Donatachi shares their latest single, ‘Bad Dream’ featuring the ARIA-nominated Muki. Marking Donatachi’s first release of 2024, it also signifies their official partnership with the esteemed FADER Label in the United States and Central Station Records in Australia and New Zealand.
‘Bad Dream’ is a hypnotic journey into the heart of eurodance, reimagined for the modern era. From the opening beats, trance and breaks of ‘Bad Dream’, the track’s nostalgic homage to ’90s dancefloor anthems is undeniable, yet its production is sleek and contemporary, offering a fresh take on a classic sound. The track’s production escorts listeners to the dancefloors of 90s eurodance clubs, while Muki’s vocals add a modern piquancy – a seasoned pairing.
‘Bad Dream’ distinguishes itself through a nuanced interplay of complexity and accessibility, a delicate equilibrium that speaks to Donatachi’s evolving artistry. The release of the single heralds a transformative moment, as evidenced by its striking artwork reminiscent of the iconic title card from ’90s anime classic “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” This stylistic departure not only underscores a shift in sonic direction but also foreshadows a bold new chapter for them.
Reflecting on the creation of the track, Donatachi states “During my first tour for ‘donatachi.com’ I developed a more intimate relationship with music, with the crowds and the relationship that we share. Every night was a different city with different punters but the collective bliss we felt was the same each time. The euphoric trance and breaks of Bad Dream were born in those clubs from the energy of those dance floors.”
Donatachi speaks pure, blurry eyed sincerity into the rave. They take the molten core of proto trance and gives it a heartfelt, glittering new edge: packing it up in an acrylic Ken doll box, with a beautifully designed gloss, and turning the familiar into something ecstactic, comforting and new. In the last few years they’ve moved skilfully and playfully across the most enlightened forms of fast paced music, toying with bubblegum and jungle in equal measure.
As producer, DJ and pop girl, their work has courted attention from Ashnikko, Kim Petras, Slayyyter, that kid and Rina Sawayama, becoming a figurehead of hyperreal, impossibly fun electronic music. Their approach is crushingly heartfelt. Their singular style has connected quickly with audiences and established them as a link between Australia and forward thinking scenes abroad – a sentiment that has been absent in the country for many years.
The world they build finds digital parallels between safety and intensity – recalling chrome paint on a sportiva, a character selection screen, plastic sneakers so new they squeak when they move, DDR backing tracks, lip gloss spilling on latex, hyaluronic acid, and jet set radio future. To listen to Donatachi is to evade suffering and to be ridiculously in love.
IDLES share the new video for ‘POP POP POP’, a close-up in motion that sees Joe Talbot delivering the track’s singular lyrics, shot on location in Iceland. Widely acclaimed as one of the highlights from their critically-acclaimed fifth studio album TANGK, ‘POP POP POP’ is arguably the moment that deviates furthest from what you’d expect from IDLES. The sonic ambience is darker, a grittier hip-hop-tinged groove which lurches with grim menace. Yet the immediacy of its beat and Joe Talbot’s conversely upbeat lyricism with the terms “freudenfreude” and “joy on joy” balancing the sinister with the sweet.
IDLES share the new video for ‘POP POP POP’, a close-up in motion that sees Joe Talbot delivering the track’s singular lyrics, shot on location in Iceland. Widely acclaimed as one of the highlights from their critically-acclaimed fifth studio album TANGK, ‘POP POP POP’ is arguably the moment that deviates furthest from what you’d expect from IDLES. The sonic ambience is darker, a grittier hip-hop-tinged groove which lurches with grim menace. Yet the immediacy of its beat and Joe Talbot’s conversely upbeat lyricism with the terms “freudenfreude” and “joy on joy” balancing the sinister with the sweet.
IDLES are touring in Australia and New Zealand in January 2025, playing their biggest shows to date in the region. Tickets on sale now.
Dark-pop solo powerhouse ALTERJOY shares new single World So Loud, tackling themes of hypocrisy, societal decay, and the consequences of human actions. The official music video will premiere this weekend in Sydney at Clipped TV’s Inner West Film Festival.
World So Loud critiques societal norms and behaviours, diving into the destructive cycle of hypocrisy and exploitation. Once again working alongside established producer ChrisLalic (Windwaker), Ben Heidrich, also known as ALTERJOY, explores the overwhelming and chaotic nature of the world in his new single, as the title suggests.“‘World So Loud’ encapsulates a sense of dissonance, noise, and confusion, reflecting the challenges and contradictions faced by individuals in society.” explains Heidrich. “It also implies the pervasive influence of external pressures and societal expectations that contribute to the struggle talked about in the lyrics.”
World So Loud carries over themes established in previous singleBetter Make A Move, which took a step into the dark side of ambition and desire, exploring our addiction to instant gratification and the hunger for attention as we prioritise status and wealth over human connection, particularly in such a social media driven society.
ALTERJOY is the brainchild of singer songwriter Ben Heidrich, predominantly known for his role as drummer in Adelaide alternative metal outfit, The Daily Chase. Relocating to the Gold Coast last year, Heidrich ignites his creativity in the form of ALTERJOY, a project free from genre restraint and restriction. Experimenting with elements of EDM, metal, dark pop and hip hop, inspired by artists to the likes of Enter Shikari, BILMURI and Ghostmane, ALTERJOY borrows from a broad range of genres, setting out on a unique path of self discovery and sonic exploration.
Launching in 2023, This is Real became ALTERJOY’s debut single, a rock anthem built upon a cinematic landscape, paving the foundations of alternative pop rock mixed with EDM elements. A blend of dark synths and vibrant keys sought to strike listeners in the feels from the first drop. This years sophomore singleHella Goodis a fierce and confident cover of a No Doubt favourite. The single reached tens of thousands of streams across YouTube and Spotify and further established ALTERJOY as a newcomer worth watching.
Launching in 2023, This is Real became ALTERJOY’s debut single, a rock anthem built upon a cinematic landscape, paving the foundations of alternative pop rock mixed with EDM elements. A blend of dark synths and vibrant keys sought to strike listeners in the feels from the first drop. This years sophomore singleHella Goodis a fierce and confident cover of a No Doubt favourite. The single reached tens of thousands of streams across YouTube and Spotify and further established ALTERJOY as a newcomer worth watching.
World So Loud is available and streaming everywhere now.
PERFORMING AT WHERE WE BELONG FESTIVAL IN REDCLIFFE
ALONGSIDE BUTTERFINGERS & MORE THIS MAY
Do you feel the need, the need for speed?
Sliding off the sweaty back of a long, hot Gold Coast summer, local riff-slingers HAMMERS are set to start dropping song bombs all across the land, kicking off with their brand new single Top Fun, out now via Summerland Records.
Taken from the band’s debut full length LP mud-mapped for a late 2024 release, Top Fun serves up a punch that leaves you wanting more, with all the trademark HAMMERS rowdy feel-good vibes welded with sharp execution. Top Fun also mark’s the quartet’s first new music since releasing their 2020 EP Kicking Goals.
A wild rock’n’roll ride mixed with high octane grooves, filthy riffs, and more hooks than Rex Hunt’s tackle box, Top Fun was ultimately inspired by the seminal volleyball scene from the 1986 Tom Cruise classic Top Gun, with the lyrics also centered around classic Aussie summer vibes.
“The video itself was thematically inspired by the volleyball scene from the OG 1986 Top Gun flick – which is a story in itself – but lyrically, we did our best to sh!t-stain it with all the typical Aussie Summer nostalgia and imagery that we love most about our twisted culture,” shares vocalist and guitarist Lucas Stone of Top Fun.
Forging unpredictable grooves, jagged riffs and tasty hooks, Gold Coast/Northern Rivers rockers HAMMERS are Australia’s answer to the lovechild of Every Time I Die, He Is Legend and Alice In Chains. Comprising vocalist Leigh ‘Fish’ Dowling, guitarist and vocalist Lucas Stone, bassist Ricky T and drummer Ryan ‘Ruckus’ Lucas, the trademark HAMMERS brand gifts a rock’n’roll explosion for the ages, bringing together passion, technicality and an affable tongue-in-cheek swagger.
A grower and a shower, a lover and a fighter, Hammers are unapologetically flying the flag for true blue Australian rock’n’roll in a modern industry where fortune rarely seems to favour the bold. But, in true HAMMERS fashion, the quartet’s uncompromising wares have continually transcended any roadblocks in their way, striking an unforgettable balance between flippant fun and searing substance without sacrificing genuine craftsmanship. Equally in-demand onstage as they are for their diverse sonic smorgasbord, the brawny might of HAMMERS is only amplified further by the band’s boisterous musical flavours, Aussie spirit and authentic camaraderie.
Sharing stages across the country in 2023 supporting their brothers from North Carolina He Is Legend nationally, HAMMERS also launched their own Weekend Bender touring initiative in 2024, a campaign aimed at reaching as many of the too often music-staved Aussie communities in regional areas. Visiting regional areas one weekend at a time, the first Weekend Bender series saw HAMMERS blast stages at the Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Maryborough, with more locations to be announced.
The band also recently launched their very own Patreon hub, with multiple budget-friendly tiers on offer directly curated to foster the HAMMERS community. Expect plenty of extra HAMMERS fun, including sneak peeks, Patreon-only perks and more.
And if that’s not enough excitement, HAMMERS are also holed up in the studio chiselling away at what is shaping up to be an absolute chokehold of a debut full-length album. Stay tuned for more to come.
“We’re that excited about this upcoming record and where we’re headed with the new material,”Stone concludes. “Top Fun is definitely the perfect fire starter for what’s to come and we’re pulling out all the stops on this one so saddle up!”
WHERE WE BELONG FESTIVAL
Saturday 18 May
Picnic Hill, Redcliffe
Get ready Redcliffe! Where We Belong Festival is heading your way! Redcliffe’s biggest music festival will be happening at Picnic Hill, May 18.
The one and only BUTTERFINGERS will be headlining this years event, bringing with them a huge showcase of local bands!
With food trucks, Merch stands and a Beer Garden! Everything you could ever need for a good ole fashion day on the green.
Tickets are on sale now, so do not miss out on this festival goodness!
Gates open 12pm
Tickets $45 Tickets available here.
SEEYOUSPACECOWBOY RELEASES NEW SINGLE + VISUALIZER
‘TO THE DANCEFLOOR FOR SHELTER‘
FT. COURTNEY LAPLANTE
NEW ALBUM COUP DE GRACE
OUT FRIDAY 19 APRIL
San Diego, CA – Post hardcore band SeeYouSpaceCowboy have shared To The Dance Floor For Shelter, the latest single from their highly anticipated new album Coup de Grâce which features guest vocalist Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox.
“This song is our little ode to the emo songs that we were all obsessed with growing up, we wanted something that would almost feel cinematic in nature and felt like it carried you through from the piano in the beginning to the journey through the middle to the climax,” the band shares. “It’s a song that Courtney’s vocals beautifully fit into as a voice that leads you to that destructive end.”
Coup de Grâce is a complex and imaginative record that invites listeners into a neo-noir world of the band’s creation. It’s set to be released on April 19th via Pure Noise Records and features previous singles Respite For A Tragic Tale (ft. iRis.EXE), Silhouettes in Motion, Rhythm and Rapture (ft. nothing,nowhere.), and Chewing The Scenery.
North American fans can catch new music live for the first time starting in April as SeeYouSpaceCowboy hits the road with Better Lovers, Foreign Hands, and Greyhaven. SeeYouSpaceCowboy will also be performing at this year’s Sound and Fury Festival in Los Angeles this July.
Stream To The Dance Floor For Shelter Ft. Courtney LaPlantehere
Pre-order Coup de Grâce here
COUP DE GRÂCE TRACK LISTING:
01. Allow Us To Set The Scene
02. Subtle Whispers To Take Your Breath Away
03. And The Two Slipped Into Shadows
04. Red Wine And Discontent
05. Lubricant Like Kerosene (ft. Kim Dracula)
06. Respite For A Tragic Tale (ft. iRis.EXE)
07. Silhouettes In Motion
08. To The Dance Floor For Shelter (ft. Courtney Laplante)
09. Rhythm And Rapture (ft. nothing,nowhere.)
10. Sister With A Gun
11. Chewing The Scenery
12. Curtain Call
ABOUT SEEYOUSPACECOWBOY:
Every single song SeeYouSpaceCowboy have released since forming in 2016 has been deeply rooted in the life experience and trauma of frontwoman Connie Sgarbossa. Whether that’s existential anguish, substance addiction or suicidal ideation (and attempts), Sgarbossa has never been afraid to detail her pain and torment in excruciating detail. She holds nothing back and combined with the band’s intensely dark (and darkly intense) blend of sasscore, punk, mathcore and metalcore, it’s always made for profound and devastating listening. Coup De Grâce is no exception to that rule. The band’s third album, it follows on from 2019’s The Correlation Between Entrance And Exit Wounds and 2021’s The Romance Of Affliction. But unlike those two records, which were unadulterated, no-holds-barred accounts of her life at the time, Coup De Grâce takes a different approach to its lyrics. Rather than Sgarbossa baring her most private and innermost thoughts for all to hear, on these 12 songs they’re funneled through the lives of fictional characters within a noir-inspired world of the singer’s invention.
It makes sense, then, that the record begins with something utterly unlike anything the band has ever made before a sax-laden, smoky, late night smooth jazz ballad. It immediately draws the listener back to a time and place that exists decades in the past, a Moulin Rouge-esque club that’s not quite in the real world—and it’s within that parallel decadent and dystopian universe, and its various buildings, that everything then plays out. That ‘everything’ is just as personal as anything the band — completed by Connie’s brother Ethan Sgarbossa (guitar/vocals), Taylor Allen (bass/vocals), Tim Moreno (guitar) and AJ Tartol (drums) — have ever released, but it manifests itself across Coup De Grâce’s 12 songs in an entirely different way than before. And with valid reason, too.
“The record started as a visual idea,” explains Sgarbossa, “because when it came to lyrics, I didn’t know what the fuck to write at first. I’m not a drug addict junkie anymore, so I’m not going to write another album like The Romance Of Affliction — I can’t, and I don’t want to. So my mind wandered to things that I love, like Frank Miller’s Sin City graphic novels, where there are all these stories interlaced within a city. That led me to think about noir and neo-noir, and then pulp comics and novels from the ’40s and ’50s, which started to make it all come together lyrically and thematically, where each different song can be a different tale of the city.”
After the first minute and a bit of that opening song, however, the theatrics stop, their fuzzy, nostalgic warmth shattered by blast beats and screams, pulverizing guitars and exasperated spoken word, as the band deliver the kind of chaotic, violent noise they’re known for. And yet, as that gives way to second song Subtle Whispers To Take Your Breath Away, its ravaged, ferocious edges also reveal a new and surprising development in the band’s sound—a more catchy and accessible sense of melody influenced by what Sgarbossa terms “dancier indie-rock” influences like Bloc Party, Foals and Two Door Cinema Club. That came, she says, after she’d convinced, with some difficulty, the band to go with her proposed visual aesthetics for the record.
Recorded by Matt Squire at Mixwave Studios, Coup De Grâce is an album in the truest sense of the word. Wholeheartedly ambitious, it’s a graphic novel in musical form that not only succeeds in creating its own deliciously dark, noir universe, but one whose characters truly inhabit the world that SeeYouSpaceCowboy have invented for them. In fact, listening to it is more akin to watching it all unfold onstage. That’s partly due to the narration of Iris.EXE (who also appears on Respite For A Tragic Tale, a kind of intermission in the album’s middle), but also to the masterful execution of these songs
Of course, it’s nothing new for the band to switch up their sound—they do that with every record — but they’ve taken it to the next level with this one. And just as The Romance Of Affliction proved that art doesn’t always soothe suffering — Sgarbossa attempted to take her life two weeks after finishing that record — so Coup De Grâce proves that you don’t necessarily need to suffer to make great art. The singer is clean now and in a much better place than ever, but her band have also created the most ambitious, epic and accomplished album of its career.
I hope,” she says, “that people can look at this as a complete expression—not just ‘Oh, this song has a good breakdown’, but at the whole story, the whole setting, the visuals of it all and the way the music all ties in. I hope they see the creativity of that and the risk we’ve taken by embedding Cowboy with more weirdo outside influences that you usually wouldn’t see from a band like us. It’s like a full, unified creative venture, and something we put a lot of work into, so I hope they appreciate the weirdness of it. I feel like a lot of times people hear clean singing and more melody from a heavy band and think they’re selling out. But no — we’re actually technically weirder on this record than we’ve ever been.”
With that, it’s time to put your best shoes on. You’re going to need them as you dance inside the fire.
RELIQA ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM SECRETS OF FUTURE
DUE OUT FRIDAY 31 MAY
UNLEASH DYSTOPIAN NEW SINGLE/VIDEO KILLSTAR (THE COLD WORLD)
In 2024, the secret is out, the future is now; and its name is Reliqa.
Following on from their 2022 EP, the endlessly innovative I Don’t Know What I Am, Sydney-based alternative luminaries Reliqa take a daring and dexterous step into a brand new chapter, today announcing the upcoming release of their debut album Secrets of the Future, due out on Friday 31 May via Greyscale Records and Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-orders are available now via https://grysclrec.lnk.to/reliqa.
Heralding the arrival of Secrets of the Future is the brand new single Killstar (The Cold World); a scintillating progressive metal opus oozing with vitriolic guitarwork and serpentine vocals spliced between rapid-fire delivery, all building towards a pummeling climax that will leave you utterly breathless.
A lush, diverse and sci-fi-hued collection of songs that traverse fleeting moments of the human experience, Secrets of the Future also possesses a melting pot of stylistic inspiration, with elements spanning melodic metalcore through to contemporary rap, K-Pop, J-Metal, atmospheric pop, modern progressive metal as well as more traditional rock and metal.
With Secrets of the Future, Reliqa aren’t merely gazing at what’s to come; instead, they conjure it with poise and finesse, unpacking a rich and vivid tapestry that explores political injustice on tracks like Killstar (The Cold World), finding power in femininity on Sariah, as well as oscillating spotlights on the inner push-and-pull between protest and acceptance of reality.
“Aesthetic-wise, Secrets of the Future has some soft sci-fi elements to it, especially through the artwork and some of the soundscapes throughout,” shares the band of their forthcoming debut album. “We say ‘soft’ because it’s not a fictional concept album, but with the album title focusing so much on the future, the vibes are inherently dark, ominous, foreboding, a little bit dystopian at times.”
“Our songwriting style shifted in 2023 when we started writing this album,” adds the band, “and that change in workflow is another reason why some of the songs on this record are so different to anything we’ve done before, like Cave, Terminal, Crossfire and Two Steps Apart.”
Defying genre labels and harnessing their potent sonic identity in the heavy music landscape over the years, Reliqa have evolved from being “ones to watch” into an act destined for genuine greatness.
Whether dazzling onstage supporting the likes of Spiritbox, Halestorm, Sevendust, BABYMETAL or Northlane, whipping festival crowds into a frenzy or headlining their own shows, Reliqa never cease to enamour in a live setting alongside multiple singles commanding over 2 million individual streams, including Doomed and Mr. Magic.
Most recently flexing their nuanced take on heavy modernity with their 2022 EP I Don’t Know What I Am, Reliqa brandished dark grooves, layered soundscapes, electronic flourishes and more. I Don’t Know What I Am may have initially stemmed from the group themselves and the broader music industry being unable to categorise Reliqa‘s unique and immersive stylings; but ultimately, it’s the group’s bold and boundless sense of self that radically sets Reliqa apart from your standard heavy act.
Facing the future to their impending new album and fresh off supporting American rock powerhouses Halestorm for their Knotfest Australia 2024 headline sideshows, Reliqa are primed to take on the world.
A stunning mix of romance and nostalgia, the new single Afterglow from American singer-songwriter Cloe Wilder is a shimmering modern folk gem, marking an ethereal step closer to the release of Wilder’s impending new EP I Spent My Summer on the Road, set for release on Friday April 19.
A folksy ballad soaked in acoustic guitar and dreamy melodics, Afterglow also features glossy vocals from both Wilder and her long-time collaborator NICOLOSI, with the track reminiscent of Bon Iver and Lana Del Rey caught in a gauzy trance. Simultaneously introspective and
wistful with celestial overtones, Afterglow ultimately evolved from a melancholic narrative, as Wilder elaborates, “Escaping from locations is a big theme in my songs, but I also love the concept of leaving someone behind. Afterglow sort of morphed into this story of two people growing apart in the wintertime the understanding that the house has gone cold and there’s no way to imagine what that could feel like until it happens. I absolutely love that visual.”
Following on from her debut 2021 EP Teenage Lullabies, Wilder spreads her sonic wings on her upcoming EP, with I Spent My Summer on the Road traversing everything from stripped-back bedroom pop (Little White Pills) to coming-of-age odes (Fake ID), lush indie swoon (Take It In),
folk-hued warmth (Afterglow) and enraptured calm (Five Years). And while still laden with youthful exuberance following the release a few years ago of her debut EP at the age of 14.
I Spent My Summer on the Road is a stirring and disarming experience, with Wilder once again
finding magic alongside NICOLOSI and an array of influences, as Wilder explains, “I started writing with Sam when I was 14 and working on my first EP. I honestly didn’t let him go after. Lana Del Rey is my ultimate reference for everything. Bon Iver, Matt Maeson, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes, The Lumineers, Florence & The Machine, and so many more came into play. This EP is a testament to the last three years of my life. It’s my coming-of-age scrapbook through the lens of being 17 and confused. In the course of processing that evolution, I started to accept it and I had to write about it.”
Emerging as a teenager armed with earthy melodies, wistful narratives and gossamer vocals, Cloe Wilder’s innate ability to evoke warm and familiar melodies with her witticism and heartfelt lyricism aligns her comfortably as a Floridian young Taylor Swift, with sonic poise well
beyond her young years. Dabbling in the bedroom pop realms of Lana Del Rey and Phoebe Bridges as well as folk and modern sentimentality, Wilder is as much a confidante as she is a conduit for evocative and memorable music.
With her previous single Call Me If You Need Me currently in command of over 1 million individual streams, Wilder also has an array of live performances in her wake, including Breaking Sound in Los Angeles, and supports with EMELINE, Spencer Sutherland, Steinza and is currently on the road with Charlotte Sands. And in 2024, her journey continues with the impending release of her sophomore EP, I Spent My Summer on the Road.
“I put out my first EP out when I was 14, so I’m beyond excited for this new introduction,” Wilder concludes. “These songs are really important to me, and I’ve loved being able to grow with them.”
Afterglow is out today. I Spent My Summer on the Road is due out on Friday April 19.
Prolific and beloved psychedelic rock band Pond have announced they will take their Stung! Tour around Australia this June and July.
Coinciding with the release of the band’s tenth studio album Stung! on 21st June, Pond will tour nationally through winter, for the first time since 2022. On their anticipated homecoming, the band will visit Hobart, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle, along with a stop at VIVID Sydney.
Frontier Members can access presale tickets from 12 noon today (local time), ahead of the general public onsale on Thursday 28th March at 12 noon (local time).
Today’s news is accompanied by a brand new single from the band, ‘(I’m) Stung’– watch the official video here – the follow up to last month’s ‘Neon River’ which garnered acclaim from the likes of NME, Rolling Stone, DIY, The Line of Best Fit and Rough Trade. With Happy Mag noting that the track solidifies “Pond’s status as one of the most versatile and accomplished groups in the genre.”
Formed in Perth in 2008, Pond set out with an aim to create a collaborative musical project that initially saw a revolving line-up allowing anyone they wanted to play whatever they wanted. Quickly gaining attention at home in Australia and across the world, Pond were named NME’s The Hottest New Band In The World in their 2012 Hot List issue following show stopping international appearances.
Fast forward to 2024, Pond have cemented themselves as a band of collaborators, releasing projects that stay consistent with their ethos. Their forthcoming project marks a shift in the band’s creative process, Stung! serving as a chance for the quintet to lean into playful songwriting, tinkering with sounds and workshopping ideas before recording the album in Dunsborough WA.
Supporting fellow rockers Queens of the Stone Age across Australia and New Zealand as well as swiftly selling out dates across their UK and European headline tour, ten albums in, Pond seem to be having more fun playing now than ever before. Their perfectly curated live shows have seen the band teasing tracks from the album as they tour across the globe.
“… a transcendently powerful live music experience” – Rolling Stone
“Perth psych-rockers turn up the nuclear power… an entertaining evening of cosmic wonder” – The Guardian
Pond will bring their live show home following an extensive North American tour through May. Experience Pond’s transcendent live performance across Australia this June and July.
Pre-order Stung! now via Spinning Top Records here.
POND
AUSTRALIAN TOURJUNE & JULY 2024
Presented by Chugg Entertainment, Frontier Touring, Village Sounds, Laneway Presents & Spinning Top
FRONTIER MEMBER PRESALE
via frontiertouring.com/pond
Runs 23 hours from: Wednesday 27 March (12 noon local time)
or until presale allocation exhausted
TICKETS ON SALE
Begins: Thursday 28 March (12 noon local time)
Australia’s biggest indie-folk band, The Paper Kites, are hitting home soil in 2024. Frontier Touring today announce the Melbourne-born band will return to Australia for a series of special headline shows this June.
Performing alongside The Roadhouse Band in what will be their first Australian shows together, The Paper Kites will kick off at Freo.Social on Saturday 8 June, heading to Brisbane’s The Tivoli on Friday 14 June, Enmore Theatre, Sydneyon Saturday 15 June, to Forum Melbourne on Friday 21 June, before a final show at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal on Saturday 22 June.
Frontier Member presale begins Tuesday 26 March from 9am local time before general tickets on sale Wednesday 27 March. Tickets and tour information via frontiertouring.com/thepaperkites.
010 saw the debut EP release for The Paper Kites – Sam Bentley, Christina Lacy, David Powys, Sam Rasmussen and Josh Bentley – which yielded global attention with the song Bloom hitting platinum certification in the US (and subsequently going platinum in 6 other countries, including Australia). Tallying over half a billion streams to date, the success of ‘Bloom’ is still felt fourteen years on.
Following on from their trailblazing debut, The Paper Kites commanded the global stage, redefining the growing folk country scene and quietly amassing a huge global audience of over 8 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. Releasing full-length projects, States (2013), twelvefour (2015), On the Train Ride Home(2018), On The Corner Where You Live (2018), and Roses (2021), the band garnered nominations in their home country from the ARIA awards and J Awards, alongside consistently sold-out tours across the globe.
2023 saw the band release their sixth studio album and most poignant project to date – At The Roadhouse. Stumbling across an abandoned heritage venue in the small Australian town of Campbells Creek in 2022, the band repurposed the space into a venue (The Roadhouse) and embarked on a month-long residency – bringing this album project to life. Writing and recording in the barn behind The Roadhouse, word soon got around that the band were in town and weekends became a chance to perform the songs and allow them to evolve. An approach to songwriting and producing the band had never explored before, At The Roadhouse is a project deeply connected to community with smoky vocals and a magnetic groove that conjures the spirit of old-time country and blues.
The success of the small-town residency and performing alongside newly formed The Roadhouse Band – Hannah Cameron (vocals, piano, percussion), Chris Panousakis (vocals, guitars, percussion), Matt Dixon (pedal steel, guitars) – The Paper Kites knew they had to take the now eight-piece band on the road. Beginning in North America, The Paper Kites and The Roadhouse Band blew fans away, bringing the album to life on stage evoking the essence of a home-town show, yet so far away.
“… this tour exemplifies what The Paper Kites do best – presenting music in its purest and rawest form, in a way that facilitates a sense of rustic community, each audience member having their soul be soothed and warmed by the fire of the band’s blazing chemistry.” – The Luna Collective
“… this was one of those performances that created a sense of euphoria – a giddy and heady joy at seeing such skilful musicians deliver the highest grade of entertainment with such an infectious sense of joy” – Backseat Mafia
“The Paper Kites created a night that would be hard to forget…leaving the crowd feeling like they had just been wrapped up in a blanket made up of warm sounds and sugary-sweet stories of live” – GEM Magazine
The Paper Kites above
Last in Australia in 2022 performing sold-out shows across the country, Melbourne locals The Paper Kites will return this June, joined by The Roadhouse Band. Due to play at this year’s Bluesfest in Byron Bay, the band will then embark on their European tour with multiple sold-out dates before a highly anticipated return home.
Performing their most-loved tracks as well as the At The Roadhouse project for the first time down under, don’t miss The Paper Kites for these special homecoming headline shows.
THE PAPER KITES & THE ROADHOUSE BAND
AUSTRALIAN TOUR
JUNE 2024
Presented by Frontier Touring
ICKETS ON SALE NOW
Saturday 8 June
Freo. Social | Fremantle, WA
18+
moshtix.com.au
Adelaide emo alt-rock five-piece Wolf & Chain release nostalgic new single Not Giving Up. The band will tour the new song across the East Coast supporting Tapestry at AM//PM Emo Nights, starting tonight in Sydney! Tickets available here.
Pulling from sounds found in the 2000s with My Chemical Romance, Panic! At The Disco and 30 Seconds To Mars, the track ebbs and flows through chugging bass lines, infectious melodies and a soaring chorus that begs for a sing-along. No Giving Up is produced and engineered by Josh Meyer of Sunflex Sound (Those We Dream, The Faim) and mastered by Steve Smart at Studio 301 (King Stingray, Ocean Alley, Vance Joy).
The single toys with the classic Werewolf trope as a metaphor, contrasting the hopeless, dark version of a person with light and clarity. “It can often feel like you have two sides,” explains the band. “Where you have moments of being really down and hopeless, feeling like an entirely different person, not happy with who you are. But, at the same time, you come out of it and you are not that person and you have these moments of clarity that urge you to push through and survive. “
The song serves as a reminder that as dark as it can get there is a light on the other side. One can either succumb to the dark or refuse to give up and see the night through to a new day. The accompanying music video visualises this, paying homage to a cult favourite, Donnie Darko, showing a looming wolf figure leading the protagonist through the dark to the bright lights of the band. Watch here!
Bringing their unique brand of aggressive pop rock and chaotic anthems to the forefront of the alternative scene, Wolf & Chain have been expanding their dedicated following since the release of debut EP ‘An Honest Mistake’ in 2020.
Wolf & Chain single ‘Not Giving Up’ official artwork above
2021 saw the release of dramatic follow up EP ‘Amor Mortal’, a six-track storybook collection of dark fairytales, using fantastical elements to reflect the human experience of being consumed by love, distributed through UNIFIED Music Group’s Community Music. This was championed with singles Taste of Blood and An Unfortunate Tale of Two Lovers and an Insatiable Taste for Poison. These further lured in fans with an interconnected music video series set in a grim world of warring vampire gangs and damaged love, with Taste of Blood featured as Rolling Stone Australia’s Music Video of the Week.
Since this the band has progressed nationwide touring with Terra, Alera, Headwreck and AM//PM. Wolf & Chain has also supported Black Veil Brides (USA), Creeper (UK), Short Stack and Between You & Me. In 2023 the band conquered demons and survived hauntings, releasing their single Phantom, which madean appearance on Channel 7’s Friday Night Football.
The first installment of 2024 is here – Not Giving Up is available now and streaming everywhere.
FIRST SINGLE ‘WHAT A LIFE’ OUT NOW
+ BORN FROM A FRIENDSHIP SPARKED IN 4TH WALL WRITING SESSIONS, THE UNLIKELY PAIRING ARE RELEASING TWO BRILLIANT TRACKS THAT SHOWCASE THEIR COLLECTIVE STRENGTHS
Four of Australia’s most loved musicians have come together in a uniquely unexpected creative partnership – with breakthrough artist Ruel and acclaimed indie rock trio DMA’S dropping the first of two collaborative tracks today, ‘What A Life’.
Hitting it off at writing sessions for Ruel’s music, the group organically penned a handful of tunes together that felt far more collaborative in genre and style, pairing the best of DMA’S sound with Ruel’s striking vocals.
Ruel’s surprise appearance at DMA’S’ sold-out Enmore Theatre show last October, joining the band to perform a teasing acoustic version of one of these tracks, was met with overwhelming fan response (quickly racking up over 400k views). It was the final push they needed to finish and release the tracks from these sessions.
“Ruel is a special talent and we worked really well together through the writing and recording process. Things came together very naturally.”
– Tommy O’Dell, DMA’S vocalist
“This one is a little removed from either of our sounds, so it was really fun to collaborate in a different way and write an up-tempo feel-good song” – Ruel
It comes as Ruel breaks through to new heights internationally following his debut album 4TH WALL, with DMA’S now firmly established in the global indie rock scene after taking home ARIA Best Group last year and earning their second top 5 UK Chart result.
‘What A Life’ opens with warm synthetic keys; a nostalgic tone that would feel at home on the soundtrack of 1996 cult classic ‘Romeo & Juliet’ but is modernised by DMA’S’ trademark descending guitar strum – a sonic emblem of the band. At the chorus Ruel’s stunning vocal delivers “Welcome to my life”, and the music deftly follows his command. A simple synth line sweeps us back into the shuffling rhythm of the second verse, a masterful dance that continues – creating a single that is at once playful, and plaintive.
DMA’S embarked on their biggest run of Australian shows to date in 2023, a mammoth 19 shows across 16 cities and towns, as well as playing to adoring crowds across UK/Europe, including a sold-out show at London’s OVO Arena Wembley and the main stage of Reading & Leads Festival. With their fourth record How Many Dreams, the band landed their highest chart debut ever, peaking at #2 on the ARIA charts and a momentous #3 on the UK Official Album Charts, marking DMA’S second top 5 UK Chart debut – a feat only a handful of Australian artists such as Kylie Minogue, ACDC and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have achieved. The trio also took out triple j’s Hottest 100 of Like A Version with their iconic cover of Cher’s ‘Believe’.
Ruel is the youngest ever recipient of an ARIA Award, following the now 21-year-old singer/songwriter’s discovery at the young age of 12. He boasts over 3 billion streams globally, has sold out the iconic Sydney Opera House twice, completed four sold out world tours and taken home two MTV Europe Awards. Ruel has collaborated with fashion houses such as Prada, Fendi and Louis Vuitton, featured in publications such as GQ and VOGUE, and released three award winning EPs ahead of his beloved 2023 debut record 4TH WALL.
PRAISE FOR DMA’S
“The central pillar in DMA’S is the voice of Tommy O’Dell, a melodic siren that blares across the rooftops” – The Australian ★★★★
“Tommy O’Dell, Johnny Took and Matt Mason’s gift is for getting straight to the big emotions and letting them out with the hooks to match” – Classic Pop ★★★★
PRAISE FOR RUEL
“It’s astonishing that someone so young, can write something this good… I give up”. – Elton John
“Ruel is like the second coming of the pop prince, one destined to scale to even greater heights.” – GQ
The genre-hopping Sydney artist jnr. is back with his new single, ‘4DAYS/4NIGHTS’, the second release for 2024. Listen HERE. The brand new single follows a busy year with a whopping six singles, multiple features and remixes as well as a support slot for Last Dinosaurs.
Indulging in all-round ambience, ‘4DAYS/4NIGHTS’ dives deeper into the world of dark hip hop, attributed to contemporaries – Chase Atlantic, Don Toliver and Riley. Crooning over a bed of synths and reverb, the song explodes into snappy drums and pumping 808s made to destroy speakers turned up to 11. The song builds with glitched sound design before breaking in the finale for a chopped and screwed outro.
jnr. has been paving his own path in the alt-pop landscape with his fearless approach to innovating his sonic identity. Drawing comparisons to The 1975, LANY and No Rome, the project has always flowed between genres effortlessly whilst maintaining a consistent sonic and visual aesthetic. With an electric live show that has seen him sharing the stage with Last Dinosaurs, Chloe Dadd and Taj Ralph, jnr. is able to show a different side to his artistry, showcasing his songs with a three-piece band and a whole lot of energy.
One of the best live acts in the country has dropped their new single‘Dark Boy’ along with announcing their 4tstudio album Enhancer, set for release on May 17 2024.
The band’s new single,‘Dark Boy’, serves as a testament toNortheast Party House’s evolution both musically and thematically. Inspired by frontmanZachary Hamilton-Reeves’ personal experiences navigating life with a biracial identity,’Dark Boy’encapsulates themes of self-acceptance and empowerment, resonating with audiences amidst the global momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Of the track,Zachsays,“It becomes more of a story about coming to terms with who you are, and being more confident in who you are, or accepting the place that you’re in and moving forwards with a bit of power or a bit of self-assuredness and maybe maturing.”
Enhancer– the band’s fourth studio album, promises to be their most ebullient and expansive release yet. The title reflects the band’s commitment and enthusiasm to creating music that uplifts and stimulates listeners. Throughout the album,Northeast Party Houseexplores hybridisation, blending dance music with an indie spirit to create a sound that is uniquely their own
.I’m more proud of this record than I’ve ever been of any of our records,”Zachdeclares.
This upcoming record captures the essence of their live performances, offering a mix of infectious beats and epic guitar riffs, and showcasing the band’s versatility and maturity as songwriters.
Northeast Party Houseushered in their new era – and philosophy – withEnhancer‘s first single‘Brain Freeze’, a rock ‘n’ rave warehouse shuffler, last year and has recently followed up with‘Wish We Could’, a wistful yet euphoric release.
Northeast Party House above
With its bold sound and infectious energy,Enhanceris set to cementNortheast Party House’s status as one of Australia’s most exciting dance acts.
Vinyl preorders forEnhancerwill be available startingWednesday 19th March, giving fans the opportunity to secure their copy of this highly anticipated release with exclusive new merch and restocked vinyl ofNortheast Party House’s back catalogue.
After an intense tour down under in 2023, UK indie juggernauts The Reytons are set to return with a bang. Fresh from selling out fields and arenas in the UK, the self-made ‘kids off the estate’ will be bringing their non-stop energy to five raucous shows in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne this September and October.
The Reytons have quickly become one of the UK’s premiere indie bands since the release of their debut album ‘Kids Off The Estate’ back in 2021. Fiercely independent since their inception, the band quickly rose to fame following their sophomore album ‘What’s Rock And Roll?’ which topped the UK albums chart back in early 2023.
The band have racked up an impressive 130m+ streams on Spotify, with countless sell out tours across the UK and Europe – including a sold out show in Sheffield’s Utilita Arena (which happens to hold 13,500 people). Their latest album ‘Ballads Of A Bystander’, which dropped in late January of this year, recently topped the UK Record Store Chart and is just shy of 3m total streams on Spotify.
‘Ballad Of A Bystander’ is the band doing what they do best – communicating real stories of real people; unleashing more of the crowd-pleasing, aspirational indie that has brought so many music fans to their door in years past. Tracks such as ‘Market Street’ and ‘Nineteen Crimes’ demonstrate a introspective, anthemic form of songwriting from the band, whilst songs like ‘Adrenaline’ & ‘Minus One’ are the band at full throttle – filled with grit and raucous energy that Australian audiences are sure to enjoy.
They were last in the country for Brisbane’s Super Fun Day festival last year, with the band also selling out shows at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney and Stay Gold in Melbourne. Currently touring through Europe, The band have recently announced a headline show in their hometown of Rotherham at the historic Clifton Park, where the band will play to over 20,000 fans- the largest concert the town has seen.
With plenty of huge shows between now and their Australian tour, the band will be primed and ready to give their Aussie fans the show of a lifetime – after their last tour sold out well in advance, these special shows are not to be missed!
“Australia seems like a second home to us. The Australians just ‘get it’ and create the same level of carnage and chaos in the crowd that the fans back home bring. These shows are going to be special and we can’t wait to come back! All Reytons aren’t we?!
Sunday, 29th September – Amplifier Bar – Perth WA 18+
Tuesday 1st October – Lion Arts Factory – Adelaide, SA 18+
Thursday 3rd October – The Triffid – Brisbane, QLD 18+
Friday 4th October – Metro Theatre – Sydney, NSW 18+
Saturday 5th October – The Croxton Bandroom – Melbourne, VIC 18+
PRAISE
“Going into a Reytons show, you generally know what to expect: high energy tunes, a bouncing crowd, and an unforgettable atmosphere.”
THE COURIER (UK)
“..the band cemented their status as indie superstars last night (Saturday, September 30) when they played to a sold-out, Steel City crowd of some 13,500 fans at the Utilita Arena Sheffield.”
THE STAR (UK)
“There are some bands that simply demand to be seen live, with albums not able to truly contain the scale and scope of their sound. The Reytons are very much one of them.”
Lauren Mayberry shares the music video for her new single ‘Change Shapes’, an infectious, propulsive and lyrically powerful pop workout, out now. The new song sees Mayberry expanding upon the themes of how traditional gender roles have impacted her life and career.
“I feel like I perform to the general public but also play a character inside the internal experience, because there is so much negotiation involved in my existence there,” she says. “How do I keep people happy enough that they’ll let me do the creative work that I want to? I feel quite fake and hypocritical sometimes because so much of the narrative around the band is “feminist”, but my experience inside of it hasn’t been a lot of the time. I feel like I did all this work to make things function but when you DO adapt yourself in that way, it’s seen as manipulative, in order to get what you want.” – Lauren Mayberry
