Tagged By brisbane

LISTEN: Naked Maja – ‘Disillusion’

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Disillusion

Naked Maja are an ambient four piece from Brisbane. The band’s first EP was a curious shoegaze pop jaunt which built strange downbeat gems out of sparse synth and distorted vocals. ‘Disillusion’ is their latest offering. First track ‘#59’ comes at your ears with a straight-up rock guitar that’s both heavy and sharp at the same time. There’s an atmosphere of dark cynicism that permeates through the rest of this strange, sinister record. The band take a step back on ‘Soft Edge’, while glitchy percussion eases you into standout track ‘Disillusion’. ‘Mind Not Thinking’ earns the experimental tag that the band has evolved into with this record too. This is a listening experience that’ll leave you feeling unsettled and oddly moved.

 

If you’re into the devastating combo of babes, bright colours and optical illusions check out the video for ‘#59’.

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LISTEN: The Phoncurves – ‘Heartstrings’

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Sometimes when I get sent press releases that describe a band as the ‘darlings; of a particular scene, I like to set my laptop on fire and throw it out the window.

Luckily, in the case of excellent Brisbane two-piece The Phoncurves, I restrained myself and listened to the song. The duo’s latest single ‘Heartstrings’ is actually pretty sweet. Abbie Roberts and Naomi Burrell’s voices are the most immediately striking; their harmonies are open and resonant – filling up all the space in what appears to be a seemingly simple acoustic pop song. But multiple listens reveal a depth in their songwriting. This is a track that swings and moves in waves; it’s well-structured and smart while still being soft on the surface….

‘Heartstrings’ is the first single off The Phoncurves second EP to be released early next year. Catch the duo heading out on these dates in December:

Thur, 5 December – SYDNEY @ Factory Floor

Fri, 6 December – MELBOURNE @ Victoria Hotel

Sat, 7 December – BRISBANE @ South Side Tea Room

 

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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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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: DZ Deathrays – ‘Northern Lights’

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DZ Deathrays - Car - BNW - Low Res

DZ Deathrays’ brand new single ‘Northern Lights’ plopped overnight. It’s the first smell of the band’s forthcoming sophomore LP due in the first half of 2014. These guys are doing pretty amazeballs. They knocked out an ARIA award winning debut LP ‘Bloodstreams’ in 2012, then owned the world by touring relentlessly for over a year.

Most recently the band entered the studio with producer Andy Savours (My Bloody Valentine, The Horrors, Sigur Ros) while in the UK to headline NME Magazine’s party at The Great Escape Festival in May, and banged out this single track titled ‘Northern Lights’.

It’s a moody number. Lots of layered guitar and vocals building to climatic bursts of fever. A really great sound from a couple of guys that last time I saw play, were kinda bangin it out pretty wildly. This one is a lot more considered. Let’s call it their ‘sweet disposition’. Can’t wait for the new record.

 

 

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INTRODUCING: Rolls Bayce – ‘Arrows’

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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.

 

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LISTEN: Nimble Animal – ‘Back n Forth’

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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.

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