I had to check the date before posting about “Goddamn Fool,” the latest single by Ruby Gilbert. It sounds like it could score a classic Sergio Leone spaghetti western, but I assure you it’s a fresh 2025 release.
When asked about “Goddamn Fool,” Ruby explained “It’s about karmic justice; being outplayed, knowing you had it coming, and accepting the fall without asking for forgiveness or redemption.”
I just love how this one sounds. You’ve got country staples like the banjo and acoustic guitar, but also a Mariachi-style brass section in the mix. It’s so lush and layered, with Ruby’s unique voice the cherry on top. If you like your country music dark, feast your ears on “Goddamn Fool.”
The last few days have been pretty rough, so I’ve been all about music to soothe my mood. I’ve got my latest serotonin hit from “Can’t Sleep,” the debut single from Stella Dunai. While this is Stella’s first solo single, you might know her as part of Naarm/Melbourne R&B collective Empress. This song’s a lot folkier with dreamy vocals that will get right under your skin.
Stella wrote “Can’t Sleep” while battling insomnia as she travelled through Italy. It’s a little ironic that it sounds like a beautiful lullaby, but I’m digging it.
“I was in the mid-summer heat in Florence with an old wonky nylon string guitar I bought for €20 in France and carried with me on trains and buses,” Stella recalled. “I went on to work at a vineyard in the Dolomites and the owner insisted I play a song for her. So the first people to hear ‘Can’t Sleep’ were Anna, the vineyard owner, and her two Italian friends who spoke very little English – under the stars up on a vineyard in the mountains.”
With her debut EP Nothing to Be Scared Of slated for a November release, we’ll hear a lot more from Stella soon.
Boorloo/Perth-based singer-songwriter Clay Brown builds on his sound with the release of his second single fronting Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town, “No Place.” It’s much grittier than their laidback debut “All My Friends (Atrophy),” but if you enjoyed that song I don’t think they’ll lose you with this evolution. As with the first single, Clay Brown hooked me with his superb songwriting, which this time explore grief and the way it can paralyse you.
“I wrote this song when I was going through a difficult time after losing someone very important in my life, and at the same time trying to start a new situationship with someone, but I was finding I just didn’t have myself all together yet for it mentally,” frontman Clay explained.
Can we also take a moment to appreciate Clay’s vocals? When so many artists attempt to disguise their Aussie accent, Clay’s is proudly on show. I also love the way he effortlessly moves from the conversational-style verses to high notes in the chorus.
Clay has been a key part of the Boorloo/Perth music industry for the last decade, playing with diverse acts like shoegaze outfit The Limbs, grunge band Filth Wizard, jazz fusion group King Proteus, and heavy stoner rockers MAGE. But his work fronting Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town is a little more personal. In 2023, Clay’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. He began writing poetry, then lyrics to process his emotions through her illness and death. This difficult period became the catalyst for his first solo songs, which he plays as an acoustic artist and with Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town.
Clay has recently returned from London, where he played a string of shows and recorded some music at Soho Sound Studios. Hopefully that means there are many more new tunes on the way. Until then, crank up “No Place.”
Eora/Sydney-based indie-pop chanteuse Anna Dine shows she’s a real creative force with the release of her dreamy debut single “kind 2 me.” Unlike so many acts in the pop scene, Anna’s taken ownership of her art by writing and producing this song herself.
Anna took out the prestigious Sonora Song Competition in January with this track. That victory helped her record and release it for your listening pleasure.
“‘kind 2 me’ is a song that punches you in the gut,” Anna said. “It’s a song for anyone who has been deprived of the bare minimum, invalidated, and ruthlessly gaslit. The track combines lyrical drama with lush synth production to illuminate the powerlessness of being enmeshed in a relationship with someone who won’t treat you with basic dignity.”
Anna will celebrate the release of “kind 2 me” with a launch show at the Sneaky Possum in Warrane/Chippendale on October 25. She’ll also support Martha Chess Phelps at Moshpit on November 1 before co-headlining a regional tour with Cate Guirguis later this year.
Sibling duo Ella & Sienna take their sound to the next level on their latest pop single, “Taxi.” The song showcases the harmonies that encouraged Rita Ora to turn her chair on season 11 of The Voice Australia, along with some incredibly sophisticated songwriting. It’s super catchy, as all good pop songs should be, but it’s also got real heart.
“Our newest single ‘Taxi’ is a dynamic coming-of-age track about the pains of growing apart from who you used to be and learning to let go,” the sisters explained. “’Taxi’ is a breakup anthem that encapsulates feelings of love, heartbreak, self-worth, and acceptance of moving into a new phase of life.”
Fanny Lumsden has already had an impressive career that’s taken her from a wool farm in Dhalymbang/Tallimba in central New South Wales all the way to the Glastonbury stage, but she’s not done yet. She reflects on her journey to this point with her fabulous new single “Look At Me Now,” which she recorded while touring Europe.
“This is a love letter to my younger self. The amount of ‘nos’ I experienced in this industry is wild and every single one I am grateful for because they made me the person and artist I am today. Not the wins but all the losses, the struggles and the hard moments,” she said. “I think it’s also a reminder that ‘success’ can be an illusion and really you can find success in every step along the way. It’s a cliche but I’m feeling reflective and grateful that I can still be driving the van, self-managed, doing my own make up in the rear-view mirror and yet doing the biggest shows of my career all at the same time.”
“I wanted this song to feel real and hopeful and authentic to my live band who do all the miles with me and load the van and see the lows as well as the highs. Recording it was a crazy process of fitting in recording sessions whilst on the road. So, we are very grateful to Matt Fell for wielding his magic and helping us make it happen.”
Fanny recently wrapped up an Aussie tour with Paul Kelly, but she’s not one to sit idle for too long. She’ll support Rob Thomas in November and play the country music festival in Calala/Tamworth before headlining a string of shows next February. Here are all the dates you need Fanny fans!
Saif takes his music and sharp social commentary to the next level with the release of his latest single, “The Devil Wears Prada.” Rest assured, despite its name this track has nothing to do with the fashion-forward Anne Hathaway film!
“For me, this track is poetry for the people,” says Saif. “It’s raw, it’s honest, and it’s about transforming pain into power.”
Press play and take a moment to really absorb the lyrics which explore systemic oppression, media manipulation, and the struggles that underrepresented communities face every day. The way Saif blends the traditions of American hip hop with his distinctly Dharug Country/Western Sydney perspective is also first-rate. You can hear more when Saif plays the Granny Smith Festival in Wallumetta/Eastwood this Saturday, October 18.
Eora/Sydney emo-pop act The Admired are serving up serious nostalgia with their latest single “Dancefloor.” Press play and let yourself be transported back to the dances of your youth!
Vocalist Bianca Davino says the single “captures the feeling of landing exactly where you’re meant to be, even if just for a fleeting moment. It’s not about ticking off major milestones, but rather finding magic in just living the artist’s life. For the song’s protagonist, fulfilment comes from meeting fascinating people or being at a culturally significant event.”
Bianca wrote the lyrics for “Dancefloor” from the perspective of a protagonist that embodies an idealised version of herself.
“I wanted to create a character who fully embodies the part of me that wishes to be the ‘it girl’ at the most exciting events — someone completely immersed in the moment, unconcerned with the future. She’s a projection of who I sometimes wish I could be, even though I know I’m not naturally like that. I may be too anxious about the future, but I can create someone who isn’t and live as her for 3 minutes when I sing this song.”
“Dancefloor” comes from The Admired’s upcoming mini EP, which we’ll hear later this year.
Boorloo/Perth rock act Late 90s have really impressed me with their latest single “Low.” It’s a little heavier than the music I usually go for, but if it’s good, it’s good, right? And this epic rock anthem is really good.
“‘Low’ is about that internal monologue of self-love and self-loathing – knowing you’re heading off course and wanting to be better but you just don’t know how to be a better version of yourself and then beating yourself up for it,” the band explained.
Guitarist Stephen Loreck added “Last year I struggled a bit with self-esteem and valuing myself. Sometimes you don’t know where to start to get better, maybe you’re waiting for someone or something to happen for you to get your shit together.”
Stephen didn’t just play on “Low”; he also took over production duties for the first time. The band looked to their live sound engineer Emmett Carroll for mixing and entrusted the mastering to Brodie Stewart.
“The process of making ‘Low’ was so different to any other song we have done as we took way more of a DIY approach, with me producing the song,” Stephen explained. “We started recording this song before our previous EP came out, so we had a bit of time to obsess over all the parts, trying everything we could to just give the song an extra 10% for example tracking vocals three different times and bass twice haha. Some of our favourite parts of the song we wrote in the studio, just trying out random stuff, so having the time and freedom to experiment more was something we really valued. It was also really beneficial to have Emmett Carroll involved as he provided a lot of technical support, engineering when I was playing guitar or singing and coming up with some good ideas.”
Next up Late 90s will play for hometown fans at Sidefest, which will hit Rosemount Hotel from November 21 to 23. Catch them on the first day alongside top artists like Stand Atlantic, Dear Seattle, and heaps more. Or buy a weekend pass to catch all the action!
I really appreciate artists who prioritise quality over quantity. I’d much rather musicians take time to create something meaningful than churn out substandard work. Malaika Mfalme’s album Yasmin was one of my favourites of 2023, and now he’s back with “Berlin.” This is a stunning, stripped-back track that explores friendship, grief, and the freedom of anonymity against the backdrop of Germany’s capital.
“I wrote this song about three years ago, when I was in Berlin. I’d just lost my passport, was feeling disconnected from friends, and realised how freeing it can be to be unknown,” Malaika said. “There’s a line in the chorus that still hits me: ‘Maybe I won’t apologise for who I am in a place that don’t give a damn.’”
As a proud trans artist, Malaika’s work has consistently celebrated Black queer joy and resilience. He explained that they found the joy that helped them through such a challenging time in Berlin’s party scene. “It made me feel at home and fully accepted within the queer community there. That sense of joy and belonging was such a contrast to the heaviness I’d been carrying.”
“Berlin” is our first taste of Malaika’s new EP Forthcoming, which is slated for a November release.
