Perth’s local news, music, arts and culture stalwarts RTRFM are currently in the midst of their annual Radiothon, which runs until Sunday, 24 August.
Having been on the airwaves since 1977, RTRFM is firmly embedded in the fabric of the local music scene and has played a key role is promoting the musical talents of countless emerging and established WA acts.
The 10-day Radiothon pledge drive is RTRFM’s main source of income for the year, making up approximately one third of the station’s annual operating costs. As an entirely self-funded station, your support is vital to keeping The Sound Alternative on the airwaves. Feed your independence by subscribing or donating this Radiothon.
Being at the cutting edge of local, national and international music releases across diverse genres, and to celebrate another year on air, we asked RTRFM presenters to introduce us to who they believe are the most exciting acts of 2014.
Jade Nobbs – El Ritmo/Soulsides
On Air Tuesday 9-11pm & Friday 7-9pm
Die! Die! Die!: These guys have been around for ten years now – out of Dunedin NZ, and at one time signed to Flying Nun – and have consistently released solid, uncompromising indie punk that is melodic, incendiary and sonically complex. Their live shows are a thing of rare beauty and power as well.
This is the advance single from their forthcoming record S W I M, and if this track is anything to go by, it’s going to be a corker.
Viet Cong: A couple of ex-members of Calgary drone-rock band Women have re-assembled with a few new recruits into Viet Cong, and their debut record on Mexican Summer is a stunning blend of garage, drone and gothic reverie. The album’s closing track is a combination of minimal jangle-pop and driving industrial kraut Nirvana.
Jane Azzopardi – Drivetime
On Air weekdays 5-7pm
Fait: Fait came out of nowhere and blew my mind. This song is energetic, atmospheric and immediate in a way that completely defies its supposed genre. Elise Higgins is the mastermind behind the outfit, recording her debut EP Atmosphere in the UK. Returning to her hometown of Perth, she pulled together a band to recreate the sound live. The result is a complete audio and visual immersion. Fait sees the boundaries of post rock and shoe gaze expand to include stylistic elements that you never even realised were missing.
Will Backler – Full Frequency
On Air weekdays 3-5pm
Untold: Like many from of the old school of dubstep, Jack Dunning AKA Untold has in the last few years shifted his sound in a decidedly more techno direction. However, unlike many of his peers, Untold is not concerned with making straightforward techno for the dance floor – he wants to mangle the circuitry of your brain, as evidenced on his debut album Black Light Spiral from earlier this year on his own Hemlock Recordings imprint. Unfamiliar and almost unsettling, this is music for late at night in a blackened room through headphones, or possibly in the hands of a more adventurous and discerning late slot DJ.
Fatima Al Qadari: Growing up in Kuwait during the Gulf War and experiencing the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Fatima Al Qadari’s music was destined to be as equally icy cold as it is mechanical, as her surroundings became, in her own words, a real life Blade Runner. Her debut album Asiatisch was released in May on Hyperdub and is an amazing ride through a futuristic imagined Chinese setting, created through the “sinogrime” (grime music produced with a strong oriental music influence) sounds and rhythms that propel the 10 tracks forward. Asiatisch also includes an amazing cover of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’!
Paul “Sandy” Burnett – Out to Lunch
On Air weekdays 12-3pm
Sleaford Mods: Nottingham’s Sleaford Mods graphically document the post-GFC, Cameron-sponsored downward spiral of the British working class. There has hardly been any music that has been this politically charged for 20 years. Discontent is now reserved for pointless social media comment boxes, making Sleaford Mods more vital than ever.
The Soundcarriers: On this, their third album, The Soundcarriers (also from Nottingham) have honed their sound and have completely nailed it. This excellently produced album is a wonderful hybrid of psychedelia, library music, classic soundtrack scores and baroque pop.
Holly Doll – Rock Rattle & Roll/Burn the Airwaves
On Air Tuesday 7-9pm & Thursday 10pm-12am
Them Sharks!: Every time this punk-reggae-hip hop mash up comes on, I am instantly reminded of summer and the feeling of the sun kissing my shoulders as I bop around to this tune. They’ll Call It The Electric Hutchence flows perfectly, with pumping riffs and catchy lyrics; making this song an absolute gem to listen to and drift away with to a wonderful place.
Scalphunter: ‘Ceramic Souls’ is one of the most earth shattering hardcore / rock ‘n’ roll songs to experience – it fills my body with electric volts and makes the hair stand on the back of my neck. Scalphunter’s amazing vocal harmonies and rumbling guitar riffs provide a rush like no other, and blow away any expectations you had about punk rock.
Adam Christou – RTRFM Music Director/Out to Lunch
On Air weekdays 12-3pm
Eleventeen Eston: Sublime, cosmic yacht rock. An effortless combination of the sonics of 70s-80s, tempered with shimmering synths and wavy guitar tone. Works well as the soundtrack to your next visit to the beach, or an interstellar voyage with Carl Sagan on the spaceship of the imagination. Eleventeen Eston’s debut LP Delta Horizons came out earlier this year as a tape-only release via label Not Not Fun. Fingers crossed that it gets put on vinyl in the future.
METHYL ETHEL: The solo project of musician Jake Webb (Sugarpuss, Rabbit Island), METHYL ETHEL has steadily evolved over a series of debut EPs that were released in 2013. Exploring elements of glam rock, and having a distinct lo-fi feel, new single Rogues fits along nicely with King Gizzard’s latest offerings from Oddments and artists such as Ariel Pink, making his forthcoming debut LP a record one I’ll be looking forward to.
Savoir: Collaborative musical project from Perth musicians James Ireland, Andrew Sinclair and Mei Saraswati, Savoir blend together world music, R&B and west-coast beats.
With only one single out in the past year and a half, Savoir have kept things rather low-key, only playing a handful of shows (including the recent Boiler Room Perth gig in early 2014).
For those anxiously waiting for something new from Savoir to be released, Mei Saraswati’s new solo EP Small Tunas of the Coastal Plain is well worth exploring.
The RTR Radiothon is happening now, for info and to subscribe, visit: rtrfm.com.au
