Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Amin Payne Remixes The CB3

I’m not normally one for remixes, but when they’re as good as Amin Payne’s new treatment of The CB3’s “Lost & Looking” it’s pretty hard to resist. This track is ultra-cool, the perfect track for knock-off time. If last month’s release of The CB3’s Bunny Hop left you wanting more, feast your ears on this.

“Hearing the original version, I got so inspired to remix it. I chopped it up and added drums & bass,” explained Amin. “Having Jordan [Dennis] bless it with vocals took the track to a whole new level.”

“This is one of my favourite tunes from our first release,” added Cristian Barbeiri from The CB3. “I love writing solo guitar arrangements; they allow me to lean into the jazzier side of things. Not long after its release, Amin messaged me a link. He’d remixed it. I was blown away. I loved it sooo much. I showed Jordan Dennis while we were on tour with Billy Davis and he got inspired to write to it. The follow-up to the original, ‘Still Lost, Still Looking’, is on our latest release, so who knows what may come of that!”

The release coincides with The CB3’s new four-week residency at Baby Snakes in Footscray. Catch them every Sunday in June from 7 pm for two free two-hour sets of improvised music. MCs and horn players are welcome to join in, so if you’re musically inclined you know what to do!

Image used with permission from This Much Talent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Flynn Gurry Celebrates His Best Mate With “Changed My Life (Harve’s Song)”

Warrnambool-born, Melbourne-based artist Flynn Gurry’s new single “Changed My Life (Harve’s Song)” will get you right in the feels. It’s a touching tribute to his best mate Harve who experiences life in a wheelchair. It hasn’t slowed him down though. Flynn and Harve have travelled the world together, participating in world adaptive skating and adaptive surfing. They also run a video production company together.

“Harve has constantly broken down barriers and challenged outdated beliefs of what it means to be a person living with a disability,” enthused Flynn. “If the world focused more on the ‘ability’ part rather than the ‘dis’ it would be a much better place.”

Take a listen to this one and I swear it’ll make your day better. It’s definitely a pick-me-up in musical form.

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Tia Tamora Releases New Pandemic Single, “Sick”

Tia Tamora is celebrating her 21st birthday today with the release of her sophomore single “Sick”. This killer cut will be right up your alley if you love your music dark and brooding. I love its cinematic feel. If Quentin Tarantino made a James Bond movie, you could expect to hear “Sick” on the soundtrack.

“I wrote ‘Sick’ during a period of isolation. I was completely consumed by thoughts of a guy I was seeing and I ran with the idea of that love sick infatuation you get when you’re first getting to know someone and the hurt obsession that follows after they break your lil heart. Naturally, I took it to the extremes,” Tia said.

While Tia wrote the song about her own experience, “Sick” also speaks to the isolation so many of us felt and are still feeling during the pandemic. Whether you’re still traumatised by the lockdowns or you’re being cautious while the rest of the world rushes headlong into the new normal, I’m sure this song’s themes of being locked up, physically in your own home or mentally in your own thoughts, will resonate.

Tia Tamora will release her debut EP later this year. If “Sick” and her previous single “Picnic” are any indications, it’ll be one to listen out for.

Image used with permission from Tender Trap Studios

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rock Out to Sputnik Sweetheart’s “Lindy Hop”

Turn your volume right up, press play, and let the indie punk rock vibes of Sputnik Sweetheart’s latest track “Lindy Hop” wash over you. Its bold, rebellious, and oh so good.

“I wrote a lot of the lyrics for Lindy Hop around four years ago during the marriage equality plebiscite, and at the time I was in a relatively new relationship and that was really exciting and beautiful,” explained the band’s lead singer, Nette France. “But it was also a stressful, chaotic time to navigate because we were both processing the influx of homophobia around us. Part of ‘Lindy Hop’ is all about the joys of falling in love and the intense honeymoon period. Another part is all about the total frustration and disappointment I felt towards the people that led us to such divisiveness.”

After being grounded for so long, Sputnik Sweetheart are making the most of those open borders and playing shows all over the country. Catch them headlining their own gigs before they support Bakers Eddy with shows in Canberra and Victoria. Here are all the dates you need:

3 June 2022 – Burleigh Bazaar, Gold Coast (supporting Concrete Surfers)
4 June 2022 – Tomcat, Brisbane (under 18s matinee supporting Surf Trash)
4 June 2022 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane (18+ evening supporting Surf Trash)
5 June 2022 – North Gong Hotel, Wollongong
11 June 2022 – The Tote, Melbourne
12 June 2022 – Transit Bar, Canberra
17 June 2022 – UC Hub, Canberra (supporting Bakers Eddy)
7 July 2022 – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave (supporting Bakers Eddy)
8 July 2022 – Pelly Bar, Frankston (supporting Bakers Eddy)
9 July 2022 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne (ALL AGES matinee supporting Bakers Eddy)
9 July 2022 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne (18+ evening supporting Bakers Eddy)
10 July 2022 – Volta, Ballarat (supporting Bakers Eddy)

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Claire Warren

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Nicole McKinney Releases “Cool” New Single

I might be all loved up and married now, but my inner teen is still in there embracing angry female music. I think most of us have been in the wrong relationship where we felt like being the cool chick made us a doormat. Nicole McKinney rails against it in her powerful new single, “Cool”.

“This song is about female empowerment, inspired by the day I decided to take back my power and leave my boyfriend at the time,” she explained. “I finally realised what I deserved and no longer cared about being the “cool” girlfriend who just puts up with everything.”
And in case you’re wondering, getting all that frustration out at Huntinground Studios felt pretty damn good!
“I very much enjoyed the recording process for the track,” Nicole added. “It was really fun and creative. I also got to add some yelling which was very cathartic!”

After recently supporting Great Gable in Byron, Nicole has just been announced on the lineup for the Jungle Love Music and Arts Festival, which hits Jimna on September 2 to 4. Expect to hear much more about her as the year goes on.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hannah May Celebrates New Beginnings With “Earthside”

We last heard from Kiwi-born, Gold Coast-based singer-songwriter Hannah May as the announcement of a federal election seemed imminent. Listening to her environmentally-conscious track “Written in the Sea”, I couldn’t help thinking about all the possibilities of changing government and having leaders who seemed to care about the climate.

Now I’m listening to her new song “Earthside”, in the wake of Labor’s victory. Suddenly the party in charge is talking about electric vehicles, meeting global biodiversity targets, and an independent environmental protection agency. What a shift! “Earthside” was inspired by Hannah’s unborn niece and the connection she felt to this life she didn’t yet know. When new babies come into our lives, you can’t help but think about the world they’re entering. It feels right hearing a song like “Earthside” now, a track that’s so gentle, like a lullaby, while so many of us feel calm and optimistic for the future.

“Earthside” comes from Hannah May’s soon-to-be-released debut EP. Expect more music with a message when that drops.

Image used with permission from Hannah May

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Timi Afilaka Drops Potent New Single, “Chemistry”

If your Monday is feeling a bit flat, feast your ears on “Chemistry”. The latest track from South African-born, Perth-based indie-pop act Timi Afilaka should put the groove back in your day. Even if it’s only for a few minutes, this song will make you feel better.

“I wrote this song with my good friend, Griggs, the same week we met for the first time. He is the producer, mixer and mastering engineer behind this track,” Timi explained. “We hit it off on Instagram and collaborated on a few songs prior to this meet-up. He was living in Cape Town, and I was living in Johannesburg. We eventually planned to meet up in person; he took a flight to Johannesburg and stayed at my place for a week. We made a song for five days out of that week, and ‘Chemistry’ is one of my favourite songs that came out of it. While Griggs was producing the instrumental, I began writing the lyrics. The song is essentially about embracing the good and bad moments in life but keeping an optimistic mindset through it all. I didn’t think about it that way, but subconsciously I called it ‘Chemistry’ because that’s exactly what Griggs and I had.”

Timi’s definitely got something special. I’m really looking forward to hearing more from this exciting talent.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Edgecliff Ready to Rock You With “I’ll Be Gone”

If you thought musicians from the Northern Beaches were all chilled out surfer types, think again. The lads from Edgecliff are ready to rock you with their latest track “I’ll Be Gone”. This single is unashamedly brash, with plenty of swagger and a riff you’ll have stuck in your head for days.

“The lyrics are about an argument. Whether it is internal or with another person, it is up to the listener to interpret their meaning,” admitted frontman Will Howell. “Basically, the battle of right and wrong. With the music, we just wanted a fierce, snappy song, and it all came together after many songwriting sessions and a contribution from us all.”

If you love what you hear, there’s some good news. According to bass player Kai Stackhouse, the band won’t wait long before hitting us with some more new music.

“We’ve been waiting to release this single for a few months and we are so keen that we also have a few other new tunes ready to dish out ASAP,” he enthused. “We are stoked!”

Edgecliff will delight local fans when they launch the single at Avalon RSL on June 11.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Bridget Mackay

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Johnny Hunter Serves Up Latest Banger, “Dreams”

Johnny Hunter delivers another tantalising taste of their debut album, Want, with a retro new single “Dreams”. If like me you grew up on the post-punk sounds of the ‘80s, this song will be right up your alley. The track’s lyrics, which explore the way life and the place we live can change in the blink of an eye, are as nostalgic as the song sounds.

“The Sydney I grew up in is a very different Sydney to the one we live in today. Iconic buildings have been knocked down for skyrise apartments and famous music venues destroyed by political legislation,” confirmed lead singer Nick Hutt. “One day you are walking down the street in the sunshine, and the next you’re confined to the four walls of your own bedroom. Johnny Hunter started playing live music during the death of live music in Sydney – wallowing in self-pity and declaring the current state of affairs to be insurmountable would result in this band not existing. The same goes for experiencing any modern-day hardships – we can’t dwell upon them; we need to run with them in order to progress.”

If you love what you hear, make sure you listen out for Johnny Hunter’s debut album Want when it drops on June 24.

Image used with permission from Cult Logic; credit: Tom Wilkinson

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Start the Party With Laura Mac

It’s just close enough to the weekend to start the party tunes I think. Queue Laura Mac’s, whose latest single “Don’t Know What I’m Thinking” deserves to get turned up loud at your next shindig. I’ve been moving and grooving to this one at home, but something tells me it’d sound even sweeter surrounded by mates with a bevvy in hand.

“Party, disco, dance – we’re just having fun with it!” explained one half of the Queensland duo, Laura Maclachlan. “All our songs have a different vibe but I feel like we’ve kept our own unique sound. DKWIT is staying up all night partying and loving every second of it. Celebrate every chance you get, party with your mates and dance ‘til you drop… High 5!!”

Laura Mac will play their very first live show supporting British India tomorrow night before playing some East Coast shows in July and August.

21 May 2022 – Solbar, Maroochydore (supporting British India)
29 July 2022 – Greaser Bar, Brisbane (FREE)
6 Aug 2022 – The Last Chance, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Dane Beesley