We listen to a lot of music here at Tone Deaf HQ, and we’re the first to admit we’re perhaps a little biased towards sounds of the Australian variety. We do make the best music in the world, after all.
In honouring our favourite Aussies, we’ve once again compiled a list of the most outstanding local releases you should be listening to right now – whether they’re smaller indies acts or big-name essentials, these are the newest Australian records you should be adding to your ‘must-listen’ list.
Let’s get started.
REMi – Raw X Infinity (House Of Beige/Unified)
There’s a lot of expectation that’s been saddled onto the shoulders of 21-year-old MC REMi, and in turn, his newest full-length release, but from the evidence of Raw X Infinity‘s daring 12 tracks – standing behind the much-hyped smoke, there’s a powerful young gun with a deft pulse on the trigger.
The record first bursts to life with the ferocious flow of the opening title track, as REMi barks political potshots and the believable boast of “we’re here to change the Australian rap game.” That ‘we’ would be the essential backings production partners-in-crime Sensible J and Dutch, who between the spaces of reliable disco-chopped beats (‘Aviation (Disco Weed)’) or the sub-stabbing tribal thump of the two-part ‘Nigerian Sunrise/Melbourne Sunset’ flex as much skills behind the decks as REMi does on the mic.
He’s got great presence both verbally and vocally and delivered with the suave young swagger you’d expect of a rapper name-checking a peak-period boxer (that’d be ‘Tyson’).
Let’s put it a more direct way. There’s no artist in Australia – hip hop or otherwise – producing music that’s as admirably confident or accessibly progressive as that featured on Raw X Infinity. REMi’s fit for stardom, and he knows it. (Al Newstead)
Straight Arrows – Rising (Rice Is Nice)
If you’re reading this, you’re on the hunt for new music, so chances are you’re up for a bit of mischief as well. Not too much but, just enough – are we right? Straight Arrows love a bit of mischief.
Well hear ye hear ye, ‘cos whether you know this Sydney four-piece or not, the good news is you do now or, if you were already on the bandwagon, you now have some fantastic news with their new album Rising dropping just in time for the weekend (Friday 13th June).
Graduating from their debut four years ago, that was very much of the garage-punk variety, the new album is more punk n’ garage-pop but don’t let that fool you, it’s not soft but more melodic and diverse in nature, boasting signature lo-fi production with airy guitar, frontman Owen Penglis’ shouting, and lots and lots of energy.
Not un-likened to the goodness of Ty Segall and the whole fuzzed out San Fran scene, leading cuts ‘Petrified’ and ‘Make Up Your Mind’ are grungy and dirty but bring all the elements into play, balancing them perfectly into a catchy array of tracks, inducing a foot tap, head bounce, and if the occasion calls for it – a full jump around celebrating your freedom. (Jess Mirabello)
Mink Mussel Creek – Mink Mussel Manticore (Spinning Top Records)
It may have taken three years – and the success of Tame Impala and Pond – until it finally saw the light of day, but the “rare as hen’s teeth” debut album from Mink Mussel Creek was well worth the wait and proves it’s status as a legendary Perth music myth was well warranted.
(Re-)recorded in whirlwind fashion, Mink Mussel’s soupy riffs and bonkers humour is closer to Pond on the psych-rock scale of things – chiefly thanks to the characteristically unhinged delivery of Nick Allbrook, but it also functions as a prototype to Tame Impala’s heavier leanings, with Kevin Parker on the drumstool (Shiny Joe Ryan, Steve Summerlin, and Richard Ingham round out the ensemble).
Though it can’t escape the gravity of its associations or their sonic similarities, Mink Mussel Manticore still offers enough of its own fuzz-lined distinctions as it darts from experimental ecstasy to riff-driven precision, all churned out under a thick production fug and an engine of mosh-friendly grooves.
It may have once been as “rare as hen’s teeth” but Spinning Top Records’ digital release has made one of the lost albums of 2011 one of this year’s best local reissues. (Al Newstead)
Fishing – Shy Glow (Create Control)
Doug Wright and Russell Fitzgibbon are the two Sydney-based producer masterminds behind Fishing’s enchanting, tingly synth-psychedelica. One of the most exciting names in the country’s strong current of up-and-coming electronic acts, Fishing are finally ready to press their vivid sample-based sounds into a physical LP we can clutch in our hands and/or cuddle to sleep with.
Two years in the making, Shy Glow perfectly captures the essence of Fishing’s genre-bending production that combines elements of hip hop, indie-pop and chillwave into eclectic jams that find their place perfectly both on the dancefloor and plugged into a headphone jack on the train-ride home.
Their textured, technicolour soundscapes radiate with fuzzy 80s synths, warped vocal samples and neon psychedelia, and as already hinted by lead singles ‘Your Mouth’, ‘Chi Glow’ and ‘Recoup’, the pair’s debut LP is set to become a summertime essential for 2014. (Dylan McCarthy)
Mia Dyson – Idyllwild (MGM)
Last week Australian blues-roots songstress Mia Dyson released her fifth album, Idyllwild, the latest edition to her beautiful back catalogue that has earned her a particularly difficult critically-acclaimed reputation to live up to.
However, Dyson needn’t worry, because on this stunning latest effort, she more than lives up to her name.
“It’s taken five albums to let go and step into the dark. I’m following songs where they lead me now,” said Dyson about her new LP. “It’s unpredictable, where they’ll go. As the process unfolds the songs reveal themselves. I’ve learned to trust the process, trust the skills I’ve built up, the people I’ve chosen to surround myself with.” We couldn’t put it better ourselves.
Currently in stores, Idyllwild has been advance streaming here at Tone Deaf for the past week. Take a listen now and soak up Dyson’s most self-assured collection of songs and stories to date. (DM)
Milwaukee Banks – Rose Water EP (Inertia Access)
All right, we know what you cynics are thinking ‘Aussie hip-hop… next’, but hip-hop of the Aussie variety has never sounded like this. Depending on your views, whether conservative or the adventurous type, hip-hop in our great country has needed somewhat of a revival. A change, a fresh approach, something cutting edge to bring it back to the best of its game rather than the usual piano chords, chipmunk chitter-chatter, and a certain similarity in beats, mainly due to a lack of variety, or dare we say it a level of sophistication.
There is a group who are willing to challenge the status quo, a Melbourne duo formed from the creative juices of rapper Dylan Thomas (Polo Club) and producer Adrian ‘Edo’ Rafter, who’s played support for the likes of SBTRKT and Major Lazer; the pair come together for to form (like Voltron) Milwaukee Banks.
The title track ‘Rose Water’ is a sweet insight into what to expect from the EP, you’re drawn straight away into the glitchy electronica and wavy backing synths, for a tale told through slow ambience and heartfelt lyrics, emulating an eerie backdrop that is soothing and comforting. It’s like getting home at 5 in the morning with the birds chirping and drawing the blinds for some rest, it might feel wrong but it’s so inviting and somehow rewarding.
With fresh, super stylish production that’s crisp and smooth, the beats create a soft atmosphere via a combination of singing and rhyming and chopped out electronic beats. If you’ve been on the hunt for something to breath the life back into your hip-hop spirits, Milwaukee Banks is the answer to your prayers. Rose Water drops this Friday 13th June. (JM)
Tales In Space – Formula (MGM)
Sydney duo Tales In Space engineer a sound that requires at least four hyphenated words to even begin to describe it. They tend to settle on ‘electro-dynamo-pomo-disco-rock’, so let’s go with that.
Having made a name for themselves with 2013’s breakthrough single ‘Shades’ as well as their cathartic live shows, Formula marks the highly-awaited debut full-length release from Luke Bert and Simon Widuar.
The record spins through a buoyant tracklist of frenetic, electro-fused indie-rock, charged with plenty of foot-tapping riffs and uplifting, shout-along pop choruses.
Formula is currently streaming right here at Tone Deaf, and the boys even gave us a track-by-track run-through to explain the method behind their brilliant, catchy madness. (DM)
