Multi-disciplinary creative IJALE today shares new single ‘Seaside’. Once again, the Naarm/Melbourne artist and producer showcases he is in total control of his craft; merging afro-centric sounds that pay homage to his Nigerian heritage, with eclectic and future-facing sensibilities.
An artist of immense talent, obvious tenacity and grit, IJALE is at the centre of his arena; a presenter at triple J Unearthed, prolific collaborator, and genre bending producer. IJALE is as multifaceted as they come – and showing no sign of slowing.
‘Seaside’ explores the ideas of egoism, an individual’s agency over reality, and the often undervalued and misunderstood notion of delusion. IJALE transports his listener; melding mediative verses that hum and cruise beneath melodic rap, with a chorus that drops into a seductive whirlpool of, driving basslines, layered production, and a sumptuous trap beat.
“The track is a meditation on where I’d rather be, and the idea of allowing yourself certain dreams or even delusions to take you out of the realities you want to rewrite.” – IJALE
IJALE cemented his place in the Melbourne music landscape with a nomination for ‘Best Solo Artist’ at the 2022 Music Victoria Awards and was invited to showcase at Sydney’s inaugural SXSW 2023. He has supported the likes of Winston Surfshirt, Kojey Radical and Kota The Friend, as well as Tkay Maidza at The Forum for RISING Festival, and Yazmin Lacey in Sydney; played a sold-out headline set at Phoenix Central Park and Section 8 late last year, plus played as part of Valve Sessions.
Genesis Owusu, Kojey Radical, Bakar, and Cruel Santino are some of the artists most aligned to IJALE’s creative output. He has two masterful bodies of work already under his belt – Wildy Disparate Sounds (2020) and OTTN (On To the Next) (2021) – and a knack for phenomenal collaborations: releasing ‘OR WHAT (Feat. VOLDY)’, ‘OKOK (Work)’ with VOLDY and OX4ORD, ‘WYA’with Valve Sounds label mates Maina Doe and King Ivy, plus featuring on Dugong Jr’s ‘Coup De Grace’.
Multi-disciplinary by nature, IJALE has lent his keen production skills to artists BTV, and VOLDY – his production and feature work on the latter – earning VOLDY a Music Victoria Nomination for ‘Best Hip-Hop Work’. IJALE has also recently cut his teeth as a composer scoring an upcoming Reebok advert, set to air later this month.\
IJALE is at the forefront of merging genres and creative artistry coming out of Australia. ‘Seaside’ is tender and confident step further into the evolving depths of IJALE’s world.
FOR FANS OF: Genesis Owusu / Kojey Radical / Bakar / Cruel Santino
Celebrated producer, vocalist and DJ Mike Skinner releases his highly anticipated new album The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light. Skinner has just finished touring UK Everyman Cinemas with his self-directed debut feature film of the same name .
Across the 15 tracks of The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light, Mike Skinner presents a classic Streets album, one that is inextricably linked to the dancefloor, with tidal waves of bass, garage and house laced in, an experience akin to stumbling through different rooms of the club. Skinner, as always, is the keen eye tying his disparate world together, shining with his customary lyrical wizardry and eclectic production.
‘Too Much Yayo’ opens The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Lightwith subtle two-step rhythms that cascade into rampant four to the floor bass, setting the pace with its lyrical birds eye view of chaos in the club, the type of chaos that might send some of us, especially Skinner, on an adventure. ‘Walk Of Shame’ shines with melancholic acoustic guitar riffs as he utters one of the album’s essential epitaphs: “The walk of shame is my daily commute.” Elsewhere, ‘Shake Hands With Shadows’ slowly morphs from hopeful piano keys and bass drums to an airy finish as Skinner’s stream of consciousness runs wild, with lines as poignant as “You make plans with morons, you’re powerless to misfortune.” This commitment to calamity is both the album and film’s beating heart, while the title track transports you to the decadence of the Roaring 20 s with its dusty, swing motif, a quaint detour from the sliding club music that dominates the sounds. By album closer ‘Good Old Daze’, the metaphorical party is over, with sunlight creeping into the sky as Skinner takes stock of yet another wild adventure, destined to repeat the madness that has formed his life.
The Streets above
The Darker The Shadow, The Brighter The Light’ film is a tripped out noir murder mystery based in Londons’ clubland. Skinner has written, directed, shot, edited, scored, funded, and even created his own special effects on the film, shooting at a number of different locations in 2022 across the UK. The songs on the album soundtrack the film and also play the role of narrator of the film at times – and whilst neither the album or film exist without each other – both can be enjoyed separately.
Through sheer will, Skinner has realised his ambition for The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light, taking what was a finished album and breathing an entire film into it. For one of the UK’s most legendary and consistent voices of the 21st century, a new creative level has been reached, on his own terms.
The album is being supported by a full, headline The Streets tour across the United Kingdom, commencing in late October, with support from Hak Baker, Joy Anonymous and Master Peace. For all touring information, please visit: https://www.thestreets.co.uk/
The Streets broke through in 2002 with the Mercury Prize nominated Original Pirate Material – widely regarded as one of the most influential British albums of recent times, whose impact on culture and UK music can still felt be felt to this day. Four BRIT Award nominations for Best Album, Best Urban Act, Best Breakthrough Artist and Best British Male Solo Artist followed. “Dry Your Eyes”,from 2005 follow-up album A Grand Don’t Come For Free, won an Ivor Novello for Best Song Musically And Lyrically. Skinner additionally received a BRIT Award that same year, for best British Male Solo Artist.
Since then, The Streets have released further LPs The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (2006), Everything Is Borrowed (2008), Computer and Blues(2011) and 2020’s mixtape None Of Us Are Getting Out of This Alive, and Skinner has collaborated with a who’s who of British music – from Kano, to Fred Again, Greentea Peng and Giggs. In recent years, and with his Mike SkinnerLTD label, he’s worked with artists at the tip of the spear of breaking British music, with acts like FLOHIO, Ghetts and Grim Sickers.
An inimitable live performer with bountiful experience both behind the decks and on the microphone, Skinner is renowned for his boisterous onstage presence and ability to grip audiences from crowded basements to Glastonbury headline slots. Whether it’s a live-streamed lockdown performance or a garage and bassline DJ set, Skinner commands the stage with undeniable presence and a quintessentially British tongue-in-cheek attitude. When The Streets announced a comeback tour in 2017, tickets for the dates sold out in less than a minute. It’s all testament to the impact The Streets have had, and continue to have, across several generations of musicians and fans alike.
THE DARKER THE SHADOW THE BRIGHTER THE LIGHT
TRACKLIST
1. Too Much Yayo 2. Money Isn’t Everything 3. Walk Of Shame 4. Something To Hide 5. Shake Hands With Shadows 6. Not A Good Idea 7. Bright Sunny Day 8. The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light 9. Funny Dream 10. Gonna Hurt When This Is Over 11. Kick The Can 12. Each Day Gives 13. Someone Else’s Tune 14. Troubled Waters 15. Good Old Da
DELUXE ALBUM BONUS TRACKS
16. The Good In You 17. Don’t Judge The Book 18. Love At First 19. Original Sin 20. Act Nice 21. Obviously (You Don’t Count) 22. We All Need An Enemy 23. Power Of Love, Love Of Power
The Streets broke through in 2002 with the Mercury Prize nominated Original Pirate Material – widely regarded as one of the most influential British albums of recent times, whose impact on culture and UK music can still be felt to this day. Four BRIT Award nominations for Best Album, Best Urban Act, Best Breakthrough Artist and Best British Male Solo Artist followed. ‘Dry Your Eyes’, from 2005 follow-up album ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’, won an Ivor Novello for Best Song Musically And Lyrically. Skinner additionally received a BRIT Award that same year, for best British Male Solo Artist.
Since then, The Streets have released further LPs The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (2006), Everything Is Borrowed (2008), Computer and Blues (2011) and 2020’s mixtape None Of Us Are Getting Out of This Alive, and Skinner has collaborated with a who’s who of British music – from Kano, to Fred Again, Greentea Peng and Giggs. In recent years, and with his Mike Skinner LTD label, he’s worked with artists at the tip of the spear of breaking British music, with acts like FLOHIO, Ghetts and Grim Sickers .
An inimitable live performer with bountiful experience both behind the decks and on the microphone, Skinner is renowned for his boisterous onstage presence and ability to grip audiences from crowded basements to Glastonbury headline slots. Whether it’s a live-streamed lockdown performance or a garage and bassline DJ set, Skinner commands the stage with undeniable presence and a quintessentially British tongue-in-cheek attitude. When The Streets announced a comeback tour in 2017, tickets for the dates sold out in less than a minute. It’s all testament to the impact The Streets have had, and continue to have, across several generations of musicians and fans alike.
We had the pleasure to interview one of our fav bands She Wants Revenge to chat about their new tour and more.
It’s your first ever Australian tour what took you so long!? And what can your Aussie fans expect from She Wants Revenge in October?
What took so long is that every time we had a tour planned something unexpected came up which got in the way. Once it was a late-night television appearance, once it was a tour or music video. So far back it’s hard to remember, but each time we were gutted, as we’ve been dying to come. Thomas Froggatt, our bass player who’s been in the band since our first show, is actually from Byron and Melbourne, so it’s incredible to finally get over there. When I told him this time he said, “I’ll believe it when I see it”. It’s like there have been outside forces keeping us from coming, but now it’s time to build a foundation so that we can continue to come play with some regularity.
Fans can expect a full-on rock show. We put 1000% into what we do, and take it very seriously. We never phone it in or give less than our best, a) because we love what we do and are super fortunate to be in the position we’re in, b) because the fans deserve it, especially those who’ve waited this long. We play a combination of deep cuts, familiar hits, fan-favorites, as well as two songs from our upcoming album.
Is there any truth to the rumors you guys are working on some new material? And if so, when can we expect to hear it?
Yes! We are about 85% into the process. We had to stop to come on this European/UK tour, but as soon as we get home we’ll be right back into it. You can expect a single before year’s end, and then a full LP sometime into 2024.
What made you put the band in hiatus in 2012 and then again in 2020 and are you guys enjoying playing live again?
To be honest, we were just fighting too much. Bands are relationships like any other. It’s a marriage really. Communication had broken down, and after years of being in a van, bus, and studio together every day for years, it took its toll. You either work through the stuff, individually and collectively change and make it work, or you let it build up until it implodes, and in 2012 it imploded. We got back together in 2016 because of the 10th anniversary of our 1st album, and agreed to try and make it work, and it did…. but things didn’t really change in a meaningful way, it was more like a bandaid on a bullet hole. So when the world changed in 2020 and so many of us were taking stock of our lives and what we wanted, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be in the band any longer. After making a solo album and spending time away from it, I realized I missed it, but knew that there were also parts I never wanted to experience again. What started as a thought turned into a lot of long, deep, pretty serious conversations between Adam and I figuring out why things were the way they were before, how to both change the way we communicated and interacted, and realized that there was a path forward which could be different, could be fun, communicated, not combative, and appreciative of this thing we created and built with so much time, energy and love. So now to be doing it again, I think I can speak for both of us when I say it’s the best it’s ever been, more fun than ever, we appreciate it on a deeper level, and the way the music is being received really makes us feel like not only are we exactly where we’re supposed to be, but that we’re doing what we’re meant to be doing.
What are you looking forward to most on this tour?
Surfing the Gold Coast, experiencing the culture, meeting the people, playing music for new audiences, the coffee, and hopefully some great food.
Justin what was it like touring with one of your heroes Peter Murphy in 2011, is their truth to the saying “never meet your heroes”?
I respect and enjoy the music Peter has made, but I wouldn’t use the word hero. No disrespect to him, I’m just not sure I have heroes. No one should be put on a pedestal for their art. But touring with Peter was fun, and everything I thought it was. We definitely developed a friendship of sorts, had some laughs, and even had some friendly competition, as he definitely has an edge, but that’s no secret. But just being able to share the stage with someone who’s music influenced ours is a trip. That was definitely great.
What Song do you love playing live?
It really changes, but what I can say is I don’t play any songs I don’t want to play.
You have 3 blistering albums which we love here at Black of Hearts, at a push do you have a favourite, and which one came together the easiest?
The first is always the easiest, as you don’t know you’re making it, and it’s the sum of everything that came before. I think that’s my favorite, as is the new one. But there are moments of each which I think are pretty special. The second record is solid and has some really good tunes. The 3rd is a great record. Now some of the tunes are considered fan-favorites, but at the time the core fans felt it was too much of a departure. I can see that, as it clearly has the sound of a band trying to stretch out beyond its confines, but I do think it’s a good record as well. So I guess the first, which coincidentally came together the easiest. That is not unrelated. The new album came together quite easily as well, so that should tell you something.
What does your writing process look like?
It really varies. In the past we would write music together, I would go off and write lyrics and sing to it, then show him the song for notes and his feelings, then we’d finish the songs together and separate.
This record was unlike any we’d done before. With this record we either the wrote music together in a room, or Adam would start a piece of music on his own and send me instrumentals to check out and see what connected and I’d tell him which songs were resonating with me.. Sometimes I’d have an idea for a type of beat, a tempo, a feeling, or a vibe, and I’d give him a prompt which he’d take and make something and send it over to me. A lot of the time it was exactly what I was hoping for.
Once the basics of the song are there, I then I go off and write the words and melody, track all of the guitars, write additional parts, and sometimes plays with the arrangement and rearrange things. As well as feeling like the songs had to have a certain feeling and tone, my only real intention was writing the best lyrics possible, and I’m really proud at what I achieved in that regard.
The most striking difference this time around is that rather than sing a song and present to him for notes, this time I worked on all of the lyrics and melody until all the songs were done, andthen presented him with all the songs at once. It’s unorthodox and was probably a bit jarring getting all that information at once after only hearing them as instrumentals for so long, but not only did I need to hear it develop as a whole while I worked on them to get my head inside the album, but it felt right to present them to him as such. He definitely put a lot of faith and trust in me and let me have the space to do it the way I needed to this time, and I think it ended up working out quite well. That said I doubt he’d want to do it this way again. Haha. It wasn’t a conscious choice though, it was due to having separate schedules, studios, and to some degree just ended up being the way I had to do it to find the literal and figurative voice to an album that was the first in over a decade. The good news is it worked, so I’m not complaining.
Is there a song you wish you had written and why?
Loads. Hard to name any, but if pressed I would say just about anything from Loveless or Abbey Road.
Is there a song you are most proud of writing?
A lot of the lyrics on the 1st album (except Monologue, which just sounds silly to me now), and all of the songs/lyrics on my forthcoming solo album. Also, most of my 1st solo album (My Field Trip To Planet 9), and Bug Powder Dust. Those come to mind.
There are elements of erotic themes running through a lot of your lyrics, is that a conscious choice or is that just organic?
Both, but as I’ve gotten older, that has mellowed. I’m not a single 30 year old any longer. To me the songs are about love, loss, regret, heartbreak, lust, betrayal, longing. As I get older that remains, but so do themes of mortality, hope, love, and the emotions of living in the modern age as the world has gone completely mad.
What has been the highlight of your careers so far?
Simply having one. Very fortunate. I don’t say lucky, because I don’t believe in that so much as karma. Talent + hard work + sacrifice + being a good person and trying to help others, build community, and grow = fortunate.
What does the future hold for She Wants Revenge?
New album, more touring, solo releases for both, lots of videos, art, and moving up and forward.
What is the best gig you’ve played?
Impossible to say, but Serbia the other night was among the best I’ve played this decade.
We can hear shades of some of our favourite bands in your music but who would you say has been your biggest influence?
Prince, Depeche Mode, Girls Against Boys, Sonic Youth, Jane’s Addiction, Tom Petty, Psychedelic Furs, Robert Smith, Johnny Marr, My Bloody Valentine, A Tribe Called Quest, Rakim, Led Zeppelin, De La Soul, Suicide, Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, The B-52’s, The Pretenders, Iggy, Lou Reed, early Stones, George Harrison, the list goes on….
Justin, you started out as a rapper and Adam you were a DJ for a while how did you guys end up in a post punk goth rock band?
Being record nerds, coming up in hip-hop which at the time was a sample-based culture, the sound of the music we made and listened to was shaped by multiple genres. Additionally, we both were into new wave and hip-hop in real time as it was coming of age, so doing both has always felt very natural. From Blondie doing, “Rapture”, to New Order being exposed to Black disco in the clubs of New York and incorporating that into their sound, that type of cross-genre blend has always been exciting, and I feel our music is part of that lineage.
How do you guys spend your time when you’re not doing, She Wants Revenge?
Even while touring and working with She Wants Revenge, I manage three artists, as well as overseeing release strategy, marketing, and creative direction for a handful of others. When I’m not working I mainly just spend time with my family. Adam has other creative projects, produces other artists, DJ’s, takes photographs, and makes coffee. We both spend a lot of time making coffee. It’s a passion and obsession.
If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why?
My deceased grandfather. He was a very interesting character with a colorful past who led a wildlife. He was hugely influential to me, and we were quite close. My son is researching for a film he’s planning to make about him, so I’d love to spend one more night with him under the guise of my son asking him questions, but really so that he could get to know his great-grandson who he only met when he was quite young.
Thanks so much for you time and we look forward to your show in Melbourne:)
The energy was electric as fans eagerly gathered at The Gov to witness one of the UK’s most successful modern rock bands, YOU ME AT SIX, on their ‘Truth Decay’ tour. The stage was set, the lights dimmed, and the crowd erupted in cheers as lead singer Josh Franceschi, guitarists Max Helyer and Chris Miller, bassist Matt Barnes and drummer Daniel Flint took the stage. From the very first note, it was clear that this would be a night to remember.
YOU ME AT SIX‘s performance was nothing short of spectacular. They flawlessly delivered their signature sound, captivating the audience from start to finish. The musicianship was top-notch, with each member displaying exceptional talent and synergy. The chemistry between the band members was evident, creating an immersive musical experience that resonated with the crowd.
The setlist was carefully crafted, offering a well-balanced mix of crowd favorites and new material. YOU ME AT SIX kicked off the show with ‘Deepcuts’ and ‘Fresh Start Fever’, setting the tone for an unforgettable night. Other notable highlights included ‘Bite My Tongue’ and ‘Room to Breathe’, which had the entire crowd singing along, and slowing the tone down with ‘Mixed Emotions’, which showcased the band’s versatility and musical prowess.
YOU ME AT SIX not only delivered with some amazing musical talent, but their stage presence and interaction with the crowd were equally impressive. The lead vocalist, Josh commanded the stage, and with the band’s consistent energy, effortlessly connected with the audience. The visual elements, such as lighting effects and stage design, complemented the music perfectly, enhancing the overall atmosphere and adding to the immersive experience.
The connection between YOU ME AT SIX and the audience was powerful throughout the entire concert. The crowd consisted of new fans to long-term fans of all ages. They easily engaged the crowd, encouraging sing-alongs and creating moments of genuine connection. Josh interacted with fans, sharing personal anecdotes, and expressing gratitude for their unwavering support. This level of audience engagement elevated the concert from just a basic show to a collective experience shared between YOU ME AT SIX and their dedicated fans.
The live performance by YOU ME AT SIX at The Gov was an extraordinary event that had the audience rocking out from start to finish! Their 90-minute set wrapped up the night with their hit songs ‘Reckless’ and ‘Beautiful Way’, with YOU ME AT SIX proving once again why they are considered one of the UK’s most successful modern rock bands, leaving fans eagerly awaiting their next tour. After seeing both the band and crowd maintain the same level of energy throughout their entire set, there is no doubt, this won’t be the last time YOU ME AT SIX will be rocking out in Adelaide!
Photos and review by JakeyVass Media for Black Of Hearts
We sat down with The Wombats’ frontman Matthew ‘Murph’ Murphy to hear all about Love Fame Tragedy, collaborations and more.
Heya Murph!
Maz and Glynn here.Awesome to meet you.We love your music and are very excited to sit down and talk about your new album ‘Wherever I Go, I Want to Leave’
It’s been 13 years since the Wombats’ debut album – what made you do a side project?
Not sure to be honest. I wanted to try something new and it felt like the timing was right if i was ever gonna do it. Also i wanted to collaborate with whoever i wanted to in the studio, which isn’t too simple with the other band.
This being your debut album – how long has Love Fame Tragedy been in the works? And how long did it take to record?
It’s been two years or so, with two songs pre dating that. The album was recorded in LA, London & Sydney over 7 weeks or so. Most of the songs were written 2018/2019.
Who does Love Fame Tragedy consist of or is it strictly a solo project?
I think of it as a new band primarily and I put a heavy emphasis on collaboration and got some pretty cool people / friends to play on it. But yes i guess it is a solo project, but i really want it to be something more than that.
We heard you recorded part of the album in Sydney during the Australian bushfire crisis. What was that experience like and did it influence any tracks on the new album?
The songs were already written but the fires definitely made it an interesting few weeks for us. Landing in all that smoke made me feel so sorry for a country that has always been so close to my heart. However, at the same time i also felt i saw the depth of the Aussie spirit in action.
There are quite a list of famous artists that you collaborate with on the album, which was the most enjoyable and why?
Probably Gus (Ungr-Hamilton) from Alt-J. We have been friends for a long time and it was just really relaxing, easy and enjoyable. We drank some wine and he just did his thing, it was a lot of fun and i hope we can do more stuff together in the future.
Do you have a favourite track on the album?
Honeypie.
Where did the name ‘Love Fame Tragedy’ come from?
It was the title of a Picasso exhibition I saw at the Tate Modern in London. The paintings were primarily of a woman he was having an affair with outside of Paris.
Describe your songwriting process?
Get into a dark room and freak out until things start happening . I also write a lot of potential titles in my phone. Song titles are really important to me and often indicate how much time and effort i creatively put into an idea.
Are you expecting to reach a new audience with this album?
I hope so, yes. It’s not a vanity project and we are all taking it seriously. Convincing certain people of this going to take time and maybe a couple more albums. But i knew what i was getting into!
We love the track ‘My Cheating Heart’what’s the inspiration behind the song?
It’s loosely based on some early trips to San Francisco with my wife during the honeymoon period of our relationship. Parts of it also seem to deal with the pros and cons of monogamy.
Do you have any plans to tour?
Yes, but the pandemic has seen to those ideas. It might now be a case that we tour harder when the second album is ready to go. At this stage it’s hard to tell.
Since you are the primary songwriter for the Wombats – How is Love Fame Tragedy different?
I mean in certain aspects its not, but there are less hoops to jump through, and the time i save on interpersonal silliness i can pour into my creativity.
What do Tord and Dan think of your work? Is it the end of the Wombats?
They’ve been very positive.And not it’s not.
Who were your musical influences growing up that made you want to become a musician?
Elliot Smith, The Beatles, Radiohead and Neil Young.
What is harder? Being a musician or a father?
I have to say a father. I put more pressure on myself to be a good father than i do to make good music.
Whats the strangest thing you’ve read about yourself?
That i formed the band in Iran.
Finally, were you not a musician – what would you be doing today?
I have very few life skills, so i really don’t know. Maybe something in golf. Lol!
Thanks for sitting down with us Murph!
The album is epic and a huge hit – we’ll see you when you’re next Down Under.
Beers are on us!
Maz & Glynn
Black of Hearts
Love Fame Tragedy’s debut album ‘Wherever I Go, I Want to Leave’ is out now.
With the launch of their blistering new EP ‘Fatalist’ Melbourne’s very own hardcore pop/rock outfit Future Static took time out of their self isolation to chat to Black of Hearts.
‘Fatalist’ EP is available now to stream and purchase at all good online outlets and streaming platforms!
Official EP Artwork above
How did you guys get together and what made you start a band?
‘It started with Bri and Kira in late 2015, who have been friends since high school, starting to play around with songwriting and putting the call out on facebook for friends who’d be interested in jamming them and starting something bigger. Ryan jumped on from there, as well as our first drummer Shay, and we wrote Crawling Back pretty much in one practice. From there we’ve gained a lot of experience, had a bit of a change of sound and swapped around some members with Jack and Jackson joining late last year.’
How did the name Future Static come about?
‘At the start we bounced through a few ideas, but it was Bri who pulled together a list of dynamic names that we eventually chose Future Static from. Initially it was just because we thought it sounded cool, but over the years we’ve pulled a lot of meaning from the concept of the future and the static, looking forward while feeling stuck in place.’
What’s your writing process like?
‘It’s developed over the years, but usually it starts with Ryan bringing us a riff or a chord progression in practice and building from there. That being said, with Fatalist we had a record basically written and threw the whole thing out to start fresh a week out from pre-production. Somehow from phone recording demos, and the help of Christopher Vernon, we were able to turn that into a much stronger record that we’re so proud of.’
What was the inspiration behind your new single Dead End?
‘Lyrically it is about being in a dark place and not knowing if there’s ever a way out of it. It’s about the anger that can come along with hopelessness and depression. Although we wrote it last year, it seems like a very relevant song for the turbulent times the world is in right now.’
How would you describe your sound?
‘We recently had someone call it “Pop-Hardcore”, which is probably the best way to look at Fatalist. It’s definitely a much heavier sound than anything we’d released previously, but the overarching melodies and vocal lines create a lighter contrast that hopefully gets stuck in peoples’ heads.’
Is there a song you wish you had written and why?
‘There’s a few songs we listen to and wish we’d written, one that really sticks out at the moment is the track “Gone With The Wind” by Architects. The song transitions seamlessly between cacophonous fury and emotional clean sections. Range is something we always try to showcase in our music, whether that be emotional or instrumental contrast, and Gone With The Wind plays with range so beautifully.’
What bands did you grow up listening to?
JT – ‘I was listening to bands like blink-182, August Burns Red, Parkway Drive and Pierce the Veil (rawr) uwu’
BM – ‘I grew up listening to bands like My Chem, All Time Low, Black Veil Brides, Pierce The Veil and Paramore. I was also a big Musical Theatre kid, so you have to know that while I was listening to these bands, I was also listening to the cast of Wicked.’
KN – ‘I was late to the scene, so at 17/18 I was getting into My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Pierce the Veil, Bring Me the Horizon, P!ATD and the like, and always a lot of Ball Park Music. Growing up it was more what my dad played me, so a lot of T-Rex and Ben Folds Five.’
RQ – ‘Growing up, I was listening to Metallica, Darkest Hour, Blink 182, Parkway Drive and Silverchair.’
Listen to EP ‘Want’ here:
Do you have an all time favourite album and if so why?
BM – ‘Either Chemical Miracle by Trophy Eyes or Hotel Diablo by Machine Gun Kelly. Both are catchy as hell, have a huge variety of styles on them and hit pretty hard lyrically.’
KN – ‘This is a mean question.’
RQ – ‘Stage Four by Touche Amore. The main thing I look for in a good album is the utilisation of all of the songs in the record to take the listener on a journey, and Stage Four is the textbook definition of that kind of album. Every track builds toward a mood so well, in such an emotionally powerful way.’
What other musicians are you excited about at the moment?
JT – ‘Reside, Weighbridge and Loose End’
BM – ‘She’s already huge, but Dua Lipa owns pop at the moment. Future Nostalgia is going to be the album she takes over the world with.’
RQ – ‘Terra, Loose End, Better Half, Rumours, Weighbridge and Bridge The Border.’
Do you guys have a favourite track you like performing live?
BM – ‘For me it’s Dead End. It’s the final song for our set and the crowd went crazy for it at our most recent show, even though the song hadn’t been released yet. It’s one of those songs where you leave every single bit of energy you have on the stage.’
RQ – ‘Dead End goes off.’
JT – ‘Dead-set, Dead End. It’s my absolute favourite track to perform live. I’m a hardcore kid at heart and Dead End scratches that itch with it’s dark and edgy sound’
KN –‘Yeah, it has to be Dead End. The last couple of minutes of dirty breakdowns kills me every time in the best way.’
What has been your most memorable gig so far and why?
‘Definitely our sold out single release show for Choke, just before the lockdown. We pulled together an incredible line-up with Stand Tall, Furious George and Excuse for an Exit, had an amazing audience of familiar faces and new supporters, and it honestly felt like our strongest show yet. Not knowing how serious the lock down would be at that point, we’re incredibly lucky to have that show be such a high point, and selling it out was the cherry on top of what’s turned out to be an awesome release cycle.’
You must be excited about the release of your new EP Fatalist. How has it been received so far and how can we get our hands on it?
‘The record has received a lot of love from Publications and listeners alike, more so than we could have expected, and that’s really heartwarming. Fatalist is currently available on all major streaming services, (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.). Keep an eye out for physical copies coming soon.’
How far away is a full length album?
‘I think it’s at least another two years away. At this point I feel the level of energy required to produce a full length album would be wasted if we were to release one any time soon. We need to focus on increasing our audience and presence in the Australian music scene before releasing a full length album.’
Watch new single ‘Dead End’ below:
With Covid 19 putting a stop to live performances for the time being are you guys itching to hit the road?
‘Absolutely! One of our big goals for this year was to start playing interstate and getting our music out there, and unfortunately it’s looking more and more like that’ll have to wait til next year.’
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
‘To work with people who are genuinely excited and interested in what you’re creating. It’s very easy for your hard work to be overlooked if it doesn’t fit a trend, or for people to want to work with you just for the money. But if you can get a good team around you who genuinely enjoys what you’re making and working on stuff with you, as we’ve found with producing the record with Christopher Vernon and Darcy Handley, and making music videos with Ariel Johnson and Liam Davidson (Lord Media), you’ll end up with a much better product and have a better time making it.’
What plans does Future Static have for the rest of the year?
‘We’re going to continue working on new material and follow this new sound we’ve found. We already have a few rough drafts for some songs, so we’ll be working on refining them into demos while we have this extra downtime on our hands.’
Where do you see Future Static in 5 years?
JT – ‘Touring Europe and the US, playing metal festivals like Unify’
RQ – ‘On the road in places like Europe, Asia and the US.’
KN – ‘Festivals are definitely the big one for me. We’re getting to a stage where mates like Reside and Terra are starting to hit that level, and I can’t wait to be up there with them!’
If you weren’t in a band what would you be doing today?
JT – ‘I think I’d be working as a sound engineer or as a venue manager. I knew I wanted to be involved in the music scene to some extent if I wasn’t going to be in a band.’
BM – ‘Had I stuck with my original university plans, I’d be living in California and finishing up a Musical Theatre degree, so either that or something to do with my other love, fashion.’
KN – ‘Definitely something in the arts. When I finished school I started a film degree and went from that to a sound production degree, and I grew up dancing and performing. My life very much revolves around the band at this point though, so I don’t know which of those paths I would’ve chosen without it.’
RQ – ‘I would probably be in the music industry regardless of being in a band or not.’
Following the release of their epic new single ‘All Rise’ Perth’s hottest exports Cloning caught up with Black Of Hearts to shoot the breeze and share their hopes and dreams for what they hope is a massive 2020
Tell us a bit about Cloning how did you guys meet?
Jack, Nic and I (Felix) met through school. We were already best mates and it was just convenient that we all happened to play instruments. We met Bevan through a mutual friend when he moved from Kalgoorlie to Perth. Kalgoorlie is a rural mining town in Western Australia.
How did you come up with your band name?
It used to be longer and it was too much of a mouthful. We prefer Cloning cause its shorter and easier to remember.
How would you describe your sound to people?
A mix of a lot of different types of Rock music, theres a bit of shoegaze, pop, rock, triphop and some more sprinkled throughout our music.
Were the four of you always in agreement as the direction your sound was to take?
The direction of our music has taken shape gradually. We don’t all listen to the same music so we all bring different influences to the sound. I think thats helped us to realise where we want to go with it. So we’ve all been pretty on board with our sound’s direction from the start, because we all appreciate each other’s ways of playing.
What is your writing process like?
Songs usually start with Bevan or me (Felix). We tend to make home recordings of ideas and then we’ll share them with Nic and Jack. We rarely all work on a song together at the same time because we find it gets confusing. So that’s why we love writing our music by recording it because it gives us more time to get it how we want it.
Your new single All Rise; pays homage to Portishead with a hint of Nick Caveand Radiohead thrown in the mix. Was this a conscious decision or was it moreorganic?
It was more organic, we just tend to sound like the artists we really enjoy listening to. But its always hard to tell what part came from where. Sometimes a part of a song might be influenced by a song from an artist we’re a fan of, but that didn’t really happen on this one.
What has been a highlight of your fledgling careers?
Our first tour over East in December last year has been the highlight so far. It was a really cool experience and we learnt a lot about the industry and playing shows outside of our hometown.
What artists inspired you to pick up an instrument and start a band?
My parents played heaps of music to me as a kid. Bands like Nick Cave, Augie March and Lou Reed. So I don’t think any one thing inspired me to start playing. I just enjoyed listening to music and figured I’d probably enjoy playing it too.
What is your favourite band and favourite album?
Would have to be a tie between Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Radiohead. Favourite album would either be Kid A by Radiohead or The Boatman’s Call by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Dummy by Portishead is also a personal favourite of mine.
Is there a song you wish you had written?
Monster by Nic Rollo.
When can we expect an album and what can we expect from it?
We have a big back catalogue of songs, so once there is enough demand for an album we’d be able to get one together pretty quickly. We’re pretty much just waiting until our audience is big enough to make sure that the album is heard!
Where can your fans see you in 2020 and would you be touring nationally?
We were planning to get over East again this year but corona virus is hindering that at the moment. Hopefully once that passes we can keep playing shows around Western Australia and then make it over East again later in the year.
If you weren’t in a band what would you be doing today?
Feeling very unfulfilled as music is the only thing i’ve ever wanted to do. I’d probably be working in an office job somewhere or still studying at university.
‘I’M OBSESSED WITH ONE DIRECTION’ – ROSIE JACOBSON
After a consolidating their status as the next big thing with some dynamic and powerful performances on their national tour last year, Gold Coast heavy alt rock trio In Eyes are preparing for huge 2020 with a much anticipated EP in the works slated for the second half of the year.Black Of Hearts caught up with lead singer Rosie Jacobson to find out what else can be expected from In Eyes in 2020
First up tell us about ‘In Eyes’, how did you guys meet and what inspired you to start a band?
In Eyes has been my passion project since the back end of 2014. The bass player from my previous band and I started it shortly after said band broke up. A few member changes later and it’s now Dylan, Kris, and I. Dylan joined the band in early 2015 and I met Kris through Uni and he joined in 2017. The three of us love each other like family.
I personally have been playing in bands since 2009 and could never give it up, so it was less about being inspired to start and more about not being able to stop.
How did you come up with the name does it mean anything?
Funnily enough, it doesn’t really mean anything. I was gifted a pair of skinny jeans from a mate’s Mum and it had In Eyes on a tag that had been sewn in. This was years before the band started, but it always stayed in the back of my mind.
What is your song writing process like?
Generally it starts with one of us writing a guitar riff or an instrumental, and sending it through to me to put the topline over it. Once the basics are down we’ll play it together live at band practice and workshop it as we go.
Who are your biggest influences?
My personal biggest influence is Hayley Williams of Paramore, and has been since 2009. Musically though, In Eyes is more inspired by Tonight Alive, Dream State, Hands Like Houses, and Northlane.
How would you describe your sound to people?
It’s always been difficult to describe but the easiest thing we’ve landed on is melodic alt- rock. We also say we’re similar to Tonight Alive and Dream State to give people some sort of reference context. Overall it’s heavy and melodic guitars and hard-hitting drums, topped with powerhouse female vocals.
We love your new single ‘Time Won’t Wait’ tell us about it?
Time Won’t Wait was written back in 2017. At the time (and still today) I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and wasn’t feeling confident mentally. Someone had told me in the past if I wasn’t signed by the time I was 25 I wouldn’t make it as a vocalist, and that scared me a lot. I now know it’s bullshit, thankfully.
The years between hearing that and my 25th birthday we’re terrifying me because time was ticking away and I wasn’t achieving my dreams. I landed on the sentiment Time Won’t Wait For You (because I’m sorry, but it won’t) and based the song around that.
For me now, it’s changed meaning slightly. Now, it’s representative of opening your eyes to the things you’re afraid of, and fighting for things you want with full energy because if you don’t you’ll regret it later. I like that it’s able to be taken either way, and probably more ways depending on each listener.
Name your favourite album and favourite band?
This is a loaded question. My all time favourite band and album is Paramore and their album Brand New Eyes. It’s a perfect record. I am also obsessed with The 1975, One Direction, Hands Like Houses, and Northlane.
If I had to recommend an album everyone should listen to it would be Hymns For The Non-Believer by Kisschasy. Another perfect record.
I dunno, I just love music, man.
Is there a song you wish you had written?
Every day I hear songs I wish I wrote. The Goo Goo Dolls ‘Iris’, and Prince ‘Purple Rain’ are two of the best songs ever written. I’m currently obsessing over The 1975 ‘I Always Wanna Die Sometimes’. Brilliant piece of music.
When can we expect a full length album?
We’re hoping to pull together an EP by this time next year, but not putting any dates on it yet. Our band has a history of ups and downs so we’re taking it as it comes.
What has been the highlight for you guys so far?
One of the best shows we played was the Griffith Uni band comp in 2017. The energy in the room was off chops. Other highlights of course are things like getting played on the radio for the first time, and for me personally, just building the dynamic and friendships with Kris and Dylan. I couldn’t do any of this without them.
What can we expect from ‘In Eyes’ in 2020? Is there a tour in the pipeline?
More songs, more shows; that I can almost guarantee. As I said we want to do an EP and I would love to go on tour. I’m trying to manifest it so, hello universe, a tour would be great please!
What is your New Year’s resolution?
Band related – keep up the pace and don’t slack. Invest in the project and put our whole hearts into it.
Personally – get my health in order, and spend my money more wisely.
If you weren’t in a band, what would you be doing today?
Honestly, probably trying to start a band. It’s the only thing I’ve really ever wanted. If it was completely off the table, I’d be running a venue/booking agency and putting on All Ages shows across the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Singing too; always, always singing.
WATCH LATEST SINGLE ‘TIME WONT WAIT’ BELOW: OUT NOW
We had the pleasure of seeing Irish band ‘Walking On Cars’ rock out at Max Watts in Melbourne for their first ever headline tour of Australia and NZ.
It was a decent crowd turnout with the majority being Irish expats roaring on their heroes. They played a great variety of tracks from their 2 studio albums – Speeding Cars, Hand in Hand,’Too Emotional’ which was exactly that! Catch Me If You Can, Ship Goes Down,’ ’Don’t Mind Me’ from their brilliant 2016 debut release Everything this Way, and their latest release, ‘Monster’ which has 258 million streams and sounded brilliant! Their tracks are heart/soul wrenching and unique!
Hailing from Dingle, Ireland these childhood friends looked very comfortable on stage with lead singer, Patrick Sheelhy engaging with the crowd regularly and expressing how happy they were to be performing ‘Down Under’ for the fans. The crowd knowing all the lyrics sing along enthusiastically, with Sheehy often pointing the mic into the crowd encouraging them to sing along with him. They were happy by the amazing response that were getting from the Melbourne crowd. You could see how much the crowd could feel the emotion and energy.
The band play the songs as if they were playing them for the first time, with every member of the band complimenting each other’s sound. You can see why they have such a massive following in Europe!
The 1 ½ set was a great chilled/rocking night, leaving all the fans and new fans wanting more! We highly recommend seeing them live! A great bunch of guys and we see a huge future ahead for them! Thanks for a great night!
Irish natives Walking on Cars shot to fame in Ireland in 2012 with their debut single ‘Catch Me if you Can’ and have been shaking up the music scene ever since with their chart topping hits.
Following on from a summer of European festival shows and a sold out UK tour, the Irish natives make their Australian debut with shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
Black of Hearts caught up with Keyboardist and Vocalist, Sorcha to talk about the bands spectacular new album ‘Colours’ and how they’re gearing up for a busy year.
How did you guys meet?
We met in Dingle the town where we grew up so we’ve known each other for a very long time. It’s a pretty small town where everyone knows everyone.
What motivated you to start playing music?
We started playing together at a time when we were all back in Dingle with a lot of time to spare, trying to figure out what to do with our lives and so initially it was just for fun. It was a natural progression to get to the point where we decided to take it seriously.
How did you come up with the band name?
It was a drunken idea after a gig one night.
How would you describe your sound to people?
It’s quite a full sound, very melodic with a mixture of rock and synth textures. We don’t try and stick to any genre in particular, it’s fun to keep it open and experiment.
Who are your biggest influences?
We have a lot of different musical influences. I’m a huge Arcade Fire fan. I come from a very musical house with a mixture of traditional Irish music and I trained in classical piano. Evan brings a rock vibe with some hip hop grooves, Paul used to play in a covers band so he has dipped in all the classics and Pa is very into singer/songwriters and any well written songs.
Name of your fav albums? Fav band?
My favourite albums are The Subarbs by Arcade Fire and Kingdoms In Colour by Maribou State. As a band though there’s definitely a few albums that have influenced us collectively especially when we first started making music together. Bon Iver’s Bon Iver, James Vincent Mc Morrow’s Early In The Morning and Ben Howard’s Every Kingdom.
Where do you gather song writing inspiration?
We have a studio space where we live, it’s quite isolated with amazing views.
Is there a main songwriter?
We all contribute to the songwriting and each song is different.
Is there a song you wished you had written?
Yellow by Coldplay
What is your song writing process?
Sometimes we Jam it out together in a room, sometimes we take more of a production approach and we also do a bit of Co-writing
We are loving your new album ‘Colours’! Esp tracks like ‘Monster’ and ‘Too Emotional’, is there a story behind these?
Monster is a song about facing something that has been negatively impacting you and Too Emotional is about when you’re so mad about someone that you get overwhelmed and can’t even talk to them.
You guys are about to do your first ever headline shows in Australia, New Zealand and Russia. Is there a venue/place your looking forward to playing the most?
We’ve heard loads about the Gactory Theatre in Sydney. Everyone keeps telling us it’s a super cool venue to play.
What has been the highlight of ‘Walking on Cars’ so far?
Selling out our Arena shows in Ireland and touring around the world is pretty amazing.
Where do you see yourselves in the next few years?
We’re going to continue making music and touring and just take it all as it comes. Being creative is the most import thing.
Last but not least, if you weren’t musicians, what do you think you would be doing today?
I’d love to have gotten into human rights, Paul would be surfing or golfing, Pa would be a soccer player and Evan would be a pilot.
Sydney duo Polish Club brought their ‘Meet Me at the Iguana’ national tour to a packed 170 Russell Street on Friday June 29th. Before the band appeared on stage the crowd warmed up their vocal chords with an impromptu sing-along to Vanessa Amorosi’s ‘Absolutely Everybody’ – an unusual choice at a rock show, but it went down a treat.
Strolling on stage just after 11pm to a noisy, expectant crowd ready to rock out, Polish Club duly oblige kicking off with the blistering ‘We Don’t Care’ arguably the stand out track from their recently released sophomore album ‘Iguana’. The crowd immediately bouncing along to the kick ass rock track. A great way to start the show!
Moving straight into the funky rock title track ‘Iguana’, a song about their favourite bar in Kings Cross that they used to frequent before it closed down. Followed by ‘Goddamn’ the crowd by now hands in the air, yelling the chorus back to them loving what they were witnessing. The raw punkish ‘Beeping’ and the bluesy rock ‘Don’t Fuck Me Over’, both lifted from their 2015 self-titled EP is aired next taking the gig to another level!!
Decked out all in white, with black leather boots and black belt with a shock of spiky peroxided blond hair, David Novak’s powerful vocals are flawless and sound like a cross between the gravelly tones of Dave Grohl and the bluesy side of Johnny Diesel.
Drummer, John-Henry Palak had his drum kit positioned at the front of the stage which gave everyone a clear view of his intricate drumming, although his face was hidden behind his long blond locks as he feverishly banged away at the drums and they were joined on stage by Iguana producer, Wade Keighran on bass. The huge sound coming off the stage made it hard to believe there was only 3 of them creating the epic noise!!
There was constant light-hearted banter between the band and audience throughout the show. The respect and love between them is evident and such a pleasure to watch. They appeared to be enjoying themselves as much as the crowd. At one point Palak brings out a chocolate cake and they get the entire crowd to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to a fan named James in the crowd, before slicing it and handing it to the lucky few at the front of the stage. Such a beautiful touch!
Novak randomly starts playing Red Hot Chilli Peppers ‘Under the Bridge’, to which Palak joins in only for Novak to forget the words of the second verse, before launching into ‘Beat Up’ from 2017’s debut album ‘Alright Already’.
Their self-depreciating, devil-may-care attitude while on stage is refreshing as it is infectious. They put everything into each song with an air of ‘something could go wrong’ at any moment, which makes it hugely entertaining to watch.
There were many highlights, with the Foo Fighters sounding monster ‘Breakapart’, hard to shake off with the crowd and band singing every word together as one. What a moment!!
They end the show with a flurry of epic tunes ‘Come Party’ followed by ‘Clarity’ and ending with the emotionally charged slow burner ‘Divided’. The crowd drenched in sweat bouncing and not wanting the night to end!
The recent prediction of the demise of rock music seems to be premature, with Polish Club showing what a kick ass rock show is all about! Seemingly flying the flag for rock music and proving it’s alive and well in Australia!!
If you get a chance to see these guys live you won’t be disappointed! One powerful rock act that will stay in your veins for days!!
Maz and Glynn sat down with Street Pieces frontman, Ben Tilney to talk about the their newest single, ‘Cthulhu’ and how they’re gearing up for a busy year.
After forming in 2013, Street Pieces released their first EP ‘The Otherside’ after working with producer Magoo (Regurgitator). After a year of cutting their teeth on the East Coast circuit, the band gained commercial airplay with Triple M and supported Wolfmother on their Australian tour. 2018 marked the release of their ‘Everything You Ever Wanted’ EP and saw the band tour extensively before settling back into the studio to work on what will be their next monster release. ‘Cthulhu’ is the latest single, produced by Aria winner Govinda Doyle. With a sound as massive as its namesake, ‘Cthulhu’ delivers a sonic experience that swells and breaks with an ever-heaving groove that moves you like the ocean tide. Drawing from the eternally dark riffs of Sabbath, core shaking drums of Zeppelin and chronicled by soaring vocals. Street Pieces unleash a perennial anthem fit to roam the halls of rock!
Q. Maz & Glynn – How did you guys meet?
A. Ben – We all met at QUT doing the bachelor of music.
Q. M & G – Who makes up Street Pieces?
A. Ben – Ben Tilney on vocals, Alex Miller on guitar, Jon Mengede on bass and Marcus McLachlan on drums.
Q. M & G – Are you from Brisbane?
A. Ben – All except Alex, who’s from Victoria.
Q. M & G – How did you come up with the band name?
A. Ben – I think I saw it etched into an alley way outside Melbourne CBD. I thought it sounded cool so I took it to the band and it kind of stuck.
Q. M & G – What motivated you to start playing music?
A. Ben – The original lineup sans Jon started as a project at university. We all liked the idea of playing in a rock band so we started one. People said we didn’t sound too bad so that gave us confidence to keep playing after we graduated. Jon came a few years later in the piece but had always kept up with what we were doing and already had a love for rock music.
Q. M & G – How would you describe your sound to people?
A. Ben – Dynamic, we love ourselves a big chorus. Cool guitars, big vocals and a bit of rock swagger thrown in for fun.
Q. M & G – Who are your biggest influences?
A.Ben – Difficult to answer but when I think of our sound bands like Audioslave, Band of Skulls and Led Zeppelin come to mind. All things bluesy/rocky/poppy.
Q. M & G – Where do you gather song writing inspiration?
A. Ben – We can all get inspiration from anywhere, listening to music, watching movies, going for a drive or doing nothing at all and the sound just comes to you.
Q. M & G – What is your song writing process?
A. Ben – Usually we all start making sound in the studio and one of us riffs off the other and then it starts to snowball. From that point it either forms into a song structure or we all fizzle out.I usually end up singing some gibberish over the music which I try to translate later into lyrics.
Q. M & G – Name one of your favourite albums?
A. Ben – Diamond Eyes by Deftones.
Q. M & G – Who are your favourite bands?
A. Ben – Deftones, Rival Sons, Foo Fighters, Band of Skulls, All Them Witches, Audioslave, INXS, Zeppelin, Sabbath, The Who.
Q. M & G – After 3 ep’s, when can we expect a full album?
A. Ben – We are pretty quick at writing songs but its whether they make the cut or not. We want to deliver a really killer first album. I’d say within the next 2 years.
Q. M & G – We love your new single ‘Cthulhu’. Tell us a bit about it?
A. Ben – It is our biggest song to date, inspired by HP Lovecraft and a dash of Greek mythology. We feel like the name really matches the massive ever-heaving feel of the song.
Q. M & G – What has been the highlight of ‘Street Pieces’ so far?
A. Ben – Apart from supporting heavy hitters like Wolfmother and Shihad it would have to be the upcoming tour, we’re excited to hit the road and play in new places.
Q. M & G – Where do you guys see yourself in the next few years?
A. Ben – Playing longer tours, bigger shows and hopefully in another country at some point.
Q. M & G – You guys are going on the road again, where and when can we catch you?
A. Ben – First stop is the Woolly Mammoth on July 20 with Iron Eye, Rhino and Magnus. These guys all bring it so it’s going to be a great show. Stay tuned for more dates!
Q. M & G – Last but not least, if you guys weren’t musicians, what do you think you’ll be doing?
A. Ben – Marcus would be hosting a kids television show, Alex would be a cheesemonger, Jon would be a gigolo and I would be a farmer in Japan.
Thanks for much for your time, Ben!Keep rockin and hope to see you live soon!!
London’s genre crossing quartet Rudimental brought their energetic electronic drum ‘n bass party to Margaret Court Arena,Melbourne on Sunday 9th June.
Sneaky Sound System got the party off to a fine start with an exhilarating set, playing a great array of tracks from their catalogue and ending their hi energy set with their popular track ‘UFO’.
Rudimental stormed on stage just after 9pm blasting off with a shorter version of ‘New Day’ from ‘We The Generation’ kick starting the reggae party in fine style, followed by ‘Right Here’ and ‘Not Giving In’ a standout track from 2013’s superb debut ‘Home’.
With tour vocalist, Afronaught Zu taking centre stage, as he does for the majority of the set, bumping up the energy levels a notch with his non-stop dance moves complementing the fun mood of the night. It was so impressive how his outrageous dance moves never affected his vocals and he didn’t miss a beat while jumping around!! The entire crowd dancing along with him throughout the entire show!
There was such a happy fun party atmosphere as the entire band, including the four touring members, bringing the amount of artists on stage to a total of eight, all looking like they were having the time of their lives and wanting everyone in the audience to feel the same. They were not disappointed as the crowd danced the night away arms waving in the air, losing themselves in the moment, smiles etched on every face!
Up next was ‘I Will For Love,’ taken from ‘We Are The Generation’ which was so powerful and really reached into your heart and soul, ‘Toast To Our Differences’ was a funky rendition by the hugely talented backing vocalist, Bridgette Amofah, and the trumpet drum pumping ‘Let Me Live’ raised the concert to another level.
The lighting show was also impressive, especially with the Ed Sheeran cover ‘Bloodstream’. The flashing lights were a mix of red and white, creating a bloody, insane atmosphere! There were many highlights –the cover of Rag’n’Bone ‘Human’ a standout, a great slowed down version before turning into a dirty masterpiece. Anofah’s heartbreaking version of Emeli Sande’s ‘Free’ was another highlight. Beautiful!
Melbourne being the last gig on the Australian leg of their hugely successful worldwide tour, ToastTo Our Differences, only added to the party atmosphere. Keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist, Piers Agget dressed in red track suit pants, white t-shirt with a huge red heart on the front and an oversized long hooded white fur coat, constantly encouraged the crowd to scream louder and dance more enthusiastically, dragging every last drop of energy from the adoring crowd as they happily rode along on the wild Rudimental party bus.
Widely regarded as one of the best live acts in the world today, Rudimental do not disappoint. These guys know how to party and this was one huge love-in rave party! It was sometimes hard to distinguish between the 4 members and their touring group as they all danced around on stage together with everyone having a turn in the spotlight. There seems to be no egos here which is refreshing and rare, they all appeared to show genuine affection for each other which rubbed off onto the crowd!
A key message of the ‘Toast to Our Differences’ album is bringing people together from all walks of life through music, and the message resonates throughout this exuberant performance.
They finish off the one and a half hour set with the classic drum ‘n bass banger ‘Feel The Love’ their first UK #1 single and the rapturous ‘Waiting All Night’
Rudimental you were fantastic!! A must see live! Best reggae inspired rave you could ever be invited to!
This is one band you would want to crash your party!!
Hailing from Perth, Indie Electronic trio CrookedColours played to a sold out show at The Forum, Melbourne 25/5/19 on their national tour to support their recently released sophomore album, the bewitching ‘Langata‘.
Supported by the summery dance sounds of Nyxen and the dynamic, Kayex, the sold out crowd turned the Forum into an underground rave party, The atmosphere already electric long before Crooked Colours took to the stage – floors sticky as everyone with drinks in hand readied themselves to dance the night away which started with an impromptu singalong to John Denvers’ ‘Take Me Home Country Road’ which played over the speakers just before the main act took to the stage.
The trio consisting of lead singer, Philip Slabber multi instrumentalist, Leon De Baughn on synths and Liam Merret-Park on drums kicked off the party with ‘Come Back’ from their exceptional slow burner debut ‘Vera’ from 2017. The crowd roaring their approval as the party started with everyone bouncing and singing along. Next up was ‘Hold On‘ followed by ‘Do It Like You‘ both from the recently released ‘Langata’. Only released 2 weeks ago everyone in the crowd already knowing the words, as the danced and sang along.
Each track would send everyone into a dance trance, with Merret-Parks’s heart pumping drumming and the ingenious synth skill of the impressive De Baughn, both looking like they were loving every minute of it.
Dressed in ‘loungewear’ (tracksuits and sweat tops) they more than satisfied the adoring crowd with a mix of new tracks from ‘Langata’ with additional tracks from their debut ‘Vera’ which kept the the older fans happy as well as blowing away any new ones in the crowd. They also added a slowed down reggae cover version of Robin Shultz’s ‘Sugar Baby’ which was well recieved!
Being the hottest rising act in electronic music in Australia, if not the world, they have mastered the pairing of lighting and their live sound creating an electrifying visual masterpiece!
‘Langata‘, named after a region in Nairobi, Kenya where the albums’ creative direction took place whilst on tour in Africa last year. It was written, recorded and meticulously produced entirely by Crooked Colours and seeing them live only enhances the album.
It was an intense, fun, fast paced 1 and 1//2 hour show with a mix of smooth vocals and fast hypnotic dance riffs.
If you can, you have got to see these guys live. Fantastic gig and a great party!
Brisbane indie alt-pop group Cub Sport enchanted Festival Hall, Melbourne to a sold out show on the 13th April 2019. The crowd packed with young love filled guys and girls, with the front row packed with people parading the gay pride flags. It was crazy, you could feel the love and pride that was being projected from the crowd, even before the first song played!
To start the private journey through his heart, lead singer Tim Nelson, dressed in white high-waisted pants and a white leather belt draped over his body, begins with ‘Unwinding Myself’ He sings it in pure a cappella style, leaving everyone speechless. Just as beautiful as the album version!
To pick up the tempo, they play ‘Video’ which is their second track on their latest album, with Tim standing at the top of their stage set up; a platform with 2 ramps on each side with a red lit video backdrop.
With only watching 2 tracks, you’re easily swept away by his intense vocals and slow passionate defined movements that made you feel like it was all in slow motion. The female fans went crazy with his moves! Tim has been described lately as the Australian Justin Bieber, just more gay! 🙂
Next track ‘Chasin ’ is from their second album ‘Bats’. This song connects with most, having the lyrics define anyone feeling lost and not knowing what you’re chasing in life at a young age. Another popular track was up next ‘Hawaiian Party’. The entire crowd singing along to every word, telling a story of another layer of his heart.
Beautifully written ‘Look After Me’ was directly after. He hypnotically draws you in with his soulful voice and slow motion movements. Towards the end of the song, you are lost in his dreamy world, where every word feels like a dream. At this stage, I was very surprised at how great this gig was and was very interested to know what they had coming up.
The band took the crowd for a trip down memory lane with ‘Only Friend,’ ‘Trees’ and ‘Butterflies’. The highlight was the visually hypnotic ‘Good Guys Go,’ using elements from the video clip with the red lighting that represented the ‘Stranger Things’ vibe and when Tim sang the chorus “you know I’m breaking my back,” he would re-enact the clip and slowly bend, stretching back as far as he could to express the lyrics. It was mind blowing!!
You could feel so much love and connection that the crowd was feeling by this stage. They were definitely stuck in his web of love!
With more tracks to satisfy the heart, they play ‘Come Out,’ ‘Party Pill,’ ‘Summer Lover, ‘Stars’ and ‘Limosine.’ each track all telling the stories of his life. One of their biggest hits ‘Sometimes’ creeped in toward the end of the 1 ½ hour set and that completely went off!! What a powerful performance!
This band is so touching to watch. To see the journey and love behind Tim and Sam Netterfield (band member) create such heart felt music is amazing. Tim mentions to the crowd how happy he is that they are now married and finally being able to be. He strongly believes that to live and love is more important ‘Everyone deserves love and happiness’, he says’. Couldn’t agree more!
This concert was like a visual soundtrack of love. “It’s too real life and too much like a dream”
A surprising fantastic gig! Loved it and a must see!
