With their debut EP Hidden Desire recently released and a headlining tour kicking off in a couple of weeks, there’s no better time to get to know Melbourne punk rockers Bad Juju.
You might have caught the fantastic single “Moving On” on Triple J. But there’s more where that came from though; another five heavy-hitting tracks make up this stellar EP.
“Hidden Desire explores how people deal with loss, anxiety, and depression, but moves into pushing these issues aside and trying to change our lives for the better, thinking positively going forward,” Bad Juju explained. “The record is themed around the idea that you can never truly know what is happening inside another person’s head. They can seem fine on the outside and hide their true self.”
Fresh from their EP launch party with Trophy Eyes, Bad Juju will play Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney in the coming weeks.
17 August 2018 – Foxxy Dolphin, Melbourne
18 August 2018 – West Thebby, Adelaide
30 August 2018 – Marly Bar, Sydney
Image used with permission from Habit Music Company
Is there anything more appropriate for a lazy Saturday than some sweet reggae tunes? If you’re chilling out too, wrap you ears around “Say You Want,” the cooler-than-cool new single from Sydney’s own Black Bird Hum.
“The lyrics start off from a pretty standard boy meets girl angle, but the story had a bit of a mind of its own and by the time the bridge comes around, it’s pretty clear our hero just isn’t getting the message that the girl’s not vibing on him. You want him to move on but he doesn’t,” explained singer Jon Panic. “ And then we’ve run out verses to write his redemption in, so we have to leave him hanging with that tension. Maybe there needs to a Part 2 to this track where he comes good.”
Fresh from shows around the snowfields, Black Bird Hum are preparing to play in warmer cities in New South Wales and Queensland. Chase away the winter chills with Black Bird Hum at the following shows.
10 August 2018 – Venue 505, Sydney
26 August 2018 – Liverpool Street Festival, Liverpool
26 August 2018 – Steyne Hotel, Manly
14 September 2018 – Nimbin Roots Festival, Nimbin
14 September 2018 – SOL Bar, Maroochydoore
15 September 2018 – Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna
16 September 2018 – Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour
Aussie chillster Bobby Alu is giving me serious weekend vibes with his new single “Move.” The cruisy drum rhythms, tropical ukulele, and Bobby’s soulful voice give the song such a relaxed, summery feel.
It’s beautifully paired with a colourful clip created by Johnny Moubarak of Moubment. Bobby said “This was a fun clip to make! I feel like there are many parts that make up my personality, so I tried to go there in this clip. Putting on whatever hat is necessary is a big part of how I make music; I can be a drummer, bass player, guitarist, uke guy, singer or roadie – whatever the team needs. Sometimes I pick the wrong guy … but they all have their place.”
Bobby has spent the better part of the year behind Xavier Rudd’s drum kit, but he’s stepping back into the spotlight and chasing that endless summer on his current European tour. Here are all the remaining dates.
3 August 2018 – Degginger, Regensburg (supporting The Beautiful Girls)
4 August 2018 – Sound of the Forest Festival, Beerfelden
8 August 2018 – O2 Islington Academy, London (supporting The Beautiful Girls)
10 August 2018 – Boardmasters, Cornwall
11 August 2018 – Zandstock Festival, t’Zand
12 August 2018 – Rock Les Bains Plombieres, Les Bains
14 August 2018 – Chill Hill, Graz (supporting The Beautiful Girls)
15 August 2018 – Privatclub. Berlin (supporting The Beautiful Girls)
16 August 2018 – Prinzenbar, Hamburg
17 August 2018 – Enter the Wave Festival, Le Pin Sec Noord
Hunter Valley singer-songwriter Dave Wells has taken his time releasing new music after his acclaimed debut EP Carrington Street dropped in 2014. Now four years later, he’s treating our ears to his gorgeous new single “Run Free.”
I really love everything about this song. I love his organic, acoustic feel. His soaring vocals are right on point. Lyrically, it’s powerful stuff. And make sure you take a moment to appreciate the film clip, which captures the beauty of the bushland at Barrington Tops.
Dave says “’Run Free’ is a call-to-arms for anyone boarded between four walls, allowing time to slip through their fingers. Whether it be physically, spiritually or creatively, the message of ‘Run Free’ is crystal clear – take a chance.”
“Run Free” comes from Dave Wells’ first album. The self-titled LP is scheduled for release later this month.
Perth MC OptiMystic has dropped a hot new single “Dreams Alive” which demands to be heard.
This is one hip hop track you can’t ignore, with its powerful anecdotes and passionate delivery. Guest vocalist Tenette Smith’s soulful voice is sublime, the perfect foil for the rapid-fire rhymes of MCs OptiMystic and his mates Sickflo and Mic Handz.
“Dreams Live” comes from OptiMystic’s forthcoming collaborative album Salty Waterz.
Image used with permission from Australian Radio Promotion
Sydney siblings The Saba Brothers are making a splash with their ultra-catchy debut single “Walk Away.”
Released under the moniker S3, the track is one of those perfect pop songs, full of hooks and clocking in at a radio-friendly three-and-a-half minutes. The lads penned the song themselves and take care of both vocal and instrumental duties. With Raymond on lead guitar, Nathan on bass, and Steve on drums, they’ve got all the right ingredients here. They’re also working with the right people. “Walk Away” was produced and arranged by Steve Peach, known for his work with Kylie Minogue, Icehouse, and Gwen Stefani.
“Walk Away” should hit the airwaves on August 10. It comes from S3’s debut EP Life, which is on all your favourite streaming services now.
Tash Sultana has floored me with her latest single, “Harvest Love.” This is a beautiful track about losing a loved one which packs a serious emotional punch.
“I wrote this song a little while back. People kind of assume that I only write songs with live looping but I actually write in all different ways. This is a piece I’m super proud of,” Tash explained. “I unlocked a little part of me to completely simplify the story I was trying to tell. I think you kind of get that way when you have a moment in your life when the entire world is just too hard to comprehend. So this is what came from that.”
“Harvest Love” is the latest cut from Tash Sultana’s debut album Flow State, which will drop on August 31. She’s currently touring the world, but she’ll play Lost Picnic Festival here in October and headline a gig on the Sunshine Coast in January. This is her first local headlining show in more than a year, so expect tickets to get snapped up. Here are all the places you can see her play around the world in the coming months.
3 August 2018 – Hinterland Music Festival, St Charles
4 August 2018 – Lollapalooza, Chicago
5 August 2018 – Osheaga, Montreal (SOLD OUT)
7 August 2018 – RBC Echo Beach, Toronto
9 August 2018 – Edmonton Folk Fest, Edmonton
11 August 2018 – Outside Lands Festival, San Francisco
6-8 September 2018 – Palladium Koln, Cologne (SOLD OUT)
10 & 11 September 2018 – Columbiahalle, Berlin (SOLD OUT)
15 & 16 September 2018 – Afas Live, Amsterdam-Zuidoost (SOLD OUT)
20-22 September 2018 – O2 Academy Brixton, London (20th & 21st SOLD OUT; Limited tickets for 22nd)
25 September 2018 – l’Olympia, Paris
28 September 2018 – Samsung Hall, Zurich (SOLD OUT)
29 September 2018 – Fabrique, Milan, Italy
7 October 2018 – Lost Picnic Festival, Melbourne
13 October 2018 – Lost Picnic Festival, Sydney
1 November 2018 – UBC Thunderbird Arena, Vancouver
4 November 2018 – Grey Eagle Event Centre, Calgary
6 November 2018 – Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg
7 November 2018 – Palace Theatre, St.Paul
10 November 2018 – The Filmore Detroit, Detroit
16 November 2018 – House of Blues, Boston
17 November 2018 – Terminal 5, New York
20 November 2018 – Stage AE, Pittsburgh
21 November 2018 – The Anthem, Washington D.C.
23 November 2018 – War Memorial Auditorium, Nashville
24 November 2018 – The Tabernacle, Atlanta
26 November 2018 – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland, Kansas City
27 November 2018 – The Fillmore Auditorium, Denver
1 December 2018 – Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles
2 January 2019 – Bay Dreams Festival, ASB Baypark, The Mount
4 January 2019 – Bay Dreams Festival, Trafalgar Park, Nelson
12 January 2019 – Big Pineapple Fields, Woombye
Thelma Plum is giving me nostalgic ‘80s vibes with her poppy new single “Clumsy Love.” It’s the sort of song that will have you reaching for your hairbrush and bopping around your bedroom, but its lyrics should resonate with anyone who’s ever felt their current love pining for someone from their past.
“The year just gone has been a really rough one for me and ‘Clumsy Love’ is my reflections on that – and I have to say I am far happier with the song than with the memories,” she confirmed.
Thelma will tour around the country in August and September to celebrate the release of “Clumsy Love.” Catch her at all the following venues.
31 August 2018 – The Foundry, Brisbane
1 September 2018 – Solbar, Maroochydore
6 September 2018 – Mojo’s, Fremantle
7 September 2018 – The River, Margaret River
8 September 2018 – Amplifier, Perth
14 September 2018 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
15 September 2018 – Howler, Melbourne
Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia
Bloods’ new single “Feelings” is a grungy punk-pop charmer. With all the appeal of a track from ‘90s icons like Juliana Hatfield and Veruca Salt, “Feelings” is sure to please the Sydney band’s growing fanbase.
“Feelings” is the title track from Bloods’ forthcoming sophomore album, which gets a worldwide release on August 17.
“It’s felt like such a huge feat to get this album done,” MC explained. “We faced so many challenges along the way, including writer’s block and running out of money. I went through a pretty debilitating break-up and Sweetie moved to Melbourne. Sometimes it felt like this album would never be finished! I think so many of these things ended up influencing what shaped Feelings. There are some deeply personal songs on this record, something that is very new to Bloods. When we listened to the finished album, I said to Dirk ‘there are so many feelings on this record, we should call it Feelings’. So we did.”
Keep your ear to the ground, because Bloods promise to tour the album in September.
Image used with permission from Little Giant Agency
In a world where female pop duos are an increasingly rare breed, Chasing Velvet have the right ingredients to stand out from the pack. Amira Talbot and Naomi Grashuis hail from the Gold Coast and they’ve got all the energy and optimism you’d expect. Their latest single “Replay” will have you longing for a Sunshine Coast summer.
It’s unashamedly nostalgic, although references to 2015 being the good old days make me feel a bit ancient. Crank it up, grab your hairbrush, and enjoy its good vibes.
“Replay” is the title track from Chasing Velvet’s seven-track EP which will drop on August 4.
Perth MC 
