The Australian Independent Record (AIR) Awards have unveiled the full line-up of performers for the ceremony on November 22 in Melbourne. That line-up includes a full set from Midnight Juggernauts to close the night, plus performances by Dappled Cities, Bridezilla, Philadelphia Grand Jury, Bertie Blackman, country artist Kirsty Lee Akers, and Indigenous electronic act Tjupurru.

Tickets to this Sunday’s ceremony are only $28.70, but we have ten passes to give away via our mailing list. Make sure you’re signed up to the list ASAP, as we’ll be announcing winners before this Friday.

Nominees after the jump:

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Kids At Risk – ‘Sugar’ (mp3)

I’m not sure what it is about Kids At Risk that makes them ‘neo-grunge,’ as they’re described in their press release. Maybe I just don’t know enough about neo-grunge. Admittedly this could maybe pass as a lighter Pixies song, but it still sounds like bright pop music before anything resembling grunge. But then maybe this song isn’t indicative of the rest of their stuff.

Tags and labels aside, ‘Sugar’ is very cool – smart pop music that’s tight but not shiny. Most impressively, it manages to make the refrain that repeats “you’re like sugar” plus other metaphors about having a “sweet tooth” and cravings not unbearably saccharine or twee. The messier middle 8 is what sells this song for me, with each band member taking a different vocal line and the guitars getting cranked up that little bit more.

www.myspace.com/kidsatriskband

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Zeal – ‘Wasps’ (mp3)

According to the press release, Zeal makes both indietronica music and also animated videos of cats in space in his bedroom. I want to see that bedroom.

‘Wasps’ is his latest single and it’s a lot like the rad stuff flowing out of the Anticon stable. Like Anticon flagship acts WHY? and Themselves, Zeal starts with a hip hop frame work and injects it with experimental pop and uncoventional beats. There’s also the enthralling, idiosyncratic lyrics (“wasps sent for our enemies / to save us from the commies and their left-handed past”), layered vocals, and nasal delivery.

I really don’t mean to chalk this up as a merely derivative work. For one, LA-based label Anticon is one of my favourite labels in the world so I totally welcome anything from those guys, or anything that sounds like it could be from them. Also, this track doesn’t just aggregate their stylistic tropes – it’s catchy and effective, with a playful arrangement and obscure rhymes to match with the Doseone and co. I really like this track – you shall be seeing more from this guy on whothehell.net

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Deep Sea Arcade – ‘Lonely In Your Arms’ (mp3)

Deep Sea Arcade made quite a splash with their last single ‘Don’t Be Sorry,’ a retro-pop outing that sounded a lot like The Zombies mixed with more recent Blue Mountain troupe Belles Will Ring. ‘Lonely In Your Arms’ is a return to the ’60s aesthetic they evidently love, but is less dreamy and washed out – the guitars are set to treble-y surf-rock over the shimmering chime that characterised other material. The bare, melodic, and almost naive chorus is most reminiscent of early Beatles (sans glorious backing harmonies). It’s definitely one to get stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

These guys aren’t bringing anything new to the pop canon, but they are exploring a specific and fruitful part of it and doing a pretty great job. To my ears, this track betters their previous stuff and so should generate more well-earned attention.

www.myspace.com/deepseaarcade

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Brain Slaves – ‘Ethereal Sunrise’ (mp3)

Brain Slaves – ‘Sash and Jack’ (mp3)

Brain Slaves are a nifty Auckland five-piece who’ve landed the support for Miami Horror at the Oxford Arts Factory on the 13th of this month. From the demos we received, the only umbrella statement I can make about their output is that it’s incredibly varied but generally includes intensely modulated guitars. As if to illustrate the point, I’ve included two different but rad jams.

‘Ethereal Sunrise’ is a more krautrock-via-Screamadelica inspired dirge for two thirds of its running time, and then the lock-groove beat and bassline give way for jangly guitars and a synth pop denouement. ‘Sash and Jack,’ on the other hand, sounds like an Australian pop-rock single from the ’80s, with the catchy if not slightly camp vocal melody obscured by just enough reverb to keep things from sounding too clean.

www.myspace.com/brainslaves

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