Boorloo/Perth indie-rock quintet navy june have been building a reputation as a local band on the rise after supporting the likes of Old Mervs, Great Gable, and Fool Nelson. Now with the release of their latest single “mister,” it might be time for music lovers on the East Coast to take notice. This song has such an original, smoldering sound. It’s a little psychedelic but with a modern twist. Ruby Barton-Taylor delivers incredible vocals which are complemented beautifully by her bandmates’ instrumentation.
“’mister’ is about being unapologetic in your opinions of someone,” navy june explained. “Being honest and raw when someone is cruel to you. It explores ideas of heartbreak while still being empowered, truthful and sexy.”
navy june are wasting no time promoting their latest release. Hometown fans can catch the “mister” single launch at The Bird tonight.
Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country/Sunshine Coast country starlet Shanleigh Rose has thoroughly charmed me with her personal new single, “Pretty.” The lyrics read like a letter to a partner, revealing Shanleigh Rose’s self-confidence and willingness to move on from a connection that doesn’t see her worth.
“We’ve all had times where we’ve let the judgments of someone else dictate how we feel about ourselves. I wrote ‘Pretty’ as a reminder that it is up to each of us to define who we are as individuals and which traits we consider most important,” Shanleigh Rose said. “Personally, I know I’m creative, kind, and can laugh at myself, and those are the qualities that make me pretty.”
After taking Kamilaroi Country/Tamworth by storm, Shanleigh Rose will be back on local stages with a gig at Rosalie House in Jarowair and Giabal Country/Toowoomba on March 1.
Boorloo/Perth-based indie-rock act Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town are back with new music this week, and they’re sharing it first right here on Sounds of Oz. I’m so thrilled to bring you their third single, “Satisfy Your Mind” today ahead of its official release on Friday, January 30. If you loved their previous tracks “All My Friends” and “No Place,” I know you’ll dig this bold blues-rock track.
It’s so easy to get swept up in that killer guitar riff and Clay Brown’s incredible vocals, but make sure you pay attention to the lyrics. “Satisfy Your Mind” explores the modern obsession with social media and encourages listeners to focus on their own real-life paths instead of getting caught up in a loop of doomscrolling and digital competition. It reminds us that the best way to find your even keel is to quit comparing yourself to carefully curated digital profiles and run your own race.
If you love “Satisfy Your Mind,” you’ll be happy to know there’s more new music on the way. Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town are preparing to get into the studio and record their debut EP, which we’ll hear later this year. Expect to hear a few more tunes from that release when Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town officially launch “Satisfy Your Mind” at The Bird on January 31. Tickets are on sale now from Oztix.
Image used with permission from Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town
Naarm/Melbourne rock act Pretty Moi have won me over with their back-to-basics new single “ROAD DOG.” It’s got a fantastic garage rock sound, free of studio bells and whistles that might dilute its intensity. I also appreciate the surf and psychedelic rock influences that Pretty Moi wears proudly on their musical sleeve.
“’ROAD DOG’ started as a bunch of old ideas that finally clicked once we leaned into storytelling,” Pretty Moi’s guitarist and cofounder Ruben Vasconez Swett explained. “It’s intentionally absurd and a bit delusional, inspired by an old Norm Macdonald joke.”
“ROAD DOG” is so appealing in its raw sound, but Pretty Moi has more up their sleeve. The track’s B-side “WITH YOU,” featuring the horns of local outfit FREE PARKING blends that psychedelic bent with jazz and Latin flavours. Expect more music that will keep you guessing with Pretty Moi unveil their upcoming EP VOL. 2 later this year.
In a world where there seems to be so much division, MAXON’s new folk-rock track “Everybody” is like chicken soup for the soul. It’s an uplifting anthem that reminds us of the humanity that unites us all.
“A lot of the songs on the album – while hopeful – carry a thread of sadness,” MAXON said. “‘Everybody’ felt like the emotional homecoming. Nay [Pattuwage] and I wanted to write something that celebrates love and connection; something that uplifts.
“I’ve been through dark spaces in my life, and I know first-hand that singing together is healing. ‘Everybody’ is a reminder that joy and love are just as infectious as pain. Let this song be an anthem for togetherness. Honestly, I’d love to make a world choir with this one – send me your audition tapes! Let’s heal the world together!”
MAXON’s debut album Talking With Strangers will be released April 8. Expect to hear more new music from the LP when Maxon plays the following festivals:
“You Won’t Be There” was already one of the highlights from Riley Pearce’s 2025 album The Weight of Our Dreaming. But he’s just elevated the track with the help of Irish singer-songwriter Sorcha Richardson, who was last on our shores for Misneach. The artists collaborated remotely on the duet single, “You Won’t Be There (Time Zone Version),” which hit the streaming services today.
“‘You Won’t Be There’ always felt like it could live a double life,” Riley said. “A version where it had a more conversational tone, capturing the two sides of a relationship’s distance that comes with touring. I heard Sorcha’s song ‘Maps of Manhattan’ when I was on tour last year and it instantly became a favourite. I was so impressed with the energy and world she built with her verse – I actually like this version more than the original.”
“When Riley sent me this song, I knew I wanted to write to it,” Sorcha added. “I loved the subtlety he had created within it, and the effortless ebb and flow of the arrangement. The sentiment was something that had been on my mind already; nights spent thousands of miles from home, cinematic and romantic in their own lonely way, but impossible to experience without thinking of somebody you wish could be there with you.”
While I’m not sure when we’ll see Sorcha back in Australia, Riley is preparing to take songs from his The Weight of Our Dreaming album around the country this month. With shows in the capitals and regional centres, there are plenty of opportunities to catch him live.
Dharawal Country/Wollongong singer-songwriter franxie has wowed me with her latest single “Nobody’s Home.” This gentle indie-folk single drew me in with its hushed vocals, acoustic sound, and introspective lyrics exploring dissociation and emotional shutdown. It’s heavy subject matter, but themes that are worth sitting with when they’re presented so exquisitely. Take a moment to really listen to this one and take in its beauty, because it deserves so much more than becoming background to your workday!
“This song is about dissociating when things become overwhelming and recognising that shutting down was a coping mechanism,” franxie explained. “It’s not about a relationship ending, but about losing and finding yourself within that state.”
“Nobody’s Home” is a natural follow-up to franxie’s debut single, “Fucking Around,” which tackled themes of autonomy and self-determination. Expect more self-reflection and exploration of honest emotions when franxie releases more music throughout the year. A fiercely independent artist, she’s developing her sound and an EP at her own pace, prioritising her artistic freedom, confidence, and evolution on her own terms.
Listen to “Nobody’s Home” and more fantastic local folk music on my Spotify playlist, “Sounds of Oz Loves Folk.”
As someone with pretty eclectic music taste, I appreciate artists who take left turns. Boorloo/Perth-based singer-songwriter-producer Santa Fe has been making lo-fit surf rock since 2013, but he’s taken a new direction with his latest single “Undercut.” Featuring warm vocals from Caitie Jayde and Santa Fe on piano, drums, and guitar, it’s a fantastic indie pop number.
“’Undercut’ is about being around people who don’t allow you to reach your potential,” Santa Fe said. “It’s usually because you value different things, and I think you need to be around people who let your strengths shine through. More than anything, I find that positive emotional experiences inspire me to create my songs.”
Santa Fe recorded and produced “Undercut” in his home studio, with mixing by Jeremy Smith at Labsix, and mastering by Dan O’Connor at EncoderSound. This single lays the foundation for Santa Fe’s new music, so expect more direct, heart on sleeve songs from him in 2026.
If you were on the fence about attending the Howlin’ Country festival in Mulubinba/Newcastle next month, let me twist your arm. It’s just gotten even cooler, with Alabama’s Kashus Culpepper, Aussie favourites Paul Dempsey’s Shotgun Karaoke, Sweet Talk, The Wet Whistles, Lewis Love, and local legends Grand Pricks and Sharnee Fenwick just added to the bill. That’s in addition to the already announced talents of Lainey Wilson, Morgan Evans, Kaitlin Butts, Flatland Cavalry, Adam Newling, and Tyla Rodrigues. Yes, this lineup is absolutely stacked. Visit the Howlin’ Country website to see all the set times.
The music is the main attraction, but it’s not all that’s on offer. Since this year’s festival lands on Valentine’s Day, the Love Truck will be selling roses, Lil’ Howlers will have handmade love and friendship bracelets, and Ladies Love Country will host some speed dating. Traveller Whiskey will offer samples of Chris Stapleton’s spirits and Tooheys will sponsor the bungee run. The Lil Howlers kids zone has free face painting, a jumping castle, and heaps more for the little ones.
Howlin’ Country hits Newcastle Foreshore on February 14. The long-range forecast says we can expect a perfect day with highs in the mid 20s, so what better way to spend it? Tickets are still available from Oztix, but with the new additions to the lineup don’t expect them to last too long.
I’m a sucker for a guy with an acoustic guitar playing sweet indie folk music. If you are too, I know you’re going to flip for MUKI and his new single “Gasoline.” Born in Dubai with Indian roots, he now calls Naarm/Melbourne home. His voice seems to be able to do it all, moving effortlessly from a passionate rasp to an airy falsetto. The song is also really, really good.
“’Gasoline’ is my debut single as MUKI, and it’s deeply personal,” he said. “With ‘Gasoline’, I wanted to capture the tension of a relationship that wouldn’t survive despite every effort. It’s a breakup song, but one about acceptance and moving on.”
MUKI is wasting no time bringing this music to the people. He’ll play a free show at Bodriggy Brewing Co. in Naarm/Abbotsford tomorrow night, January 22.
