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HXXS
MKDRONE
1. Seppuku
2. Witch Hunt
3. Vices
4. Dripping Mercury
5. Trippin
Tassie-born, Sydney-based Hip Hop artist, SwiftBoi isn’t for the faint-hearted.
She’s fierce, she’s fiesty and she’s facedly honest. It just so happens that she spits rhymes faster than any of the of her Aussie Hip Hop counterparts, with a kind of endearing realness, cheek and wit that would make a grown man blush.
You see SwiftBoi may be raw, but she is well-seasoned. She has seen it, heard it and done it all before.
Having performed on stages all over Australia since she was a 12 year old, starting in bars in Outback Western Australia, SwiftBoi has had the kind of life experiences that breed the most genuine of artists.
When she was 16, she ran away from her turbulent home life to pursue a music career in the City – and she has not stopped since, let alone to look back.
SwiftBoi began making a name for herself, building her credibility on the streets of Melbourne by freestyling in the Hip Hop circuit in 2015.
By 2017, she had produced her debut solo Hip Hop album HONEY TRAP.
Within days of it’s release, SwiftBoi’s single “The Bad Guy” had been shared by BODY BAG MEDIA, Triple J, KISS FM, 4ZZZ, WOW FM and Hardcore FM (and that’s just to name a few).
She is quite literally, “making a scene”. And we love her for it.
‘The Bad Guy’ is a gritty, uninvited peek into SwiftBoi‘s much anticipated, forthcoming album, ‘HECTOPLASM‘ which, whilst still in the works, is guaranteed to be an industry game-changer.
‘The Bad Guy’ is evidence of a no holds barred, unapologetic Hip Hop female force that not only refuses to be bound by gentrification, gender or genre, it spits in their faces.
“SWIFTBOI UNDENIABLY SPITS HARDER AND FASTER THAN MOST MALE RAPPERS IN THE SCENE.”
The female Hip Hop artist explicitly aims to challenge everybody’s view on the female contribution to Aussie Hip Hop, whether purposely or not.
For anyone who has ever felt different or disrespected by the masses… this track is for you.
If you are so privileged to have not been effected by misfortune in life, then all we can say is that the chorus is catchy as all hell!
SwiftBoi’s lyrical vendetta against society, the privileged, the entitled and the naysayers reveals a persona that can be described as Tarantino Uma Thurman vs Scarface, a theme which is quite obviously explored visually in her newest video.
The unapologetic lyrics of ‘The Bad Guy’ deal with the confronting issues of self-defense, bullying, and bisexuality – with a focus on being labelled “The Bad Guy” for winning against all odds, something of which SwiftBoi knows about all too well. Also giving way to the track’s overall IDGAF, cheeky attitude.
We can’t get enough of SwiftBoi, who is bulldozing the way for Aussie female hip hop artists with her tongue in cheek, lyrically witty and non-filtered style.
You can check out her new video here. It’s NSFW but then consider yourself lucky if you have a job!
Damaged will be announcing SwiftBoi shows soon so keep an eye on our socials people! She is a force to be reckoned with…
“This is pure fire!” – Sandro Falce, Triple j
“This is a huge statement from SwiftBoi and how they dgaf what anyone thinks of ’em.” – Dave Ruby Howe, Triple j
Sigrid announces her highly anticipated debut album Sucker Punch, set for release on 1 March 2019. The Norwegian pop star’s experience over the last year has been the backdrop for her debut record. From writing at the piano of the stunning Ocean Sound Recordings in her hometown of Alesund, to winning the BBC Sound of 2018, Sigrid’s epic songs are tales of the unexpected; fearless musical collages and shout-outs to human resilience.
“I figured out early on that it’s gonna be difficult for me to try and be anything other than who I am. I always said if I’m gonna do this it’s easiest to be myself and look like myself, where I can recognise myself,”says Sigrid.
Sigrid’s defiant pop was catapulted into the public consciousness last year with the zeitgeist defining ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’, the certified-Gold ‘Strangers’, A-List record ‘High Five’, critically lauded RAW EP and new single ‘Sucker Punch’. The pop prodigy has also been chosen to perform at the Royal Variety Show, out on 11 December, and Top of the Pops Christmas special, as well as supporting George Ezra in March on his mammoth arena tour, and Maroon 5 in June.
PRE-ORDER SIGRID’S DEBUT ALBUM HERE
We have all witnessed an incredible new talent. Sigrid has won BBC Sound of 2018, debuted at Glastonbury, headlined Shepherd’s Bush Empire, lit up festivals across Reading, Roskilde, Coachella and Radio 1’s Biggest Weekend, sang at the Nobel Peace Prize concert, bewitched TV audiences from opening Later…with Jools Holland, The Late Late Show with James Corden and wowing Dame Helen Mirren on the Graham Norton Show. With streaming numbers reaching 400M globally, the 22-year-old Norwegian sensation is undoubtedly set to continue her ascent with non-conformist and progressive attitudes to the femininity in the pop landscape with ‘Sucker Punch’.
Velvet Starlings is Christian Gisborne a 15 year-old indie rock singer/songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for a powerful 60s era Eric Burdon influenced vocal style combined with a commanding stage presence. Velvet Starling’s unique performance style has invited media and industry insider comparisons to Jack White, Cage The Elephant, Alex Turner and Ty Segal. Grisborne’s early musical influences were The Beatles, The Who, The Doors, The Kinks and the Rolling Stones which is apparent in his music.
Already making a name for himself at such a young age, Velvet Starlings has garnered attention from Los Angeles powerhouse KROQ as well as Sirius XM. His fusion of gritty garage blues coupled with Brit inspired rock has led to high profile festival bookings including SXSW and Summerfest Milwaukee.
Velvet Starlings’ long awaited self-titled EP on Sound x 3 Records is co written by producer Roger Gisborne and mastered by Brian Lucey Cage The Elephant, Artic Monkeys, Beck, Black Keys. The six track EP kicks off with leading single and video, “If Life Ain’t Getting You High”. The single features vintage guitar sounds, driving drums and hard hitting rock vocals. With introspective lyricism detailing living in the moment, “If Life Ain’t Getting You High” is an anthem for the youth of today. Second single, “Sold Down The River” showcases soulful Hammond B3 organ, gritty guitars and raw blues inspired vocals.
With captivating rock vocals, introspective songwriting and vintage styling, Velvet Starlings is an artist on the rise.
Instagram: @velvetstarlings
Facebook: @velvetstarlings
Twitter: @velvetstarlings
Victoria’s peak music body, Music Victoria in partnership with the Victorian Government has announced the commencement of a new leadership program, ‘Cultivate’, aimed at mid-career and established women in the Victorian music industry who wish to further their leadership and management skills. Supported by the Victorian Government, the ‘Cultivate’ program aims to foster the development of some of the state’s key decision makers, business owners, and industry leaders within the music sector, by partnering them up with CEOs, senior role holders and experienced mentors to support and guide the advancement of their careers. Participants will also be engaged in personalised leadership training programs and group, group masterclasses and networking opportunities.
The ‘Cultivate’ Program is excited to be taking its first ever applicants for their 2019 pilot program intake. Chelsea Wilson Music Victoria’s Board Deputy Chair: explains, “I am thrilled Music Victoria is announcing our new Women’s Leadership initiative ‘Cultivate’. This program further demonstrates our commitment to inclusion in the music community through providing relevant training, support and mentoring to empower the future leaders in our sector. As shown through the University of Sydney’s ‘Skipping The Beat’ study, women are severely underrepresented in leadership roles in the music industry in Australia – this project is one positive action out of many that Music Victoria is undertaking to begin bridging that gap. Thank you to members of Music Victoria Women’s Advisory Panel and former board members Michelle Nichol and Tracee Hutchison for helping bring this project to fruition.’’
Eligible for Victorian residents who identify as a woman and currently hold leadership or management positions at their place of employment within the contemporary music sector, ‘Cultivate’ is a great opportunity for women who are already on the path to influential decision-making roles in music, to be mentored by recognised industry leaders and professionals in a similar field. Successful applicants will attend prepared induction and launch sessions, master classes and one-on-one mentorship meetings to identify, plan and implement upskilling opportunities and key developmental areas of their careers.
Music Victoria CEO, Patrick Donovan is thrilled with their involvement in the new program, “Music Victoria’s 2015 report Women in the Contemporary Music Industry, which surveyed women in the music industry about barriers to career development, found that 90% of recipients sought more networking opportunities, 51% wanted to attend more seminars and conferences and 45% said they would benefit from mentoring opportunities.Music Victoria is thrilled to partner with the Office for Women on the Cultivate Pilot Program to address these issues and to nurture and develop female music industry professionals.’’
So if you’re an artist manager, run your own music-based business, or work in a management or leadership position at a venue, festival, label, booking agency, PR company, music organisation, production company, etc and wish to build or strengthen professional networks, expand your knowledge, become an influential industry leader, implement change, and have a positive impact on the contemporary Victorian music sector then apply today!
Music Victoria’s Cultivate Pilot Program 2019
Applications open now and close Monday 14 January 2019
Apply now at: www.musicvictoria.com.au/
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by the Cultivate Project Manager to arrange a short phone interview. The Cultivate reference group will decide on the successful applicants.
Program enquiries can be directed to Music Victoria on (03) 9686 3411 or by emailing theProject Manager Sarah DeBorre: sarah@musicvictoria.com.au
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Ever in search of an even-better environment to make music in, Joris Voorn has been hard at work this year constructing a new studio space near his home in Amsterdam. Having only very recently been completed, Joris immediately went to add the finishing touches on his next single in his new natural habitat. Genova is the result, and it’s been well worth the wait.
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Set Mo continue to prove why they’re one of Australia’s hardest working acts with their new single “Surrender”. Accompanying the release, the duo are proud to announce their debut album of the same name, due to arrive early 2019.
“Surrender” is the first track to be taken from the mammoth upcoming LP, offering a spine-tingling marriage of ethereal soundscapes. Featuring a spoken word sample from pioneering English musician Brian Eno (given the nod of approval from Brian himself). The track invokes powerful ideas behind surrendering to one’s art. A climactic pulse of their signature house sound sends a shock to the heart, making “Surrender” yet another testament to Set Mo’s hypnotic sonic design.
“Funnily enough this is one of the few tracks that we actually wrote in our Sydney studio. The spoken word on the track comes from the one and only Brian Eno. We’ve been huge fans of Brian Eno and the countless records he’s produced. He also has a very nice way of looking at the world and how music works. We felt this snippet of him talking about surrendering to art fit perfectly with the track and encapsulates our approach to making music and what we’ve done this year in particular with putting out a new track every month. We always knew this would be the perfect way to open our debut album as it sets the tone wonderfully.” Set Mo
The release ties the bow on the biggest year yet for the house music maestros. With an abundance of new music, the pair have worked tirelessly in studios across London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Australia, teaming up with the likes of Touch Sensitive, AJ Wright (Cloud Control), Asta and Julian Hamilton (The Presets); All the while maintain an endless touring schedule. Set Mo’s track-a-month series across 2018 has presented a collection of certifiable hits. With support from Triple J, Magnetic Mag and additions to Apple Music’s A List, releases accrued 11 features worldwide in Spotify New Music Friday Playlists.
The duo are now excited to announce the release of their mammoth 16-track album due for release in early 2019. Featuring 11 favourites drip fed to dance floors throughout the year, whilst also treating fans to five brand new tunes, promising further body-moving bliss.
Set Mo’s debut album ‘Surrender’ drops early 2019 via Set Mo Records.
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“Dreamy, whimsical vocals…lush, dainty synth tones and sparse percussion” – The Line Of Best Fit
“Glowing yet murky…ethereal disco influenced sound” – The 405
“A remarkable post-disco jewel” – Clash
Alt-pop newcomer Vanity Fairy releases debut EP Lust For Dust, detailing her fresh approach to the genre with a series of glittering vocal performances and infectious synth overtones.
Spawning lead singles He Can Be Your Lady, Loverman and Milky Woe, the rising talent has already attracted widespread approval throughout the online community with NME,The Line Of Best Fit, Clash and The 405 showing their support as well as BBC Radio 1 airplay (Huw Stephens) and a flurry of seriously impressive live show appearances.
Co-produced alongside collaborators Sammy Yamaha and Simon Byrt (Pixx, Babeheaven), Vanity Fairy’s post-disco joy is the new project from Daisy Capri – a wonky, weird and wonderful reimagining of late 70s disco dance-floor fillers with influences ranging from The Bee Gees and Prince to Ariel Pink and Michael Jackson.
Discussing her debut EP release, the songwriter explained: “Lust For Dust is a collection of love songs about people who have never been loved, set in places that have never been peopled, from a time before my time”.
Vanity Fairy’s Lust For Dust EP is out now and available via all digital platforms.
Live Dates (message for press passes)
14 Dec – Jurnet’s Bar, Norwich
Vanity Fairy
Facebook / Twitter / Soundcloud / Instagram
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Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I live in South Yarra Melbourne surrounded by yummy mummy’s in range drovers. Inspiring stuff. The music scene in strong in though. I’ve been so lucky to be introduced to some incredibly talented producers and musicians that have helped take my music to a place I would never have dreamed of when I was younger. People have been so supportive with my music down here. I’m currently working on a new track with a friend Alex O’Gorman whose a dream to work with. I’m super excited to show put it out. Alex produces and plays bass with Angie McMahon. He’s also just a true gentleman, the kind of people I’ve met in Melbourne. Truly kind people. Also, I live with two musicians, my girlfriend and brother.
How did you first start playing music? My Dad bought Mum an upright piano for her 40th birthday. She never played it. So I always used to pull up the lid and try knock out some early Coldplay tracks. I just taught myself by ear how to play that now cringe song ‘Clocks’. I started playing music by copying the bands I listened to when I was about 8 or 9. Whatever my family was listening to. My brother was heavily into bands like Interpol, Kings of Leon, The Strokes. So that’s what I was trying to play. That was my first time on a piano. My brother played drums. He was 16, I was 9, and I used to sit against his bedroom door tapping out the drums he was playing. Then when ever he’d let me, or if he was out, I’d go into his room and play the drums. So I was playing drums and trying to learn piano really early.
Who or what influences your sound and songwriting? My Brother and girlfriend definitely have a huge influence on my sound. My girlfriend is also a beautiful musician and has really great taste in music so a lot of stuff passes through her, which I love because she’s such a great songwriter. Also my brother, because, well he’s my big brother. You look up to your older bother and he’s always had such great taste in music which led me to some stuff I wouldn’t have heard at a young age if it wasn’t for him. As for what influences my music, I think that ageing has helped. Having new perspectives on life helps with the lyrical parts and the sound just slowly progresses I think. I hope. I write about the relationships around me. One’s involving me and always ones I see.
How do you usually go about writing music? I almost every time start with a drum beat. I might hear a melody in my head first but I always start with the beat then layer everything over the top. I use Linn Drum samples to program the beats into my pedal then layer synthesisers, then take it into the studio and put live instruments over the top. It usually happens really fast. I’m a master of starting songs and not finishing them, but when the right song comes out I’ll finish it because I know it’s ‘the one’ to finish.
Tell us about how your brother has played a part in your sound and musical taste: Your debut single ‘How Many Times’ is out now, where and when did you record? He’s just that classic older brother who influences the little bother. He tried to push me out of music a little bit because he knew how hard it was/is going to be. He’s been in it for nearly 15 years now so it takes it’s toll I guess. But he’s always taught me to be true to myself and reflect that in my music. He always coaches the best stuff out of me. It comes into the studio and plays drums on my tracks and usually ends up co-producing on the work. He’s got incredible ears and knowledge I completely trust his word. Musically.
How did this track come about? A close friend hurt me, I wrote a song about it. I don’t want to delve into it to much. I’ve made plenty of horrible mistakes myself and we’re good friends now. It’s a revenge track. It definitely helped.
You’ve just released a music video for ‘How Many Times’ please tell us how this video came to be: I really wanted to focus on the colours and camera movement in the video. Editing was always going to play a huge role. We just wanted to create something that enhanced the music. Not focus
on story to much, just try and match the image and audio for an easy watch. I hope that’s what we did. It’s no Childish Gambino, ‘This Is America’, it’s more ‘This a halfway house in Kew’. The director Jack Ralph and I just wanted to have fun with it. Not take it to seriously. The shoot ran from 2 pm till 1 am. We shot it it in my friends house which is quite literally the dankest house through winter, and not in a good dank way. A bad dank way.
What do you like to do away from music? Walk dogs, hang out in drive ways. Lawn bowls in the summer. Kick the footy. Shoot hoops. Golf a lot. Snowboard in the winter.
Who are you listening to at the moment? I’m listening to heaps of Randy Newman, Nick Drake and Brian Jones Town Massacre at the moment. Oh and Twin Peaks. I saw them at the Northcote Social Club a few weeks ago and the general feeling between friends was that it was the best show we think we’d ever seen. I know, big call! But it really was. They were just absolutely shredding and having so much fun. I think everyone in the room could feel it.
What do you have planned for the remainder of 2018 going into 2019? I’m currently finishing off my next single which I’m so so excited to release. It’s very different from ‘How Many Times’ energy wise, slower tempo, more instrumental but it’s still super poppy. This one’s got some real creamy bass, heaps of percussion and hopefully will make you want to dim the lights and swing your partner round on the porch. I actually wrote it the day after I saw Michael Kiwanuka at The Corner Hotel. That was also one of the best shows i’ve ever seen, close second behind Twin Peaks. I’m planning on releasing that with a run of shows early Feb next year.
Favourite food and place to hangout? Chicken Pot Pie, (Mum’s specialty). There are some really great parks and trails around the Yarra River just out of the city. I love going there with my girlfriend and all our friends and a couple of dogs they have. That’s quite simply my perfect afternoon. You forget you’re in the city for a moment which is always nice.
