Top 25 - 28 February, 2016

Ngaiire, Sans Parents, Chris Watts + Harts!

1. Ngaiire - Diggin (NEW)





Jo's Pick of the Week: Yes. Yes! YES. Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes. That’s still not enough. So, so, so, so, so, so very happy to finally hear a new track from one of our very favourites, Ngaiire and while I’m going to type a bunch of words about ‘Diggin’ what I really want to say is just…YES. Yes because the wait for new material has seemed so long, but I guess that’s partly because her previous track ‘Once’ and the album Lamentations before that were so, so, so, so, so, so very good but let’s just say the wait was so worth it. Yes because this is everything we love about Ngaiire – yes there’s a groove that can’t be denied, yes there’s the beats that can’t be held down, yes there’s those powerful vocals of Ngaiire’s (and I can’t help but mention the incredible backing singers that are definitely not part of the background) and yes because the words, while we’re all dancing ‘cause we can’t stop and we won’t stop there’s the fabulous Ngaiire telling a tale of so much more than our dance moves. There is nothing and I mean nothing not to love about this track. Love, love, love, love, love, love, loveloveloveloveloveLOVE and one more: yes! (Jo Michelmore)


2. Ella Hooper - Monkey Mind





3. Sans Parents - Can't Stop Moving (NEW)





Matt's Pick of the Week: If you were looking for a song that was a 2010s indie interpretation of 60s doo wop and smooth teen rock... well you've got it. So all of your dreams have come true. Get excited. Get more excited, because this new track from Sans Parents is genuinely a lot of fun. The Brisbane based four piece have received some love from the likes of triple J in the past with their easily likeable brand of rock, but 'Can't Stop Moving' is sure to become their most loved track thus far. You can sing along to it, you can dance to it, you can play it to all of your friends and make them love it too. And what's not to love? Nothing. That's what. Keep your eyes on Sans Parents. It looks like they've got a big year ahead. (Matt Bond)


4. Montaigne - In The Dark





5. Babaganouj - Do Rite With Me Tonite (NEW)





6. Little May - Remind Me





7. Hayden Calnin - Cut Love





8. Matt Gresham - Small Voices (NEW)





9. Lanks - Golden Age





10. FKA Twigs - Good To Love





11. Chris Watts - Let Go (NEW)





12. Julien Baker - Something





13. The Love Junkies - Nobody (NEW)





14. Hedge Fund - Summer's Getting Shorter (NEW)





15. Two People - Fading





16. Gypsy and The Cat - Inside Your Mind





17. Harts - Peculiar (NEW)





18. Major Leagues - Better Off





19. Gretta Ray - Unexpected Feeling





20. Motez ft. Tkay Maidza - Down Like This





21. Ecca Vandal - End Of Time





22. Daughter - How (NEW)





23. Violent Soho - Viceroy





24. Dinner - Turn Me On





25. PASSERINE - Lost In Each Other

Song Review - Small Voices

Small Voices

by Matt Gresham

Every year at about this time I wonder what I’m doing with my life and why it is that I’m not about to get on a plane to Texas to go to the SXSWs and listen to all the musics from all the peoples I’ll be loving for the next couple of years. Hearing this track from WA’s Matt Gresham isn’t helping this issue, as I’m pretty sure these beats are going to be stuck in my head for the next couple of days and I’ll be wishing I could make it to Austin to see him play this year’s edition of SXSW (he’s on at midnight on March 18, if anyone wanted to buy me a flight and a ticket, by the way). Such a simple but addictive little tune, ‘Small Voices’ is a perfectly written pop tune, starting small, slowly building to a hook I can’t seem to get outta my head and that voice of Mr Gresham’s that is anything but small. (See what I said there? I know, you’re welcome.) Looking forward to hearing more with the release of an EP sometime (hopefully!) soon and if anyone who knows someone is reading this, someone book this guy for BIGSOUND!

Jo Michelmore gives 'Small Voices' three and a half cheers beers emoji out of five...

Song Review - Do Rite With Me Tonite

DO RITE WITH ME TONITE

by Babaganouj

Babaganouj. Nouj, nouj, nouj. You can't not love one of Brisbane's brightest up and coming bands. And why wouldn't you want to love them, you big 'ole jerk wonderful reader who we love? They've been getting better and better with each release over the past couple of years. Their first release of 2016 comes in the form of new single 'Do Rite With Me Tonite', a track that only further solidifies The 'Nouj as some of the finest pop writers in the country. Yes, yes... indie band is very indie. But with 'Bluff', 'Hit Song' and now 'Do Rite With Me Tonite' (from this point forward 'DRWMT') part of their discography, you can't argue that Charles Sale, Harriette Pilbeam and Ruby McGregor know a thing or two about crafting a catchy tune. And I think I'm right (or is it rite, don't no how to spellz anymore) when I list three members of the band these days. 

'Do Rite With Me Tonite' is much like the 90s-revivalist tracks that are becoming Babaganouj's trademark, with Sale and Pilbeam sharing vocal duties on a super sweet track that'll make you be like, "this is fucking cute", but you won't have to feel bad about it because there's guitars and stuff. Am I right fellas? Jokes, you're allowed to have feelings. This won't let you not have feelings. That's kinda becoming Babaganouj's staple too. Songs with that "classic" Brisbane sound that have just that little bit more depth. And like I've already covered, they're extremely catchy. Another winning number from The 'Nouj. Nouj, nouj, nouj. Give this song all of the plays and see Babaganouj on tour throughout Australia in March supporting Palms. 

Matt Bond gives 'Do Rite With Me Tonite' four  pizza emoji out of five. Because pizza is how you do right by ME tonight.

    

Top 25 - 21 February, 2016

FKA Twigs, Gypsy and The Cat, Hayden Calnin + Julien Baker!

1. Ella Hooper - Monkey Mind





2. Montaigne - In The Dark





3. Lanks - Golden Age





4. Little May - Remind Me (NEW)





Matt's Pick of the Week: Little May knocked our socks off last year when they released their debut album, For The Company. We named it our most loved LP of 2015 and we still can't stop listening to it. To celebrate how awesome it is, Little May will be heading out on their biggest Australian tour yet. Check out their Facebook page for May 2016 tour dates. Loving that they'll be making appearances on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts. Beaches and Little May... the perfect combination. Not to be confused with the film Beaches and Little May, which would probably also be a great combination. Maybe? Besides their big touring news announced this week, we got the next single from For The Company released with a clip for a visual, viewing pleasure. Single #3 is the slightly manic and incredibly infectious 'Remind Me', which builds in a similar fashion to many of our fave Little May tracks. This time around though the guitars are heavier, a little darker and those drums are beating just that little bit harder. We love it, obviously. And that clip is so 90s in the best way. Like how videos were before they started getting weird around the time that Soundgarden released 'Black Hole Sun'. What's not weird? Little May's 'Remind Me'. It's just all kinds of awesome. (Matt Bond)


5. Gypsy and The Cat - Inside Your Mind (NEW)





6. Two People - Fading





7. FKA Twigs - Good To Love (NEW)





Jo's Pick of the Week: The press release for FKA Twigs' latest single surely must contain the words ‘writhes around in bed’ when referencing the clip, because one google search came up with a whole range of ‘reviews’ with the same sentence, which yes, is the truth, she is writhing around in bed during the clip, but what that clickbait headline fails to describe is the absolute beauty of ‘Good To Love’. A perfectly crafted pop ballad that on one hand has a whole lot of heartache with lines like “when you give yourself away, it always hurts too much” alongside a whole lot of strength with words like “I’ve had plenty so I know you’re mine”, which all make it a very real and stunning little tale told in a really sweet and soft way, which is not really what I expected when all I keep reading about Ms Twigs is how hot the self-directed clip is. You know what’s really hot? Gorgeously crafted ballads sung straight from the heart. (Jo Michelmore)

 
8. Motez ft. Tkay Maidza - Down Like This





9. Julien Baker - Something (NEW)





10. Major Leagues - Better Off





11. Beyoncé - Formation





12. Ecca Vandal - End Of Time





13. Hayden Calnin - Cut Love (NEW)





14. Highasakite - Someone Who'll Get It





15. Grimes - Kill V. Maim





16. Clea - Dire Consequences (NEW)





17. PJ Harvey - The Wheel





18. Violent Soho - Viceroy





19. Dinner - Turn Me On (NEW)





20. Paces ft. Jess Kent - 1993 (No Chill) (Re-Entry) 





21. PASSERINE - Lost In Each Other





22. Gretta Ray - Unexpected Feeling (NEW)





23. Slowly Slowly - New York, Paris (NEW)





24. Missy Elliott - Pep Rally





25. Le Pie - Up All Night

Song Review - Turn Me On

Turn Me On

by Dinner

Album: Psychic Lovers (due April 1, 2016)

So I’ll be honest. The only reason I really looked twice at this song is because it’s by someone called Dinner. And today I missed breakfast, skipped lunch and only had time for a Mars bar and two coffees in the last 12 hours. They were big coffees. My eating habits are my own, stop judging me. The facts are, I’m hungry. Which is what bought me to a song called ‘Turn Me On’ by a guy from Denmark who google tells me lives in both Germany and the US, by a man named Anders Rhedin, who calls himself Dinner. Maybe it’s my lack of nutritious foods today, but that songs sounds like a giant lollipop and that clip looks so very tasty. So awfully simple but so awfully effective, the filmed on my Sony handicam vintage vibes make me wonder why VHS had to go away and the beats remind me of the way a lot of music worked in the early 80s, somehow equally depressive and danceable, like a good can of cold Tab. Ah, 80s beverages. Anyone under the age of 60 is going to need to google that to know what I'm talking about. While you're there, google "Dinner" and "dance music" and see if you can wade through the millions of results involving "dinner party music" to find this guy instead. It'll be worth the search I promise, you just might need a snack on the way.

Jo Michelmore gives 'Turn Me On" three emoji fries out of five....

Top 25 - 14 February, 2016

Ella Hooper, Motez + Two People!

1. Montaigne - In The Dark (#1 for 4 weeks!)





2. Two People - Fading (NEW)





Jo's Pick of the Week: I’m still lamenting the loss of Snakadaktal, because, well, who didn’t love the name Snakadaktal? However, the sorrow can be mended slightly with the sounds of Two People, a little duo whose name describes it all, consisting of ex-Snakadaktal members Pheobe Lou and Joey Clough, who haven’t lost their Snakadak-ey roots, but have moved on and grown up a little with this track, the first from their debut EP, due for release later this year. ‘Fading’ is all atmosphere and drive with a certain darkness pushing its way through, the repetitive synth hypnotising and the voice of Pheobe pleading for you to listen over and over. Looking forward to hearing what else these Two People (boom! See what I did there?) have in store for the rest of 2016. (Jo Michelmore) 


3. Highasakite - Someone Who'll Get It





4. PJ Harvey - The Wheel





5. Ella Hooper - Monkey Mind (NEW)





Matt's Pick of the Week: Earlier in the week, Ella Hooper released a preview of her upcoming New Magic EP in the form of 'Monkey Mind'. After last year's somber, heartbreaking and reflective Venom EP, 'Monkey Mind' promises there are brighter days ahead for one of our longtime favourites. Hooper is no stranger to reinvention. She's always leaned in an alternative direction, but here we find Ella with arguably her most 'pop' sound and I couldn't be loving it more. There's a constant drive to the beat and some mighty fine electronic touches behind the guitar lines. But despite a more summer-y demeanour to the music, everything we've come to love about Ella Hooper remains. As a storyteller, she continues to prove she's at the top of her game. You'll be listening over and over again to explore and interpret the lyrics. And about the lyrics... there is something so deliciously Stevie Nicks-esque about a line like, "is it wrong to hold on, child?" that puts the biggest smile on my face. The more I listen to 'Monkey Mind', the more I love it. (Matt Bond) 


6. Lanks - Golden Age (NEW)


 

7. Ecca Vandal - End of Time





8. Motez ft. Tkay Maidza - Down Like This (NEW)





9. Beyonce - Formation (NEW)





10. Grimes - Kill V. Maim





11. Violent Soho - Viceroy





12. Major Leagues - Better Off (NEW)





13. Le Pie - Up All Night





14. Dear Plastic - Zero





15. Missy Elliott - Pep Rally (NEW)





16. Nocturnal Tapes - Superficial Light (NEW)





17. Mia Dyson - Right There





18. colourwaves - Archons (NEW)





19. PASSERINE - Lost In Each Other





20. Santigold - Banshee (NEW)





21. James Blake - Modern Soul (NEW)





22. Niki and The Dove - So Much It Hurts





23. Gideon Bensen - Talk Talk





24. Bad Pony - Zombie





25. Nicole Millar - Tremble

Video Review - Archons

Archons

by Colourwaves

There was a point late last year during the giant countdown that Matt and I compile at the end of each year in which Matt asked me if I could listen to an (unnamed for the purposes of this review) song and tell him what some of the lyrics were so we could pop them in said countdown we were compiling. It was at this point I realised how much I love the lyric video. I sat at my laptop for ages and ages, listening over and over to a song I loved, but having very little idea what the vocalist was singing. I knew it was a language I could speak, I just couldn’t decipher what was being said. Great song but. All of this leads me to Colourwaves and the recently released clip for ‘Archons’, which, by the way, is a beautiful piece of chilled electronic music. Not a simple lyric clip, it's a stunningly shot couple of minutes, in which Ryan Dodson (aka Colourwaves himself) is a distant participant, an observer in an all too familiar cityscape, creating a sense of detached warmth. Perfect accompaniment to a perfectly produced track. But, like I said, the thing I really like are the subtitles running throughout the clip, which I know were an artistic choice and they do add a certain something to an already pretty clip, but they are also a godsend to time limited bloggers like ourselves. Now, if only I knew what that last line was. Ummmmm…down sit you want really? Great clip but.

Jo Michelmore gives ‘Archons’ three and a half party popper emoji out of five….

Top 25 - 6 February, 2016

Violent Soho, Mia Dyson, Highasakite + The Lumineers!

1. Montaigne - In The Dark (#1 for 3 weeks!)





2. Grimes - Kill V. Maim





3. Highasakite - Someone Who'll Get It (NEW)





4. PJ Harvey - The Wheel (NEW)





5. Le Pie - Up All Night





6. Violent Soho - Viceroy (NEW)





Jo's Pick of the Week: Violent Soho are like the Paddle Pops of Australian music. No matter what fancy toppings you put on your ice cream, no matter how many cookies you squash ice cream in the middle of, no matter whether it’s deep fried or gelati-fied, all of those ice creams are fine, but there’s always the Paddle Pop, sitting there in the corner of the convenience store fridge, doing its thing, not bothered by the salted-caramel-double-chocolate-with-nuts-covered confections nearby; that Paddle Pop is confident and just getting on with the job of being a rectangular-ice-confection-on-a-stick-delight. Just like Violent Soho, taking no guff from anyone else, doing their thing, getting on with the job of rock, playing their gritty guitars in their suburban garage rock way and singing their suburban tales with so much heart, simply being their solid rock selves. All of that and in ‘Viceroy’, they also sing one of my favourite lyrics of the year so far “a computer is a better friend than I’ll ever be, I ditched you Saturday night cause I want you to know, take a photograph it’ll last longer, I feel so temporary, like some viceroy…” Even though it’s only February, I’m pretty sure I’ll find those words impressive for as long as I have the slightest social media addiction. Which will probably be a while yet. (Jo Michelmore)

 
7. Ecca Vandal - End of Time





8. Bad Pony - Zombie





9. Mia Dyson - Right There (NEW)





Matt's Pick of the Week: Australia's champion of the blues, Mia Dyson, has released the title track to her Right There EP, which is due out February 12, 2016. If you want to give the EP a listen in full before it's out there in the world (and you should), US Billboard have given it a little streamy-stream and talk about how P!nk is a big fan of Dyson's. 'Right There' has all the trademarks of a classic Dyson track; lyrics that paint a vivid story in the listener's mind, guitar lines from one of Australia's very best musicians and that soulful and at times totally defeated voice that we've come to love so much over the past couple of years. We're thrilled to have one of AUS music's greatest storytellers and performers back and later in the year you'll be able to see Mia Dyson on tour when she returns to our shores. (Matt Bond)


10. Leisure Suite - Heavy Head





11. Massive Attack, Tricky and 3D - Take It There





12. Nicole Millar - Tremble





13. Primal Scream and Sky Ferreira - Where The Light Gets In (NEW)





14. Private Life - Dragon





15. PASSERINE - Lost In Each Other





16. Dear Plastic - Zero (NEW)





17. Gideon Bensen - Talk Talk





18. Paces ft. Jess Kent - 1993 (No Chill)





19. The Magnetic Zeros - No Love Like Yours (NEW)





20. The Lumineers - Ophelia (NEW)





21. Ali Barter - Far Away


 

22. Santigold - Chasing Shadows





23. Niki and The Dove - So Much It Hurts (NEW)





24. Flume ft. Vince Staples and Kucka - Smoke and Retribution





25. Beaty Heart - Flora

Song Review - Talk Talk

Talk Talk

by Gideon Bensen

EP: Cold Cold Heart (due 12th February 2016)

There's this old saying that goes something along the lines of suggesting that you learn something new every day. If that’s the case, then today I learnt that Gideon Bensen is actually a member of The Preatures. Not sure how useful that information actually is, but it seems to be a fact people like to write about if all the things I've read about Gideon are any indication. More importantly, I learnt that he makes some pretty impressive sounds on his own, with the release of the second single from his upcoming EP Cold Cold Heart. While his first solo track, ‘All New Low’ took some not so subtle but very, very welcome hints from some of David Bowie’s work from the 70s, ‘Talk Talk’ seems to come from another decade, it’s synths and quick-fire beats resting nicely in a mid-80s sound. Dare I say it? Is that some kind of Billy Idol influence I hear in there somewhere? Whatever happened to Mr Idol? That's a question, answer and lesson for another day. Whoever Gideon's influences are, he seems to have a knack of picking up sounds and making them his own. The most important thing I learnt today is that 'Talk Talk' is as addictive as it is awesome.

Jo Michelmore gives 'Talk Talk' three and a half fries emoji out of five...

Song Review - The Wheel

THE WHEEL

by PJ Harvey

Album: The Hope Six Demolition Project (out 15 April, 2016)

Now you see them, now you don't

Children vanish 'hind a vehicle

Now you see them, now you don't

Faces, limbs, a bouncing skull

PJ Harvey has been the champion for many causes over the years. Her music has been raw, powerful and full of meaning. And never has this been more true than on 'The Wheel', the lead single for her ninth studio album. Whether you take it as an examination of the true victims of war and crime or a passive and realistic view on the world's reaction to missing children cases, you'll be left in awe of the magic that PJ Harvey weaves throughout her music. The video for the song specifically takes a look at the effects of the war in Kosovo. More often than not, Harvey's music leaves you shaking your head at the world, the government and even yourself and this is no exception. 'The Wheel' doesn't branch far from the music we came to expect on the Mercury Music Prize winning album, Let England Shake. Specifically 'The Words That Maketh Murder' finds itself channeled here and the results are just as memorable as they were in 2011. 

If you invest yourself in everything that Harvey has to offer, from the striking words to the imagery of the spectacular video and the saxophone driving the tune along... you won't be able to not love this and find yourself questioning so much about the world around you. There's just over two months to go until The Hope Six Demolition Project is available to all. It's shaping up to be another brilliant PJ Harvey experience. And who knows, maybe it'll see one of the world's most treasured music makers take out the Mercury Music Prize for the third time in her illustrious career. 

Matt Bond gives 'The Wheel' four and a half golden crown emoji out of five...