Category: Single Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ken Paolo & The Space Cadets Drop Stellar New Single, “Natural Ways”

Ken Paolo & The Space Cadets are here to ease you into your weekend with their jazzy and oh-so-soulful single “Natural Ways.” It’s effortlessly cool, with Ken and Persia’s vocals bending beautifully against that fanfare of horns. It’s the sort of song that once you hear it inspires you to spend time digging around their back catalogue. Hot tip: it’s worth doing.

“‘Natural Ways’ is a high-energy affirmation about moving on from toxic situations,” Ken explained. “It is our most ambitious track with an addiction of a horn section.”

I just hope those horns become a permanent addition, because they really turn this song into something special. It’s hard to believe these guys only formed last year, because they are creating some of the slickest music I’ve heard in some time. Fan in their hometown of Boorloo/Perth can catch them at the In Dreams Festival at Rosemount Hotel on November 5.

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Cass Evans-Ocharern

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Illy Drops Latest Banger “Like You”

Back in the Warner Music Australia stable, Illy has just dropped his feelgood new single “Like You”. If you’re looking for a pick-me-up this Wednesday, you can stop searching. This is everything you need.

We shouldn’t be surprised it’s so catchy though, as “Like You” comes from Illy collaborating with Johnny Took from DMA’s, Reuben Styles and Adam Hyde from Peking Duk, Styalz Fuego, and Black Summer. That’s a lot of different voices involved, but this song comes together beautifully.

“I’m stoked to be releasing new music, especially after the last few years,” Illy said. “I wanted to kick off the new era with a bang, and ‘Like You’ was the perfect fit for that. Working with some of my favourite Australian artists and producers made the process a lot of fun, and something to be excited about. This really shines through in the track. I’ve listened to this song 1000 times and still, I love this song.”

Illy has just dropped a few dates and he swears there’s more to come. If he’s not visiting you yet, just sit tight.
18 November 2022 – Torquay Hotel, Wadawurrung Country/Torquay
19 November 2022 – Volta, Wadawurrung Country/Ballarat
2-4 December 2022 – VANFEST, Wiradjuri Country/Bathurst
8-12 June 2023 – Dream Machine, Bali

Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia; credit: Giulia McGauran

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Chloe Kay & The Crusade Wows Me With “Broken Woman”

Don’t you just love finding those voices that stop you in your tracks? That you fall in love with instantly, hanging on every single word they sing? It’s rare and difficult to describe exactly what draws you to them, but when it comes it’s like lightning in a bottle. Chloe Kay, of Chloe Kay & The Crusade, has one of those voices. Press play on their latest single “Broken Woman” and I know you’ll fall in love too.

This song is a bit of a departure from the upbeat blues-rock the band usually delivers. There’s still that strong blues spirit, but it’s more vulnerable and intimate. You can hear how cathartic singing this song is for Chloe, who wrote the song after getting out of an unhealthy relationship.

“‘Broken Woman’ was my chance to say what I’d been holding inside,” she admitted. “This track is for those who have been taken advantage of, lied to and disrespected in a relationship and who so badly want to be seen and heard. ‘Broken Woman’ will be a little slice of therapy for some and serve as an anthem for those who have felt broken. I hope it will give them a chance to feel empowered, even just for a few minutes.”

Chloe Kay & The Crusade will close out the year playing Australian Blues Music Festival in Mulwaree Country/Goulburn on November 18 to 20.

Image used with permission from Hunger Digital

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rachael Fahim Celebrates City Roots With “City Girls in the Country”

Eora/Sydney artist Rachael Fahim busts the stereotypes and shows you don’t need a rural upbringing to make killer country music. Her latest single “City Girls in the Country” is an anthem for all the city slickers who love country music.

“As a city-born country artist of Lebanese decent, I’ve constantly been challenged about my country music eligibility, but for me, country music has always been a place of storytelling, a platform of the underdog to speak out and a place to connect with real people,” she explained. “Country music is evolving and becoming the most adored genre across the globe, a voice for everybody, no matter what your background or story is! This song is an anthem for doing what you love, being who you want to be, embracing what is different and not really caring about what other people think or say! Fuck yeah, city girls can be country too.”

Fuck yeah indeed! She may have faced her fair share of criticism, but it seems the country music scene is coming around. After her 2021 single “Middle Ground” spent five weeks at number one on the Australian Country Singles Airplay Chart, Rachael became the second-most streamed female country artist of all time, just behind Kasey Chambers. She’ll also play some of the biggest country music festivals in the country over the coming months.

14 & 15 October 2022 – Channel Country Music Muster, Thargomindah/Bulloo River
3 December 2022 – Capital Country, Nugunnawal/Canberra

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jacqui Lumsden Releases Amazing New Pop Single, “Closer”

As the working week wears on, it’s easy for the grind to get you down. If you need a lift right now, press play on “Closer”, the latest track from Jacqui Lumsden. It’s a sparkly, synth-soaked pop banger penned about a bittersweet love affair Jacqui had as a teenager on exchange overseas.

“The song is about separation. At 16, I fell desperately in love with someone on the other side of the world,” Jacqui explained. “He was my best friend and the only person I felt understood me truly. We spent a year together and then I went back to my small country town in Victoria, and that was that. It felt like the world was crashing down around me. Ultimately this song is about long-distance relationships and the trauma of being separated from the person you love.”

The retro sound of “Closer” perfectly evokes the nostalgia of teenage love and loss. It makes me remember how much bigger and more intense everything felt at 16. It also doesn’t hurt that it sounds a lot like a Carly Rae Jepsen song, and I’ve been bingeing her music pretty hard of late! If you’ve got your own workspace, this song is the perfect soundtrack for a well-earned dance break.

Image used with permission from StarCrossed PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Younger Than Me Delights With “Robomash”

After impressing me a couple of months ago with “Hallucination,” Younger Than Me has charmed me again with “Robomash.” It’s another piece of experimental pop music that is totally enchanting. It’s a real gift to create music that’s out of the box, yet so appealing. When you take risks invariably you’ll fall short from time to time, yet it seems like this Eora/Sydney duo can’t put a foot wrong. It’s so exciting.

Emma Davis said the song was inspired by a time when the duo wasn’t sure their music dreams would get off the ground. “It was a time where Annie [McKinnon] was trying to juggle her interaction design with teaching, music and everything else that comes with life, and I think it just all felt too much,” she explained. “We’ve never wanted this project to feel like a burden so it’s been so important to be honest and try to fit it into life in a way that works.”

Thankfully, all’s well that ends well. After losing themselves in a day of recording, Emma and Annie agreed to stop stressing about the outcome and take things as they came. They shared a bottle of red, or maybe more, and created this track to celebrate their collaboration, friendship, and belief that things always work out in the end.

“It’s the first track where we let go a little and started to trust ourselves more as producers” Annie added. “We stopped being so afraid of trying weird things, so there are lots of wacky synths, and vocal sounds acting as drum beats that somehow find their place. I think it’s a good precursor of what’s to come.”

After they’ve released such beautiful and unique singles, I can’t help wondering what’s next for Younger Than Me. But rather than focusing on the future, I’m going to take a lesson from them and just sit with this gorgeous track for a while.

Image credit: Marcus Coblyn

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ella Therese Shows Age is Just a Number With “THIRTYFOUR”

Ella Therese proves she’s a real force with her latest indie pop-rock single “THIRTYFOUR.” Written as Ella approached her 34th birthday, it challenges the idea that you’re ever too old to make your dreams come true.

“It’s never too late. Never too late to do exactly what sets your soul on fire,” she enthused. “Age doesn’t dictate what happens next. I’ve just turned thirty-four years old and I used to be worried about starting music later in life, but I’ve learnt to embrace my unique perspective on the world. ‘THIRTYFOUR’ is about feeling empowered, limitless and perfectly happy with your age, and embracing the distinct qualities you have to offer the world. I expect more from the world, more from myself, and I’m celebrating that quality in ‘THIRTYFOUR’. I’m not going to settle for anything less than absolutely everything I could possibly aim for.”

Too right! No matter how old you are, I know you’re going to take something from this song. Ella launches it tomorrow night, October 9, at Kidogo Arthouse in Walyalup/Fremantle.

Image used with permission from Kick Push PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Blake Cateris Embraces Softer Side With “Days, Weeks, Months & Years”

His tattoos ensure he still looks like a punk star, but Blake Cateris is singing a different tune these days. As the frontman of Molly & The Krells he shared the stage with big-name acts including Bodyjar, The Getaway Plan, and Hard-Ons, but like so many rockers, Blake has mellowed considerably in recent years. His introspective latest single “Days, Weeks, Months & Years” showcases his talents as a folk artist.

“This song is about living out of balance with yourself. Watching the world go by feeling like you might be losing touch with far more important things in life than what you’re focusing on right now,” Blake explained. “It’s a daily struggle to break old and unhealthy habits that no longer serve you or have been damaging you for some time. But the struggle is what we live for.”

Blake will tour the east coast of Australia to celebrate the single’s release. You’ll find him at the following intimate venues:

7 October 2022 – Nosferatu Distillery, Meeanjin/Brisbane
8 October 2022 – Mort’s Brewing Co., Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country/Nambour
9 October 2022 – Yard Doggs, Meeanjin/Fortitude Valley
15 October 2022 – Last Chance Rock N’ Roll Bar, Naarm/Melbourne
28 October 2022 – Link & Pin, Darkinjung Country/Woy Woy
3 November 2022 – Sappho Bar, Eora/Sydney

Image used with permission from Rise Indie; credit: Dario Hardaker

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Nick Weaver’s Loved Ones Share Last Solo Singles Ahead of Posthumous Album Release

Nick Weaver, formerly of Deep Sea Arcade and the Tambourine Girls, tragically passed away last April from a rare, metastatic bowel cancer at just 37. His family and close friends rallied together, vowing to complete Nick’s solo album. The release of the double A-side single “Cold Chills/Won’t Let Go” gives us our first listen. The upbeat indie pop “Cold Chills” is a great contrast to the more sombre, introspective “Won’t Let Go.” I love that in these final recordings, we’re hearing so much of what Nick could do.

“Nick’s creativity never ceased to astonish me,” said his mother, Helen Wellings. “This solo album is heart-wrenchingly beautiful, songs that stay fixed in your head. It’s as if Nick’s soul has come to the surface in these compositions about true love, sincerity, beauty, loss, deception and narcissism, revealing his breadth and brilliance. Nick has left us, but his music will live on in our hearts.”

Nick’s posthumously released solo album Won’t Let Go drops on October 20.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Higher Places Releases Dreamy New Single “Still Half in Love”

Hamish Patrick is used to being a session muso, playing with the likes of Japanese Wallpaper, Gretta Ray, Yorke, and Allday. Now he’s making his own voice heard with his solo project Higher Places. He’s just dropped a new single “Still Half in Love” and I’m pretty smitten.

There’s a beautiful nostalgia about this track and its blend of electronic, pop, and rock influences. It perfectly captures the love that often lingers between two people in the aftermath of a relationship breakdown.

“During the early stages of COVID lockdowns, my long-term ex-partner and I separated on good terms. I found the period immediately afterwards really hard – we talked every day and were as close as ever, but our relationship had obviously fundamentally changed,” Hamish recalled. “I wrote this when trying to process all of this – it’s about knowing that some of your feelings are still there, but that it can’t be the way it was, as much as part of you might still want that.”

After discovering this song, I can’t wait to hear more from Higher Places.

Image used with permission from StarCrossed PR