New Music

LISTEN: Yale – ‘Yale’ EP

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Complete with cracking cover art and replete with cues to the impending Australian summer, here comes the debut self-titled EP from Brisbane lads Yale. Anything but the stuffy George W-producing University of the same name, their sound harks back to that golden period of disco-pop of the early-2000s where producers like Paul Mac were running the Australian dance scene. Vocals sashay between duo, Stefan Emslie and Mark Maxwell, riding over layered synths and those ‘whup-whup’ bass lines that seemed to pervade early 2000s dance releases (Madison Avenue anyone?)

Self described as an exploration of “being young”, the EP presents a dance-ready release teetering between the Chillout Sessions and the more traditional dance-pop that catapulted PNAU and Cut Copy to the fore. Tracks like ‘Private School Girl’ reach the EP’s conceptual pinnacle, dissecting the moors of upper-middle class privilege, opening with lyrics “always went to the most expensive school” and “Channel and Louis Vuitton” for starters.

The EP picks up in stature by ‘The One That Got Away’, a track that probably veers towards stronger elements of house, rather than pure dance-pop. Here you’ll find flurries of synths validating this EP’s calls of being ‘euphoric’. Towards the chorus you’ll find yourself immersed in the type of woozy synths which TEED seem to have conquered. Accompanying Yale’s EP is a remix package of ‘The One That Got Away’ featuring cameos from YesYou, The Kite String Tangle, and Meare.

The closer, ‘Lost in the Crowd’ sums up EP with smooth, breezy vocals that begs for this to become part of your summer mixtape. For a debut, the boys from Yale have given us a refined release that says a lot about the duo’s musicianship. With melodic sensibilities and a penchant for making great dance-pop, this is definitely a sleek release from this Brisbane duo.

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LISTEN: Elizabeth Rose remixes ‘Turning’ by Chairlift

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I caught Elizabeth Rose at the Workers Club recently. It was a pretty full house but what was strange was that it was a fairly indie crowd. I say this because Rose wouldn’t seem out of place in a late night club show with kids in fluoro. I’m guessing that Rose prefers indie music herself though and she has managed to blur the lines between the dance/indie genre. But not in a presets kinda way, like many others. This is a fresh sound that suits what the authors of this remix, Brooklyn’s Chairlift, have been doing so well over the last few years. Rose toured with chairlift and obvioulsy left an impression and has now delivered a real treat by officially remixing their track ‘Turning’. She is a dynamo producer set for a huge 2013.

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Chairlift – Turning (Elizabeth Rose remix)***FREE DOWNLOAD*** by Elizabeth Rose

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WATCH: The Laurels – ‘Manic Saturday’

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To be honest, I had to have a couple of goes at this video, because the spinning and the colours were kind of making me want to vom all over my desk. For those of you with a stronger stomach, this clip from Sydney psych Kings The Laurels is a really cool example of a simple idea that manages to be interesting while the guys get too stand around looking cool and doing fuck-all. Win win win. The clip was made by the excellent SPOD, who have previously put their video magic on tracks by the illustrious Donny Benet, Richard In Your Mind + Catcall. The psychedelic effects build with the song, helping to accentuate a killer riff and the blazed-out atmospherics that the band do so well. Just a well executed film clip for a rad tune.

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LISTEN: The Removalists – ‘Car Crash’

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The Removalists music is the creative spew of Liam, from the Ocean Party. He plays the tracks with some friends in a 3-piece that included our good buddy Curtis of Velcro (currently oveseas playing with Love Connection. ie living the dream). We’re looking forward to Liam possibly recording another EP over the festive season and then to start gigging again when Curtis returns.
Now to ‘Car Crash’, the stand-out from a split EP with Turvey Park, released earlier this year. I like the hook in this sound. Vocals swirl around a sweet guitar riff as Liam winds his way through a track not dissimilar to early Superchunk. It’s a nice change from the surf twang he plays on a lot of ocean party stuff. Good times.
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LISTEN: Glass Towers – ‘Tonight’

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I was sent this Glass Towers EP the other week and sat on it for a bit cause y’know… life. Anyho so what’s up with these dudes? – are they megastars yet or at least getting love on triple J? I hope so cause they sound pretty good. But please don’t call it tropical or jangly. Over those terms almost as much as epic which is closely followed by frothing – unless you’re from I OH YOU, cause then you probably are frothing!

Anyway, they come from Byron Bay, a place infested with hard-core, so this is a refreshing change. There is summer in their bones, which brings warmth mixed with youth, colliding with loose energy and good melody. Yep, we’re def hearing brit-pop. I reckon Glass Towers will do alright.

If you like this track – grab the EP Collarbone Jungle from iTunes.

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LOOK: I Am Eleven, MMW screening with Nick Huggins.

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The exceptionally talented Melbourne artist Nick Huggins wrote the score for a beautiful documentary by Genevieve Bailey called I am Eleven.

The documentary was screened during Melbourne Music Week at the ACMI with Nick Huggins (and handsome accompaniments) recreating the score live for the cinema audience.

If you want to be inspired by wiser-than-thou eleven year olds, this is a must see.

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Check out more Nick Huggins  here. (more…)

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