Mix Tape 29
Mix Tape Twenty Nine is another huge edition some awesome selections, check it out…
King Stingray have dropped their brand new single Lookin’ Out, the first taste of new material since the release of their phenomenal debut album in August last year.
Inspired by their own experiences spent gazing into the ocean or gathered around a campfire, Lookin’ Out beautifully captures the universal feeling of being awestruck by the magnificence of Mother Earth. It highlights how these moments of breathtaking beauty have the power to diminish our day-to-day worries and put them into perspective.
Through Lookin’ Out, King Stingray also acknowledge the idea that our future is uncertain, yet if we unite and work together, we can find our way. “We have no idea what our future holds, but if we can find a way to work together we’ll be on the right track!” explains guitarist Roy Kellaway. “We are a band from a small place and we’re singing about big things!”.
The accompanying video includes tour footage as well as stunning imagery from the Great Barrier Reef and the band’s hometown of Yirrkala in North East Arnhem Land. Dive in and let the magic of King Stingray wash over you! Manymak!
Tarntanya / Adelaide (South Australia) based post punk/noise rock group Placement have released their new single; a song that emerged from the musical devastation of the pandemic.
Whatever inspiration could be found in the world simultaneously grinding to a halt, Placement scraped up and packaged into this tight 3-minute song, with intertwining vocal melodies, duelling saxophone and guitar solos and a hypnotic bassline.
Malia Wearn (vocals) on New Disease:
“Placement played our first show at the start of 2020 and soon found ourselves struggling to exist in a world where live music in its usual form was not possible. The ghost of the threat of sickness seeped into every part of life, and of course our music. Unsurprisingly, ‘New Disease’ is a pandemic song. It’s about the things we believe in, and how they change and distort us, forcing us away from or towards reality. Confirmation bias, isolation, coping mechanisms whatever they are, we who are here made it through, but of course we are changed. Sometimes all we need is to be fed a line we can hold on to, an excuse to keep doing whatever we want to do. All of us caught the new disease, whatever that was and we were never the same again.”
Melbourne multi-hyphenate G Flip shares their new single and video The Worst Person Alive – out now via Future Classic. Produced by G Flip, Aidan Hogg (Jaguar Jonze, Holy Holy, Hope D) and Charlie Brand (Weezer, Emily Burns) the track boasts everything we love about G Flip; powerful vocals, climactic percussion, and bittersweet lyrics that hit home.
Speaking of the single, G Flip says; “This song is about feeling like the worst person alive after being the one to instigate a breakup. One day you’re in a relationship and the other person is your number 1, they know everything about you, they know you better than anyone else, you’ve had some of your best memories with that person and then you break up and you sadly become strangers. I really hate that it’s all or nothing. It’s such a drastic change – ‘Last year I was the love of your life, now I’m the worst person alive'”
The Sheppard comeback story continues! Out now, their bold dance-pop single, Daylight, accompanied by one of their best music videos, continues a whole new era for one of Australia’s most beloved and successful musical exports with millions of record sales and well over a billion streams worldwide.
Following on from their global hit Good Time which has dominated airwaves in Australia and is still across Europe, the Brisbane-based sibling trio of George, Amy and Emma Sheppard, present their second taste of new music from their upcoming fourth studio album which is set to continue the success of its predecessor.
Says George Sheppard, “Daylight is like a shot of caffeine for your ears. It’s the perfect antidote for those gloomy days when you need a pick-me-up. You can almost feel the confetti when the chorus hits. We put so much energy into this song that we’re pretty sure it could power a small city. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a music video with a baby alien? It really is out of this world! We can’t wait to show this song to you all and hope our fans love this little ray of sunshine as much as we do.”
Global sensation, Dean Lewis has teamed up with the incomparable 4 x Grammy® Award-Nominated artist Julia Michaels, for his new single In A Perfect World. The release marks the beginning of a new chapter for Dean, with news of a third studio album in the works.
Fearlessly confronting the self-sabotage tendencies that lie within us all, In A Perfect World sheds light on the feeling when something is good, there must be something wrong – a pervasive fear that lingers when things seem too good to be true. It encapsulates the reluctance to embrace love without the looming threat of impending doom. In A Perfect World paints a world where these inhibitions no longer hold us captive. It dares us to fall in love, without the fear of getting hurt.
In A Perfect World, the first taste of Dean’s forthcoming album, was co-written and recorded with Michaels in 24 hours in Los Angeles. Joining forces with producer/songwriter Nolan Sipe (OneRepublic, Calum Scott, Benson Boone), Dean co-produced In A Perfect World, with the duo taking the song to further heights.
Sharing his excitement about collaborating for the first time with Julia Michaels, Dean Lewis says, “When I found out Julia Michaels and I would be going into the studio I was so excited! Julia is widely known as one of the best songwriters in the world and let me tell you she certainly lived up to that. Once we were in the studio, I played her my idea – a verse and a chorus. Julia’s reaction was, ‘I love the verse, but I hate the chorus.’ We talked a lot, and I explained my situation and what I was going through -I recently had just gotten out of something, Julia said ‘well what if in a perfect world you stayed?’ What flowed from there was just mind blowing, I’ve never seen anyone who can write like that, every idea she had was amazing. The chorus she came up with was insanely good so of course this is what we have used, and it just worked so well!”
Fresh off their first-ever (and sold-out!) performance at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, the World’s Most Famous Arena, FALLING IN REVERSE have shared their cover of Papa Roach’s Last Resort.
“I wanted to reimagine one of the biggest rock songs of the last 20 years, because lyrically, it is so powerful and resonates,” says Ronnie Radke. “I got the blessing from [singer] Jacoby [Shaddix] and I think that Papa Roach are one of the nicest, humble, and most down to earth bands to date and it inspires me to keep going, since they have been so successful for so many years. This is me paying homage in the best way I know how.”
L.S. Dunes: vocalist Anthony Green, guitarist Frank Iero, bassist Tim Payne, guitarist Travis Stever, and drummer Tucker Rule unveil a dazzling new psyche-metal track entitled Benadryl Subreddit, the post hardcore band’s first new music since the release of their landmark debut album, 2022’s Past Lives. In the track’s trippy new video, mischievous ice-cream truck guy (Anthony Green) serves up some magical treats to some unsuspecting clientele.
Benadryl Subreddit was produced by Alex Newport (Mars Volta, Frank Turner, City & Colour) and recorded at Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree, CA. Dunes joins a long list of renown artists who have found inspiration at the famed high-desert studio including Arctic Monkeys, Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Afghan Whigs and Iggy Pop and many others. To pre-order the special L.S. Dunes Benadryl Subreddit 7-inch single, visit the band’s webstore.
Gloom and heartbreak take a glossy, anthemic turn with the brand new single Misery out now via Greyscale Records from beloved alt-rockers The Beautiful Monument.
Following on from the group’s previous 2023 single, the razor-sharp electronicore delight Hellbound, Misery oscillates with lush and ominous synths, prowling, stripped-back verses and soaring choruses, before building to a salient breakdown as Lizi Blanco declares “I deserve better”.
“Misery is a theme song for those who are completely oblivious to their one-sided relationships. It is the painful reality of a profound sense of loneliness that an individual begins experiencing when their ‘perfect relationship’ begins to crumble and their metaphorical see-saw starts tipping. I wrote this song as an onlooker about a person I know who is very obviously blinded by their warp ed view of ‘love’. Originally my heart broke for them, but there’s only so many times a person can ignore the warning signs before your words turn into mumbled sounds of nothing.” says Lizi Blanco.
She adds, “People don’t always just say things to start fights or belittle you, most times they’re genuinely concerned for your happiness and want to make sure that you’re doing what’s right for you, not just what ‘societal norms’ expect of you.”
The two-piece indie-rock outfit, Old Mervs, from Kojonup, WA, return with their first new single of 2023, Sweetheart and the first glimpse at the band’s next era. Taking cues from blissed-out Californian faves Sunroom to the classic indie feels of fellow Aussies DMA’s, Sweetheart was born out of a writing trip the band took in Denmark, WA.
With no pressure or deadlines hanging over their heads, the band put their minds to sculpting their next batch of music. Sweetheart emerged from a few different song ideas that would then be stitched together alongside producer Dave Parkin at Black Bird Studios to create the final cut. Lyrically, it takes aim at those friends that constantly flake on plans, while also acknowledging that we all do that sometimes.
Tight, propulsive, and ever so fun, Sweetheart feels like a classic Mervs cut, but powered by a new focus and intention. The first of much more to come, Sweetheart is another home run from one of the country’s fastest rising bands.
“This track came from a writing session we did on the south coast of WA last summer.” says vocalist/guitarist David House. “We wanted some more fast-paced singalong styled songs for our live set, so whilst writing we were trying to imagine how it would sit in a live show. It definitely feels like a very classic old Mervs sounding track and that’s intentional. Crunchy guitars and big choruses are too much fun to be missing from our catalogue.”
The new single arrives with a fun, tongue-in-cheek style video. Perfectly summing up the band’s oddball, farm boy sense of humour, the video was directed by regular collaborator Andrew Briggs, and features members from local legends Death By Denim, Humble Amarda and Spici Water.
Andrew explains, “The tongue in cheek video chronicles Dave’s experience of being stood up on a date. With a captivating indie rock sound, Old Mervs delivers an outlandish narrative accompanied by some familiar faces of Perth’s music scene.”
The Smile release a brand new single, Bending Hectic.
Produced by Sam Petts-Davies and with strings by the London Contemporary Orchestra, the standalone single was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London earlier this year. It was first debuted by The Smile during their Montreux Jazz Festival appearance in 2022 and, while not included on the subsequent live album The Smile (Live at Montreux Jazz Festival, July 2022), it became a word-of-mouth phenomenon, with fans and critics calling for its release. After a year of waiting, Bending Hectic gets a global digital release today via XL Recordings / Remote Control.
The single marks The Smile’s first piece of new music in 2023. It follows the band’s acclaimed 2022 debut album, A Light For Attracting Attention which was named amongst the Best Albums of 2022 by Pitchfork, Uncut, MOJO, Rough Trade, Billboard, New York Times, Consequence and many more.
Continuing the incline of his biggest hit to-date, 2x ARIA award-winning Coodjinburra artist Budjerah has teamed up with pop music triple-threat (singer/songwriter, producer, actress) YDE for a brand-new version of Therapy via Warner Records/Warner Music Australia. Listen HERE. The new version of the song hears the two powerhouse artists coming together for some smooth melodies and soaring vocal runs.
“I’m really excited to be releasing some new versions of Therapy. YDE is a talented singer and I hope everyone likes our arrangement.” says Budjerah of the new version.
Following the groundbreaking and star-studded BARBIE THE ALBUM artist reveal and its first three singles, global megastars Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice have reunited to take over “Barbie World,” with their instantly iconic transformation of the legendary Aqua song Barbie Girl, out now. First teased last month at the end of the global Barbie trailer, which already hit over 33M views and reached #1 trending on YouTube, news of the superstar collaboration was further fueled by a viral joint Instagram post and additional teases that have quickly amassed over 1 BILLION impressions and counting.
BARBIE THE ALBUM is the official musical companion to the highly anticipated summer event film Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Available for pre-order, the soundtrack arrives in stores and at all online retailers on Friday, July 21 in conjunction with the theatrical release of the feature film on Thursday July 20 in Australia..
Hotly off the back of achieving his third, consecutive #1 album with his critically praised record This Is What I Mean in December, British megastar Stormzy returns with Toxic Trait; a 3 and a half minute whip-smart, searing and boastful masterclass in MC’ing. With remarkable punchlines reminiscent of his 2022 viral offering, Mel Made Me Do It, the track features fellow British rapper Fredo and also arrives with Stormzy’s well-known close confidant, Santan (AKA British rapper, Dave) on production duties.
Known for pushing boundaries with his visuals, Stormzy’s new single is accompanied by an impressive and captivating video directed by British Director Femi Ladi. With a focus on societal toxic traits, the video fictionally contextualises a plethora of toxic situations, honing in on gambling, violence and the glorification of luxury lifestyles, with a further signal to the 1900 pidgin-style saying, ‘monkey-see, monkey-do’. During multiple junctures we see nods to significant, historical cultural moments from over the years, one of which being Muhammed Ali’s 1968 Esquire Magazine cover and Kehinde Wiley’s prominent painting, A Ship Of Fools. Breaking mid-way, the video cuts to a therapy scene between Fredo and his therapist; none other than TV royalty, Alison Hammond. The masterful video concludes with a group-therapy session which features further cameos from a range of British figureheads including Ivorian Doll, Wretch 32 and Specs Gonzalez.
Speaking on the visual, director Femi stated “After listening to the lyrics, I wanted to have fun with this video. I liked the idea of bringing a renaissance-style painting to life, whilst still feeling grounded in the world of Stormzy. We collaborated on all the scenarios together which was great – as well as being able to bring in the likes of Fredo and Alison Hammond for their own toxic therapy sessions!” Filmed in London earlier this year, the majority of the visual was shot on a high-speed, cinema robot camera; a camera of which is capable of horizontal and vertical movement speeds of up to 2 metres per second.
“There’s a difference between doing music at 22 and when you’re about to turn 30,” Stormzy recently said in an interview for the cover of Dazed Magazine’s summer issue. “It’s the kind of peace and stability and stillness you can only get from maturity. You lose all the nervous shivers and the anxiety; you shake it off because now you’re a grown man coming into your skin.”
On July 14 producer, singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist PVRIS (Lyndsey Gunnulfsen) will drop her new album EVERGREEN via Hopeless Records. Now she shares the last single off of the LP, the eponymous EVERGREEN.
“If you search the definition of ‘evergreen,’ you will find words like: enduring, timeless, fresh, unlimited, and renewal,” Gunnulfsen explains, “In our modern culture where everything is online, algorithm- based, and instantaneous, it feels like timelessness, longevity and connection could someday become dying concepts. More than ever, PVRIS has, and always will be anti-formula, anti-virality, and anti-instant gratification.”
Australian rock powerhouse Luca Brasi have announced the upcoming release of a brand new album, The World Don’t Owe You Anything on September 29 via Cooking Vinyl Australia. They have also unveiled the album’s title track and the accompanying music video.
Luca Brasi’s signature sound is at the forefront of their latest single and title track, The World Don’t Owe You Anything. With powerful riffs, driving drums, and the unmistakably heartfelt vocals of frontman Tyler Richardson, that you know will be screamed back at him during their live shows by legions of loyal fans around Australia.
The track is both an introspective look at self-worth and a fist-pumping missive of determination and strength. “If I’ve already sung all the good words I have left, what good am I to anyone?” Richardson asks; a question immediately answered emphatically by the song’s chorus – “THE WORLD DON’T OWE YOU ANYTHING.”
“When I started mapping out the songs on this record lyrically, I noticed a recurring theme of a guy who was kinda grappling with the fear of losing everything he had fought so hard for.” Richardson elaborates, “In those moments of doubt, it’s easy to feel like the world has let you down. But I’ve come to realize that everything I’ve ever achieved in life has been the result of working my arse off. It’s a reminder that when you get low, you have to pull yourself up because the world ain’t gonna do it for you. The world don’t owe you anything.”
Multiplatinum global superstar Jason Derulo has shared the official music video for Glad U Came, directed by Derulo on location in beautiful Bali. Co-written and produced by Derulo, Pink Slip, Jakke Erixson (Ava Max, Lauren Spencer Smith), Sam Martin (David Guetta, Maroon 5), Spencer Bastian (Rita Ora, Chromeo), and Tor Eimon (Faouzia, Chloe Tang), the smoothly dynamic single is available now via Atlantic Records. The multitalented megastar can now add author to his name, with the release of his new book, Sing Your Name Out Loud. He is also a coach on the 2023 season of The Voice Australia, set to air later this year alongside Jessica Mauboy, Rita Ora and Guy Sebastian.
Glad U Came is but one highlight in a recent string of blockbuster hits for Derulo including his latest summer temp-changing smash, Slow Low, and club-pop smash, When Love Sucks (Feat. Dido). Produced by Pink Slip (One OK Rock, Royal & The Serpent), the sultry track interpolates Dido’s 1999 top three hit single, Thank You, famously sampled in Eminem’s classic Stan.
Marking the powerful debut for the Singing Our Futures program, The Archie Roach Foundation’s mentoring experience helping emerging First Nations artists on their songwriting and recording journeys, the brand new single Take No More brings together the illustrious talents of North Queensland rising star Kee’ahn and ARIA-nominated singer-songwriter Emma Donovan. Coated with smooth reggae and silky soul while championing solidarity and strength, Take No More is a compelling and eloquent first cut from the forthcoming Singing Our Futures EP, which will officially unveil later this year on Cooking Vinyl Australia. Fans can also catch this stunning new track alongside an incredible showcase of artists involved in the Singing Our Futures program on Thursday July 13 at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel, with all ticket sales going to The Archie Roach Foundation.
Drawing sonic inspiration from the likes of Mavis Staples, Ayo, Coloured Stone, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin and India Arie, Take No More champions power, truth and resistance as a dynamic First Nations anthem. A track that initially began life through yarns over cups of tea before progressing into the studio, Take No More started from a phrase penned by Donovan while Kee’ahn strummed their guitar and the pair imagined people chanting those very words. Writing their own verses before meshing their contrasting lyrical flow and melodic patterns, the end result of Take No More amassed a powerful array of voices and talents alongside the two leading powerhouse artists, with backing vocals courtesy of Jessica Hitchcock, Kiwat Kennell, Candice Lorrae and Brian Lloyd, and instrumentals, drums and percussion courtesy of guitarist Ben Yarram, bass by Juanita Sumner, and keys and horns by Stephen Maxwell.
A process that saw Kee’ahn and Donovan evolve together over Zoom yarns and multiple demo versions along the way, Take No More showcases the immense talent and connectivity between the pair, while firmly paving the way for a slew of important releases yet to come as part of Singing Our Futures. The stunning instrumentation on display throughout the new single is powerfully elevated via the decisive thematic essence driving Take No More, as Kee’ahn explains, “We started writing Take No More around Invasion Day Jan 26th. Both of us were feeling a lot of emotions that come with the date and feeling inspired by grassroots mob who organise to educate and liberate our peoples. We spoke about how our leaders across generations stand strong and staunch against ongoing challenges, the act of carrying the torch forward passed down from your elders so our future generations can do the same or ideally won’t have to at all. We spoke about solidarity and how liberation is a joint fight with many hands needed. It also feels like this song has grown over the year, during which time beautiful Black leaders and changemakers have passed on into dreaming – this song feels dedicated to them. To Uncle Archie Roach and Aunty Ruby Hunter and to Uncle Jack Charles. They inspire me/us to sing our truth for our past, present and futures.”
With over a million streams across her discography, Melbourne-based songwriter and producer Eilish Gilligan is back with her new single Involved You, a song written for relationship villains — out today. Involved You is Eilish’s first single in almost two years, and is the first taste of her upcoming debut album.
Involved You is loud, erratic and violent — but upholds pop conventions proudly; as the chorus slams into the listener, they will find themselves running back for more. One for fans of Charli XCX, Lorde and Ninajirachi, Eilish’s voice is a weapon as she lists regret after regret throughout the track, wishing she had never involved another person in her own drama.
“This song is about accidentally falling into the role of the villain in relationships, and kind of regretting it… but also kind of embracing it, too,” Eilish says. “It happened a few times in a row and I started to think ‘what if my worst fear of being a bad person has come true without me realising it?’ With hindsight I don’t think that was actually the case, but this song was written from that place.”
Involved You was self-written, and produced by Eilish and her long-time friend and collaborator Gab Strum, mixed by Hamish Patrick, and mastered by Matthew Agoglia. The song marks the beginning of a new era for Eilish, as she explains: “My attitude to life and music has changed so much over the last few years. I feel so strong, and I want my music to reflect that. There’s so, so much more to come, I literally cannot wait.”
At only 20 years old George Alice has solidified herself as one of Australia’s leading indie-pop singer-songwriters hailing from South Australia. Leaving her teenage years behind her and embracing early-adulthood, George is ready for her new music season with single Healed out now.
Healed is an energetic, yet meaningful number featuring George’s classic emotional songwriting resulting in yet another melodic earworm for fans to enjoy. This is the first piece of new music since George returned from international songwriting trips in Los Angeles and London and has come just in time to be played live as George is about to embark on a huge National tour with Aussie rock legends, King Stingray this June/July.
Of the single, George says: “‘Healed’ I feel is the first step into the new George Alice universe. After finding my feet a little more within my career this allowed me space to explore fun styles I’ve always wanted to experiment with and match the energy of music I listen to. With Pink Pantheress being such a big reference for a lot of artists at the moment I wanted to incorporate that fun energy into a slow piano ballad about heartbreak.
Making ‘Healed’ with Chrome Sparks and Hamish Patrick over a long period of time, in such an elevated and energising way, made me feel like I had finally healed from the things I was writing about a few years ago when this song came to life. Getting to adjust the point of view of a song whilst writing and finishing it is something I hadn’t experienced before until well after the song was out in the world. The attitude and sass you feel post breakup is a true reflection of what Healed is all about. I hope this song makes you dance with the people you love, and helps you heal, if you haven’t quite done that yet. <3”
Brisbane indie rock outfit Shag Rock are gracing us Earth-side once again, with explosive new single Zero Gs, dropping right before they play Splendour in the Grass.
Zero Gs is a stratospheric bop, a rich, anthemic indie hit about feeling untethered. The band bend light and dark, using catchy, light as air riffs as a launchpad to wax lyrical.
“It was born from a lazy Sunday guitar loop in a share house, brought to life into a festival thumper. The song is about having no balance on situational pulls, feeling like you’re stuck in a weightless limbo, and redesigning relationships by breaking down walls and becoming grounded,” said Jacob Reed, the band’s vocalist and guitarist.
Through an infectious lust for life and a knack for writing hit songs, the open-hearted indie rockers have amassed 70m+ streams worldwide with seminal single Sunbleached Girl receiving an ARIA Certified Platinum Record and 2017 album Barefoot reaching Gold status.
They’ve blasted off at festivals throughout the year including Super Fun Day, Rolling Sets, and Spaced Out, and will continue the momentum hurtling into Splendour in the Grass and Yours and Owls in the second half of 2023. Rounding out the year on a high, they’ll accompany The Vanns on their national album tour.
Fresh from his first lap of the Live & Intimate Tour, his very first headline run of dates since coming to prominence on TV screens last year, Lachie Gill is back with his emotive new single Hate That You Hurt. Lachie premiered the track live at his first Brisbane show in late April to a captive audience, just over a full year since taking home the title of The Voice 2022. Written in July last year, it encapsulates the contradictory feelings of elation and sadness stemming from his victory on the show and turmoil in his personal life, all colliding at once.
“‘Hate That You Hurt’ was the very first song I wrote after winning The Voice. I flew to Sydney to write with Andy and Thom Mak (Boy & Bear, Vera Blue, Tori Kelly, Julia Stone), and this song was born so easily because it was all I could think about. It encapsulated everything that was happening: travelling, interviews, TV appearances, red carpet events etc. It was more attention than I’ve ever had and it was a lot to deal with.”
“I had gone from being a school teacher, footy player and part-time musician to being on the highest-rating live entertainment show in Australia and signing a contract with the largest record label in the world. It was something I could only ever dream of and my life, friendships and relationships were turned upside down.”
“I could see in my girlfriend’s eyes that something was not right,” Lachie explains. “On one hand she knew this was all I ever wanted, but on the other, she hadn’t signed up for this ride and although we tried to mend our relationship, we slowly fell apart. This song is by far the most raw and personal I’ve ever written.”
The music video for Hate That You Hurt was directed by Billy Zammit and Oliver Kirby and shot in a desolate warehouse space in south-west Sydney. “Billy and Oliver took my song to the next level with this visual storytelling and it’s by far my favourite video I’ve made,” tells Lachie. “As I walk from box to box I’m reminded of the things from my past that led me to this moment, emotional after the enormous success I’ve just experienced but sad and frustrated that I can’t reconcile my past and what the future holds. Frustrated at being ‘happy and sad at the same time’.”
The most dynamic of duos BABY GRAVY (the joint project of Yung Gravy and bbno$) preach on their latest single You Need Jesus, and announce Baby Gravy 3 – the long-awaited third collaborative LP between Gravy and bbno$ and their first in three years – to be released on 18 August.
On the track, Spanish guitar accents a sparse beat as Yung Gravy and bbno$ spread a different kind of gospel. bbno$ urges, “You need Jesus, go back to church,” as Yung Gravy wonders, “Three wise hoes. What would Jesus do?” You’ve got to hear it to believe it. The duo will also be dropping the official video clip for the new single on Friday 7 July – directed by Karl Jungquist (Marshmello, Grandson) the video clip sees the guys as pelvic thrusting pastors smiting nonbelievers and a cameo from artist and producer, Diamond Pistols.
The highly anticipated Official Song for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, Do It Again by BENEE ft. Mallrat, is now officially live and available across all major music platforms.
This dynamic collaboration between two artists from the host nations – BENEE from Aotearoa New Zealand and Mallrat from Australia – captures the essence of unity, celebration, and empowerment that defines the FIFA Women’s World Cup™.
The two have joined forces on a vibrant and infectious anthem that promises to captivate fans worldwide and provide an unforgettable soundtrack to the tournament.
Do It Again will also become a lasting reminder of a milestone in the history of women’s sport, as the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ is on track to become the most attended standalone women’s sports event ever.
In less than one month’s time, BENEE and Mallrat will grace the stage at the Opening Ceremony of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, taking place at Eden Park on 20 July. Their live performance of Do It Again will set the tone for the extraordinary tournament ahead, commencing with co-hosts New Zealand facing off against 1995 winners Norway in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau.
The Cat Empire have delivered their latest blistering track with a punchy horn hook and beat to match, Money Coming My Way is the third single off their forthcoming album Where The Angels Fallout Friday August 25 via Ditto.
Lead singer Felix comments, “This song’s got a big tongue in cheek, and in many ways, it harks back to some of the first album antics. Who can afford the cost of living these days? Everything is so expensive! Really, we just wanted to have some fun with this one. After that, we added some crazier details. Like getting the Heidelberg Wind Ensemble involved, who just so happened to be rehearsing in the space we recorded the album in one night. There’s a part where our producer Andy Baldwin acts out the part of a NYC police officer on the squad car radio announcing a robbery which happened spontaneously and caused raucous late night studio laughter.” Teaming up with director Josh Harris (Gang of Youths, Missy Higgins, Peach PRC), the band infiltrate a grocery store as “employees” to conduct an ingenious heist, lapping up their spoils with a jam session on bundles of money.
On the clip Felix says, “I don’t think we’ve ever had so much fun making a video clip, it’s amazing how natural we all look as deli workers! In the context of an album that has a lot of depth and diversity, this is one of the lighter moments.”
BOYS LIKE GIRLS, the American rock band that stole hearts with their chart-topping hits, is back with a mesmerizing new single titled LANGUAGE, released today. Following the success of their comeback track BLOOD AND SUGAR last month, BOYS LIKE GIRLS continues to captivate fans with their signature sound and heartfelt lyrics. LANGUAGE delves into the unspoken language of attraction, exploring the subtle cues and gestures that speak volumes.
Lead singer Martin, known for his candid and introspective songwriting, shares his thoughts on the intricacies of communication: “According to Google, there are around 6,500 languages in the world. I took French, Spanish, and Latin in school, but can barely get through asking where the toilet is in Montreal or Mexico City. I guess I’m a one trick American pony, and there are even some versions of English I barely understand. They say the two universal languages are mathematics and music. I suck at math, but I can tell you, having played some decent-sized shows in non-English speaking territories, that the latter is true for sure.”
Arriving off the back of his ground-breaking triple j Like A Version, Wik and Solomon Island rapper Ziggy Ramo continues to shatter stigmas in his new music video for Better.
A key track from his powerful 2023 album release Sugar Coated Lies, Better featuring Jantine, serves as a reminder that we are not defined by life’s darkest moments. Ziggy says of the themes, “Better is a song I wrote for myself as a reminder. Life is full of peaks and valleys and when I sink too far,” He says, “I listen to Better to act as a compass to help find my way back to surface. We all go through things, but dark times don’t define who we can ultimately be.”
Compelling in its visuals, Better was filmed in the Kulin Nation at Hanging Rock, taking place around the traditional boundaries of the Wurundjeri, Dja Aja Wurrung and Taungurung Peoples.
Radical Son has shared his soul-shaking new single, Elder, offering a deeply powerful statement of devotion to country, his Kamilaroi and Tongan cultures and his iron-willed intention to endure that sets neck hairs on end. Elder comes paired with an equally commanding music video made in the Blue Mountains by Djugun/ Yawuru/ Gooniyandi director Cornel Ozies, and featuring rocker Vic Simms, Australian of the Year Shane Phillips, Forgiveness Project advocate Ray Minniecon, Kamilaroi elder Paul Spearim and more.
Radical Son is part of the long story. “I wish to be an elder, an old man on this land,” he sings in a voice so immense it seems to emanate from the rock beneath his feet. Elder is the first taste of Biliyambil (The Learning), the highly anticipated second album by Radical Son, aka David Leha – which will also feature David Bridie, Emma Donovan and Jida Gulpilil, set for release on David Bridie’s Wantok label in September. Elder is the keynote to the album’s themes of hard-won survival, belonging and acquiring wisdom from life experience. It’s a song sung from mountaintops, loaded with a storied past and fully facing the future.
“Elder is a song I began three or four years ago when I was working on country in Moree and Armadale, New South Wales,” David says.
“I was working on a program with emerging artists called Yanayai, which means ‘returning’. I was helping these artists to create a piece in a genre of their choice and the conditions were that they had to have three generations of their family help them, and they also needed to incorporate some language into that as well.
“The bones of the song were there then. The language section from Jida Gulpilil (son of David), that came later. It’s quite simple. It’s just saying, ‘Let’s move, let’s dance and celebrate’.”
Thematically, the song rings in harmony with For Our Elders: the theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week (2-9 July). “The struggles of our Elders help to move us forward today,” the NAIDOC statement declares. “The equality we continue to fight for is found in their fight. Their tenacity and strength has carried the survival of our people.”
Infusing elements of 90s grunge / noise-rock with their authentic, homegrown sound, Kanamuluka Lutruwita / Launceston-based punk quartet, Meres unleash their hard-hitting new single, Ocean View.
Taking aim at climate change ignorance and the importance of fast action, vocalist Mary Shannon penned the lyrics to Ocean View after reading an article that shed light on the alarming environmental impacts predicted for 2050 – an unsettling thought at best.
“This song is fuelled by a sort of ‘exhausted by it all’ anger and feelings of disempowerment, while trying to balance these feelings with the narrative that we are responsible for our own well-being and our own happiness,” explains Mary
“Who cares if young people don’t have a future? At least the internet and fat cats can remind them that it’s their own fault, even though real change is in the hands of corrupt pollies who couldn’t give a fuck about life beyond their own.”
Rising queer indie-pop artist Hallie (they/she) has released a cover of Daft Punk’s 2001 hit Digital Love. Produced by Hallie and Oscar Sharah, the reimagined Digital Love! stays true to the iconic electronic production and textures of the original song, while simultaneously showcasing Hallie’s own unique sound with added elements, such as the washes of guitar and clean pop vocals.
Speaking of the release, Hallie says: “Digital Love!’, originally by Daft Punk, has been on my ‘to cover’ list for a long time. Listening to the original version I always felt such intense euphoria and this sense of hopefulness. This song has always just had such spiritual depth for me. Oscar (co-producer) and I wanted to stay true to some of this song’s more iconic prod elements, like the fuzzy solo, while letting it fit nicely into Hallie land with tight guitars and upfront, poppy vocals. The most important thing for me was that it couldn’t lose its euphoric hopeful feeling and I think we did well in achieving that.”
Platinum certified alt-pop band Mother Mother have shared their first new music of 2023 with the inclusive and progressively propulsive mantra Normalize. Produced by frontman Ryan Guldemond and co-produced by Jason “JVP” Van Poederooyen at the famed Warehouse Studios in Vancouver, this alt-pop gem follows the 2022 release of their US Certified Gold global breakout single Hayloft II.
Normalize arrives with an intense video directed by acclaimed horror director Colin Minihan (Grave Encounters, What Keeps You Alive), who previously worked with the band on videos for Body of Years and O My Heart.
Of the new single, Guldemond says “’Normalize’ is about the metaphorical death which occurs when we’re not being ourselves; the deadening of the spirit when trying to appease some external framework of so-called normalcy. Ideally, it’s an anthem for the outcast. We’re very fortunate to look out at our audience to see such a wealth of uniqueness. This song is our way of telling our people to keep being themselves, whatever that means to them. What is normal? We don’t know, and I’m not sure we care.”
For more music news and info follow Hi Fi Way