The Well Presented Beaver – ‘Tuk-Tuk Took My Home’ (mp3)

Don’t let those electronic spring-y noises fool you – this is no ‘Lion In A Coma Pt. II.’ This is, in fact, a super silly folk ditty from the similarly silly-named Sydney band The Well-Presented Beavers. The whole song revolves around the titular wordplay and a simple acoustic chord progression that’s been run through some woozy, latter-day Beatles filter. Fuck it, this is just fun. And pretty catchy on account of its simplicity.

www.myspace.com/thewellpresentedbeaver

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Seja – ‘I’ll Get To You’

A while back I posted a great Seja Vogel track that was then divorced of any albums details beyond the label that would release it (Rice Is Nice). That album now has a name (We Have Secrets But Nobody Cares), a release date (27/3), and her name has been to shortened (dropping the Vogel, Madonna-style).

In case you didn’t check that post, Seja is the synth player in both Sekiden and Regurgitator, as well as sporadically contributing synth duty to acts like SPOD and The Mess Hall. We Have Secrets… will be her first solo album, most of which was written and recorded with just vintage electronic equipment and her voice.

‘I’ll Get To You’ is the lead single from the album and, true to the above description, it’s a pool of vintage 80s synths that would make M83 or even Goldfrapp proud. If, by some chance, you’re initially underwhelmed then make sure you hang about until the bridge.

Seja is launching the album on a co-headlining with Otouto. Dates below.

Fri 16 – The Metro, Adelaide (plus Clue To Kalo)
Sat 17 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Thu 22 – The Troubadour, Brisbane
Fri 23 – The Sando, Newtown, Sydney

www.myspace.com/sejamusic

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King Cannons – ‘Teenage Dreams’ (mp3)

Imma level with you and confess that I don’t really “get” ska music. Yeah, The Specials are pretty sick and I can totally see why people dig this stuff, but it’s just not ever going to take up much room on my iPod. King Cannons are a newly Melbourne-based but NZ-bred ska band that, to my non-connoisseur ears, tick all the right boxes for ska bands. It’s upbeat, fast, has more than five members, and has appropriate “stick-it-to-the-man” lyrics. I haven’t exactly thrashed ‘Teenage Dreams,’ but this is still well catchy and has at least made me come back for a few repeat listens. Plus I can’t remember the last ska band featured on whothehell.net.

If you’re into ska then let me know what you think of this one.

www.myspace.com/kingcannons

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Vorad Fils – ‘Temple Leak’ (mp3)

The Atlas Room – ‘Iris’ (mp3)

I’ve been seeing a number of people talking up the latest volume in New Weird Australia’s free download series, so it’s good to see it getting some decent traction. I’m a big fan of these compilations, and what I’ve found impressive is that they’ve managed to uphold the quality of those first couple of compilations, the point where Vol. 5 might actually be my favourite so far. If you’ve not downloaded it then you can so for free RIGHT HERE.

Above are a couple of rad tracks I’ve pulled from V5. Vorad Fils is the new solo project from Seekae member John Hassellm whose debut album will be released by upcoming eclectic label Feral Media (AFXJIM, Broken Chip, Cleptocleptics); while The Atlas Room is the solo laptop project of Newcastle resident Ezekiel Kigbo. There’s actually some more accessible and even borderline-acoustic tracks on the compilation if none of this floats your boat. Definitely worth checking out.

www.newweirdaustralia.com

(PS our blog bros Polaroids of Androids have posted one of the compilation highlights over on their site. Check it here – it’s probably the closest Australia has come to joining the glo-fi movement that I’ve yet heard).

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I Heart Hiroshima – River from Paul W. Rankin on Vimeo.

(Cheers to @Niteshok for the tip)

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Predrag Delibasich – ‘Serpent Bites the Young Lion’ (mp3)

Although he’s been kicking around the Perth music scene for over ten years, Serbian-born muso Predrag Basalich only just recently started releasing music under his own name (yes, Predrag Delibasich is his name). In live sets, apparently his setup is filled out by just three drummers and three guitarists. You know when you see a band sound-checking three drumkits that they’re going to be quite rhythm-heavy, and ‘Serpent Bites the Young Lion’ is certainly that. In fact, detractors might say that this song is nothing but clattering drums and some inconsequential guitar noodling over the top. Fair enough – if you don’t dig this track after one minute then you’re unlikely to dig it after three. Though it has a subtle build, the song otherwise refuses to change course, trading on the rush of incessant drum hits.

I’d love to check this guy out live as I’m sure that’s where his material shines.

www.myspace.com/predragdelibasich

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