Are you a little bit tired of straight-laced rock? Sick of hearing your little sister’s bubblegum pop blaring from her bedroom? Or a tiny bit over your Dad protesting that there isn’t a world outside of blues? Boy, do we have news for you.
Five pioneering Aussie artists had the same restless ears as you, only they did something about it – they pushed the sonic boundaries of contemporary music and created a clutch of brand-spanking new genres, or at least according to the folks at Triple J who have profile the Unearthed bands and their new musical inventions.
The first new genre, “Stadium Dolewave”, is championed by Melbourne’s Cool Sounds, a quartet that produce neat ‘n tidy sun-soaked coastal jams. To break their fresh sound down, it features off-kilter jangle-pop hooks that avoid pitchy Aussie ocker vocals found more in the likes of Dick Diver or Twerps, focusing on smoothing out the edges to create a more clean and appetising sound for a wider audience.
Searching for something on the chill side? Here’s Melbourne lad Jasia‘s “Orchestral Dream Pop” – not quite post-rock, nor ambient – doesn’t fully submerge itself in electronica and nowhere near as pathless as experimental as heard in his track ‘Lowlife’, the tune too-ing and fro-ing as it flows uninterrupted with calming watery elements. The kinda stuff to lose yourself in.
For those chasing something with a bit more beat, dig WZRDKID, the purveyors of “Intergalactic Hiphop”, which draws its obvious roots from the lyrical spits of MCs, however sonically explores the experimental solar depths of Pink Floyd, even Allday listed this Mildura crew as one the best rising Aussie hip-hop talents.
Speaking of beats, along arrives “Babylon Style” which is like the next progression from neo-hiphop, described as “one part chiq flow and infinite parts realness” that isn’t just the pairing of lyrical and instrumentation, “it’s a way of life.” This comes in the form of Melbourne artist Yve Gold, who produces gutsy and unabashed beats.
Last, but definitely not least is Melbourne-based White Hex with their tune ‘Paradise’ that has been garnered as “Tropical Goth.” The glistening beach element is born instrumentally with shimmering synths whilst the proposed Gothica element lingers more in the haunting, malevolent vocal delivery. Perhaps a little questionable of a genre name, but at least White Hex are very rad.
Categories, sub-genres and derivatives are continually expanding from the traditional core roots of music, so what say of these five fresh arrivals of the genre game? Will they stand the test of time like punk rock or will they be little nichers like chillwave?
Take a listen to the five musical families that have emerged at the hands of Australian artists below and make up your own mind:
