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ALIEN NOSEJOB - ONCE AGAIN THE PRESENT BECOMES THE PAST (LP)

Jake Robertson must be one of those people who can’t sit still. You know the type.. That housemate who has a day off and ends up cleaning out the tupperware cupboard ‘just cause.’

The Geelong native has spent a large chunk of the last few years positioning himself as a prolific icon of the Victorian underground music scene - featuring in acts from The Frowning Clouds, to Smarts, Ausmuteants and more (not to mention the one and only ACDC cover band worth thinking about, The Daccas.) 

Latest project Alien Nosejob now celebrates the release of it’s second LP, Once Again The Present Becomes The Past  - described in the one-sheet as “[having] started life as a concept record about Australia’s first and largest air raid, the 1942 Bombing Of Darwin. However, while grappling with this heavy subject-matter, something from Norm Macdonald’s book, of all places, stuck with Jake: "The Present Became Past Again". History is forever repeating itself. It continues to happen. It will happen again.”

It’s huge, it’s heavy, it’s high octane hardcore influenced tunes at their greatest. Check it out above now.

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VIKA AND LINDA - SUNDAY (THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ISO)

They say that you know you’ve ‘made it’ when people can identify you on a first name basis. See for ref; Cher, Kylie, Madonna.. 

Cue Vika and Linda.. Bull, that is. In case you live under a rock. The sisters have been stunning audiences and ears for over 30 years. Starting off singing with The Blak Sorrows in the 80s, going on to release their own music and even joining the likes of Paul Kelly on stage. 

Despite all their incredible collabs, where they really shine is in their work together. Their harmonies and that indescribable connection they have to each other that shows itself in the most wonderful ways through their music. New album ‘Sunday (The Gospel According to Iso)’ is no different. Here the sisters shine in all their gospel glory to produce a record that’s uplifting, emotional and inspiring. The perfect thing to help get you through the weirdness of today. Check it out right now above.

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LOGIC1000 - PERFUME

Perfume / Blossom by Logic1000

The old ‘if i had a dollar’ comes to mind when thinking about the number of times we’ve declared how much we’re hanging to get back onto a dancefloor and this new track by Logic1000 does us no favours in assisting with quashing that sentiment. Are we mad? Not at all. Does it make us pine for sweat drenched walls and air thick with dry ice now more than ever? Abso-bloody-lutely.

Sydney born, Berlin based producer Samantha Poulter is the face behind the name of Logic1000 and of the track, says that "Perfume is actually a finessed version of the very first Logic track ever made. I actually lost the original session so we recreated it from scratch. It was so fun and I'm super happy with how refined it is compared to the original" So are we, Samantha. So are we.

The single is out on 12” vinyl along with new track ‘Blossom’ this Sep 25 via her own label Therapy. Check it out now and add immediately to your next iso-rave playlist.

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GORDON KOANG - UNITY (LP)

Unity by Gordon Koang

Sometimes, no matter how crumby things get or how average a day you’re having, all you need is a good piece of music to help you shimmy the shit away. All we have to say is thank goodness for the shining beacon of positivity, optimism, love and happiness that is Gordon Koang. The South Sudanese musician (now Melbourne based) has been warming the hearts of listeners since he first encouraged us to ‘clap our hands’ and now he’s done it again, this time with a full blown new LP. According to the presser, the album Unity “.. touches on the darker side of Gordon's experiences whilst sharing his never-ending faith and joy.” Never-ending faith and joy? Sounds just like what the doctor ordered. Stream it, enjoy it, support it all now.

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SaD - SIGN FROM ABOVE

Saturn Rules The Material World by SaD

There ain’t much in life that gets us excited the same way that the idea of a supergroup does. The collision of creative minds, joint venture of a group of individuals who each in their own right excel, the coming together of established-awesomeness.. It’s all bit bit overwhelming really. Cue SaD - a superduo of sorts comprised of all-timers Simona Castricum and No Zu’s Daphne Camf and ‘Sign From Above,’ latest single and first drop from forthcoming debut LP ‘Saturn Rules The Material World’ out late September. Its boomy kicks, 90s inspired machine percussion and fantastical soundscapes all collabortively drifting us off to faraway lands where mystical places called ‘night cubs’ exist. What a dream.

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TKAY MAIDZA - YOU SAD (VIDEO)

Adelaide hometown hip-hop hero Tkay Maidza has just revealed the film clip for new album feature track ‘You Sad’ and we have to say, it’ll leave you feeling anything but.

Tkay has well and truly knocked Alice off of her Wonderland pedestal as she hangs out in the super bright, illuminated hyperspace that she and producer Dan Farber have created here. It’s colourful, it’s creative, it’s everything we need right now to escape the dreary reality of a wintry Melbourne iso 2.0. Check it out above and suss out the new album Last Year Was Weird, Vol 2 here now.

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PLASTIC - BABY STEPS

New Hands by Plastic

Indie-pop fans beware, we’ve got a new one for you that will undoubtedly be your next ‘listen on repeat for half a day every day for two weeks’ track. We all have ‘em, we’re just helping you out by providing you with something fresh to throw in the mix.

Behold ‘Baby Steps’ by Melbourne outfit Plastic. It’s the brand newbie from the five piece who are gearing up to drop their debut LP New Hands in the not-too-distant future. For lovers of guitar pop that bounces, bends and occasionally bleeds a bit of psychedelic freak-out twinge, this is for you. 

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THANDO - NAKED

Naked by thando

We’ve always known that local soul superstar Thando can do no wrong and bam, here she is again proving us right with her latest track ‘Naked.’ It’s a super smooth, sensual bit of gliding rnb. It’s got a very 90s California feeling about it, with images of driving around the sunshine state in a convertible and low rise jeans coming to mind. Except, in reality we’re walking around the Edinborough Gardens in the 25 minutes of daily winter sun wearing a facemask. Same same but different, right?

To help keep that mood going, Thando has even released an accompanying Spotify playlist in which she’s curated the perfect tracks to get naked to. And yes, you can bet it features Ashanti. We’ve never looked forward to our daily Edi stroll so much.

Check out the playlist here and listen to ‘Naked’ above.

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MILDLIFE - VAPOUR

Automatic by Mildlife

Melbourne groove lords Mildlife unveil latest offering ‘Vapour,’ another huge track from their forthcoming second LP Automatic. Described by the group as “a dance mantra with enough weight to blow the cobwebs off your tired mind and snap you out of your endless feed scrolling rituals,” it feels like something we could all do with a bit of.

A bopping bass line flirting with cheeky synths provides an electro-funk feast for the ears throughout this one. Could also possibly be the perfect track to listen to whilst making your way through the endless perils of visiting the supermarket; providing a soundtrack to help you dodge around all personal space invaders with finesse and style whilst weaving in and out of aisles with a few too many people in them.

Automatic is due out this September through Inertia. 

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SAMPA THE GREAT - TIME’S UP FT KROWN (VIDEO)

The one and only Sampa The Great has just unveiled a helluva film clip to accompany the track ‘Time’s Up’ ft Krown. Pulled from her 2019 debut LP The Return, the video serves as a timely kick up the ass for the music industry, demanding that they need to do better. 

In a statement about the clip, Sampa has said that “‘Times up’ is a track that was made to reflect a conversation between two young Black artists about the Australian music industry. With the current atmosphere it’s an important time to address systemic racism within the music industry, especially as it slowly rebuilds. Allyship should never be performative and as we continue past blackout day, all music orgs/labels should be put to task in bringing forward their initiatives for real change within their industry.”

Check out the clip above and keep an eye out for the dig at a certain Aus music institution.

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VINTAGE CROP - THE NORTH

Serve To Serve Again by Vintage Crop

In fair Geelong, where we lay our scene. From post-punk favourites to angular new heights. Where guitar trips through drums and vocals shuffle from behind, relentlessly pushing the whole thing forward. Such is the story of Vintage Crop’s latest single ‘The North.’

It serves as a solid second taste of their forthcoming third LP, Serve To Serve Again, out this August on the ever-reliable source of decent tunes that is the second best thing to come out of Geelong, Anti Fade Records.*

According to Deafen Country lead singer Jack Cherry noted that “the North doesn’t allude to a particular place, it’s a collage of thoughts from a particular time. Some of the lyrics focus on everyday anxieties while others are a little more abstract, but on the whole; the song deals with stress and tiredness. It’s a feeling of being powerlessness and in a rut. It’s raining again but I still don’t have a raincoat.”

Doesn’t sound like a familiar feeling at all..

*the first best of course being the fond memories of monthly visits to all-you-can-eat outpost Smorgy’s. With their boat-shaped buffet of undercooked delicacies and horrifying mechanical puppet show played hourly. Ah, good times.

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IJALE - HOTLINES

Hotlines by IJALE

Melbourne rising rap artist and producer IJALE has teased a little slice of goodness from his upcoming debut EP with the release of super smooth single ‘Hotlines.’ The track is said to be “..is based on an idea of having a hotline or helpline that Black people and other people of color could call to vent and process the microaggressions they experience in white spaces on a day to day basis.

Usually, there is an undercurrent of racism and biases that will suture itself to most interactions between white people and non-white people, whether it is apparent to the former or not, and sometimes the unconscious bias that this brings can cause friction that is only evident to those with the awareness to pick up on it. These instances can be small or innocuous, but in a broader scope, these small instances of discrimination can compound and affect those who bear the brunt of them quite considerably.” With all proceeds from the sale of the track going towards the Australian Muslim Social Services Agency (AMSSA) to support the residents of 33 Alfred St who are in indefinite lockdown, you could score a huge new track PLUS help those in need. Winner winner, feelin’ good for dinner.

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HTRK - REAL HEADFUCK

ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪ *･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ*ヽReal Headfuck ♪ *♪ Reverse Déjà Vu *:･ﾟ by HTRK

There are a few things that music does really well. Music tells stories, it educates, it brings people together. One of the most profound things that music does is provide an escape. Complete escapism from the reality of the world around you, from the stresses that come with being human. That’s what this new track from HTRK does. Provide pure escapism.

Through celestial soundscapes and meandering melodies, ‘Real Headfuck’ manages to prevent you from suffering just that. Providing a sense of clarity amongst a swirling arrangement of soothing music. Recorded in the Dandenong Ranges, no less.

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SARAH MARY CHADWICK - SIT DOWN & POUR

Midnight Meditations by Sarah Mary Chadwick

Sarah Mary Chadwick has always had a knack for writing music that manages to tap into the absolute depths of earth shattering emotion. Through a series of heartbreakingly relatable lyrics, honest melodies and that piano wandering dutifully behind her at all times, ‘Sit Down and Pour’ is no different. Serving as Chadwick’s contribution to Chapter Music’s recent Midnight Meditations compilation release, it fits perfectly within the much-loved local label’s album description as “... previously unreleased tracks from Australian-based artists, designed to help listeners through long dark nights of the soul.”

So sit back, relax, give yourself a break from the ~real world and dive in.

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FIRST NATIONS FAVOURITES

Today we want to use our platform to share the work of some incredible Indigenous musicians, especially during a time when it is important to amplify the voices of First Nations people. 

This list is by no means definitive. We encourage you to keep listening to more Indigenous artists – there’s an abundance out there that should be at the top of your listening queue. Buy their music and share it wide.

DRMNGNOW Neil Morris is a Yorta Yorta MC and poet who performs as DRMNGNOW. Driven by “100,000 plus years of ancestral force” his music inspires and educates, with songs such as ‘Australia Does Not Exist’ a powerful rumination on the genocide that began in 1788 when sacred Indigenous land was colonized. Speaking to Red Bull, Morris states “Songwriting and creating music has always been the most powerful way that I can process that information of injustices that I’ve been exposed to.”

Listen here. Buy here.

Allara

Allara is a Yorta Yorta musician, composter and filmmaker who we first saw performing at the One of One International Women’s Day Breakfast. Her deconstructed performance featuring her spoken word and double bass was compelling, with the track ‘Murnong Farm’ a standout. In Allara’s own words the song reflects “on my own displacement: displacement from my grandfather’s generation, from my mother’s generation and eventually to me.” It also speaks of how Indigenous knowledge could be the answer to social justice issues as well as the climate crisis we face.  

Listen here. Buy here.

Kee’ahn

Flooring us when she performed at the Darebin Music Feast event at Northcote Social Club, Kee’ahn shared a special moment with the audience when she performed alongside her father who explained Kee’ahn’s name means “to dance, to sing, to play”. The Gugu Yalanji, Jirrbal and Badu Island musician has just released her debut single ‘Better Things’, a meditative and soulful track about self-love and rebuilding yourself after heartbreak. You’ll be swooning over her captivating vocal which is perfectly accompanied by the song’s piano and trumpet.

Listen here. Buy here.

Electric Fields

After their Eurovision bid with the epic ‘2000 & Whatever’ last year’s Corner Award winners Electric Fields have gone on to become one of the most lauded live acts in the country. Stealing the show at festivals including Golden Plains and BIGSOUND, the South Australian duo of Zaachariaha Fielding and Mike Ross deliver a euphoric performance that uplifts each and every time. Fielding is a formidable figure on stage, dancing and sashaying as they sing in the Indigenous language of Pitjantjatjara as well as English. When gigs are back make sure Electric Fields at the top of your bucket list of live acts.

Listen here. Buy here.

Matalja

Matalja hails from Broome in Western Australia, raised to speak the Kimberley languages of Djugan, Yawuru and Jabirr-Jabirr. Though she is a relative newcomer, Matalja possesses a talent that will quickly see her become a household name in music. Her first single is the atmospheric ‘Malu Mabu Liyan’ which boasts a chorus that will quickly worm its way into your head. The song features on the upcoming twelfth edition of Sounds of the Kimberly, a compilation release promoted by the regional recording project spearheaded by WAM (Western Australian Music).

Listen here.

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LISTEN TO THIS! NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK PLAYLIST

Here is a compilation of works from a selection of the finest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians that have ever graced our speakers. As you can see, this playlist provides a little of everything – from your old favourites to new mind –blowing talent, from r&b to country, to rap. Stories enveloped in raw emotion, rich harmonies and some of the most expertly crafted lyricism. What an absolute privilege it is for us to have access to this array of talent, musicianship and song writing. Listen very closely. If you can’t figure out where to start, go with Miiesha’s Hold Strong. Damn, what a voice. What a song. You’ll be sky-rocketed to another planet from the first second that supporting synth kicks in with her voice. Woah.

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LISTEN TO THIS! MELBOURNE SOUNDS PLAYLIST

Like everybody else, we’re busting to be pub crawlin’ and house partyin’ through the Melb-Town suburbs that make our city so damn great. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer before we’re slinging back a cold one at the pub, but in the meantime take a virtual tour of Smellbourne via this freshly squeezed playlist we’ve just thrown together. We’re all pretty familiar with the classic tunes that pay homage to our lovely city – think PK’s Leaps & Bounds, Four Seasons In A Day by Crowded House, TISM’s iconic Greg! The Stop Sign!! – so we’ve dug a little deeper with this collection. Comprised of a diverse range of local legends, these tunes should provide a strong dose of nostalgia with a side of warm, hometown fuzzies. For best consumption, listen with a morning coffee or arvo beer. Stay home, stay safe.