Category: Single Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ari Channels Old School R’n’B Vibes With “Slow Down”

It’s not a particularly sexy time for many of us right now. Live-in couples are spending more time together, but PJs and tracky dacks have become our new work uniforms! If you need a little inspiration, look no further than “Slow Down,” the sexy new single from Ari featuring Coast & Ocean.

“I love this song soo much!” gushed Ari. “I had such a great time recording the song and turning it into what it is! Working with Coast & Ocean is a vibe! And I know there will be more music from the two of us.”

Ari has performed alongside the likes of Lime Cordiale and Bootleg Rascal and made appearances at Splendour and Peak Music Festival. No doubt we’ll be hearing a lot more from him once this COVID-19 thing is wrapped up and we can get out and appreciate live music again!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rock Out With Ragdoll’s New Track, “Follow the Leader”

Perth rock band Ragdoll has just dropped an electric new single “Follow the Leader,” and it’s a straight-up instant classic. It’s got that timeless feel of an anthemic stadium rock track with a little ‘90s grunginess and a fresh feel that ensures it never feels like a throwback. I can also attest that it sounds at its very best when you crank your speakers way up.

“Musically we wanted Follow the Leader to capture the live energy of a Ragdoll show, and that has as much to do with the way the song sounds as the way it feels,” explained the band’s guitarist Leon Todd. “I personally feel these are some of the very best vocals Ryan has done to date, and the way he and Cam play together as a rhythm section really gets to shine on this song. Plus, I’m totally addicted to that main riff!”

Ragdoll aren’t used to sitting still. They played countless shows since setting out in 2015, including the Rocklahoma festival, a support slot for Skid Row at the Whisky a Go Go, and gigs in Europe and Australia. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we see them back on stages doing what they do best.

Image used with permission from Firestarter Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Guadion Takes “TV Shows” Launch Online

With Ed Sheeran stepping back from the music business, there’s a vacancy for an acoustic-guitar playing singer-songwriter. Enter local lad Guadion, he’s stepping up with his folky pop to fill the void. He recently dropped his single “TV Shows,” and it goes down pretty easily.

You might actually think you were listening to the latest Ed Sheeran track if not for the reference to Kyle and Jackie O on the radio. Guadion has a similar storyteller quality and an ease about his music that draws you in.

“TV Shows is a small part of my life,” he explained. “I began writing the tune when I was working on a small farm in a rural area in Canada’s Saskatchewan. In this place I was turbulent. I never knew what I wanted to do. So I taught myself to play guitar and sing inside a grain silo every day after work. I was also going through a difficult stage of adolesence; through this song I was aiming to express my current feelings with music. Every time I’d think of the things I was going through I’d write a little bit more of the song. It’s not the first song I ever wrote, and definitely not the last, but it holds a long journey of my emotions, my memories and my thoughts.”

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Guadion has decided to take the single launch online. He’ll play an intimate set streamed via YouTube and Guadion’s Instagram page (@guadion_music) tomorrow night at 7:30 pm AEST.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Doko Rock Out With “Maybe Leave a Light On”

Is time in iso getting you down? Sydney band Doko is here to lift your spirits with its feelgood new indie-rock track “Maybe Leave a Light On.” The track is a real banger with lyrics exploring how to successfully navigate the darkness of a tumultuous relationship. Listen to it just once and I bet you’ll be singing it for the rest of the day. It’s just that catchy.

The creepy music video was inspired by the band members’ time watching the iconic performances of Countdown in their youth. They had a blast making it, just as you will watching it.

“This was definitely the most fun we’ve had shooting a video, miming along to the song the way bands did back in the ‘80s, on a stage blanketed in smoke.” explained Doko.

These guys are most at home on stage and have already supported big names like Eskimo Joe, Alex Lahey, and Ali Barter. The band was all set to embark on their biggest tour to date but then COVID-19 came and put those plans on the back burner. Doko promises to get back on the road as soon as it’s safe. Until then, crank this one up!

Image used with permission from Arow Agency

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Annie Hamilton Shows Creativity With Solo Music and Fashion Line

A singer-songwriter, musician, visual artist, and fashion designer, Sydney’s Annie Hamilton is a true creative talent. After making waves as the guitarist of Little May, she’s going it alone with her self-titled first solo EP. The release, which drops on May 1, features the brand-new single “Panic.” It’s a cool, retro-sounding song that Annie describes as a conversation with her anxiety. The new lyric video really lets you home in on those powerful words.

Along with previous releases “Kitchen” and “My New Tattooed Chameleon,” Hamilton reveals the journey of an artist navigating and documenting her personal journey. The songs examine everyday experiences, both profound and mundane, to create a portrait of this exciting Aussie talent.

“This EP is the culmination of the last few years spent finding my voice as a solo artist. These songs have come from a place of introspection and experimentation, following my intuition while improving my production and engineering skills in the process,” Annie explained.

Along with the EP, Annie Hamilton is also releasing a limited-edition capsule fashion collection. You can pre-order the first piece, the shirt worn in her “Kitchen” music video, now.

Image used with permission from Inertia Music; credit: Rosie Fitzgerald

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Morgan Joanel Releases Cool New Single, “Disappear”

Perth singer-songwriter Morgan Joanel has given me goosebumps with her sultry new single “Disappear.” This track is a masterclass in restraint, with smoky vocals and a cool groove. I can’t help thinking of cool ‘90s outfits like Portishead and Mazzy Star when I listen to it.

Morgan’s far from a household name, but she’s working in the business for the last decade. It’s a labour of love that’s taken her around the world and seen her signed to one of the world’s biggest record labels. Like so many musical journeys, it hasn’t been a fairytale ride though. Morgan recently moved back to her hometown of Perth and it seems the change is doing her good. While her time with a major label left her feeling creatively confined, she wrote “Disappear” in just 15 minutes. Hopefully that’s a sign her creative juices are flowing again.

Image used with permission from Firestarter Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ali Barter & Oscar Dawson Release Iso Track for Support Act

Yesterday my husband and I marked one month since locking down. We’ve taken this shit pretty seriously, ordering our groceries and never stepping any further than the kerb to put the bins out. We’re getting a little sick of staring at the same four walls to be honest, something Ali Barter and her boyfriend Oscar Dawson of Holy Holy can undoubtedly relate to. They’ve just released a love song for the isolation age, “Four Days.”

Of course, any song written in the confines of the pandemic will hardly be roses and rainbows. This track addresses the frustrations that come from time trapped together. It came about after the pair spent two weeks together following Ali’s return from the USA. Triple J’s Hing and Hobba challenged them to write a song about the ordeal over 24 hours, including listener lyric suggestions. It’s all for a good cause, with proceeds from the song’s streams and sales going to Support Act’s COVID-19 Emergency Appeal.

”The crisis is having a massive effect on the music industry and especially the folks involved in touring – session musos, roadies, sound engineers who literally can’t work now,”Ali explained. “Support Act is the best way to get much-needed funds and assistance to those people. Super happy to put something out there to make people smile and raise some money!”

So get streaming or purchase the single to help the fundraising efforts! You can also make additional donations through the Support Act website.

Image used with permission from Inertia Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Baker Boy’s “Move” Is Here to Brighten Iso-Life

Remember that time when Saturday nights were the nights we’d let our hair down and dance ‘til dawn? We might not be hitting the clubs any time soon, but that doesn’t mean you need to give up the dancing. If you’re looking for the right tune for tonight’s dance party at home, wrap your ears around Baker Boy’s new track “Move.”

Its fresh, funky, feel-good groove is just the thing your heart and feet need to survive another weekend in iso.

“I wanted to write a song for my miyalk (girl) but also show appreciation to the women who taught me to respect everyone as my equals,” Baker Boy explained. “I grew up with beautiful spirited women and now I share my life with a strong, empowered woman so I wrote a song for her, and for all the strong-minded women out there.”

“To all my fans, friends and family affected by the uncertainty of COVID-19, I hope this track can help build your spirits, put a smile on your face and most importantly have a little dance. Be safe and keep positive!”

Who’s busting out some moves to this one?

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rock Out to Loose End’s New Single, “Discontent”

Melbourne’s Loose End speaks for Aussies everywhere with a brand new single “Discontent.” The track explores the idea of burnout and how it impacts your enjoyment of success. However, its aggressive sound, which sits somewhere between pop punk and metalcore, will help you exorcise any demons you’re feeling at this stressful time.

“The track is about a recent point in my life when I realised I had achieved a lot of personal goals, and even ticked a couple of dreams off my list. People began to really enjoy our music, we were selling out shows and writing even better songs. Outside of music I had also booked a couple of lead theatre roles and had worked on some fantastic short films,” explained Loose End’s front man, Ben Smalley.

“Unfortunately, I was working way too hard and was depriving myself of the time to reflect on or enjoy the process because of it. I couldn’t find the sense of fulfilment in my achievements – or not in the way that I thought I would or thought that I needed.”

You might not realise it on the first listen, but “Discontent” is also a love song.

“During this time, I had met a girl and quickly fallen head over heels for her,” Ben explained. “She really put everything into perspective for me, teaching me how to stop and enjoy the present moment.”

“Discontent” is one of those songs that refuses to be put in a box. It’d probably blow the lid off anyway! Crank this one up.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Greta Stanley Drops Super New Single, “Soak Into This”

Greta Stanley has been a little quiet this year, but isolation seems the perfect time for her to break her musical silence and share some more sweet indie-pop tunes. Her latest is “Soak Into This,” a real ear-pleaser with breathy vocals, lush synths, and an infectiously catchy melody.

“It’s about having fun and the exciting feeling you get when you enter a new relationship, whether it’s romantic or a friendship,” Greta explained. “I wrote it thinking about all the fun I’d been having in my new relationship, the nights out with friends, festivals … but then the slow and more intense moments [are] where you really feel something growing.”

Greta co-wrote and produced this track with Germany’s Tobias Kohn, who’s worked with talents like Milky Chance, Alec Benjamin, and Dean Lewis. Matthew Neighbour (Courtney Barnett, Matt Corby) mixed while Matt Agoglia (Cage the Elephant, Spoon) took care of the mastering. Talk about a dream team! Their expertise shows too, with “Soak Into This” being one of Greta’s best tracks yet.

If you like what you hear, tune in to The Kitchen Sessions featuring Greta Stanley on Saturday, April 18 from 7 p.m. You’ll find all the details in the Facebook event page.