess, not in a search for answers, but sometimes just for a way out. A lighthouse to some newer, bigger mess.

It is hard to put into words what this feels like. Little Oblivions is an album that steps into that feeling and expands it. Sonically, from the opening swells of sound on ‘Hardline’ rattling the chest, loving but persistent jabs to the way ‘Relative Fiction’ spills into ‘Crying Wolf,’ which feels like speeding down a warm highway that quickly turns into a sparse landscape, drowning in a hard rain. Lyrically, too, of course. There are writers who might attempt to bang at the doors of their listeners, shouting their particular anguish of the hour. And there are undoubtedly times when I have needed that to get from one sunrise to the next. But there are also writers who show up assuming anyone listening already knows what it is to crawl themselves back from one heartbreak, or to shout into an enduring darkness and hear only an echo. Little Oblivions is an album that details the crawling, details the shouting. An album that doesn’t offer repair, or forgiveness. Sometimes, though, a chance to revel in the life that is never guaranteed. Yes, the life that grows and grows and is never promised. How lucky to still be living, even in our own mess.

The grand project of Julien Baker, as I have always projected it onto myself, is the central question of what someone does with the many calamities of a life they didn’t ask for, but want to make the most out of. I have long been done with the idea of hope in such a brutal and unforgiving world, but I’d like to think that this music drags me closer to the old idea I once clung to. But these are songs of survival, and songs of reimagining a better self, and what is that if not hope? Hope that on the other side of our wreckage – self-fashioned or otherwise – there might be a door. And through the opening of that door, a tree spilling its shade over something we love. A bench and upon it, a jacket that once belonged to someone we’d buried. Birds who ask us to be an audience to their singing. A small and generous corner of the earth that has not yet burned down or disappeared. I can be convinced of this kind of hope, even as I fight against it. To hear someone wrestling with and still thankful for the circumstances of a life that might reveal some brilliance if any of us just stick around long enough.

Julien, how good it is to hear you again. And now, in all of our anguish and all of our glory. I miss the way the outside world reflected myself back to me. Now, I make mirrors out of the walls. I am so thankful for a better noise than the howling of my own shadows. Julien, you have done it again. You expert magician. You mirror-maker. Thank you for letting us once again watch you maneuver through all of your pleasant and unpleasant self-renderings. If there is a future, there will be people in it who might not remember how this album came at a time when so many hungered for a chance to put themselves back together. When the imagination of a person, a city, a country, was expanding. When, despite all of that, in the quiet moments, there were people who still wanted to be held by someone they maybe couldn’t touch. Thank you, Julien, for this comfort. This glass box through which a person might better be able to see a use for their own grief. This kingdom of small shards of sunlight, stumbling their way in to disrupt the darkness.

— Hanif Abdurraqib

Julien Baker – Little Oblivions

1. Hardline
2. Heatwave
3. Faith Healer
4. Relative Fiction
5. Crying Wolf
6. Bloodshot
7. Ringside
8. Favor
9. Song in E
10. Repeat
11. Highlight Reel
12. Ziptie

Julien Baker – Little Oblivions is out February 26 via Matador Records / Remote Control Records.

Julien Baker
Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

February 4, 2021 0 comments

Music News

KAI CULT REVEALS FEROCIOUS NEW SINGLE ‘CIGARETTE BURNS’ AND DIY ACCOMPANYING VIDEO CLIP

by the partae February 4, 2021

written by the partae

SUPPORT FOR PREVIOUS SINGLE ‘MASSIVE CHECKS’

“Ragged and brash stuff from KAI CULT, I’m feeling it in every pore of my body.”
– Declan Byrne – triple j (AUS)

“It’s another masterclass in unhinged, eccentric punk.”
– Hysteria Magazine (AUS)

“Delivering a chaotically warped and colourfully explosive new video that’s a fiery reminder of the debt-riddled dystopian world we’re currently living in.”
– ABC’s Rage (AUS)

Video added to rotation on ABC’s Rage

Following on from his critically praised single ‘Massive Checks’, Melbourne-based DIY post-punk artist KAI CULT has just unveiled his latest idiosyncratic cut ‘Cigarette Burns’ – produced by the artist himself and mixed by Ashwin Rao from the Singaporean Garage Rock band Knightingale.

The track is two and half minutes of frenetic punk rock, opening with uncompromising drums, fierce guitars and KAI CULT’s striking lead vocals. Intense melodies mix with deftly produced instrumentation to build to the song’s anthemic, gung-ho choruses, before careering towards its wholly satisfying ending.

KAI CULT talks about the inspiration behind ‘Cigarette Burns’:

“The track reflects on mixed feelings while going through tough times, sometimes it may seem like things are okay but deep down they may not be. I set out to capture the mental extremes of what society is undergoing currently in the pandemic.”

To coincide with the release, KAI CULT will also reveal an accompanying music video, directed and edited by the artist himself and shot by friend Sam Van Munnen. The clip was shot across various Melbourne locations, including cobblestone side-streets, beautiful parks and a rooftop carpark in the heart of Brunswick. Taking inspiration from alternative rap artists Death Grips, Yung Lean and Clams Casino, the video features hazy film grain, VHS layers, and bold RBG colour inverts. KAI CULT adds “with the clip, my drummer Darcy and I wanted to show how much fun we have hanging out and playing music with each other, and also show viewers that you don’t need a huge budget to make a fun video, just a keen eye and also to exhibit some colourful personality!”

Previous single ‘Massive Checks’ was embraced by triple j Unearthed and Australian community radio stations 2SER, 4ZZZ, Radio Adelaide and 2XX FM. The track also received support from Australian blogs Hysteria Magazine, Heavy Mag and The Soundcheck, and the accompanying video clip was added to Rage and featured as their esteemed Wild One of the week.

‘Cigarette Burns’ is available worldwide now

FOLLOW KAI CULT

February 4, 2021 0 comments

Juan Wauters Website | Facebook | Instagram

Music News

JUAN WAUTERS Releases new single & video ‘Real (With Mac DeMarco)’ Announces new album Real Life Situations

by the partae February 4, 2021

written by the partae

Photo Credit: Lucía Garibaldi

PRAISE JUAN WAUTERS

“La Onda de Juan Pablo is a rich travelogue packed into 10 effervescent tracks…. a sonically rich, emotionally textured work, driven by the relationships that organically emerged as Wauters found collaborators in every new country he visited.” – Nylon

“The album is picaresque in its depictions of everyday heroes and their daily quests against the decidedly frenzied backdrop of the Uruguayan singer’s American transplant sensibilities.” – NPR

“[Waters] has proved himself to be something of an unrelenting force of joy. His songs are simple little sing-alongs that bask in a youthful naivety.” – Pitchfork

“[Wauters] music… conjures up the folk titans who haunted the streets and coffeeshops of Greenwich Village back in the ’60s.” – AV Club

Today, Juan Wauters announces his forthcoming album, Real Life Situations, featuring collaborations with Mac DeMarco, Peter Sagar (AKA Homeshake), Nick Hakim, Cola Boyy, El David Aguilar, and more, out April 30 via Captured Tracks / Remote Control. Along with the announce, Juan shares a new single and video, ‘Real (with Mac DeMarco)’. Much like preceding single/video ‘Presentation (with Nick Hakim and Benamin)‘, ‘Real’ evokes nostalgia for warm days. In the video (directed by Matthew Volz), Wauters and DeMarco ride through sunny LA on bicycles, motorcycles, and horseback, DeMarco’s signature laid-back guitar underscoring Wauters’ introspective spoken word vocals. Real Life Situations is a multifaceted ode to surrendering control and taking life as it comes, and ‘Real’ reflects those themes. Watch the video for “Real” here.

Juan Wauters on ‘Real’ – “Mac and I met in 2013 when our label Captured Tracks (we were both on the label then) thought it would be a good idea that we meet and do a song. We met and recorded Beatles songs. The tape machine we were working with broke and the songs were never recovered. After that, we never collaborated in any serious way. When I reached out to Mac about the new project I was doing, he was down since the beginning. I happened to be going to LA so we did it at his studio. Mac provided a really safe place to bounce ideas off of each other. We tried a lot of new things and we ended up with this track so special. The song put an end to that awaited collaboration that was the initial impulse behind us meeting and forming a friendship that stood in time.”

The interplay between genre-hopping eclecticism and earnest, plain-spoken observation makes Real Life Situations come alive. It’s something Wauters is known for, and for all its collaboration, this album could only have been made by him. Mining older songs, phone notes, new material, and snippets from TV and YouTube, he’s crafted an aural document of the year through his eyes. Jubilant choruses and spoken word poetry bleed into city noises and overheard conversations. Real freedom, the album suggests, comes not from gaining control, but from accepting its artifice.

Until recently, Wauters had viewed his solo project as just that – a singular expression of his artistic vision. A trip through Latin America while recording his last album, however, laid the groundwork for a different approach. Inviting local musicians to contribute to the songs he was working on produced a collection unlike any of his previous work, infused with the musical traditions of each country he’d visited. As a result, 2018’s La Onda De Juan Pablo and its follow-up, Introducing Juan Pablo, were Wauters’ most expansive and sonically diverse records to date, tracing both his Uruguayan roots and his travellers’ spirit. On Real Life Situations, he’s channeled this collaborative spirit, lending his chameleonic songwriting to experiments in hip-hop, lo-fi R&B, and deft indie folk.

Preorder / Presave Real Life Situations: https://juanwauters.ffm.to/reallifesituations.opr

Juan Wauters – Real Life Situations
1. A JPW Headspace 2020
2. Monsoon (with Homeshake)
3. Sentimiento Queens
4. Locura
5. Ventana
6. Presentation (with Nick Hakim & Benamin)
7. Unity (with Cola Boyy)
8. Real (with Mac DeMarco)
9. Keep Cool
10. Carmina Pensá
11. A Peter Pan Donuts Conversation
12. Lion Dome (with Air Waves)
13. JPW Talking
14. Acordes (with Tall Juan)
15. Bailando
16. Estás Escuchando (with El David Aguilar)
17. Crack Dabbling
18. A JPW Theme Song
19. Yendo
20. Powder
21. NY Weaz

Juan Wauters
Website | Facebook | Instagram

February 4, 2021 0 comments

Where are you currently based? Gold Coast, Australia. How did you first start playing music? I first picked up a guitar in grade 4. I had just moved schools and pretty much everyone I wanted to be friends with played in a band together. I actually started playing bass first because they needed one for the band - but before long migrated to a 6 string. I began writing songs for the band and it pretty much went from there. What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far? I feel pretty guilty about this answer, but it has literally been an excuse for me to hermit in my studio and make music all day every day. It sucks that live shows had a massive break, but we’re getting back into it now. You’ve teamed up with Namaste with your new single ‘OneNotTwo’; how did you come to work together? Namaste reached out to me after hearing one of my tracks on TripleJ Unearthed and sent me a few beats. They were obviously talented producers so I started sending them every song I would write. They heard the chords for OneNotTwo and instantly jumped on board. What influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? I’d be lying if I said anything other than my fiance. The song is pretty much the story of how we met, and a sticky situation that came up super early in our relationship. How did the creative/songwriting process take place? I wrote the full story out one night, then spent probably the next 2 months going back and forth with Namaste tweaking lyrics. We added instruments, took them out again, fiddled with structure, changed melodies etc. but we finally decided to keep it as simple as possible, and let the story of the song do the talking. Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with? Hahah, I recorded the vocals in my closet with a mattress flipped up against the wall, in an attempt to mute out all the cars that were driving by. Guitars were literally just plugged straight into a Scarlett Solo that I bought from a Cash Converters for $80. Quality investment. What programs/instruments did you use? FL Studio till death. Not 100% sure on what Namaste uses, but they definitely have secret sauce that they dribble on everything to make it sound fucking mint. They pretty much took my ratchet demo and converted into what it is now. What did you find most challenging and rewarding throughout the process of creating OneNotTwo? Honestly, getting everything ready in time. I set a ridiculous timeframe to get it sorted by and it was an absolute miracle it worked out. Please tell us about your goal to release a new track each month of this year? I just want to give more music to the people who have been supporting me. I think albums are the ideal way to consume music, and it’s definitely my preferred way to listen - but I just don’t feel I have the resources to properly promote an entire album of songs. When, say Drake, drops an album, he can tour the world for 6 months to a year promoting it. I cannot! Also, at this point in my career, I’m still figuring out my sound (and my life) and can’t pinpoint a musical sonic that I can stick to for an entire album. I want to just put out my favourite songs month by month, and see what happens. Who are you listening to at the moment? I listen to a lot of different music, but Anderson .Paak, Frank Ocean, J.Cole, Kendrick, James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, JK-47, Dave; are all in my recently played. What do you like to do away from music? I fucking love cooking, I find it very similar to making music - in a weird way. Making handmade pasta, pizza, bao buns etc; I just love making dough ahah. I also love skateboarding and have been doing that since I was like 14 too. What’s planned for 2021? I’m fully independent and plan on staying that way, so this year I want to make as much music as I can, and learn as much as I can from every release. I’m bound to make mistakes but that’s all part of it. Favourite food and place to hangout? I make a pretty skitz pizza? So I would probably just want to eat that in my little apartment with my girl. Instagram Facebook

Music Interviews Music News

Lemaire

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

Gold Coast, Australia.

How did you first start playing music?

I first picked up a guitar in grade 4. I had just moved schools and pretty much everyone I wanted to be friends with played in a band together. I actually started playing bass first because they needed one for the band – but before long migrated to a 6 string. I began writing songs for the band and it pretty much went from there.

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?

I feel pretty guilty about this answer, but it has literally been an excuse for me to hermit in my studio and make music all day every day. It sucks that live shows had a massive break, but we’re getting back into it now.

You’ve teamed up with Namaste with your new single ‘OneNotTwo’; how did you come to work together?

Namaste reached out to me after hearing one of my tracks on TripleJ Unearthed and sent me a few beats. They were obviously talented producers so I started sending them every song I would write. They heard the chords for OneNotTwo and instantly jumped on board.

What influenced the sound and songwriting for this track?

I’d be lying if I said anything other than my fiance. The song is pretty much the story of how we met, and a sticky situation that came up super early in our relationship.

How did the creative/songwriting process take place?

I wrote the full story out one night, then spent probably the next 2 months going back and forth with Namaste tweaking lyrics. We added instruments, took them out again, fiddled with structure, changed melodies etc. but we finally decided to keep it as simple as possible, and let the story of the song do the talking.

Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?

Hahah, I recorded the vocals in my closet with a mattress flipped up against the wall, in an attempt to mute out all the cars that were driving by. Guitars were literally just plugged straight into a Scarlett Solo that I bought from a Cash Converters for $80. Quality investment.

What programs/instruments did you use?

FL Studio till death. Not 100% sure on what Namaste uses, but they definitely have secret sauce that they dribble on everything to make it sound fucking mint. They pretty much took my ratchet demo and converted into what it is now.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding throughout the process of creating

OneNotTwo?

Honestly, getting everything ready in time. I set a ridiculous timeframe to get it sorted by and it was an absolute miracle it worked out.

Please tell us about your goal to release a new track each month of this year?

I just want to give more music to the people who have been supporting me. I think albums are the ideal way to consume music, and it’s definitely my preferred way to listen – but I just don’t feel I have the resources to properly promote an entire album of songs. When, say Drake, drops an album, he can tour the world for 6 months to a year promoting it. I cannot! Also, at this point in my career, I’m still figuring out my sound (and my life) and can’t pinpoint a musical sonic that I can stick to for an entire album. I want to just put out my favourite songs month by month, and see what happens.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I listen to a lot of different music, but Anderson .Paak, Frank Ocean, J.Cole, Kendrick, James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, JK-47, Dave; are all in my recently played.

What do you like to do away from music?

I fucking love cooking, I find it very similar to making music – in a weird way. Making handmade pasta, pizza, bao buns etc; I just love making dough ahah. I also love skateboarding and have been doing that since I was like 14 too.

What’s planned for 2021?

I’m fully independent and plan on staying that way, so this year I want to make as much music as I can, and learn as much as I can from every release. I’m bound to make mistakes but that’s all part of it.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

I make a pretty skitz pizza? So I would probably just want to eat that in my little apartment with my girl.

Instagram

Facebook

February 3, 2021 0 comments

Music News

THE LAZY EYES RETURN WITH NEW SINGLE ‘WHERE’S MY BRAIN???’ ANNOUNCE SOPHOMORE EP + HEADLINE SHOWS

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

PRAISE FOR THE LAZY EYES

“A phenomenal blend of modern sensibilities and classic experimental pop”
American Songwriter

“The makings of a psych giant”
NME Magazine (4 Stars)

“If Brian Wilson joined Tame Impala for a day”
DIY Magazine

“Their music retains a youthful freshness that, rather than recycling, reinvigorates the ingredients they have taken from their heroes”
Monster Children

“The hype is real. Believe it.”
Life Without Andy

Today The Lazy Eyes return with their new single ‘Where’s My Brain???‘. The first of new music for 2021, the release comes in tandem with the news of their upcoming second EP and their debut headline shows in Melbourne and Brisbane. Listen and watch HERE.

‘Where’s My Brain???‘ is the first taste of The Lazy Eyes’ next chapter, a leap further into the driving rhythms of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and Black Sabbath. Their most distorted release to date, hypnotic drums and bass that support the adventures of countless polymetric dual guitar solos. Taking their impulses further than before, ‘Where’s My Brain???‘ is unabashedly unkempt and distilled in its purest form. “We always end the live shows with this one, it’s so fun and loose,” The band share. “Even if our pedalboards have melted and our amps have caught fire, we always trust this song to bring it home.”

Of the songwriting process, The Lazy Eyes continue, “We wrote ‘Where’s My Brain???’ in the developing years of the band, at a time when the setlist was lacking fast paced, energetic tracks. We needed that one last song that the audience could mosh and get sweaty to! The song is loosely about losing your mind over something and wanting to have a tantrum, but really it’s just a jam. The demo was made in Harvey’s bedroom using GarageBand drums, which involves tapping the beat on the laptop keyboard, far from the initial vision of the song. The track was then brought to life at a rehearsal in Itay’s brother’s bedroom while crouching under his bunk bed.”

Accompanying the psych-rock odyssey is the space-age music video directed by Jesse Taylor-Smith, who shares “After I heard the song for the first time I got a mind-blowing blood clot in my brain. Thanks to the Melbourne Covid-19 lockdowns I had plenty of time to invent miniaturising technology and I had a team of lazy eyed experts who were bold enough to get inside my head. I developed the 1960’s pop-up-book style animation in a makeshift studio and as the band is based in Sydney the performance had to be remotely directed. Just like the video itself, the making of it was a bit of fantastic voyage.”

With their debut EP last year, The Lazy Eyes went on to sell out headline shows, amass over a combined 1.5 million streams and receive praise from the BBC’s Jack Saunders, Apple Music’s Matt Wilkinson, Bandcamp, NME, DIY Mag, The Line of Best Fit, i-D, Clash and many more. Locally they secured the #17 Most Played Artist of 2020 on triple j Unearthed following their Feature Artist spotlight, alongside playlist additions from FBi Radio, SYN and 2SER, with praise from Pilerats, Monster Children, Life Without Andy, Frankie Magazine and more. EP2 follows what under traditional circumstances would have been a breakout year for the band spent showcasing at a would-be SXSW, The Great Escape and Splendour In The Grass. Instead they regrouped to their creative hub, ‘Lindfield Studios’, revitalised and focused on bringing more recordings to life with their new lineup.

Now with new music under their belt, if their position in the coveted NME 100 is any indication of the year ahead, The Lazy Eyes promise to hold nothing back.

‘Where’s My Brain???‘ is out now via The Orchard, buy/stream it here.

TOUR DATES
Sat 20 Feb – Workers Club, Melbourne – Tickets
Fri 26 Feb – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane – Tickets

Stay connected with The Lazy Eyes:
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | triple j Unearthed

February 3, 2021 0 comments

Music News

Watch AC/DC The Making Of ‘Realize’

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

From Rolling Stone US: AC/DC’s video for Realize, the thunderous opening track of the hard rockers’ recent Power Up album, presents a closeup of the band in dizzying detail. The camera gets right in Brian Johnson’s face and perches on the headstock of Angus Young’s guitar as they rock out in front of Young’s deafening wall of Marshall amps — and then it spins in circles on the floor, aiming up at the Aussie hellraisers. Each frame of the clip is disorienting.

Now, Young and creative director Josh Cheuse are revealing how they made the video in a new behind-the-scenes mini-doc. In the doc, Cheuse explains that the way photographer Gavin Elder used a 360 camera during the band’s Shot in the Dark video shoot inspired Young. “I just looked at how it looked, and I saw that wide frame, and I thought it looked pretty good,” the guitarist says. “It looked different.”

AC/DC then hired co-director Clemens Habicht, who made the clip with Cheuse, to shoot some members of the band in Australia; because of the Covid-19 pandemic, each band member was shot individually, wherever he happened to be in the world at the time. But before they got to filming, Habicht made cutouts of the band members and stuck them in a diorama to show how it would look. “I just thought it was really cool,” Cheuse said in the clip. “I was like, ‘Oh this guy is as bonkers as we are.’”

“That’s about the best I’ve ever looked on a modeling outfit,” Young rejoined with a laugh.

The behind-the-curtains look includes a few shots of Young playing the song’s chords unplugged; it also demonstrates how they shot the band members one by one. Before Brian Johnson starts to sing, he proclaims, “This one’s a fucker.” And it’s on from there.

BUY PWR/UP HERE

February 3, 2021 0 comments

Festival News Music News

CASH SAVAGE AND THE LAST DRINKS Plus The Meanies At Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, 1st Feb, 2021

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

PHOTOGRAPHY: Nate Hill https://www.natehillphotography.com.au/

An amazing performance by both Cash Savage and The Last Drinks + The Meanines at Melbourne’s very special Sidney Myer Music Bowl. What a treat it was to be blow away with two thunderous LIVE performances in such an idyllic setting.

Thanks to The Old Bar, The Tote, Melbourne Music Week and Arts Centre Melbourne for making the show possible.

February 3, 2021 0 comments

Festival News Music News

BRUNSWICK MUSIC FESTIVAL DROPS EPIC PROGRAM . MEGALO! MEGALO! MEGALO! COME AND GET THE BARGAIN!

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

In a shorter 10-day format spanning March 5-14 (taking in the Labour Day long weekend), Brunswick will be abuzz for Brunswick Music Festival 2021, with a bursting program that sets the stage for people to gather and connect IRL after the year that was, all across the expansive suburb, in beloved parks, music venues, bars and pizza parlours.

As we feel the music returning to greater Melbourne and the Inner Northern nook of Brunswick, and going to gigs slowly starts to feel normal again, so too the festival stirs from its slumber. After the pause mid-dance in 2020, BMF is pleased to hit play on live music again, shaking it off by putting on a stunning array of live music offerings for just $10 or under.

That’s right, in 2021 not a single BMF ticket will be over $10 + booking fee, an unbelievable coming back gift to the community from the festival and Moreland City Council to support social solidarity and togetherness through high vibe live music experiences for all.

GRAND SALE! GRAND SALE! GRAND SALE!

BMF’s dreamy new outdoor venue at Gilpin Park will host a swathe of performances. Tastemakers including Crown Ruler with Waving at Trains, Milk! Records and Our Golden Friend will each curate shows featuring DJ JNETT, East Brunswick All Girls Choir, Elizabeth, Good Morning, Kee’ahn, Loose Tooth, RVG and more.

Ten bucks? Ten bucks.

Taking advantage of the autumn weather, other excellent festival collaborators Bad Apples, Flightless Records, HopeStreet Recordings with College of Knowledge, Mistletone Records and Port Fairy Folk Festival will each bring a collection of artists outdoors to Gilpin’s leafy surrounds. The impressive line ups include Alice Skye, BARKAA, Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, Emma Donovan and The Putbacks, HEXDEBT, Kutcha Edwards, Leah Senior, Spike Fcuk and more. Plus Gilpin Park will play host to special headline shows from Angie McMahon and Mo’Ju.

A tenner or free? Yep, a tenner or free.

COME AND GET THE BARGAIN!

Bar Oussou, the newly re-opened Brunswick Ballroom, Cross Street Music Hall, Noisy Ritual, Ollie’s Pizza Parlour, Rubix Warehouse, Small Time, Tempo Rubato, The B. East, The Charles Weston Hotel, The Edinburgh Castle Hotel, The Jazzlab, The Moldy Fig and The Retreat Hotel are all contributing curators offering line ups across the 10 days for the expanded Venues 3056 program. This year Venues 3056 runs the duration of the festival, broadening its footprint to encompass more of the Inner North than ever. As part of the program, The Retreat Hotel will host a Beatles tribute evening as well as an unmissable all Femme/GNC International Women’s Day line up of Slush, V, Zig Zag and more.

Many shows are free, none are more than $10.

The shelves of Brunswick’s iconic art deco library will be shaken by Pinch Points and indie dream-pop band Tender Buttons, who promise to bring the bops between the books for Live at The Library. Plus for those music-minded, studious and sociable Small Time will host three live and live-streamed professional development sessions on DIY branding, management, live-streaming and production during BMF’s jam-packed mini-conference Sound Sessions in partnership with Milk! Records, Small Time and funded by Creative Victoria.

All free!

Howler will bring three extraordinary album launches to life on their celebrated stage, featuring Hachiku’s ‘I’ll Probably Be Asleep’, June Jones’ ‘Leafcutter’ and ‘Film School’ an exciting new collaborative project from Joelistics.

Guess how much?

And finally, keep an eye out for BMF’s Pop Ups featuring Ausecuma Beats, Petal Lake (Mindy Meng Wang & Daniel Jenatsch), Zoë Fox and the Pocket Rockets and more. Fun and free for all along Sydney Road.

Have your tenner handy? Get the complete low down on who, where and when at brunswickmusicfestival.com.au.

BMF Website

Brunswick Music Festival

@brunswickmusicfest

February 3, 2021 0 comments

Music News

THE ZOO ANNOUNCE NEW VENUE PARTNERSHIP AND REVEAL PLANS FOR THE VENUE

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

Pictured: Cat Clarke, Boo Johnston & Pixie Weynard (Credit: Luke Henery)

Brisbane’s iconic and beloved live music venue, The Zoo has welcomed a new owner partnership between Pixie Weyand and husband and wife team, Luke ‘Boo’ Johnston and Cat Clarke.

Pixie Weyand, owner of The Zoo since 2016, has seen the venue experience a turbulent time in the past 12 months, says that despite this, the future of The Zoo looks great.

“I’m looking forward and moving past a really difficult year towards a bright future, with a strong team surrounding the venue. My focus is and always has been around the longevity of live music within The Zoo and doing whatever it takes to make sure it remains an integral part of Brisbane and the broader Australian live music scene. I am excited to be able to share the journey of The Zoo, giving it long term stability, along with the opportunity to grow, evolve and move into a new phase full of life and live music,” says Pixie.

Of the new partnership Cat and Boo said: “We are delighted to become co-owners of one of Brisbane’s most celebrated live music venues and very excited to be working with Pixie and The Zoo crew. The Zoo holds a special place in many Brisbane hearts, and we are dedicated to keeping The Zoo alive and well for all that love her. The venue has undergone a difficult time and we are encouraged to find ourselves in a position, with the assistance of a partnership, where we can provide stability and ensure that the iconic venue continues to thrive in Brisbane’s vibrant live music scene.”

As one of Australia’s longest-running live music venues, The Zoo will next year celebrate 30 years of hosting some of the world’s most famous acts, including The Pixies, Silverchair, The Black Keys, and Mogwai (to name a few) as well as being a regular performance venue for local emerging artists. With this significant milestone approaching, the venue will look to expand its events and make improvements for its patrons, with the hope of The Zoo being embraced not only as a live music venue, but as an inclusive community bar space.

The new partnership will allow for a gradual revamp of the venue in 2021, with upgrades including the long-awaited installation of air conditioning throughout, the extension of the current liquor license to 3:00 am to allow punters to kick back and enjoy the space after a show, and a much-needed refurb of restroom facilities.

Pictured: Bugs @ The Zoo (Credit: Will Johnstone)

Luke ‘Boo’ Johnston has been a mainstay on the Australian touring circuit since 2004. Learning the ropes around Sydney pubs, Luke has built his knowledge base and reputation to the point where he has become a trusted tour and production manager for some of the world’s biggest bands and touring companies both in Australia and overseas. Last year Boo launched his own touring services company Road Agent Touring Services, which he will continue to run alongside the new partnership.

With over 15 years experience in the industry, Cat Clarke recently moved on from her role as National Publicist at Cooking Vinyl Australia, and previously held positions at Riot House Publicity and as music coordinator & show manager at renowned Melbourne live music venue, 170 Russell. With this wealth of experience, Cat will be looking after communications and marketing for The Zoo moving forward.

In addition to owning and operating The Zoo for the past 4 years, Pixie Weyand has been a booking agent, scouting emerging artists, including her first signing of Tones & I. Working alongside a variety of industry professionals has given Pixie a deep understanding of the music industry, recently jumping on board as Head of A&R at Disrupt Music Group. Pixie will continue in her role as a booker for the venue.

Pixie, Cat, & Boo collectively bring a driving force and fresh vision for the future of The Zoo and foresee their new partnership as a strong and exciting endeavour. We look forward to seeing what this new partnership will bring to the future of The Zoo and Fortitude Valley’s music scene.

CONNECT ONLINE WITH THE ZOO

February 3, 2021 0 comments

Music News

THOSE WHO DREAM RELEASE NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO “TENSION HEADACHE” PERTH DUO DROP KILLER NEW TRACK

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

Today, Perth alternative rock band Those Who Dream release their new single Tension Headache. The DIY Perth duo have also dropped a killer video for the single, which was produced, filmed and directed by the guys themselves. The result being one of the best DIY videos you’ll see come out of Australia this year.

Tension Headache follows on from the bands previous singles Monster, Coward and Violet which have amassed just shy of 900,000 streams on Spotify.

The new single continues along the path of DIY ethos the band is becoming known for, with brothers Josh and Cooper Meyer handling all the song-writing and production duties with their skills becoming sharper than ever.

Tension Headache sees the brothers channeling their own struggles and emotional turmoil and turning it into their most creative and catchiest song to date. The song is bold, dynamic and explosive, and is sure to become an anthem for a new generation.

“It’s hard to trust your own thoughts when you’re depressed. The same brain capable of thinking rationally and wanting to get better, is also capable of extreme self-sabotage. Trying to balance this constant tug-of-war can leave you exhausted, confused and even rationalising the bad thoughts. The soundscape is very much a representation of the lyrics; chaotic, uncertain and torn between light and dark” – Josh and Cooper Meyer

The band have also announced 2 shows in Perth to promote Tension Headache with a full Australian tour to be announced shortly. Show details below.

Friday Feb 12 – Badlands Bar, Perth – Tickets here
Saturday Feb 27 – Vision Studios, Perth – Tickets Here

LISTEN TO TENSION HEADACHE

THOSE WHO DREAM – TENSION HEADACHE – OUT NOW

ABOUT THOSE WHO DREAM

Those Who Dream are an Australian alternative rock duo and multifaceted creative project of brothers Josh and Cooper Meyer. Their explosive, unorthodox sound and nakedly honest lyrics has not only earned them the acclaim of Pop Buzz, Rock Sound and Alternative Press; but more importantly, a cult-like following across the world.

The Meyer brothers are as DIY as it gets, having taught themselves filmmaking, 3D animation, marketing, design, music production and songwriting since they were growing up. The sum of these talents can be best seen in the duo’s extravagant music video for their breakout single ‘Violet’, featuring eerie visuals reminiscent of surreal, psychological-horror cinema.

Since going viral on TikTok, their ‘Life in Cyan’ EP debuting at #4 on Apple Music’s Rock charts and embarking on a nationwide tour with The Faim and Between You & Me; the duo are quickly amassing a die-hard fanbase. With their core songwriting themes of insecurity, mental health, and self-discovery, the duo are able to put words to feelings that most people struggle to. Often clad in Cyan, (Those Who Dream’s signature colour) and clutching art featuring a slew of other references to the band, you only have to take one look at the fans lining up at a Those Who Dream concert to understand how much the band means to them.

Growing up perpetually fascinated by all forms of art; the brothers quickly learnt to channel their own struggles and emotional turmoil into creative expression. After creating individually and experimenting in bands it quickly became apparent that their best work was created together.

Those Who Dream are
Josh Meyer (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
Cooper Meyer (Drums)

February 3, 2021 0 comments

Music News

Steve Aoki Teams Up With Willy William, Sean Paul, El Alfa, Sfera Ebbasta and Play-N-Skillz For His New Single ‘Mambo’

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

STEVE AOKI

February 3, 2021 0 comments

Where are you currently based? Hello. I live in Berlin, already my whole life. What's been happening recently and how has your Covid/Isolation experience been so far? In 2020 I was pretty busy releasing my music. There was the double 12" AI on CLIKNO, then Post Techno Crisis on Goldmin Music, two EPs with my project rand with pianist Jan Gerdes, then my album Drones & Tones For The Free II under my alias Anomali and various podcasts, the last one, Yarncast072, came out just before Christmas. I also re-released seven previous EPs and albums on my own Bandcamp page. And of course, I've been spending time making new music. I haven't felt lonely at all, although I've reduced my contacts extremely. I have to say that I live together with many people in a cool house in the middle of Berlin. That turned out to be an advantage in a situation like this. Living alone on my own is not my thing anyway. Your new EP Muaco is out now on CLIKNO, what influenced the sound and songwriting? Last year I read the book "Jaki Liebezeit" about the former Can drummer, which explains his rhythm system. Without being too theoretical, I adopted it intuitively and composed a number of percussive layers to achieve that mesmerizing sensation of polyrhythm that we also know from gamelan and a lot of African music. The pulse and flow were important. Another influence is Burnt Friedman, who also worked with Jaki Liebezeit, and Fela Kuti, but also drone music and techno a la Voices From the Lake, for example. Sonically, there are no influences other than the sound of the acoustic guitar itself. The acoustic feel was a premise. How did you go about writing the EP? I didn't conceive the EP. I just had the idea to make a techno track with sounds of my acoustic guitar, that's the title track Muaco, which is just a short name for MUsic Against COrona. I had so much fun with the samples that I ended up making three tracks. I wanted to release them as an EP right away, but pushed back the release date since the last year was already filled with releases. Now it feels great to launch with the Muaco EP in 2021, even during another lockdown period. What programs/equipment did you use? First, there's my Höfner acoustic guitar, which I simply recorded with a Sure SM 58 microphone. All the rest - processing, sound design, arrangement and mixing - was done in Ableton Live and with the help of several plug-ins. Where and when did you record/produce/master? The complete music was recorded and produced at home. The mastering was done by Sebastian Mehl, a good friend with great mastering skills. Did you work with anybody else during the creation of Muaco? Nope Please describe your creative process and why you create music? The creative process usually starts with a recording of real sounds from the real world or I dig into my archive of those recordings. It's more fun to start with something fresh and new, it triggers my curiosity about what I can do with it. The samples are imported into my computer and Ableton Live, where I assemble, disassemble, cut, tweak, modulate, pitch, stretch the material until I get stuck on a particular sound or segment. That might be a rhythmic or melodic phrase or just a textural sound. I'm looking for emotional content, at least for me. From there I add and explore, playing around with the sound clips until I have an idea of the track. I then do the arrangement live in a recording session. I can't answer the other question of why I make music. It's an inner urge that drives me to do it. I can't live without making music. I'm a sound nerd and fascinated by the impact that sound and music have and how music connects. I'm also very amused when I see people dancing to my music because I know how I created it and it might just be a random noise or a very childish, dubious instrument or just an object that I like the sound of. Has Covid resulted in more webstreams/home-clubbing/listening? Yeah, people are listening to more music at home now, or on their headphones on their walk or way to work. Home clubbing sounds kind of sexy to me. It's something new to explore. I mean, are people really dancing at home? Possibly. I do, I can't wait for the clubs to open! Web streams are very welcome, of course. There are way too many, I think. Even when Facebook launched with its livestream feature before Covid19, I quickly got bored of webstreams. It's not just about the music or the sound anymore, there should be a narrative and a reason to do a stream and the images should reinforce that. It's a new form of entertainment. There are interesting projects on the way. For example, what the CTM Festival is doing right now. What has been motivating you in the last year or so with no live shows to play? I lacked a bit of motivation, the pressure to produce. But as I mentioned before, last year I focused on releasing and re-releasing. But I know that one day there will be parties again and it's better to be prepared. For the Muaco EP, the motivation actually came from picking up the guitar and recording some new acoustic sounds. The idea was still to produce some groovy tracks, but with a different sound concept. So I was curious how it would sound in the end and if it might work. How do you think Covid has changed the path of music culture? Well, apart from the crushing of any performance, I feel that many producers who felt trapped in a production process have now allowed themselves to break out and be more explorative and creative. I hope and wish that electronic music and music in general will become more free from all these commercial rules and guidelines. There is a great opportunity for music. After Covid, it won't be the same anymore. What do you have planned post Covid? Kitchenparty is the first thing that comes to my mind. It's a private event I usually host once or twice a year in my kitchen, more or less an informal gathering with friends and guests. We have DJs, live acts and visuals and usually international guests. The next one will be remembered for a long time. I also want to travel again, somewhere to get out and discover new places. I'm also curious where my next booking will take me. What do you like to do away from music? I'm quite interested in cultural things, art exhibitions, performances, concerts and so on. During the lockdown, a lot more happens on the net now, so I try to balance my time on the computer with going to the river and lakes and woods with someone, and I love hanging out with my girlfriend. Who are you listening to at the moment? Last year I discovered the London label Well Street Records. I'm very excited about that. I've never heard the names of their artists, but I just love the music.Lately I've been listening a lot to Laurine Frost's album Lena, Kraftwerk's Autobahn, Talking Heads' Remain in Light, Bohren & the Club of Gore's Geisterfaust, Wang Inc.'s Mediterraneo EP and in between music from Hubble, Steevio, Steve Reich, Burnt Friedman, Jan Jelinek, Villalobos.... ah, too many to mention.... I listen to a lot of music. Favourite food and place to hangout? My favorite way to spend time is at home or with my girlfriend and housemates. My other friends are getting the short end of the stick at the moment, but I hope that will change in the summer. My favorite food has to be fresh. I love raw vegetables, hummus, good bread, salad, fruits. Now in winter sometimes a hot soup.

Music Interviews Music News

Dr.Nojoke

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

Where are you currently based?

Hello. I live in Berlin, already my whole life.

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid/Isolation experience been so far?

In 2020 I was pretty busy releasing my music. There was the double 12″ AI on CLIKNO, then Post Techno Crisis on Goldmin Music, two EPs with my project rand with pianist Jan Gerdes, then my album Drones & Tones For The Free II under my alias Anomali and various podcasts, the last one, Yarncast072, came out just before Christmas. I also re-released seven previous EPs and albums on my own Bandcamp page. And of course, I’ve been spending time making new music. I haven’t felt lonely at all, although I’ve reduced my contacts extremely. I have to say that I live together with many people in a cool house in the middle of Berlin. That turned out to be an advantage in a situation like this. Living alone on my own is not my thing anyway.

Your new EP Muaco is out now on CLIKNO, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

Last year I read the book “Jaki Liebezeit” about the former Can drummer, which explains his rhythm system. Without being too theoretical, I adopted it intuitively and composed a number of percussive layers to achieve that mesmerizing sensation of polyrhythm that we also know from gamelan and a lot of African music. The pulse and flow were important. Another influence is Burnt Friedman, who also worked with Jaki Liebezeit, and Fela Kuti, but also drone music and techno a la Voices From the Lake, for example. Sonically, there are no influences other than the sound of the acoustic guitar itself. The acoustic feel was a premise.

How did you go about writing the EP?

I didn’t conceive the EP. I just had the idea to make a techno track with sounds of my acoustic guitar, that’s the title track Muaco, which is just a short name for MUsic Against COrona. I had so much fun with the samples that I ended up making three tracks. I wanted to release them as an EP right away, but pushed back the release date since the last year was already filled with releases. Now it feels great to launch with the Muaco EP in 2021, even during another lockdown period.

What programs/equipment did you use?

First, there’s my Höfner acoustic guitar, which I simply recorded with a Sure SM 58 microphone. All the rest – processing, sound design, arrangement and mixing – was done in Ableton Live and with the help of several plug-ins.

Where and when did you record/produce/master?

The complete music was recorded and produced at home. The mastering was done by Sebastian Mehl, a good friend with great mastering skills.

Did you work with anybody else during the creation of Muaco?

Nope

Please describe your creative process and why you create music?

The creative process usually starts with a recording of real sounds from the real world or I dig into my archive of those recordings. It’s more fun to start with something fresh and new, it triggers my curiosity about what I can do with it. The samples are imported into my computer and Ableton Live, where I assemble, disassemble, cut, tweak, modulate, pitch, stretch the material until I get stuck on a particular sound or segment. That might be a rhythmic or melodic phrase or just a textural sound. I’m looking for emotional content, at least for me. From there I add and explore, playing around with the sound clips until I have an idea of the track. I then do the arrangement live in a recording session.

I can’t answer the other question of why I make music. It’s an inner urge that drives me to do it. I can’t live without making music. I’m a sound nerd and fascinated by the impact that sound and music have and how music connects. I’m also very amused when I see people dancing to my music because I know how I created it and it might just be a random noise or a very childish, dubious instrument or just an object that I like the sound of.

Has Covid resulted in more webstreams/home-clubbing/listening?

Yeah, people are listening to more music at home now, or on their headphones on their walk or way to work. Home clubbing sounds kind of sexy to me. It’s something new to explore. I mean, are people really dancing at home? Possibly. I do, I can’t wait for the clubs to open! Web streams are very welcome, of course. There are way too many, I think. Even when Facebook launched with its livestream feature before Covid19, I quickly got bored of webstreams. It’s not just about the music or the sound anymore, there should be a narrative and a reason to do a stream and the images should reinforce that. It’s a new form of entertainment. There are interesting projects on the way. For example, what the CTM Festival is doing right now.

What has been motivating you in the last year or so with no live shows to play?

I lacked a bit of motivation, the pressure to produce. But as I mentioned before, last year I focused on releasing and re-releasing. But I know that one day there will be parties again and it’s better to be prepared. For the Muaco EP, the motivation actually came from picking up the guitar and recording some new acoustic sounds. The idea was still to produce some groovy tracks, but with a different sound concept. So I was curious how it would sound in the end and if it might work.

How do you think Covid has changed the path of music culture?

Well, apart from the crushing of any performance, I feel that many producers who felt trapped in a production process have now allowed themselves to break out and be more explorative and creative. I hope and wish that electronic music and music in general will become more free from all these commercial rules and guidelines. There is a great opportunity for music. After Covid, it won’t be the same anymore.

What do you have planned post Covid?

Kitchenparty is the first thing that comes to my mind. It’s a private event I usually host once or twice a year in my kitchen, more or less an informal gathering with friends and guests. We have DJs, live acts and visuals and usually international guests. The next one will be remembered for a long time. I also want to travel again, somewhere to get out and discover new places. I’m also curious where my next booking will take me.

What do you like to do away from music?

I’m quite interested in cultural things, art exhibitions, performances, concerts and so on. During the lockdown, a lot more happens on the net now, so I try to balance my time on the computer with going to the river and lakes and woods with someone, and I love hanging out with my girlfriend.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Last year I discovered the London label Well Street Records. I’m very excited about that. I’ve never heard the names of their artists, but I just love the music.Lately I’ve been listening a lot to Laurine Frost’s album Lena, Kraftwerk’s Autobahn, Talking Heads’ Remain in Light, Bohren & the Club of Gore’s Geisterfaust, Wang Inc.’s Mediterraneo EP and in between music from Hubble, Steevio, Steve Reich, Burnt Friedman, Jan Jelinek, Villalobos…. ah, too many to mention…. I listen to a lot of music.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

My favorite way to spend time is at home or with my girlfriend and housemates. My other friends are getting the short end of the stick at the moment, but I hope that will change in the summer. My favorite food has to be fresh. I love raw vegetables, hummus, good bread, salad, fruits. Now in winter sometimes a hot soup.

LISTEN/STREAM

https://linktr.ee/dr.nojoke

https://clikno.bandcamp.com/album/muaco

February 3, 2021 0 comments

“The singer Son Little has a lithely expressive voice that can locate forgiveness, sorrow, and ecstasy in even the most hackneyed turns of phrase.” — The New Yorker “A breath of alternative air in a genre that’s often too slock and too overproduced.” - Relix "Little’s exercise in resilience resulted in something that sounds and feels as fresh as it is.” - No Depression Son Little has shared his latest single “Phantom Killer”; listen and watch the song’s dusky new lyric video HERE. Auto-tuned vocals, acoustic guitar & lofi-percussion on the track show Son Little’s progress in a new musical direction. Born Aaron Earl Livingston, Little first came to international prominence with his self-titled debut which was released in 2015 on ANTI- Records. While Little’s collaborations with The Roots and RJD2 had already helped him make a name for himself by that point in his adopted hometown of Philadelphia, critics on both sides of the pond were quick to recognise the unique power of Little’s solo recordings, which stripped the past for parts that could be reconstituted into something wholly new and original. NPR hailed Little’s “impeccably crafted songs” as “honest and unpretentious,” while The Independent proclaimed him “a formidable talent,” and Vice declared that he was “dissolving the barrier between R&B and rock 'n' roll one tearjerker at a time.” Never one to rest on his laurels, Little showed off his production chops the following year, earning a GRAMMY Award for his work helming Mavis Staples’ acclaimed ‘See That My Grave Is Kept Clean,’ and in 2017, he released a critically lauded sophomore album, New Magic, which Paste said “did for the blues what Sharon Jones did for soul music.” In order to create his 2020 album aloha, Little began writing and assembling album demos in Petaluma, California. However, after his hard drive fried and he lost nearly a dozen detailed demos, he was forced to begin with a blank slate, leading him to write aloha in only eight days at a tiny house and its adjacent barn. The entire project was an exercise in letting go, in ceding control, in surrendering to fate. “Losing all that material felt like a nightmare at the time, but I’ve since learned to see it as an opportunity,” he reflects. “If I hadn’t lost all those songs, I never would have written all the new stuff that became aloha. Letting go can be a scary prospect,” he added. “But there’s beauty in it, too. Everything you leave behind opens up space for something new in your life.”

Music News

SON LITTLE RELEASES NEW SINGLE “PHANTOM KILLER”

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

“The singer Son Little has a lithely expressive voice that can locate forgiveness, sorrow, and ecstasy in even the most hackneyed turns of phrase.” — The New Yorker

“A breath of alternative air in a genre that’s often too slock and too overproduced.” – Relix

“Little’s exercise in resilience resulted in something that sounds and feels as fresh as it is.” – No Depression

Son Little has shared his latest single “Phantom Killer”; listen and watch the song’s dusky new lyric video HERE. Auto-tuned vocals, acoustic guitar & lofi-percussion on the track show Son Little’s progress in a new musical direction.

Born Aaron Earl Livingston, Little first came to international prominence with his self-titled debut which was released in 2015 on ANTI- Records. While Little’s collaborations with The Roots and RJD2 had already helped him make a name for himself by that point in his adopted hometown of Philadelphia, critics on both sides of the pond were quick to recognise the unique power of Little’s solo recordings, which stripped the past for parts that could be reconstituted into something wholly new and original. NPR hailed Little’s “impeccably crafted songs” as “honest and unpretentious,” while The Independent proclaimed him “a formidable talent,” and Vice declared that he was “dissolving the barrier between R&B and rock ‘n’ roll one tearjerker at a time.”

Never one to rest on his laurels, Little showed off his production chops the following year, earning a GRAMMY Award for his work helming Mavis Staples’ acclaimed ‘See That My Grave Is Kept Clean,’ and in 2017, he released a critically lauded sophomore album, New Magic, which Paste said “did for the blues what Sharon Jones did for soul music.”

In order to create his 2020 album aloha, Little began writing and assembling album demos in Petaluma, California. However, after his hard drive fried and he lost nearly a dozen detailed demos, he was forced to begin with a blank slate, leading him to write aloha in only eight days at a tiny house and its adjacent barn. The entire project was an exercise in letting go, in ceding control, in surrendering to fate.

“Losing all that material felt like a nightmare at the time, but I’ve since learned to see it as an opportunity,” he reflects. “If I hadn’t lost all those songs, I never would have written all the new stuff that became aloha. Letting go can be a scary prospect,” he added. “But there’s beauty in it, too. Everything you leave behind opens up space for something new in your life.”

February 3, 2021 0 comments

Music News

FINALISTS REVEALED FOR THE 16TH ANNUAL SOUNDMERCH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC PRIZE

by the partae February 3, 2021

written by the partae

[Image Credit: Emma Donovan / Michelle Grace Hunder; Tame Impala / Matt Sav; Ziggy Ramo / Emma Pegrum]

Returning for its 16th year, the prestigious SoundMerch Australian Music Prize (The AMP) has revealed its official Shortlist today. From a list of 88 albums nominated by the judges during 2020, a nationwide cohort of respected music industry experts has deliberated and narrowed the numbers down to a list of nine finalists, whose creativity has produced some of the best Australian releases of the year.

This year’s SoundMerch Australian Music Prize shortlist represents a wide and diverse pool of talent from right around the country. Music that has had a significant impact not just at home in Australia, but internationally, garnering acclaim from fans new and old alike around the world. 2020 shortlist celebrates some incredible debut releases including Miiesha’s soulful Nyaaringu and Ziggy Ramo’s powerful Black Thoughts, as well as career-defining touchstones in Tame Impala’s fourth studio album The Slow Rush, Fanny Lumsden’s Fallow, and The Avalanches’ expansive third record, We Will Always Love You.

“We’re so very chuffed to have made the shortlist for the Australian Music Prize. To sit amongst all the previous nominees and so many truly great albums is a real honour. Thank you!”
The Avalanches

In a year where the music industry experienced unprecedented struggles and challenges, the music that has been produced throughout and as a result of these times has demonstrated the resilience and power in the craft, and those artists behind it.

“I held onto Black Thoughts for five years because I didn’t think there was a place for it in the Australian music industry. I was shocked when it was shortlisted, not because I didn’t think it was deserving, I just didn’t know if people were ready to hear it. I had zero expectations when I put Black Thoughts out and am truly humbled that people have resonated with it. Thank you to the Australian Music Prize for not only the nomination but more importantly, for listening.”
Ziggy Ramo

For the carefully selected panel of judges, featuring respected music tastemakers, retailers, media, and fellow artists, sitting with these albums over the summer has been a process of labour and love. With so many different sounds and modes of storytelling flourishing across these albums, their final list of nominees is one they are incredibly proud of. Powerful voices and sonic brains have proven to be two major standouts of The AMP’s final nine this year. Genres meet each other on this list where they may not be on others; Alice Ivy’s dynamic record Don’t Sleep sits alongside the raw power of Emma Donovan and The Putbacks’ Crossover. The uplifting tempos and sheer energy of Gordon Koang’s Unity meet the sprawling, visceral nature of Blake Scott’s debut album Niscitam.

“It’s such an honour – for both me and The Putbacks – to see this album included in this major prize. The songs represented on this album are not only a capsule of personal stories, but are a preservation and celebration of two of the country’s national traditional languages. We thank our passionate listeners for sharing our music.”
Emma Donovan

“I’m a little overwhelmed that Fallow, songs I wrote in a season of personal change and released through a storm, have found such a silver lining. It’s a complete honour to be included in the top nine albums of the year for an award that has such integrity.”
Fanny Lumsden

The winner of The AMP for 2020 will receive a $20,000 cash prize, courtesy of SoundMerch. Thanks to the industry support from long term champions of The AMP, including APRA AMCOS and Mushroom Group, the prize continues to exist not just to celebrate the album as a respected format, but to recognise and celebrate our thriving nation of musicians and their original work.

“The feedback directly from artists who released albums in 2020 has been quite incredible; much praise for us being able to keep The AMP alive in a year that wasn’t alive in so many ways. It could not have been done without the help of long term industry friends, especially APRA and the Mushroom Group, whose financial support remained intact for the 16th year. Of course, it was amazing that during these times, long-term AMP partner SoundMerch stepped up their support of the industry and are going to pay the winner a $20,000 cash prize! Congratulations to our nine shortlisted artists on their incredible work.”
Scott Murphy, SoundMerch Australian Music Prize Director

Inspired by the UK’s coveted Mercury Prize, The AMP has previously recognised works from artists including Sampa The Great, Gurrumul, The Drones, Courtney Barnett, A.B. Original, and Eddy Current Suppression Ring, and will announce the latest artist to join this esteemed list of winners in March.

THE SOUNDMERCH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC PRIZE FINALISTS
Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep
The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You
Blake Scott – Niscitam
Emma Donovan and The Putbacks – Crossover
Fanny Lumsden – Fallow
Gordon Koang – Unity
Miiesha – Nyaaringu
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Ziggy Ramo – Black Thoughts

February 3, 2021 0 comments

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FINALISTS REVEALED FOR THE 16TH ANNUAL SOUNDMERCH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC PRIZE