#70. MY LOVE, MY LOVER
by BANFF x Caitlin Park
And if you need me babe, I'll bring you home
'cause you're the one I want after the storm.
And if you need me babe, I'll bring you home
'cause you're the one I want after the storm.
If this isn't the Australian indie collaboration of the year, well I just don't know what is. BANFF and Caitlin Park cooked up a little slice of magic with 'My Love, My Lover', with its genuine warmth earning a whole lot of replay. Caitlin Park's voice fits so sweetly alongside BANFF's Benjamin Forbes and you're left wondering why these two talented artists aren't working together all the time. Top notch stuff from two acts destined for huge things over the next couple of years. (Matt Bond)
#69. TIDAL WAVE
by Alexander Biggs
And it feels like I'm the one
Living in outer space.
And it feels like I'm the one
Living in outer space.
Alexander Biggs has that big beautiful sound that Australian male singers tend to have, those voices that are equally confident and humble, that sing of every day tales in a way that makes every day sound like something much more than any of us see every day and I guess that's what makes so many Australian male singers so damn likeable. I predict big things for Mr Biggs and that's not even meant to be some kind of pun. Truth. (Jo Michelmore)
When you listen to 'Tidal Wave' you can't help but think Alexander Biggs has such a brilliant career ahead of him. Imagine when you see how far he's gone in ten years and you can look back and go, yeah I remember when I first heard that 'Tidal Wave' song and it's so obvious that the whole world was going to catch on to how talented he is, how captivating his music is. More often than not, you'll find an artist that deals in a more folk-y landscape that "tastemakers" latch onto that don't live up to the hype being created for them. Alexander Biggs doesn't need anyone to create hype for him, but he is certainly deserving of all of the attention being given to his music right now. (Matt Bond)
#68. LIKE THE OTHER KIDS
by Ayla
I got no soul, just a black hole
Right in the middle of my chest.
I got no soul, just a black hole
Right in the middle of my chest.
Ayla's star shines brighter than ever with each new release and 'Like The Other Kids' kept her forward momentum going strong in 2016. It's a carefree and warm song that sparks something inside you and is sure to put a smile on your face. She might be singing about having no soul and just a black hole in her chest, but when you're making people happy with your music I'm inclined to disagree. Ayla's not like the other kids, and we wouldn't want it any other way. (Matt Bond)
You want me to say the obvious thing here, don't you? I mean, if I don't, then Matt probably will, so I should just do it. Beside talking about Ayla's glorious vocal in this track, the layered voices and the hurry hurry slow down feel of percussion, the uplifting sense of endless days and the way it wraps itself around your mind, the thing one of us is going to say is this. What makes her so special is exactly what she sings; "I'm not like the other kids" and please don't ever be like them, whoever it is that they are Ayla. We like you exactly the way you are. (Jo Michelmore)
You want me to say the obvious thing here, don't you? I mean, if I don't, then Matt probably will, so I should just do it. Beside talking about Ayla's glorious vocal in this track, the layered voices and the hurry hurry slow down feel of percussion, the uplifting sense of endless days and the way it wraps itself around your mind, the thing one of us is going to say is this. What makes her so special is exactly what she sings; "I'm not like the other kids" and please don't ever be like them, whoever it is that they are Ayla. We like you exactly the way you are. (Jo Michelmore)
#67. KILLER
by Band of Skulls
Get out of the way if you can't stand the flack
Me and my army we're on the maximum attack.
Get out of the way if you can't stand the flack
Me and my army we're on the maximum attack.
As long as Band of Skulls are playing guitars, bashing drums and singing songs, the fact is, I'm probably going to love them and all they do. 'Killer' is the perfect example of said fact. From the very first moment I heard it I was all over it; the spiraling, swirling guitars providing a glorious darkness and that vocal of Russell Marsden "killer killer killer killer!" giving that darkness some even darker flashes of light, if that could be such a thing. Now, if only I could figure out how to get it out of my head once it's stuck in there. (Jo Michelmore)
#66. ALL OF YOUR GLORY
by BROODS
It's killing the both of us, the place that we're in
All the things we've come to.
It's killing the both of us, the place that we're in
All the things we've come to.
So the first time I heard this song I pictured some kind of dramatic scene, probably set at night, two people desprately trying to live their lives together apart together, some tears and some silent screaming into the distance, you know, something to make you cry that weird sobbing no I'm not actually crying into a bowl of chips in the romantic glow of my TV. Then I googled and found out this song was all sorts of Grey's Anatomy and suddenly everything made sense. Matt, how many times have you watched the episode this was in? I don't actually blame him, I don't have much of an opinion about Grey's, but this song? Stunning. Absolutely stunning. I imagine the scene it featured in was too and if he hasn't already, I'm pretty sure Matt will be happy to tell me all about it. (Jo Michelmore)
I'm not going to lie to you... I love this song because of Grey's Anatomy. Yeah, that's right, I'm still watching it thirteen years later, is that a problem for you? No? Good because it's still quality drama and they play these amazing songs. Songs like 'All of Your Glory' that finally allowed me to listen to this duo generating a huge amount of buzz with their music that I had still somehow managed to miss. Broods orchestrate the most subtle of heartbreaks over the course of this song's three minute running time. It's as impressive as it is devastating, which makes it perfect for a scene on a television show where your favourite fictional doctor is staring into the distance and imaging her dead loverrr looking back at her. No, I'm not crying. Shut up. (Matt Bond)
#65. UP ALL NIGHT
by Le Pie
I don't want to make demands
But you took me to a jungle and put a ring on my hand.
I don't want to make demands
But you took me to a jungle and put a ring on my hand.
Le Pie is all kinds of fun and she kept her revival pop party going in 2016 with 'Up All Night'. This song is the jam you would have expected you needed in your life, but now it's part of it you're never going to let it go. It's a total earworm and once its worked itself into your brain, it's going to be popping up all the time, leaving you bopping around at work, the gym, getting the groceries, in the car, uncovering the secret tomb of the Mummy, fighting Dracula etc. etc. You're going to find yourself playing it a lot, okay? While the music is as delicious as pumpkin pie (how can you not think of pie when you see the name Le Pie?), the totally relatable story of what's keeping Le Pie up at night makes this so much more than another catchy jam. (Matt Bond)
First it was Alex Lahey talking about wanting to go out tonight, now it's Le Pie singing about being up all night and I'm thinking; do all these people ever sleep? How are they doing this? Is there some kind of secret about staying up that makes you write incredibly catchy songs that I need to know about? And if they're up all night, what do they do all day? And why am I so hungry all the time? Does anyone know where I can get a tasty treat from in the middle of the night? Le Pie? (Jo Michelmore)
First it was Alex Lahey talking about wanting to go out tonight, now it's Le Pie singing about being up all night and I'm thinking; do all these people ever sleep? How are they doing this? Is there some kind of secret about staying up that makes you write incredibly catchy songs that I need to know about? And if they're up all night, what do they do all day? And why am I so hungry all the time? Does anyone know where I can get a tasty treat from in the middle of the night? Le Pie? (Jo Michelmore)
#64. NIGHTMARE OF 1984
by S.S. Sebastian
I can barely breathe anymore
Like my hand is holding my own head under water.
I can barely breathe anymore
Like my hand is holding my own head under water.
I don't remember which bit I loved first. I remember pressing play and being hypnotised by the sound and clamouring toward my headphones to hear that oh so subtle vocal floating around in there, desperately needing to hear what that was being said. But I also remember being hypnotised by the vision of that beautiful girl, staring straight through my screen directly at me, silently begging me to free her from the situations she found herself in the midst of. I can tell you from experience that the older you get there are certain things you forget all about, it is true, but the things you don't forget are the ones that reach you, that change you, that make you think a little differently before they arrived. 'Nightmare of 1984' was one of those things for me in 2016 and yes SS, there are things I regret too, but finding this track is not one of them. (Jo Michelmore)
#63. UNDERGROWTH
by PASSERINE
I was never yours, you were never mine...
I was never yours, you were never mine...
PASSERINE's Phoebe Dubar, Alex Gooding and Ben Murphy have perfected the art of creating dreamy atmospheres in their music you can't help but lose yourself in. On 'Undergrowth', you'll find yourself getting lost in it again and again, because it's all you need to remove yourself from the world and get your chill on for as long as it's playing. Yep, this is your new happy place and all of your thanks can go to PASSERINE for the amazing music they have bestowed upon us. Dubar is sounding more gorgeous than ever and the production earns top marks for the calming effect it's sure to have on every listener. Loving your work, as always, PASSERINE. Can't wait to hear more in 2017! (Matt Bond)
There's a few artists that seem to make our list of all time faves on this little spot of ours on the internets and after many tracks and much adoration, PASSERINE are definitely one of them. Always providing us with tracks to move to and things to adore, the release of 'Undergrowth' only a couple of weeks ago meant someone had to be bumped off the end of this long list of songs, but all those Little Mix songs sound the same anyway. (I lie. Little Mix were not on our shortlist of tracks. Because all their songs sound the same.) PASSERINE on the other hand are always fresh, reminding us of how organic electronic music can sound and how sometimes the greatest proverbial punches in the guts are the softest ones. Never stop please PASSERINE! (Jo Michelmore)
There's a few artists that seem to make our list of all time faves on this little spot of ours on the internets and after many tracks and much adoration, PASSERINE are definitely one of them. Always providing us with tracks to move to and things to adore, the release of 'Undergrowth' only a couple of weeks ago meant someone had to be bumped off the end of this long list of songs, but all those Little Mix songs sound the same anyway. (I lie. Little Mix were not on our shortlist of tracks. Because all their songs sound the same.) PASSERINE on the other hand are always fresh, reminding us of how organic electronic music can sound and how sometimes the greatest proverbial punches in the guts are the softest ones. Never stop please PASSERINE! (Jo Michelmore)
#62. SAME, SAME
by WAAX
And I swear I am a good kid
Trapped in the modern day.
And I swear I am a good kid
Trapped in the modern day.
Somtimes I wonder how bands from Brisbane ever write any music, let alone write anything anyone wants to hear. Surely they must be like bears who hibernate in the winter, writing writing writing, because there's no chance they can write these things while the temerature is a bazillion degrees and the humdity a bazillion percent. Or maybe they do. Maybe that's exactly when they write because it gives them a knack for being gorgeously aggresive with those guitars and more than happy to smash a quick beat. Really, there's nothing grungier or hotter (literally) than a sweaty band from Brisbane. Or something. (Jo Michelmore)
Oh, WAAX. You make me feel so young again. You've grown from Brisbane punk-rockers with an undeniable edge and a healthy dose of don't give a fuck attitude to world-class punk-rockers with an undeniable edge and a healthy dose of don't give a fuck attitude. 'Same Same' steps it up in the anthemic stakes for WAAX, somehow becoming their most energetic and compelling track yet. And that's saying a lot because energy has never been in short supply when it comes to the WAAX's music. Right here they're making you want to move, to dance, to jump around... to party with your favourite new rock band. And party is exactly what we're going to do with WAAX, hopefully for a long, long time to come. (Matt Bond)
#61. RISING WATER
by James Vincent McMorrow
Truth is, I never once was sad
For what I've done.
Truth is, I never once was sad
For what I've done.
Two songs in the one post where I get to talk about the TV I watch. How lucky am I? So lucky. If you're a fan of this little fantasy show called Game of Thrones, you might have seen the trailer for the new season that came out super early in the year that had a cover of 'Wicked Game' in it. It was awesome, right? So awesome. That cover was performed by James Vincent McMorrow, an artist whose name I had seen around the blogs and stuff, but I hadn't really heard any of his music. But that cover was boss level and how good was the last season of Game of Thrones?! Alright, I'll stop. No, I won't. Cersei is amazing. Arya 4ever. Okay, I'm done. So since McMorrow did a cover for a TV show I'm obsessed with, obviously I'm going to love him forever and now I do and he released an album this year that has this song 'Rising Water' on it that was really fun and now I'm going to go watch Game of Thrones. Bye. (Matt Bond)
