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INTRODUCING: DMA’s

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DMA's

DMA’s are one of those bands lucky enough to have been caught early by label reps (in this case, from Sydney’s I Oh You) and sent into the world more or less fully formed – with a single, a video clip, a website, a ton of gigs and, dare I say it, the beginnings of a ‘brand’.

Billed as a band of ‘three frontmen’ – the pleasantly assonant Tommy, Matt and Johnny – DMA’s started out in Johnny’s bedroom studio in inner-western Sydney. Don’t worry though – this is definitely not homemade laptop pop.

Urgent and earnest, DMA’s sound like WU LYF on those rare occasions when Ellery Roberts chose to sing in words rather than wolf noises. And these boys have got the Madchester threads to boot.

The band’s first single, ‘Delete’, is a love song for the digital romantic (‘Don’t delete my baby/Don’t defeat her now/In the quiet of nothing/ To the hands of grace…’). It’s got a staggering outro that makes my chest constrict, the cathartic refrain coming loud: ‘Just let it all out’.

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These guys might seem a bit self-satisfied in that video, but one listen and you’ll start to see why. DMA make guitar-led balladry in the 21st century feel absolutely vital.

Their EP is due out on 28 March; you can pre-order it here. They’ve never played a gig before, but they’re certainly about to – I hope they’ve been practicing.

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INTRODUCING: Curlew

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curlew

Curlew is a brand new project from Brisbane musician Sam George-Allen, who’s previously turned heads from behind synths with space hippies Mega Ogre and hardcore punks Low Season (who also perform this song live, though very differently).

Curlew is not much like either of those bands. ‘Blood Disease’ is built around George-Allen’s vocals, with low synth that growls and pulses while the beats stay upfront. It’s not until the vocal loops come in that you get the true impact of this track, with aching harmonies where George-Allen shows effortless control over her subtly interesting voice.

There’s something here that reminds me a little of Kid A. Or maybe in what seems like a sacrilege to say, what I refer to as the ‘pling plong’ synth. This is an excellent debut from an artist who’s sure to keep impressing.

‘Blood Disease’ is available as a pay-what-you-want download from Curlew’s Bandcamp, where you can also check out a very pretty cover of The Drones‘ ‘They’ll Kill You’ too.

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WTH PRESENTS: Hollow Everdaze, Seven Year Itch & Zone Out

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UPDATED-FLYER

 

We’re putting on a show in Melbourne next weekend. Whether you’ve spent the last three months of Summer watching Parks & Rec re-runs or weeping in the Gelato Messina line or just doing plain ol’ nothing, we won’t judge you, people of the internet.

It’s the last weekend of Summer. It also is the weekend when Melbourne’s CBD is open 7AM for White Night, where this lob of a city transforms into into a giant pedestrian gridlock/ the most expensive government funded acid trip ever. On your way to White Night, join us from 8PM at Alia Arthouse for some pre White Night Melbourne jams with the best from the West; Hollow Everdaze, surf chumps Seven Year Itch and WDYBM label faves Zone Out.

 

HOLLOW EVERDAZE

SEVEN YEAR ITCH

ZONE OUT

WATCH: The Laughing Leaves – ‘Everyday’

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laughing leaves

Behold! ‘Everyday’, the debut video from Geelong surf rockers The Laughing Leaves, is finally here. The single is taken from the band’s Everyday EP, a sharp little collection of psych and garage gems released in March last year.

These guys clearly have a thing for Nuggets and The Kinks – not to mention an avowed devotion to Pet Sounds – but it’s rare to see a young band pull off old songs with such flair: this is no orthodox 60s exhumation.

There are shades of Wake in Fright in the new clip, and it’s not just the analogue 16mm footage. The boys visit a country pub (the Meredith hotel, no less), where they’re co-opted by a creepy local into skolling a few too many rounds of ale.

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The Laughing Leaves have a few gigs coming up in Melbourne and Geelong – and if our warehouse party last June is anything to go by, they’re well worth catching. Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming album. In the meantime, you can still grab the Everyday EP on Bandcamp.

Here are those live dates:

Saturday, 15 February – Bassment Sound, Geelong with Ausmuteants, Chook Race and DJ Bum Trip. RSVP on Facebook.

Friday, 28 February – The Tote with Smile, the Ocean Party, the Good Morrows, the Vacant Smiles and Zone Out. Tickets here.

Saturday, 12 April – Alia Arthouse with Rolloways.

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INTRODUCING: Edward Francis

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phia&francis

Edward Francis is the lyric-based songwriting project of Melbourne-born, Berlin-based composer and sound designer, Edward Gould. In October last year, Gould dropped a two-track album, Saxophone: the first part, on Bandcamp. Though it received some attention in Germany, the release was almost completely passed over by the Australian blog machine, and it’s only now beginning to get some serious plays on triple j.

Recorded and arranged on Gould’s laptop, the tracks are made primarily for guitar, vocals and, unsurprisingly, saxophone. They evoke the work of Blood Orange in their restraint and downright steeze, as well as the chamber instrumentation of Rhye’s smooth, organic R’n’B.

Single ‘This City’ features fellow Aussie expat Phia (Sophia Exiner) on vocals. (The beat programming also appears to make use of some of her trademark kalimba loops). My favourite track here is the pensive opener, ‘Hose Rock Love Song’ – if only because I find the romantic overtures to Berlin on ‘This City’ a little cloying. Both tracks, however, are intelligent and light of touch, focusing on the play of tension and release rather than on any conventional pop structure.

Gould has also released a minimal house track as Francis George called ‘Float This’, which, like Saxophone, uses a palette of woody timbres and muted beats. His Soundcloud profile also features some conceptual sound art pieces and cello-based compositions, including a remix of Gabriel Prokofiev’s ‘Float Dance’, as performed by celebrated cellist Peter Gregson.

The most recent upload is an Edward Francis reworking of the lead single, ‘Do You Ever’, from Phia’s forthcoming record. Gould’s version is delicate and expansive, opening the original song up and taking it from sweet to graceful.

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LISTEN: Tenth Court – ‘Black Light’/’Goon Punch’ split cassette

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There are definitely hints of Joh Bjelke-Petersen in the style of Queensland’s stodgy new overland, Campbell Newman.  As self-appointed censor, he’s certainly been doing what he can to thwart development of the arts up in the sunshine state, but it seems he has not, as yet, deployed the storm troopers against Brisbane’s music underground. In fact, the damn thing’s thriving – as evinced by this little gem from brand new label Tenth Court, which features two tracks each from local upstarts Martyr Privates and Thigh Master.

Three-piece Martyr Privates formed in 2011 in the then flood-ravaged suburb of Milton. Their contribution to the cassette consists of loud, repetitive sludge rock, not unlike the swampy dirges of Kim Salmon’s the Scientists or Sydney newcomers Ruined Fortune. ‘Black Light’ and ‘Pale Lunch’ have been mixed with greater clarity than the songs from the band’s 2012 7”,  with punchy riffs carrying along these otherwise heavily distorted drones. (Martyr Privates, by the way, have an album coming out on Bedroom Suck and the UK-based Fire Records in March – check out the lead single here.)

Thigh Master’s offerings, meanwhile, are urgent and unkempt, band members flailing through ‘Goon Punch’ and ‘GAB CAB’ as quickly as they can while guitar strings bend and a bratty wail sails overhead. But, as a look at their tight live set demonstrates, Thigh Master’s approach is more focused than it may seem upon first listen. The tracks are melodic and to the point, and never overstay their welcome.

Tenth Court is hosting a shindig across three Brisbane venues from 21-23 February. Martyr Privates and Thigh Master will both make an appearance on a terrific bill that includes Cobwebbs, Keep on Dancin’s, Multiple Man, Orlando Furious and Per Purpose, plus label signees Barbiturates, Dag, Shrapnel, Screaming Match, Yoghurt Blood and heaps more. Weekend passes are available here, or you can get tickets on the door.

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