Monthly Archives For October 2013

PREMIERE: Sleepy Dreamers – ‘Bike Song’

, , No Comment

Sleepy Dreamers

I listen to reasonably aggressive music when I ride my bike on the morning commute (makes me pedal faster, bro). Not condoning multi-tasking or listening to music while on the road (don’t do it) but if it’s any indicator of personality, I’d imagine that the Sleepy Dreamers guys would probably be the gentle, passive, half baked folk who give you creepy smiles at the lights and always give way to traffic.

‘Bike Song’ is the brand new track from the Melbourne band. The band’s previous Creatures EP was full of  ‘homecoming’ tracks – you know, the type of soft, lulling folk-acoustica stuff that used to make you reflect on nice things and feelings before you became a hard arsed adult with a shit job and a need for music to match. The wager for upbeat, ‘feel-good’ tracks seems to be getting more complex, so it’s kinda nice to hear something simple once in a while. ‘Bike Song’ effectively ticks the trifecta – graduating treble hooks, handclap things and the sort of bouncy drumming that bands like Givers and Crystal Fighters flash when they want to good time. Sweet, simple travellin’ music indeed.

 

‘Bike Song’ will be available for purchase on Bandcamp from the 18th of October. The band are gearing up for a stint at Inca Roads Festival during Nov 29 – Dec 1st, more details here.

 

Facebook / Twiter / Bandcamp

 

Read Post →

LISTEN: boatfriends – ‘Sport Billy’

, , No Comment

boatfepcover

boatfriends are a Newcastle band who’ve recently moved to Melbourne, based around the songwriting duo of Shanna Watson and Clinton Edwards. In two years they’ve put out just two singles, but this June the pair finally met their Pozible campaign target to fund a debut release and supporting tour and the boatfriends EP is now up and streaming.

The band’s first singles had a brash, EDM feel, with hints of Nu Rave (‘Kaleido’, for example, has been tagged ‘Skrillwave’ – with more than a little self-awareness, I assume – on Soundcloud). New track ‘Sport Billy’, on the other hand, is a veritable psych banger, falling somewhere between Twin Sister and the Klaxons on the dance-punk spectrum. Watson and Edwards cite the British shoegaze scene as an important influence, and there is something here that’s reminiscent of Warp band A Sunny Day in Glasgow, who’s whirling dream pop involves at least as much synth as Jazzmaster. boatfriends have well and truly absorbed the lessons of this approach, creating a stellar EP closer in ‘Sport Billy’. The track opens with panned snares that are as heady and disorienting as Watson’s distinctive vocal which comes through like it’s beaming in from outer space. There are synth flutters and some high-pitched glass-factory ambience, all underwritten by propulsive bass and plenty of kicks.

Be sure to keep your eye out for the upcoming tour – and official EP release, including vinyl!

Facebook / Bandcamp / Website

Read Post →

MAP October 2013

, , No Comment

map

MAP (Music Alliance Pact) – the global new music initiative we’re lucky to be a part of is back for October! It’s easy to get caught up in our little ‘scene’ happening here, but it’s really exciting to hear all the other wonderful music pursuits happening around the world.

While you’re there, make sure you check out MAPCAST,  a free podcast of Robbie’s favourite picks from this month’s list! Robbie’s whipped up this month’s podcast at a ridiculous pace – listen/download/update your playlist pronto HERE.

____

Click the play button icon to listen to individual songs, right-click on the song title to download an mp3, or grab a zip file of the full 29-track compilation through Ge.tt here.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Juani – Déjame Entrar

Listen to

Juani’s involvement with music began during his teenage years and it hasn’t stopped since. Songwriter, singer, musician, producer, cultural manager… you name it. In between his multiple projects (one of them being involved with Rosario’s biggest independent label Planeta X), Juani managed to pull out a new solo album called La Paz Ciencia (a pun between the words “peace” and “science”), with songs that range from Argentine folk to pop and acoustic rock. Déjame Entrar is our favorite track but you can download the whole thing from the website.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
White Caves – I’ve Lost

Listen to

White Caves is the new venture from Melbourne songwriter Darren Cordeux. The former Kisschasy frontman has completely left behind the acoustic teen psyche of 2006 for a much looser sound. I’ve Lost carves a completely uplifting vibe out of sombre song content. Thanks to some clear-cut production, soaring vocals and a vibe that sounds like MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden fronting a slacker-pop band, White Caves is lending a new dimension of fun to typical ‘pop-jams’ right here.

AUSTRIA: Walzerkönig
Amere Meander – Something I Am Not

Listen to

Three kindergarten friends form a band and make pop music. Viennese Amere Meander appeared out of nowhere with songs that are sometimes dreamy and sweet, sometimes mysterious and noisy, drawing inspiration from anything from shoegaze to Fleetwood Mac. Always catchy but never unpredictable, Something I Am Not is taken from their debut album To Lead Astray.

(more…)

Read Post →

WTH PRESENTS: Cull – ‘Inside Your Head’ Tour

, , No Comment

Cull_inside-your-head-tour-A3_web_2

Cull sort of sound like Deerhunter and Brian Eno at a scientologist’s housewarming party. If you can get your head around that, then you’ll probably dig them, as we do.

If you’ve heard ‘World Inside Your Head’, ‘Good People Disappear’ or managed to grasp an earful of the band’s strange, starry-eyed schtick, you’ll agree it’s pretty special. Cull’s sound is warm enough to feel familiar, but the odd face-melt of a solo makes keeps things interesting and makes the rest of our exports look a bit Lame Impala.

We’re presenting the band’s upcoming ‘Inside Your Head’ tour. We’re also giving away a double pass to each show – email editors@whothehell.net with your details and why you’d like ’em.

YouTube Preview Image

 

Cull – ‘Inside Your Head’ Tour

Friday November 1st – World Bar, Sydney

Friday November 9th – Grand Central Hotel, Brisbane

Sun November 19th – The Den, Wollongong

Sat November 30th – Reverence Hotel, Melbourne

 

ATTEND HERE.

 

Facebook / Twitter / Soundcloud /  Website

Read Post →

INTRODUCING: Rolls Bayce – ‘Arrows’

, , No Comment

Rolls-Bayce

Rolls Bayce are a Brisbane three piece with some serious pop pedigree. The band is a new project for Hungry Kids of Hungary lead Dean McGrath, Neal Apel and James Wright, better known around these parts for drumming for Millions and Emerson Snowe and fostering all types of weird song requests doing DJ stints around Brisbane. While Wright is known for DJ skills, this song is definitely more for putting on at home after the club (alone, or not) than dancing.

The band do a good job of easing you into ‘Arrows’ with a smooth and slinky funk intro. McGrath has such a distinctive voice it’s hard not to immediately hear Hungry Kids of Hungary when his vocal kicks in. The drums and bassline here sounds as fresh and crisp as a brand new suit. The song has a real ‘groove’ to it, so any comparisons to Hungry’s more pop aligned catalogue are quickly shrugged off. It’s a very cool sound, and one we rarely hear done this well.

Get this in your ears.

 

Facebook / Twitter

 

Read Post →

LISTEN: Nimble Animal – ‘Back n Forth’

, , No Comment

nimbleanimal

Brisbane guy Dom Stephens has a lot on the go. Eccentric indie band Oh Ye Denver Birds is on the back burner since he moved to Melbourne to study sound design, but he’s also got solo beats outfit Outerwaves (which is responsible for gorgeous tunes like this one) and a more introspective project called Nimble Animal.

About a week ago Stephens released the Bleak Moments EP as Nimble Animal. It’s basically drone, with distressed analogue sounds looping alongside percussive taps and clicks, layers of lush synths and Stephens’ voice, which is mostly buried in echo. There’s a lot of tape hiss and weirdly circumvented instruments, but overall the EP has a warm, gently soporific feel.

Bleak Moments is a patient and engrossing record as it leads up to the cathartic closing piece, ‘Back n Forth’. With its repetitive, uplifting motifs and homemade vibe, it reminds me of the best tracks from Youth Lagoon’s breakout debut, The Year of Hibernation. Though it comes right at the end, ‘Back n Forth’ sounds like the EP’s pop heart, its circular melody spiralling upwards to take you home.

Facebook / Bandcamp / Website

Read Post →

PREMIERE: The Murlocs – ‘Space Cadet’

, , No Comment

 

The Murlocs - Space Cadet

 

The Murlocs are impressive for a number of reasons. The main being that they’re one of only a few lo-fi/ garage bands that don’t bore me to death. I don’t know if it has something to do with growing up in near Geelong and having limited things to complain about, or the good influence of having The Dingoes frontman as your frontman’s old man. If ramshackle ‘jangly’ garage tunes constitutes something OTHER than writing whingey songs about day jobs, I think these guys are great advocates. ‘Space Cadet’ is the newest single from the five piece, taken from their forthcoming record. It’s another simmering slingshot of rhythm and blues with Ambrose Kenny-Smith’s respiratory snarl at the helm. Plus, this track is about space zombies…ROCK ‘N’ ROLLA.

Ambrose says that ‘Space Cadet’ was “one of the only songs saved from the original recordings we did with Stu (McKenzie) at Cook’s mum’s house in Colac. We had it sent to Mikey Young to mix. Sadly not long after, the rest were gone with his laptop that was stolen so we’ve since been re-recording the rest…”
There’s a clip that’ll be rolling out from Zonk Vision in the next few weeks too. The video was filmed by Jaso Galea on the egde of Lake Corangamite near Colac. We’ve been told that the finished deal looks like ‘Black Sabbath with computers in the 70s’. Looking forward to that.
Murlocs tour announcement happening soon, we’ll keep you posted.

 

 

Facebook / Bandcamp 

Read Post →