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.
Listening to “Passing Through,” the first single from James Van Cooper’s debut album Coming Home, you’d probably imagine this guy spent his formative years listening to Ryan Adams and Damian Rice. However, this Sydney-born muso actually spent his teen years playing metal and worshipping the likes of LA Guns and Motley Crue. There’s not a hint of those hairbands in the music he’s creating now though!
James recorded “Passing Through” and other tracks from Coming Home in the United States with acclaimed producer Scott Campbell (Alanis Morissette, Katy Perry). It’s got a great authentic, raw sound which really excites me.
“This record is fuelled by a need to break free of certain constraints and confines, whether they be imagined or real. I had to play with a fresh deck, so to speak, hence the American studio sessions,” James explained. “Being an Australian and packing up to head to Hollywood to record, while exciting was still an unknown. What fears I did have were totally unwarranted as I was introduced to a wonderful producer in Scott Campbell who understood and encouraged what I envisaged in the creative process. Scott and I collaborated with a band that got on with making a genuine country rock record, an album that stands up for the new ways while respecting and acknowledging the vintage sound of country music. I wanted to make a record with a music narrative that pulled the listener along and I think I’ve done that on Coming Home.”
Coming Home drops on August 3. If the single is any indication, you should listen out for this one.
Melbourne indie rockers Halcyon Drive aren’t letting the grass grow under their feet after earning rave reviews for “Silver Ray” and touring throughout April and May. They’ve just dropped another single, “Agnosia,” and it’s every bit as good.
These guys have such a big sound for a three-piece, with driving drums, fuzzy guitars, and stirring vocals from frontman Michael Oechsle.
“This is a song about truth. A song about, how in this day and age, it’s harder than ever to break free from whatever media, marketing or influence is being forced down our throats,” he explained. “I was lucky enough to be brought up by two incredible parents who never pushed me into anything, and always let me find my own truth. This is a song written from the complete opposite perspective- from the perspective of someone so lost in following or fighting other people’s opinions, that they’ve lost the ability to think for themselves.”
Halcyon Drive will celebrate the release of “Agnosia” with launch parties at World Bar in Sydney on August 10 and a secret location in Melbourne on August 18.
Image used with permission from The Neighbourhood
Western Sydney’s Hurst might not have the big budgets of acts signed to major labels, but they’re not letting that hold them back. They recorded and produced their grunge-punk anthem “Purple & Green” and even put together a music video, all on a shoestring.
“We spent zero dollars putting together our music video for ‘Purple & Green,’ but you can probably tell,” explained vocalist and rhythm guitarist Ana Veira. “So we capitalised on the lo-fi factor, channelling an old school DIY video feel and visual effects you used to find on Windows Movie Maker.
“The song was written about my balancing act between how I think and how I feel. We did multiple takes showing apathy, happiness, anger and erratic behaviour to show you the polarising experience inside my head. It chops and changes, is sometimes uncontrollable, confusing and can be very isolating. I can’t explain it, but I have an assurance in some kind of silver lining that it’ll make sense soon.”
“Purple & Green” comes from Hurst’s recently released sophomore EP sadface. Hear the track in person at the band’s upcoming shows.
28 July 2018 – Lust 4 Live, Dubbo
4 September 2018 – Lennox Groove, Evans Head
17 November 2018 – The Vic Hotel, Orange
Image used with permission from Jared King PR
After wowing crowds at South by Southwest, Australia’s own Winters End are back with a beautiful new single “Ivy.” It’s a haunting track anchored by poetic lyrics and Marissa Pinto’s heavenly voice.
“Ivy tells the story of the extrinsic factors that can prevent two people from being together,” explained the other half of the duo, Marissa’s brother Chris. “The metaphor of Ivy is used to illustrate the pull-strength that these factors have.”
“Ivy” comes from Winters End’s new EP DreamWalker, which drops on August 23.
Image used with permission from Winters End