The Dirty Secrets – ‘Lighthouse’

Perth synth rockers sends us their brand new song, hot off the mastering studio. The singer’s rather unusual singing voice fits quite well with the groove, this song sounds like it’s ripe for remixing.

www.myspace.com/thedirtysecrets

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Machine Translations – ‘You’ll Change’ (mp3)

Bedroom musical maestro J. Walker has been making sounds under the moniker Machine Translations since 1997. For many, though, he first bleeped onto the musical radar with his 2002 album Happy and the quirk-pop of ‘She Wears A Mask’.

Since then, his brand of abstract pop has never seemed to gain the collective attention like ‘She Wears A Mask’ did. But he’s made a name for himself as a deft producer, lending his skills to other musicians, and the construction and composition of his own tunes are testaments to J’s incredible musical ear.

However, his singing voice isn’t strong enough to carry his own straight-foward pop songs, which ‘You’ll Change’ demonstrates. Built around simple open acoustic guitar chords, when J’s required to drive the song forward with the vocals, it stagnates. Subtlety in the layering of instruments help give ‘You’ll Change’ enough variety for its noticably short 2:30 duration, which makes it a good song, but not a great one. It’s no ‘She Wears A Mask’.

http://www.machinetranslations.org
http://www.myspace.com/machinetranslations

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Pnau – ‘Embrace’

This track features one of the most exciting feature up and coming talent Pip Brown aka Ladyhawke, originally New Zealand. Another great cut from one of the best albums to come out in 2007. If you are not yet convinced on how much of a talent Ladyhawke, well you’re a fool.

http://www.myspace.com/pnaupnau

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A week or so ago I managed to catch one of the most-hyped bands going round the Sydney scene at the moment, Cassette Kids, at Candy’s Apartment. Expecting an audience full of Mogans I was surprised to find a small but passionate crowd of CK fans getting their groove on.

I really dig Cassette Kids’ Klaxons-meets-YYYs brand of post punk / indie rock. and it was good to hear it in a live context. I still think they’ve got a little way to go with their performance, as the lack of charisma made parts of the set seem a bit cold and distanced the band from those watching, but those skills will come in time.

http://www.myspace.com/cassettekids

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Oh man, bluejuice are the funniest, and most insane, band in Australia. Another hilarious filmclip by these funksters, they had to sky-jump three times while lip-synching the words to their new single ‘The Reductionist’. This is the result.

http://www.bluejuice.info
http://www.myspace.com/bluejuice

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The Jezabels – ‘Disco Biscuit Love’

I don’t really know that if it was ten years ago today, if I’d enjoy listening to this song during one of my post rave comedowns, as when I was coming down, I was really down. Down to the point where listening to trip would brighten up the day. But kids nowadays don’t go to raves to take pills, they go to gigs. Since the whole gig-and-club type nights got really popular a few years ago, you can get away downing smileys in the middle of the gig so you can really peak when that DJ really hit his stride right when the band finishes. Anyway, my wondering words is not being fair to this song, because The Jezabels have written a good song, whether you are an ex-pill popper or not.

www.myspace.com/jezabelsband

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Death Set – ‘Distressed (Bonde Do Role remix)’

Well Brazillian fun band Bonde Do Role is no longer together, shame they split just before their Australian tour and ended up cancelling their dates. But they did manage to squeeze in a remix under the name for Australians-now-New-Yorkers Death Set. Check out their Baile Funk (or is it Baltimore? I can’t really tell) infected treatment of this pseudo-screamo outfit.

www.myspace.com/thedeathset

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