Category: Single Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Leonie Kingdom Releases New Pandemic Folk Anthem, “2020”

It’s safe to say that 2020 hasn’t turned out the way any of us expected. Queensland’s Leonie Kingdom has paid tribute to a year that’s been memorable for all the wrong reasons with her folky new single “2020.” However, don’t expect your typical pandemic soundtrack. This song examines the little things that pile up rather than the enormity of the global health crisis.

“It magnifies all the ‘non-event’ things that went wrong this year whilst subtly ignoring the elephant in the room that is the global pandemic. This is not your ordinary ‘sad’ song; the upbeat production married with pitiful lyrics give the overall song a lighthearted feel.”

Leonie teamed up with animator apricotbanana for this cute clip.

Leonie is currently supporting Sons of the East on their You Might Think tour. It wraps up on Friday night, November 20, at Selina’s at the Coogee Bay Hotel.

Image used with permission from Beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Fall in Love With Good Pash’s New Single “Delete Me”

The indie-punk scene is a bit of a boys club, but Good Pash show that women can be every bit as brash and energetic as the men. The female-dominant five-piece has just released their new single “Delete Me,” which comes complete with a fab B-side “Get Your Mind on Other Things” so you can get to know them better.

Good Pash says their current single “is for everyone who has ever had to tear themselves away from something they loved – a job, a friend, a relationship, a drug dependency – that just wasn’t working out for them anymore. You fight your mates, your parents, and yourself over it but deep down know that it’s no good and have to find the courage to say ‘I love you, I’m leaving’ and let it go.”

“Delete Me” comes from Good Pash’s forthcoming EP. Expect to hear a few more songs from that release when the band launches the current single with two COVID-safe shows at Waywards (The Bank Hotel) in Newtown on December 4. Those extremely limited tickets are available now from Oztix. They’ll also play Waywards’ Best Served Loud event on November 20.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rock Out With Loiter’s New Single “In This Town”

With international travel off the table and border closures isolating so many states, it’s easy to feel a bit fractured from the rest of the world these days. But Loiter reminds us of what great things can happen when we come together. The band features a British expat and lads from Newcastle and Brisbane, and they’re pretty fantastic. Once you hear their new single “In This Town,” I’ll bet you’ll want to hear more.

“When I wrote the lyrics to ‘In This Town’, I was in a dark place. A volatile relationship was due to end as she was moving away, and although I knew it was probably for the best, in my immaturity I didn’t want it to,” explained frontman Daryn Yeats. However, the song took on new meaning when he moved to Australia and joined Loiter.

The band just dropped the music video for what will be their only single release for 2020. Hopefully, the new year brings plenty more music from these guys.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co; photo credit: Will Johnstone

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sing Along to Midnight Drags’ “Ronnie”

I’m really digging the retro vibes of Midnight Drags’ new single “Ronnie” this morning. It’s got such a great power pop feel. But before you hit play on that bad boy, be prepared, this song will get stuck in your head. I guarantee you’ll be singing the catchy chorus throughout your day.

“Ronnie is a love song about yearning, regret and ultimately meeting one’s fate,” explained Lucas James, the man behind his exciting solo musical act. “It was (loosely) written about someone I know who went to jail. It’s written from the perspective of their confused and tormented loved one waiting on the outside.”

Lucas recorded the track at his studio with his talented musical friends Ashley Naylor (Even, Paul Kelly Band), Bill McDonald (Stephen Cummings, Frente), and Brett Wolfenden (The Casanovas, Wolfmother). No wonder it sounds so good.

“Ronnie” is our first taste of the new Midnight Drags album Bad Business, which should drop early next year.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

THE RIOT Push the Envelope With “Same Blunt”

Strap yourself in for “Same Blunt,” the latest track from Victorian trio THE RIOT. It’s a high-energy mix of hip hop, reggae, rock, and punk, and I am here for it.

Like so much great music, the track came together in a single day over some weed and cheap beers. “It all started with that guitar riff you hear at the beginning of the song, then everyone threw in their own spice,” said lead vocalist JD.

Like their debut single “Dog in the Shade,” “Same Blunt” was produced by Matt Corby and Alex Henrikkson.

“[Henriksson] was really able to take our disjointed pieces and glue them together,” JD confirmed.

I don’t know about you, but as we await those U.S. election results this is just the type of revolutionary music I needed to hear today.

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia; photo credit: Finnian Francis Mullen

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kiefer Releases Comeback Single “Under Fire”

After taking a 10-year break from the music industry, Victorian singer-songwriter Kiefer is back in a big way. His latest track “Under Fire” is a stunning single with powerful lyrics about letting go of a relationship and moving forward through adversity.

This track gets the balance right, with honest vocals and a polished sound which reminds me a little of Birds of Tokyo and Gang of Youths. Kiefer worked with ARIA-nominated producer Simon Moro on his comeback single, developing it from its original demo to this stellar recording.

With such quality music like this in his back pocket, I’m glad to welcome Kiefer back to the scene.

Image used with permission from the A&R Department

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Telescreen Emerge From Lockdown With “Moving On”

I don’t know about you, but I need some good vibes today. Between concerns about the US election and the global pandemic, I was looking for an upbeat track to make my worries melt away. At least for a few minutes! Enter “Moving On,” the latest track from Melbourne indie-pop act Telescreen.

These guys really impressed me with their track “Growing Pains” last year, but with this release it seems they’re going from strength to strength. They even took out the 2020 Triple J Unearthed NIDA competition recently, which saw them working with students from the prestigious Sydney school for their new music video. While this song has a catchy, uptempo sound, don’t dismiss it as a bit of pop fluff. Tap into those lyrics and you’ll soon discover Telescreen is a band with a social conscience.

“We, as a group, felt as though there was this real disconnect between the actions of Australia’s leaders and the true needs of those affected by the fires. ‘Moving On’ addresses our politicians’ disregard for public opinion, along with their seemingly growing inaction and detachment from issues in order to protect their self-interests,” they explained.

After playing a bushfire benefit show earlier this year, the pandemic has meant we haven’t seen too much of Telescreen in 2020. However, with the release of this single and frontman Nic Schwarz’s decision to focus on music full-time, the future looks bright for this exciting Aussie act.

Image used with permission from Tiny Management

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sinclaire Keep Surprising With “coolman”

Sydney band Sinclaire love keeping us on our toes. They started out in the punk scene, but they’ve definitely shifted into the synth-pop space. Their last track, “Let’s Fly to Rome” was a dreamy mid-tempo bop, but they’ve amped up the intensity for their latest track “coolman.” I haven’t always embraced their twists and turns, but tracks like this remind me why I was so excited about their EP Now I’m Ready to Start last year.

“We felt like the world needed to hear it now, more than ever. The track has this overwhelming amount of confidence it exudes and I want the listener to hear it and feel empowered by it,” explained frontman Michael Cross. “You could be the coolest person in the world if you wanted to be. Everyone has something incredible to offer, and although what that is may not be apparent to you just yet, I think that the prospect of that potential is what makes life so exciting. Don’t beat yourself up because you’re not someone else – take solace in the fact that you have your whole life to become exactly what you want to be.”

Sinclaire hopes this track will remind us of our favourite festival memories, so crank this up and pour yourself a lukewarm beverage. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, right?

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

YesYou Find Their Mojo With “So Real”

Brisbane-based electro-soul outfit YesYou has got me grooving this morning with their latest single “So Real.” Featuring stellar vocals from American DJ and singer Damon Trueitt and plenty of hooks, this track does down so easy.

“At the beginning of 2016, we started to realise we’d lost sight of why we started the project and it stopped being fun. We’d been in the studio five days a week for the last three years and getting bogged down in making music we thought people wanted to hear. We’d lost ourselves in overthinking each second of every song,” the band admitted. “Stepping away from focussing solely on the project gave us time to work on and release some music with no pressure and no expectations. We haven’t enjoyed releasing music this much for as long as we can remember.”

I think that shows in this track. When the artists are having fun, it’s impossible to resist getting swept up in the good vibes. This is definitely a return to form for YesYou.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Jensens Drop “Paper Walls” Single Ahead of Queensland Shows

Mondays aren’t easy, but The Jensens’ new single “Paper Walls” has given me the lift I need to get through the day. I just love its fuzzy guitars and melodic hooks. Its energetic sound is matched by inspiring lyrics about pulling yourself out of a spiral of self-doubt.

“Paper walls are resolutions without any weight – like sandcastles promises to yourself, washed away by the weekend. Unending internal conversations about doing more, being more, and seeing more, when you realise you’ve once again chosen bad habits over hard work. And who could blame you? But there’s still a desire for self-improvement that doesn’t go away, so you turn your back on your former self, again and again,” explained lead singer Joe White. “It’s not about being hard on yourself, it’s about having faith in a vision of a better version of you.”

The song comes with a fabulous music video created in conjunction with visual artist Unclechronicbone.

“Paper Walls” is our first taste of The Jensens’ new album, Hammer and Blush, which is slated for a May 21 release. Expect to hear a few more songs from the album when The Jensens play a string of shows over the next couple of months.

6 November 2020 – Solbar, Sunshine Coast
14 November 2020 – BEST Served LOUD @ West Room, Brisbane
4 December 2020 – Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, Burleigh Heads
11 December 2020 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane (Official single launch)

Image used with permission from On the Map PR