Out mid-week mixtape is a great mix of local and international tunes kicking off with the new single from Melbourne music veterans Underground Lovers. Bringing the fun is Kirkis, a ditty from Wu Lyf alum Ellery James Roberts, some new tunes from local bands Cub Scouts, Scenic, and a teaser from the enw Violent Soho album, and Adalita wraps it all up by bringing the rock.
Underground Lovers – ‘Haunted’
The latest track from the Melbourne five-piece is a lazy, hazy addition to their long collection of releases. Taken from their 11th album (yes, 11th!) Weekend the single sees Vincent M. Giarrusso vocals employed as another instrument, with the subtle layers of the killer instrumentation mixed to perfection With beautiful female harmonies in accompaniment, this is a tune that’d hard to fault.
Kirkis – ‘Out The Womb’
A bassist, electronic wrangler, and Hiatus Kaiyote associate, Kirkis regularly gives away his squelchy, futuristic art-funk online, emblazoned with his equally eccentric and kitsch artwork. But there’s nothing funny about the deep dish groove and innovation of his tunes. With a fetish for analog synths and rubbery bass alike, don’t be surprised if Kirkis ends up becoming the first Aussie signing to Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label. What’s really going to bake your noodle is that ‘Out The Womb’ is actually a cover of glam rockers T.Rex!
Ellery James Roberts – ‘Kerou’s Lament’
Ellery James Roberts was the former frontman of the enigmatic and now dissolved British outfit Wu Lyf. For those who have listened to the band’s only album, 2011’s critically acclaimed Go Tell Fire to the Mountain, Roberts’ strained, hyper-emotional vocals will instantly give off some déjà vu. In fact, despite taking a sample from Clam Casino’s ‘I’m God’, ‘Kerou’s Lament’ could easily be mistaken for a forgotten Wu Lyf track on both instrumental and thematic levels. On this debut solo output, Roberts is once again consumed by poignant dwellings of existentialism and angst-driven anarchism, channeling these obsessive thoughts into an anthem so overwhelmingly grandiose and cinematic it’s bound to leave spine-tingling chills in its heavy wake. Wu Lyf may be defunct, but Ellery James Roberts seems to be continuing from the brilliant place they left off.
Duke Dumont – ‘Hold On (ft MNEK)’
British producer Duke Dumont continues giving us the goods with his latest deep house jam, ‘Hold On’. It goes down a different path from Dumont’s previously hyperactive club anthems, and instead takes on a slow-burning but still danceable R&B vibe with minimalistic ‘90s beats and soaring, soulful vocals provided by 18-year-old Londoner MNEK. While it’s not the official followup to his current chart-topping single ‘Need U (100%)’, this will certainly fill the void in the mean time. Between the likes of Disclosure, AlunaGeorge and Duke Dumont, the dance scene is being undoubtedly driven by the Brits in 2013. Thankfully, we’ll be able to see them all in action at the upcoming inaugural Listen Out festival.
Cub Scouts – ‘Paradise’
Brisbane indie popsters Cub Scouts, seems to be getting closer to pop perfection with their new single “Paradise”, the title track from their second EP, due for release August 2nd. A short 2.37 long, “Paradise’ wastes no time in getting to the point, with loads of synth sounding keys, driving electronic sounding drums and wonderfully high pitched lead vocals, that are teamed with cleverly layered backing vocals from Zoe and Sam that don’t over shadow the main man Tim Nelson. This track certainly takes you to a little music paradise of your own. Catch Cub Scouts at Four Walls Festival in Brisbane on Saturday 3rd August.
Scenic – ‘Shockwaves’
Sydney based label Future Classic seem to be taking over the airwaves with all their fabulous signings, so lets add to the list of other great acts with Perth group Scenic and their new single from their debut EP. “Shockwaves” is an electro dream pop indie cross over track, lead by swirls that sit nicely in the background throughout the whole track, luscious vocals, gentle drum beats, making this track a pure blissful listening experience.
Adalita – ‘All Day Venus’
Let’s hear it for the rock chicks! The Magic Dirt frontwoman is bringing her amazing vocal edge to yet another tune, but this time,she’s taking her cue from fellow melbourne band beaches and channeling some vocal reverb and 90s grunge. The songstress has revealed this first single is a good indication of what’d to come from her second solo album. The rock chick is turning up the volume and we can’t even wait!
Violent Soho – ‘In The Aisle’
With its surging opening, the first taste of the first album in three years from the Mansfield maniacs signals the Brisbane band bolstering their strongest features – Luke Boerdam’s layrnx lynching vocals, grunge-era attack, maximum volume guitars – to an anthemic, polished tune. There’s a character study hiding in its lyrics, but ‘In The Aisle’ also manages to be the kind of song that’s calculated to provoke synchronised moshing; and Violent Soho wouldn’t want it any other way.
