Monthly Archives For November 2013

PROFILE: Silo Arts & Records

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Silo Arts seems to fit the bill of a label that seems to be dripping in cultural cool. Being a Brisbane-based, outward looking label that’s pegged to Frenchkiss Records, the Silo Arts collective have managed to make a real mark since their start in 2011.

The likes of Rainbow Chan, ƒriendships, and Tincture lead the charge for Silo, creating a niche of young, curated electronic music that reaches beyond domestic ears. Tomorrow, they’ll be staging their unofficial Melbourne Music Week showcase at The Workers’ Club.  

In the lead up to this, we asked label founder Hugh Francis to explain Silo’s deal:

Silo Arts started in 2011 as a little artist collective.  We got a bunch of like minded Brisbane producers together and started doing some shows around town, and hosting some internationals. The exact birthday of Silo Arts is unknown, however it’s roughly September, around Bigsound.  We started in 2011 as a little arts collective, doing gallery shows with a bunch of unknown producers. We were lucky enough to be discovered by the peeps at Frenchkiss when I was working for CMJ in New York City in 2012. Those guys are pretty close to the CMJ crew, and I guess someone mentioned that I was running a small label back home.  They had a listen to our sampler, and sent us a contract within a week.  For me, that’s point where I really got my head in the game – up until then it had been a DIY collective. That’s when we decided to really have a go at this whole label thing….

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MAP November 2013

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While we only post stuff from this small corner of the world, For those new to MAP (Music Alliance Pact), it’s that time once a month where our hormones go rioting for month new music from around the globe. Us and a whole selection of fun blog-ly types get to assert our supposed internet authority by picking the best tracks each month. It’s a compact version of Eurovision without the spandex, violence and soviet subtitles.

MAP is also available in podcast form curated each month by our very own Robbie Ingrisano. Listen to the latest edition of MAPCAST over at our Soundcloud account 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 27-track compilation through Ge.tt here.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Onda Vaga – Tataralí

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Since their inception in 2008, Onda Vaga have avoided the steps that independent artists usually take in order to be a part of the music industry. It was a wise call. Thanks to word of mouth from a public that follows them whenever they perform, this folk-rock band have become a huge success, both locally and internationally (they made quite an impression at last year’s Fuji Rock Festival in Japan). Tataralí is the first single from their recently released third album, Magma Elemental.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
La Mancha Negra – Belango Twist

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It’s easy to imagine that Belango Twist might have been found inside a dusty shoebox containing a mix of rhythm and blues cassettes somewhere in the Deep South. Surprisingly that’s far from the case. Sydney swamp-rockers La Mancha Negra (which loosely translates from Spanish to “The Black Stain”) recently delivered their second album. Packed with blues ooze and reverberated hollers, Belango Twist is a tune that’s ideal for cruising… and smashing out a few letterboxes on the way.

AUSTRIA: Walzerkönig
Robotra – Morninglight 2

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Don’t let the noisy, distorted lo-fi shell of Robotra songs trick you. This three-piece band from Graz and their pop melodies will catch your attention and make you want to sing along immediately. Morninglight 2 is taken from their full-length debut Tinker, which was mixed and mastered by Wolfgang Möstl (Mile Me Deaf, Sex Jams, Killed By 9V Batteries).

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Marcelo Jeneci – De Graça

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In Marcelo Jeneci’s new psychedelic/pop-influenced album, the single De Graça is one of the weirdest and greatest songs. Strong influences of the earliest works of Caetano Veloso and Arnaldo Antunes (with whom Jeneci still plays keyboard) can be easily heard, as well as Jeneci’s talent for making catchy melodies that create the kind of feeling when everything is just fine and you don’t worry about anything.

Click after the jump to for a full list of tracks…

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PREMIERE: Foreign/National – ‘Paris’

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Foreign/National seem like a bunch of dudes who enjoy irony. I’ve never been to Paris, but I hear they’re all assholes anyway.

‘Paris’ is the newest track from the Melbourne five-piece, taken from their debut EP set for release in 2014. Previous demos (‘Life Tourist’, ‘She Told Me A Story’) are scattered with jazzy hooks and cooool percussion plucked directly from the EASY-LISTENING section of the Qantas in-flight entertainment brochure. Not holding that against anyone, I could use a holiday. ‘Paris’ on all terms, is a leisurely gem of a pop tune – cascading twin-riffs, killer drumming and some cruisy mellotron harping down the chorus line. Sounds like Born Ruffians and Air floating on a raft down the Sienne. Is that even ironic? I don’t even know. Vincent Gallo eating a breadstick.

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GUEST: Oisima

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Leading up to his stint at Paradise, we asked our favourite bearded beat brother Oisima to pick his top 5 Australian electronic producers across this wide, brown, digitally enhanced land for us.

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1. Slamagotchi

Slamagotchi has always been, and always will be one of my favourite Australian producers. He’s always two steps ahead in his visions and his message through music. When his debut album drops it’ll create a serious stir…

 

2. Mei Saraswati

Mei Saraswati’s music is the purest form of expression. It’s so free & so goddamn funky, I seriously cannot get enough. Hands down, she’s my favourite vocalist in Australian music. Here’s hoping we one day get a chance to create music together.

 

3. Silent Jay

No one’s drums smack as hard as the brother Silent Jay! His production is so clean, although seems effortless in such an incredible way. Every time I see him perform live I leave with a sore neck from getting down so hard.

 

4. Nakagin

Nakagin has this beautiful way of creating the most encapsulating wall of luscious sound. You feel like you’re wandering through a rainforest just after a sun shower with the light peering through the leaves. Such amazing music from such an incredible person I’m fortunate enough to know.

5. How Green

How Green is undeniably one of the most underrated producers in the country. Adelaide based, he’s going to cause a serious stir once his music blesses more & more eardrums in the coming months & years.


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Catch Oisima performing at alpine best-fest Paradise Music Festival on the 29th Nov – 1st Dec.

The organisers of the festival are also throwing a pre-party TONIGHT at the Liberty Social Club, details here.

 

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LISTEN: MT – ‘Alpha Romeo’

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MT (or Many Things) is led by Michael Tomlinson, the heartbreaker from late Brisbane band Yves Klein Blue, who’s followed YKB’s Britpop tendencies to their proper conclusion and actually moved to London. He must have sold his soul at the crossroads on the way (or perhaps  imbibed a Phoenix box set), because new single ‘Alpha Romeo’ has got to be the grandest pop song he’s delivered yet.

MT’s work seems simpler than Tomlinson’s earlier stuff; less wordy and more direct, focused primarily on the id-centred payoffs that come with a massive chorus. The tone is slightly ambiguous for a pop banger, Tomlinson crooning ‘I’m tired of lying / when people ask me if I’m alright,’ before launching into reminiscence like a drunken former frat bro: ‘Romeo used to be my call sign / Call me up for a good time’. The hook, however, is sweetened with disco synths, gospel girl backing vocals and a rockstar delivery that’s utterly convincing.

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‘Alpha Romeo’ is officially released on 29 November through Dew Process and Universal Music Australia. Expats/absconders can catch MT’s single launch party at London’s Oslo on the 28th.

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LISTEN: The Ocean Party ‘SPLIT’ LP

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The Ocean Party’s latest record, Split is out now through Spunk records. Yes, that hip label. Home to Bonnie Prince Billy, Okkervil River, and Bill Callahan amongst others. It’s a welcome reminder that hard working Australian musicians can be rewarded. Now let’s have a quick refresher.

Melbourne band The Ocean Party, is Jordan Thompson, Liam Halliwell, Curtis Wakeling, Lachlan Denton, and new kid on the block Zac Denton. Split was recorded at Lachlan’s grandparents’ farm in rural NSW. Curtis reckons that it was a good way to be focused on nailing down a mixture of new material. “We’ve had a pretty relaxed time recording all three albums but it was good to get away to the country for this last one, it’s pretty easy to get distracted when you just record at home”.

Home is back in Melbourne where these guys all live and mate together, recording with a cavalcade of musicians in different positions, creating multiple sounds with varied song writing. This renewed focus is evident in Split, which is a very well considered LP and one that always sounds like an Ocean Party recording.

Curtis opens with vocals on ‘Quarter Final’, an ode to slacker life. The melody is an absolute cracker. Catchy as any pop song could be yet perfectly situated in a field far from anyone else. ‘Quarter Final’ speaks of getting wasted, sleeping with anons and feeling suicidal on Sunday, y’know… life. It features a gorgeous guitar hook and Curtis nails the mood of a groundhog day Bill Murray would be proud to rep. It also signals that we are in for another good record.

 

 

Next up is the title track ‘Split’. Much has already been written on this one but let’s note the vocals of young blood Zac of Ciggie Witch. “I am really happy with how it (more…)

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WATCH: Young Hysteria – ‘This Is Not A Love Song’

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Young Hysteria is the new project for Jimmy Hawk and Thomas Van Der Vliet.

Hawk is well versed around these parts for creating lithe, hook ‘n’ sling indie pop through his previous work with Jimmy Hawk & The Endless Party. Hawk’s buttery chords make their cameo here, while this track rolls by at a more leisurely pace.

Here’s the premiere for the band’s new video for their debut single, ‘This Is Not A Love Song’. There’s some cool shots in the video of neon, flora/fauna and Parliament station off-cuts in the background too.

It’s not a ‘love song’, but all those loitering treble guitars are making me feel like less of an asshole today, especially when it’s Friday and I’m knee deep in spreadsheets. PAY IT FORWARD JIMMY H.

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‘This Is Not A Love Song’ is available for purchase via
iTunes here.

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