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.
Gena Rose Bruce – Mad Love EP
On her Mad Love EP, Gena Rose Bruce introduces herself to listeners as a sly and witty young songwriter with a good head on her shoulders. With a knack for observation and turning a sharp-tongued phrase or two, there’s shades of Fiona, PJ, and Shirley.
The International Songwriting Competition finalist is also a consummate vocalist, letting her subject matter take the lead and equally capable of giving a hushed, raspy pout on opener ‘Good Thing’ or a burst of controlled yet soaring melodicism on ‘Call Girl’.
In addition to her intoxicating vocals and seductive lyrics, Bruce has a rare capacity for subtlety. Mad Love is suffused with scintillating nuances that keep you coming back for repeated listens. This is an EP listeners can really sink their teeth into.
Chiefs – Demon EP
This mouthwatering piece of electronic black candy doesn’t waste any time. From the opening beat, you’re drawn into a neon-lit world of subtle percussive twists and turns, shifting synth layers and chopped and screwed vocals.
“I put together a string of beats that I thought sounded cool and thought I was done with them. It was a while later that I figured it might be worth writing something for them and that’s when I first started putting pen to paper,” the producer recently explained.
“As usual, I made sure to turn the bass all the way up but this time balanced by some amazing vocal features, which have taken my production beyond what I could ever think. I’ve taken a few risks this time with the sounds and synths borrowing a bit of a 90’s dance vibe, which is different to what people might expect from me.”
Indeed, the Demon EP sits right at the intersection of modern trap and the ’90s old school, when electronic music was about the vibe and not the drop, which isn’t to say there aren’t any bangers here. It’s a tough balancing act, but Chiefs manages to pull it off.
Nico Ghost – Kaishi
“It’s called Kaishi because ‘Kaishi’ means beginning in Japanese and that’s what this tape is, it’s my beginning. I wanted to keep this introduction short and sweet. Majority of the EP is produced in house by GXNXVS and Seywood who I’ve been working with for a while now,” explains Nico Ghost.
Numerous young hip-hop talents have been making waves across the country lately (do we even need to name drop? Okay – Baro, Tkay Maidza, and Allday) and Nico Ghost is one new name to add to that list. The talented Melbourne emcee has just unleashed his brand new EP Kaishi to some serious hype.
It’s not hard to see why. The rapper’s lyrical style is nuanced and singular, yet instantly familiar to the experienced hip-hop veteran, while diverse and cryptic enough to ensure he stands alone in a scene which is ever-expanding and rife with talent. Nico Ghost could well become one of its foremost exponents.
I’lls – Can I Go With You To Go Back To My Country
Since their formation back in 2011, the Melbourne three-piece of Dan Rutman, Hamish Mitchell, and Simon Lam have created a number of standout releases, each receiving acclaim for the trio’s knack for deftly crafting unique aural spaces, which beckon listeners to step in and stay a while.
It’s little surprise the three-piece have seen their fan base expand rapidly in a very short period of time, Can I Go With You To Go Back To My Country perfectly encapsulates the band’s ability to marry familiar ambient soundscapes and ’90s-style electronica with a distinctly modern melodic bent.
Equal parts adventurous and intelligently crafted, Can I Go With You To Go Back To My Country is rife with tracks that keep you coming back for more, such as the 808 head-trip of ‘Let Me Have Just One’ and ‘Keep’ or the atmospheric dreamscapes of ‘Aves’ and ‘Substitutions’.
Ouch My Face – Bunyip
Punk has always been recognised as a violent subculture, and the content of Ouch My Face’s debut album, Bunyip, makes no attempt to sway that opinion.
The guitar bites hard, the drums pack a serious punch, the lyrics are aggressive (“I am the hammer … you are the nail”, “punched by a giant”, “start fights, do crimes”), and while we’re at it let’s not forget that the band’s name is Ouch My Face.
But this record isn’t just music to headbutt the wall to. Interesting features such as noise elements in the intro of ‘Eye’, a freaky, nearly psychedelic solo in ‘Your Head Is My Hat’, and a trap style beat in ‘Creep Heart’ make the record an enjoyable listen from the loungeroom as well as the mosh pit.
Celeste Potter’s vocals also add to Bunyip’s uniqueness — she goes from monotone chanting in ‘Punched by a Giant’ to childish demanding in ‘Now’ to straight-up canine snarling in ‘How to Gut a Fish’. The record clocks in at just under 30 minutes, and would’ve felt awkwardly drawn out if it went for much longer.
Overall, Bunyip is a solid, entertaining listen that will get your blood pumping.
Josh Pyke – But For All These Shrinking Hearts
Australian folk music favorite Josh Pyke is back with what is without a doubt his most refined record to date.
Set to be released 31st July by new label Wonderlick, an offshoot of Sony Music Australia, But For All These Shrinking Hearts maintains Pyke’s reputation for sweet, upbeat melodies and soft, soothing lyrical stories but with what can only be described as an added level of depth.
Cheerful, catchy tracks like ‘Hollering Hearts’, ‘Songlines’, and ‘Be Your Boy’ make for a compelling contrast to the revealing rawness of ‘When Your Colours Go’ and ‘Momentary Glow’. Descriptive imagery in lyrics, another classic trait across all of Pyke’s work, is ever present throughout the record.
Featuring collaborations with Dustin Tebbutt, Patrick James and Marcus Azon from Jinja Safari and production by John Castle who has worked with Megan Washington and Vance Joy, But For All These Shrinking Hearts is one of the top folk records to come out of 2015.
