Mix Tape Volume 17

We love a good mix tape at Hi Fi Way, have a look to see who made Volume Seventeen:

Platinum-selling, 21st century rock band Falling In Reverse, who are racking up 12 million streams per week, have shared the video for the brand new single Voices in My Head.

Voices in My Head follows Zombified, which recently ascended to No. 1 on the active rock radio charts in the U.S . Both tracks will live on the band’s forthcoming Neon Zombie EP.

For the track, frontman Ronnie Radke had a very specific and clear vision for the video, saying, “I wanted to capture what it’s like battling with your your past, present, and future perception of self, and the voices in everyone’s head hindering them from their full potential.“

Cheersquad Records & Tapes is thrilled to present Catch The Sun, the first single from the forthcoming debut album A Print Out Of The Sun by Melbourne’s L.A. Mood.

L.A. Mood is the solo project of Melbourne based multi-instrumentalist and producer Dave Mudie. He’s the full-time drummer for Courtney Barnett, and has played in upwards of 40 other bands and counting – for him, touring down-time means burying himself in studio projects and playing local gigs. Most recently Mudie played drums on Jess Ribeiro’s latest album, recorded Jade Imagine’s debut and played on releases from Gumboot, Super American Eagle (alongside Brent DeBoer of The Dandy Warhols), Cannon, Baby Blue & Evan Dando (The Lemonheads).

Mudie grew up in a musical family; both parents were professional musicians – his dad Don Mudie was a key member of seminal ‘60s & ‘70s bands in The Groop and Axiom and co-writer with Brian Cadd, and his mum a singer. Music has always been an obsession in Mudie’s life. Described by Ashley Naylor of Even/The Church/Paul Kelly fame as “playfully joyous and soul-expanding”, Catch The Sun is a sunburst of languid pop sweetness, and a perfect tune for Australia as we enter winter.

Dave says of Catch the Sun: “The first sample you hear on this song is my daughter’s heartbeat when she was in the womb, and that’s how the beat came about. Everything was then layered over the top. The lyric which I had for a few years became a bit of mantra to me during recording, long tours and lockdown, trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel, really. ‘We’ll try and catch the sun for you and everyone.’ I also really like how the piano and harmonies work together on this one.”

Adelaide heavy hitters PTL are announcing the complete re-brand and re-launch of their band – and the imminent arrival of their debut single – 0,000! Said Zero Thousand!

PTL possess raw energy and aggression with a mix of hope and wonderment. With their music, PTL grapples with themes of personal and emotional development, mental health, and reconciling with the bitterness of the human condition. PTL stands out with their unique fusion of Metalcore, Hardcore and Electronica; for fans of: Loathe, Vein.fm, Humanity’s Last Breath and Northlane.

Riley Fox from the band said that “0,000, pronounced ‘zero thousand’, is about the dangers of blind faith forced upon children. The lyrics are based in the third and first person, from the perspective of both the parental guardians/authority figures, enforcing the blind faith, and the outside world. The verses are from the authoritarian point of view, showing malicious aggression toward the child. The chorus and outro are from the point of view of the outside world, condemning the authority figures for their actions, while bringing attention to the potential within the children – “There’s light inside.””

John Paul Young has released his first new single in fifteen years, a slice of Motown-style rock and pop, Felt Like Love.

JPY has been recording hit singles since 1972. His career started with Pasadena – which led to a long and fruitful career with songwriters Harry Vanda and George Young. As the years rolled by, JPY stacked up hits all over the globe with songs such as Love Is In The Air, Standing In The Rain, I Hate The Music, Yesterday’s Hero and more.

Now he’s back with what sounds like an instant classic, Felt Like Love. Written by Sean Sennett and recent Ted Albert Award recipient John Field, the song is a rollicking three and half minutes that recalls everything from the heights of sixties pop to John Paul Young’s own golden years. Recorded with his incredible band including an added brass section, Felt Like Love shows that John Paul Young is still in possession of what we’ve known he’s always had … a killer voice.

“It’s big and brassy,” explains JPY of the song, “just like some of the old time screen HEART throbs (laughs) … and it gives me a chance to revisit some hard vocals from my earlier days.”

Interpol release Fables, the third single from their forthcoming full-length, The Other Side of Make-Believe, out July 15th on Matador.

“‘Fables’ features one of Daniel’s hottest licks,” comments Paul. “A breezy vocal with optimistic lyrics and a bouncy drum beat evocative of classic R&B with a nod to the golden age of hip hop. It’s a summer jam and a piece of music we are particularly proud of.”

The new track follows the band’s well-received first two singles, Toni and Something Changed – which were accompanied by a stellar two-part film directed by Van Alpert (Post Malone, Machine Gun Kelly).

ALEXISONFIRE unveil the latest single from Otherness, their first full-length album in over 13 years. Sans Soleil features earnest and deeply heartfelt lyrics penned by Wade MacNeil, with an impeccable vocal performance from Dallas Green.

Says George Pettit, “Wade came in with the lyrics for this song around the same time he had been working on the Dooms Children record and I feel like it shows. The Dooms Children album touched on a lot of things extremely personal to Wade and this song is definitely in that vein.” MacNeil elaborates, “This song is about hanging onto hope during the heaviest times. Healing and letting go. Dreaming of a future where all this hurt is behind you.”

Diana Ross ft. Tame Impala release the joyous, dance-inducing new single Turn Up The Sunshine, from Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, produced by 2022 Grammy Producer of the Year Jack Antonoff. This unique collaboration for Turn Up The Sunshine makes for a winning combination, delighting music fans across the globe. It follows the release of Ms. Ross’ brand-new album Thank You, out last year.

This is the first single from the recently announced original motion picture soundtrack for Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, the new action-comedy from the biggest animated franchise in history, set for release on Friday 1st July.

Set in the 1970s, Minions: The Rise of Gru tells the origin story of how Gru (Oscar nominee Steve Carell), the world’s greatest supervillain, first met his iconic Minions, forged cinema’s most despicable crew and faced off against the most unstoppable criminal force ever assembled.

Peeling back yet another layer of their impending sophomore album Heroine out now, the brand new single Raw from Melbourne rockers Thornhill oozes with blistering charm and towering soundscapes.

Driven by odes to classic Hollywood and cinematic scores, Heroine expands upon sonic elements explored on Thornhill’s 2019 debut album The Dark Pool, with the group’s latest track Raw immersing into sharp alternative and rock flavours, complete with razor-sharp riffs, snarling basslines and pummelling beats.

Flitting between grit and billowing ambience, Raw also ultimately allows its overarching narrative to take the reins, as vocalist Jacob Charlton explains: “The story of the song Raw follows an actress’s responses to various requests, love letters and desperate attempts made by fans and stalkers after her first major success, appearing in a soon to be cult classic film. This song primarily focuses on character of the voice rather than complex melodies and harmonies so I really wanted to bring a story to life that matches the attitude of the instruments. The way that she fights back these attempts and turns them down requires a lot of bravery and strength and it was more of the angle I wanted to hit, rather than relying on angry, dark lyrical themes.”

Reggae-influenced band Dirty Heads released a new acoustic version of their massive global hit Vacation via Better Noise Music. Currently boasting over 378 MILLION streams and more than 5 BILLION consumption plays across all social media platforms, the song took a life of its own on TikTok after the #VacationTransition challenge went viral.

The video for Wilson & Smokin’ Jack Hill remix evokes the feeling of a long summer with friends at the pool and beach, the original version of Vacation was hugely popular at beach resorts around the world and the new remixes will continue the TikTok trend into 2022.

Giving fans a taste of what’s to come on their next full–length project, the band released a reflective compilation album The Best of Dirty Heads last summer, where they joined forces with legendary drummer Travis Barker and Aimee Interrupter of The Interrupters on a song called Rage.

Beloved rockers The Hard Aches have announced their first new single since 2019, Party Ghost, a lightning strike of a song that explores finding comfort in the uncomfortable – out today. The group have also announced a mammoth national tour to celebrate the release, kicking off in July and moving through major and regional cities across QLD, NSW, ACT, TAS and SA, wrapping up on Kaurna Land at The Governor Hindmarsh on August 6. Party Ghost, which features Cahli Blakers of Teenage Joans on backing vocals, is the first taste of The Hard Aches’ new album, set to drop later in 2022.

Party Ghost is one of those rare songs that hits the listener with a wave of nostalgia upon the very first listen – evocative and complete, brightly distorted guitars propel the song forward, reaching for tightly constructed arcs that follow the song’s lyrics in perfect tandem. Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, Ben David explains, “It’s all about finding yourself in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar smells and unfamiliar sounds…it’s about reflecting on your own existence, and your own experiences then learning from them, and doing everything you can to do better. Most of all, it’s about trying to understand how it must feel to be an animal, moved away from your safe place, put through big changes, and unable to understand them.”

Australian alternative bright lights Yours Truly have announced their brand new EP is this what i look like? which will be coming out 15th July 2022 via UNFD. The band have also released a new song and video Hallucinate which features Josh Franceschi of You Me At Six. This will be the first full release from the band since their huge debut Self Care back in 2020, and also features a guest spot from DR€W ¥ORK from Stray From the Path.

Speaking about the new single Mikaila Delgado explains: “Hallucinate is an anxiety attack turned into music, detailing how it takes over your body so totally that it feels as if you’re under the influence of something. I’ve struggled badly with anxiety and it’s debilitating every day to be at war with your own thoughts. It’s one of the darkest songs we’ve ever written but I found a lot of power in pulling out the chaos of how anxiety feels and sounds to me and putting it in a song.”

Metric have unveiled Doomscroller, a sonic 10-minute voyage that transports you into a “high speed chase through the wild terrain of modern life,” and serves as the band’s second single from their highly anticipated upcoming album, Formentera.

The Doomscroller video is the next piece in Metric’s ongoing collaboration with photographer/visual artist Justin Broadbent. “Justin captured rare studio footage of the recording of ‘Doomscroller’ and we used it like a visual anchor, as evocative places outside the room keep creeping in,” says the band’s Emily Haines. “These traces of life on earth that appear and disappear throughout the song subtly mirror the shifting moods of the music.”

As the 17th June release of Life Is Yours approaches, British rockers Foals unveil their new single 2001.

2001 elevates the disco and funk influences that permeate Foals’ recent tracks Wake Me Up, 2am and Looking High. Yannis Philippakis’s falsetto soars as high as the sky he references in the song’s opening lyrics, accompanied by a riff that bounces with groove and precision, and a popping P-funk bassline. While 2001 finds Foals stepping boldly into the most electrifying example of their new sound, lyrically it’s pure reflection.

Yannis says, “‘2001’ feels like a postcard from the past. We moved to Brighton around that time, we were a young band, and there was the feeling of the first taste of independence. The moment you get those freedoms, you’re surrounded by temptation. The references to beachside candy and Brighton rock are symbols for drugs and hedonism. This was written in the depths of the pandemic winter, and there’s an escapist desire to break out from the feeling of being cooped up, both in terms of the pandemic and adolescence.”

The 2001 video transports those themes to Costa Brava, Spain to place the song’s nostalgic ambience firmly in the here-and-now. Two young men lug their sofa from their apartment to soak up some rays on the beach. Other vignettes of coming-of-age experiences follow their every move, from the effortlessly cool group of young women who observe their struggle with nonchalant indifference to a couple kissing. When one of the men chews a sweet that everyone seems to be consumed by, his summer day takes on a new hallucinogenic edge.

The video’s modernist nostalgia is heightened by its aesthetic – a washed out palette and Polaroid-style framing. It was directed by ESTEBAN (Arca, Peggy Gou) for the creative production company CANADA.

Twisting and contorting the English language to fit the meter and his every whim, Lupe Fiasco uses his superb lyrical skill to process the changing world in which he lives. Drawing connections between the concrete and spiritual in his hometown of Chicago, Lupe announces DRILL MUSIC IN ZION, his next album. The product of a burst of thoughtful spontaneity, Lupe created the new album over a short period, diving into a folder of beats sent by his long time producer Soundtrakk and emerging with a fully-realised album in just three days. “Soundtrakk is the swordmaker, I’m the samurai,” says Lupe. “He’s the mechanic, and I’m the driver.” Armed with Soundtrakk’s soulful sounds, Lupe creates a focused statement that reflects on the past and paves a way forward, preaching strength through mindfulness and self-sustaining community. DRILL MUSIC IN ZION arrives on June 24th via 1st & 15th/Thirty Tigers.

Along with the announcement of the album, Lupe shares AUTOBOTO, the first DMIZ single. Mischievous, playful, and deceptively dense, AUTOBOTO gets its power from Soundtrakk’s creeping keys and modal guitar melodies and Lupe’s mantra-like hook. The rapper weaves meticulous metaphors and wry words of wisdom, proclaiming his fierce independence even as he decries the uselessness of individual rebellion in the face of rising tides of corruption and industry: “Why buy a tub when the Bayou a flood/Better buy you a sub/How you gon survive in the club, you gon kayak it, cuz, when they rise up above/And the waves come and push and the tidal’s a shove/What’s an infrared dot to a whole dot gov.” At the end of the song, Lupe cedes the mic to Nayirah, who slows down Lupe’s hook to a languid tempo and allows the defiant message to marinate.

Acclaimed collaborative duo Danger Mouse & Black Thought have dropped their new single, Because featuring Joey Bada$$, Russ, and Dylan Cartlidge. Because is the second and latest single release from Danger Mouse and Black Thought’s greatly anticipated joint album, Cheat Codes arriving August 12.

Packed with irresistible cyphers, Because is yet another prime example of the unmistakable chemistry between Danger Mouse and Black Thought. Following the highly lauded release of debut single No Gold Teeth, Because cuts deeper still with hypnotic and dextrous lines courtesy of Joey Bada$$ and Russ, while Danger Mouse’s signature retro-infused beats provide a slinky slow-burning foundation perfectly complemented and completed by Black Thought’s urgent politically charged flow, and — no, that’s not a sample — an undeniable vocal hook by Dylan Cartlidge. The result is a sumptuous and summery, laid- back hip-hop jam packed with incisive, rewind-worthy lyrics.

On the collaboration, Joey Bada$$ says, “I’ve always been a big fan of Black Thought and Danger Mouse. I think Black Thought is one of the greatest rappers ever, so when they asked me to get on this record, it was a no-brainer, plus the record is fire! I still remember the first time I heard ‘You Got Me’ the video was shot on my great-grandmother’s block and I was actually there that day when I was a child. It changed the way I looked at music. I’m very honoured to be a part of this track. We’re making history!”

Russ adds, “Being able to collaborate with one of the greatest lyricists of all time is an honour and to do it in unison with Danger Mouse is something I’m just really proud to be a part of.”

My Demons is the new single from Tears For Fears taken from their critically acclaimed UK #2 / ARIA #7 album THE TIPPING POINT, their first studio album in seventeen years.

The provocative video for My Demons was created by director and photographer Heather Gildroy, with VFX by Justin Hopkins, and features a spectacular performance from dancer/choreographer Ed Monroe. Ed was recently featured in Quentin Jones’ dance film Boys Don’t Cry, released in collaboration with the newest exhibition at London’s V&A Museum, Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear.

With glowing reviews across the board, The Tipping Point is the bold, beautiful, and powerful sound of Tears For Fears finding themselves together once again.

My Demons is the fourth track to be taken from the album following on from the album’s title track, the epic No Small Thing and the iconic pop of Break The Man. Of My Demons Roland Orzabal says “We did a lot of work in the early days of this album with producer & songwriter Sacha Skarbek, and his programmer Florian Reutter from Germany. They presented us with a backing track, and we just went, “Whoa.” Then we came up with some crazy lyrics about surveillance and all kinds of stuff. This song is one hell of a noise, and we’re very proud because the synthesizers are SO aggressive here. Like us, “My Demons” rocks in its own way.”

Adam Spark, best known as the driving force behind anthemic ARIA Award and multiple APRA Award winning rock band Birds of Tokyo, releases his single In Closure – lifted from his forthcoming debut neo-classical album Snow vs Mountain which will be released later in the year.

In Closure is a piece about that moment when everything changes. “Hope and forward movement are born out of the stillness which follows life’s low moments, and you don’t know what you’re going to do next”, explains Spark. “It felt right to launch this Snow vs Mountain project with this piece after the last couple of difficult years that we, as humanity, have all shared together. There is always light ahead of us and so I wanted this work to bloom and blossom and glow with big, beautiful strings to remind us of this.”

New Zealand singer songwriter Jenny Mitchell has released her intriguing new single, Snakes In The Grass, the fourth single to be lifted from her forthcoming album, Tug Of War (Cooking Vinyl Australia). Exhibiting a darker, Americana sound, it’s described by Jenny as a “love-warning” tune and features her sisters Maegan & Nicola on backing vocals, with Australian country music legend Rod McCormack on banjo and Michael Muchow on electric guitar.

Jenny explains, “Lyrically, it’s quite a direct song of warning. The line “I told my mother’s mother & she told her too,” was one of the first ideas when I was writing it. I was thinking about how we have all the wisdom in the world to avoid falling for people that clearly aren’t willing to give as much as us but we do it anyway! I suppose it’s something that you have to learn on your own but this song is essentially my warnings/wisdom about such things.

“The demo was recorded in my bedroom before I worked on it remotely with my Sydney based producer, Matt Fell. I eventually recorded my final tracks at Loho Studios, Christchurch.

“This song was actually written as part of a Songclub run by Sam Hawksley. Each week, Sam sends out a prompt to a group of songwriters and we each have to write a song inspired by it and submit a recording of it within the week. It was deadline day, almost midnight, and I had to whip something up. Sometimes the best songs fall out at those moments when you’re just being creative for fun & with a time limit and this one stuck with me.”

The evolution of Darren Hayes continues to flourish with the release of the iconic artist’s new single, Poison Blood. Following on from what has been a stellar pair of single releases thus far in 2022 (Let’s Try Being In Love, Do You Remember?), Poison Blood is another strong example of the way Darren Hayes has reconnected with himself not only on an artistic, but personal level. The marriage of both sides come together in beautiful cohesion here; the song provides an avenue for Darren to explore darker themes of depression and suicide, and as a result, produce some of his most earnest and raw lyrics to date.

Poison Blood was written, orchestrated and produced entirely by Darren in Los Angeles with mixing and mastering completed by Trevor Yasuda (Dua Lipa, Lana Del Rey) and Mike Bozzi (Childish Gambino, Janet Jackson). The song itself embraces a loftier, more stripped back feel than its predecessors; Darren’s stunning falsetto weaving effortlessly with beats and sparse synth arrangements.

Feelings of space and isolation speak to the themes of Poison Blood, however the melodic builds and emotional impact of the lyrics anchor the track in the brightness that Darren has brought to the entirety of this new project.

“’Poison Blood’ is a song about choosing to stay when everything else in your life is telling you to leave. I have a family history of depression and suicide and I talk openly about my own diagnosis it in the hope that I might inspire someone who is struggling to seek help, as I have proudly done many times throughout my life.

I describe my depression as a blessing, a gift and a curse all at once. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy and yet I’m aware I am a deeply sensitive person, and that my unique brain allows me to feel depths of emotions that many people don’t experience.

So I have learned to use those moments to channel melodies and stories that I hope are so real and so relatable they might reach someone else who is in pain, like me, and remind them to stay, like I choose to, every single day.” DARREN HAYES

British newcomer Congee has released his debut EP Kwong alongside the animated music video for Forever.

If you haven’t yet been introduced to Congee, Forever is a compelling starting point. The alt-pop track’s immediately addictive pulsating propulsion is further flavoured by his ear for esoteric production and a vocal that incorporates broad pop appeal with spirited soul.

“Forever is a song where I talk about love. The excitement of it. The confusion of it. Sometimes the lack of it. I’m still trying to get my head around it,” Congee explains.

The song’s video, animated by Congee’s regular visual collaborator Calum Heath, depicts a boy who is attempting to learn to fly. His discovery – that you have to commit to the challenge and then hope for the best outcome – makes for a strong metaphor for love in all of its forms.

After a first play this morning on triple j’s Breakfast, Thelma Plum is proud to reveal new single Backseat Of My Mind – her first original music since 2019’s era-defining, ARIA-winning album Better In Blak.

Threaded with purposeful, reflective lyrics – “As I look in the rear-view mirror, I leave it behind in the backseat of my mind”– the new track sees the Gamilaraay singer-songwriter venture forward into the future, carried by her captivating, emotive vocals.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in vans (although not recently lol) and I really wanted to write a nostalgic feeling “driving” song, which I hope we nailed!” says Thelma. “It’s been so fun to play live I can’t wait for people to hear the recorded version!”

The Smith Street Band release their first new music in two years. I Don’t Wanna Do Nothing Forever is the first single from the band’s forthcoming sixth album, due later in 2022.

Recorded by Smith Street bass player Fitzy, at the band’s own solar powered studio in regional Victoria, the single was mixed by Anton Hagop (Silverchair, Powderfinger, Jebediah, The Whitlams) and mastered by George Georgiadis. The release comes with an accompanying three live tracks recorded at The Forum in March earlier this year.

“A song about all the excitement and anxiety felt re-entering the world, what we’ve lost over the last few years and most importantly what we’ll gain when we finally get through everything we’ve all had to endure! This song is the first single off our upcoming record, we’ve been working hard and cannot wait to share everything with you!” lead singer Wil Wagner said of the single.

Ahead of the release of their highly anticipated second studio album At Least I’m Free out August 5 via Dew Process, WAAX has shared the vividly charged new single Read Receipts alongside the accompanying music video.

Brimming with honesty and intensity, on Read Receipts, lead vocalist Maz DeVita sings of anger, abandonment and disappointment on the despondent rock song. “We’re pretty excited to let this one out as it’s perhaps our best songwriting effort in our opinion (and Bernard’s). This one came together super fast. James and I were writing together on the Sunshine Coast and immediately the melody and lyric fell out. It’s literally about being left on read and being left in the cold with no answers. I was definitely feeling those feels at the time,” DeVita explains.

Reunited with Director Phoebe Faye (Dangerous and Help Me Hell), the powerful official video captures a fierce and awe-inspiring performance from DeVita, as she channels the energy, rage and emotion of the song. “The video was a huge step for me as I had never really acted as a character in anything before, I was totally outside of my comfort zone,” says DeVita. “It’s like a mafia inspired moment where I play the boss or ‘the Donna’ and I’m doing a deal with this nondescript man with a helmet. Most people know I love to do things that relate to my Italian heritage so it was super fun to explore this concept. Phoebe and her team really helped us create an epic vibe – especially the car scenes! Super slick and a fun and different vibe for us,” she adds.

1994 is the second track lifted from the new Halfway album On the Ghostline, with Hands of Lightning. 1994 examines how we reconcile and wrestle with memory and nostalgia.

Halfway’s John Busby explains, “The time is 1994, and the place is Jardine Park, Rockhampton. The song explores a point in time which is remembered differently by the people who were there. This was a pivotal year for a particular group of people, involving death, loss, friendship, and optimism for the future. At the time, no one knew how the year would end, and for some people, the future was tragically cut short. For others, their memories of this time have morphed and changed – sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worst.”

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