Aussie music company Unified has welcomed the team behind successful Aussie boutique festivals, along with rising hip hop star Remi, to their management roster.
Unified has today announced their newest artist managers are Aidan McLaren and Rhett McLaren, the creative brothers are the team that have run the camping music festival The Hills Are Alive, which just completed its sixth winning edition this past weekend at its usual location at a private farm located among the beautiful rolling hills of South Gippsland.
The invite-only ‘friends of friends’ festival regularly sells out every year and its spin-off event, NYE On The Hill, also completely sold out well in advance of its inaugural edition this past New Year’s.
The McLarens bring their successful festival and tastemaking expertise to Unified, with The Hills Are Alive having hosted breakout Aussie acts like Vance Joy, Apline, Courtney Barnett, Saskwatch, DZ Deathrays, and plenty others in the emerging steps of their respective careers.
Aiden and Rhett McLaren also presented Melbourne-based MC Remi to a sold out crowd to last year’s festival and NYE On The Hill and now bring the Triple J Unearthed Artist Of The Year to the Unified management roster, joining the likes of Vance Joy, The Amity Affliction, Illy, Violent Soho, Northlane, and more.
Following a breakout 2013, in which his summer jam ‘Sangria’ landed at #85 in the Hottest 100, earlier this year the 22-year-old completed his first national headline tour and opened for Illy on his sold out Cinematic tour while dropping brand new single ‘Livin‘.
The track, featuring regular collaborators Sensible J and Dutch, is the lead single from Remi’s debut album, Raw x Infinity, on 6th June via his own DIY label House of Beige and to be distributed by Unified.
This Week’s New Tracks On Triple J
Adds:
360 – Live It Up {Ft. Pez} [EMI]
Bear Hands – Peacekeeper [Bear Hands Inc./Warner]
Calling All Cars – Good God! [Cooking Vinyl]
First Aid Kit – My Silver Lining [Sony]
Luca Brasi – Borders & Statelines [Poison City]
SAFIA – Paranoia, Ghosts & Other Sounds [Independent]
Todd Terje – Delorean Dynamite {Edit} [Olsen Records/Kolbalt]
Wet – You’re The Best [Dew Process]
Spots:
Jamie xx – Sleep Sound [Young Turks/Remote Control]
Morning Harvey – Come Back To Me (Girl Euphoria) [triplejunearthed.com]
Tourist – I Can’t Keep Up {Ft. Will Heard} [Method Records]
Tune-Yards – Water Fountain [4AD/Remote Control]
Industry News
Queenscliff Music Festival Appoints New Director, Earlybird Tickets On Sale
As it begins its preparations for its 18th annual edition, the Queenscliff Music Festival has appointed a new Festival Director in Andrew Orvis. A Queenscliff native, Mr Orvis has been part of the QMF team for the last six years (and attended every edition of the festival) and has extensive experience working in the contemporary music scene, particularly in Geelong, Bellarine, and Surf Coast areas. “The 2014 program is shaping up to be a beauty! We’ll be featuring a few select international artists this year to compliment roughly 50 fantastic Australian acts,” says Mr Orvis. Early bird tickets for QMF 2014 – taking place from 28th – 30th November – are now on sale via www.qmf.net.au (via Queenscliff Music Festival)
Aussie Labels Benefit From $400k In Grants Funding
The national government arts funding body, Australia Council, has been granted the budget to fund additional grants that will benefit 11 Australian independent labels as part of the Recording Initiative. Chapter Music, Future Classic, Head Records, Hope Street Recordings, Mistletone Enterprises, Rice is Nice Records, Split Records, Stop Start, SugarRush, Two Bright Lakes and the Wantok Music Foundation will share more than $400,000 in funding. “The output from these labels covers a really wide range of music practices, and the grants will directly support around 50 new releases by artists from around the country,” says Australia Council’s Director of Music Paul Mason. (via The Music Network)
Twitter Kills #Music App, Plots New Music Charts System
Twitter’s own music discovery and streaming app, Twitter #Music, is to be discontinued this 18th April – exactly one year after its initial launch. Developed by Australian-based music discovery team, We Are Hunted, Twitter #Music held a lot of potential but just one month after its launch it failed to take off and has struggled ever since. Following the death of the app, Twitter announced an exclusive partnership with Billboard to present a “ground-breaking chart to track the conversation around music as it happens.” The new interactive charts, to be implemented from May, will essentially track the songs and artists that are trending on the social media service – similarly to the Twitter #Music app but without any of the sharing or streaming features. (via Billboard)
AWME 2014 Artist Applications Now Open
The Australasian World Music Expo (AWME) is putting the call out to music-makers to take part in the 7th edition of the music industry conference and showcase event, taking place from the 13th – 16th November, 2014. Over 500 high profile representatives from all walks of the music world – from festivals to labels, bookers to managers, and more – wil converge on Melbourne for AWME for a host of music career opportunities, workshops, seminars, and concerts. Interested artists are invited to submit applications through either the AWME website or Sonicbids by Friday 2nd May.
Artist Signings
Dew Process Signs Wet
Brooklyn three-piece Wet are the latest act to sign to Dew Process. The synth-dappled band – comprised of Kelly Zutrau, Martin Sulkow and Joe Valle – were one of the more buzzed bands at this year’s SXSW, and following the industry conference they have unveiled new single ‘You’re The Best‘. The track is taken from their forthcoming self-titled EP, out via Dew Process on 25th April.
Young Franco Signs With Falcona
19-year-old Brisbane-based DJ and producer Young Franco has joined Falcona, with the company’s Chris Murray now handling bookings as Young Franco joins a roster that includes Alison Wonderland, Hayden James, and Hot Dub Time Machine. The new signee is also joining Alison Wonderland’s Wonderland Warehouse Project Tour and dropped a new remix package to celebrate, available on his Facebook page.
Roll The Tanks Join Epitaph
Epitaph have expanded their roster with the addition of the recently LA-relocated band Roll The Tanks for the release of their debut album Broke Til Midnight on 23rd May. The new release is accompanied by lead sing ‘Goodnight Jimmy Lee’ and its animated music video. “Roll The Tanks write the kind of songs that make you want to be a songwriter,” says Label CEO and Bad Religion member Brett Gurewitz of the latest signees.
