Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Anna Smyrk Brings Island Adventures to Life With “Benjamin”

After growing up on a Victorian lavender farm, Anna Smyrk has spread her wings in recent years, making her home in far-flung parts of the world including Cambodia, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands. Her time in the Solomons inspired her latest song “Benjamin,” a folky fish-out-of-water tale about finding your peace far from home.

Anna recorded the track in a Central Victorian farmhouse with a host of old friends on mandolin, double bass, banjo, dobro, and her sister on backing vocals.

“It was definitely a family affair,” says Anna. “I just had a couple of weeks back home, so I pulled together friends that I’ve played with for years. It made the recording process really comfortable.”

“Benjamin” is the first track lifted from Anna’s sophomore EP, which tells more tales of her time spent abroad. It’s due for release in October, but you can hear a sneak peek at the shows she’s playing along the East Coast. Catch her at the following venues in the coming weeks.

24 April 2019 – Red Bar, Sydney
25-28 April 2019 – St Albans Folk Festival, St Albans
1 May 2019 – Scullion Sessions, The Stag & Hunter Hotel, Newcastle
5 May 2019 – The Folk Studio, Armidale
7 May 2019 – Cambus Wallace, Gold Coast
8 May 2019 – Can You Keep a Secret?, Brisbane
9 May 2019 – City Sounds, Brisbane
10 May 2019 – Dusty Attic, Lismore
14 June 2019 – Merri Creek Tavern, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Anna Smyrk

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bradley Stone Unleashes Stunning Single “Limitless”

Bradley Stone’s new single “Limitless” isn’t a song you simply hear. It’s one that you feel. His beautiful voice gives me goose bumps. The emotion behind it is palpable.

Bradley co-wrote the song with Alex Henricksson, who you might know from his work with Matt Corby. This track has a similar dreamy ethereal nature to much of Matt’s work, so if you love what he does I know you’re going to love this. “Limitless” came about during a period of struggle for the singer, but he says its creation helped him move towards a kind of personal rebirth.

“Limitless” comes from Bradley’s sophomore EP Puzzles, due to drop later this year.

Image used with permission from ArowAgency

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Elisa Kate Shows Pop Matters With “Now or Never”

Frustrated with meaningless pop music, Elisa Kate proves the genre still has plenty to say with her new single “Now or Never.” It’s an optimistic ditty which lifts you up and charms you with smoky vocals and honest lyrics. Not bad for a performer once told she couldn’t sing!

The Newcastle singer-songwriter really proves her critics wrong here. Her voice is beautiful and the essence of the song is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It’s the kind of track you want to slip on in the moments you need a little extra confidence to step outside your comfort zone.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Young Monks Bring Back Summer With “Good Morning”

Summer might be behind us, but Young Monks don’t care. The Canberra funk act are spreading sunshine with their cheerful new track, “Good Morning.” It’s an ear-pleasing ditty about starting your day right. It’s Sunday on a long weekend too, so I know you’re already halfway there!

“’Good Morning’ came from an all-killer-no-filler jam session in the now abandoned Steed Space MachineTM – we peppered in all the right spices to make this sonic delight as delectable as a stack of pancakes on a Saturday Morning, and it’s going to excite and entice your groove moves,” Young Monks exclaim.

Too right! Young Monks will play Hotel Steyne in Manly on May 16.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sasha March Releases Beautiful New Track, “Ten Days”

With a rich, resonant voice and smart musical instincts, Sasha March has really impressed me with her new single “Ten Days.” I must admit, this song was a slow burner for me. But slowly but surely, it got underneath my skin. Right now, I can’t seem to shake its impact, and I don’t want to.

Sasha hails from Adelaide but she now calls Sydney home. She started as a folk singer, and she hasn’t totally shaken off that influence. But this song takes the genre into a new, more dramatic place. I hear a little Florence and the Machine and even Marina and the Diamonds in her music. It’s exciting stuff.

“‘Ten Days is probably the most upbeat and lyrically straight forward song I’ve written,” Sasha explained. “It’s optimistic but maintains a dark yearning which always creeps in because it’s strangely comforting. It’s not only about falling in love with someone, it’s also about falling in love with places and the feeling of something … letting it consume you even though it will end, it might hurt, or you might get completely lost and never be able to quite find that same place or feeling again.”

She played a few shows earlier this month, and according to her Facebook page there’s more on the way. Watch this space!

Image used with permission from Beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Josh Alexander Explores Long-Distance Love in “Closing”

Sydney singer-songwriter Josh Alexander eases you into the long weekend with his dreamy new single “Closing.” As someone who spent a few years in a long-distance relationship, this track really hits home for me. Josh perfectly explores the beauty and pain that come with navigating distance, different time zones, and a longing for intimacy and connection when you live a world away from someone you love. He penned the track about his girlfriend who lives in The Netherlands, where he based himself last year.

“Seeing this song come to fruition was a long time coming. ‘Closing’ came really naturally to me when I began writing it and I knew I had to use it somehow. My girlfriend and I had been apart for a while, and it was becoming more apparent to formulate lyrics around the struggles of long-distance relationships,” he explained. “Peter and I thought we would just do a short acoustic version and smash it out in a day, but five days in the studio later, we had a full and final version that we couldn’t have been any happier with.”

It’s hard to find the silver lining in a long-distance relationship, but surely if there is one it’s the inspiration it gives for music as wonderful as this.

Image used with permission from the A&R Department

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Cap Carter Takes Me To Another Place With “Worlds”

Western Sydney’s own Cap Carter wowed me in January with his powerful song “Thrill.” His latest release “Worlds” shows he has many more stories to tell.

“Worlds” has hit me in the gut, just like “Thrill” did. It’s another emotional track, where Cap’s incredible voice interplays beautifully with delicate electronic instrumentation. His voice can seemingly do anything, moving effortlessly from a low rasp to soaring falsetto.

Cap Carter is writing music that matters because it moves you. I can’t wait to wrap my ears around his next release.

Image used with permission from The A&R Department

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Tomtom Wins GYRO Big Boost With “Better Know Better”

Tomtom is better known as a producer, but he’s stepping out from behind the boards for the release of his new single, the ultra-catchy rock banger “Better Know Better.”

The track has already attracted the attention of GYRO PR, who named it the winner of their recent GYRO Big Boost competition. That saw tomtom take home a massive prize pack worth $10,000. It helped tomtom take the song from rough demo to polished single and will also help him record and release his first EP. With the support of GYRO PR and killer tunes like this in her arsenal, the sky is the limit for tomtom.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Plotz Lighten the Mood With “Baby Shakes”

Melbourne’s Plotz are back to charm you with a cool new single “Baby Shakes.” On the surface it seems like a romantic ditty, but listen to those melancholy lyrics and you’ll hear some sadness.

Frontman Yonatan Rotem wrote the song “in a fairly dark period with the idea of lightening up my mood and trying to see things in a more balanced way. At the time he was struggling with an ailing roommate and long-distance relationship. “There was no help on the way, but I chose to make the lyrics of the song ironic, hoping that in time I could reflect back on the period as transitional, rather than definitive.”

Plotz will celebrate the release of “Baby Shakes” with a launch party at the Grace Darling Hotel on April 13.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dan Sultan Releases Children’s Music That Doesn’t Suck

Any time I have any inkling that I might be cut out for motherhood, I think about how difficult it must be to hear a Wiggles album or the Frozen soundtrack for the umpteenth time. I feel for you parents of Australia, so I figure it’s my duty to put any good kids’ music on your radar. Wrap your ears around “Nali,” the first single from Dan Sultan’s soon-to-be-released kids album Nali & Friends.

Dan was inspired to write Nali & Friends with his longtime pal and collaborator, filmmaker Rhys Graham, after the pair trekked through Uganda and Kenya for their work with the Thin Green Line Foundation. During that journey Dan and Rhys spent a lot of time with baby animals, watching them play and observing their quirky personalities. The result is a collection of heart-warming songs about growing up, accepting differences, and protecting our natural world.

“It was one of the most rewarding musical experiences I’ve had to date. I like a lot of different types of music, and what was really refreshing for me was this opportunity to dip into so many musical styles, to represent the various characters’ stories,” Dan explained. “There’s everything from calypso to flat out honky-tonk to cinematic ballads with strings. Artistically it was very fulfilling. I’m in some rare form at the moment, I’m feeling really good.”

Nali, the album’s central character, is a baby Arctic bird with a crooked wing who loses her way migrating from the North to the South Pole. Her journey off course isn’t all bad though, because she meets animals from all around the world, from the jungles of Uganda to Australia’s deserts.

Normally I find children’s music a little grating on the ear, but “Nali” is every bit as cool as you’d expect from Dan Sultan. It’s the perfect gateway into his material for mini-music lovers out there. Nali & Friends hits stores on April 12.