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.
Imperium In Imperio II
Just released by local label Teef in conjunction with OXJAM, this one’s a compilation featuring exclusive unheard choons some of the best emerging acts you’ll find right now. Sampa The Great, Alice Ivy, Jack Grace, Saatsuma, Japanese Wallpaper, Fishing, Woodes, Tracey Chen, Ribongia… It just goes on. Even better, the proceeds are all going to OXFAM’s Syrian refugee appeal, so grab a copy or three.
Kllo – Well Worn EP
It’s been a long, patient build to this point for Melbourne outfit Kllo, who first impressed in 2014 with a string of accomplished singles from their debut EP Cusp – an appropriate name, as it turns out. Two years later, the electronic duo have fulfilled that early promise with Well Worn, a beautifully-presented selection of tracks that manages to sound thoroughly modern, while also standing apart from your average producers with beats packed full of subtle depth mingling with truly gorgeous vocals. Well Worn is out through Good Manners Music.
Christopher Port – Vetement EP
Melbourne musician Christopher Port started out as an accomplished drummer, and you can still find him drumming for the likes of Ngaiire on her most recent tour. That predilection is immediately evident on his debut solo EP, as he toys with all sorts of electronic drum sounds across a percussion-driven assortment of tracks. Definitely one of Melbourne’s emerging producers to keep an eye on. Vetement is out now through Pieater.
Sophie Hutchings – Wide Asleep
We premiered pianist Sophie Hutchings’ third album recently, a beautiful record that firmly establishes her as one of the defining names in modern classical. Wide Asleep explores the space between sleep and waking, a theme that prompts a delicate contrast between urgency and fragility throughout the record. Wide Asleep is out through Preservation Recordings.
Suss Cunts – Self Titled EP
Raw, rough and ready, Suss Cunts are the “hospo punk” trio tearing a hole in the Melbourne scene at the moment, absolutely nailing the sound and the aesthetic in the process. There’s melody, there’s energy, there’s biting honesty – and there’s even some genuine musicianship to cap it all off. Suss Cunts is out now.
friendships – It’s Vermentino Dickhead
friendships are one of the most important emerging acts in Australia at the moment. Moving from the faraway lands of WA’s Emu Point to the sweaty confines of Melbourne’s club scene, they bring a breadth of experience to their music, imbuing their jacked up beats with a sense of purpose and urgency and fear. This new mixtape is only a handful of offcuts, influenced by what the duo have learnt during a spate of late-night gigs and club residencies, but it’s killer all the same. It’s Vermentino Dickhead is out through Dot Dash.
Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird – Melbourne Bitter EP
The second release from the relative newcomers, Melbourne Bitter is a melancholic chunk of alt-electro that makes it seem as if the title alludes to something beyond just the beer. The band pair crunchy guitars and synths in inventive ways, while singer Lachy Rose’s rich vox absolutely soar overhead. CTBNF aren’t afraid to mess with the formula, and are all the better for it. Melbourne Bitter is out through Double Drummer.
Two Steps On The Water – God Forbid Anyone Look Me In The Eye
With a love-it-or-hate-it sighing vocal delivery and instrumental backing that can throw anything from jazz drums to horns and violins at you at a moment’s notice, Two Steps On The Water’s brand of country folk punk won’t be for everyone. But for those it connects with, it’ll be the start of a beautiful relationship, as the album delves into sex, violence, sadness and transness – “you asked me if I was wearing blush/it’s just foundation in my shaving cut” – with incredible emotion. God Forbid Anyone Look Me In The Eye is out now.
Hellions – Opera Oblivia
Sydney heavy rock quintet Hellions have today dropped their third album, presented with a very theatrical bent that touches on life’s many highs and lows. “We want it to commiserate with people through our common unpleasantries and overwhelming hardships,” say the band, but it’s not all bad thankfully, as the album will also “celebrate alongside our inevitable victory”. Opera Oblivia is out through UNFD.
The Metronomes – Going Somewhere
Ticking along since 1980, The Metronomes are stalwarts of Australia’s electronic scene, popping up after a long break of over a decade to deliver a fresh slab of minimal synth. Influential but underrated, they’ve chosen the perfect time to re-emerge, bringing a genuine dose of vintage electronica to a scene fixated on ’80s throwbacks. Going Somewhere is out now through It Records.
