Tagged By australian music

LISTEN: Kirkis – ‘Hypno’

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Melbourne’s Matthew Kirkis once described playing live as “trying to do a handstand on a giant dragon all the way to Disneyland,” and that’s certainly what it sounds like.

Anytime you sit down to listen to an offering from Kirkis you’re inevitably blindsided. You’re excused for looking like Elaine each time your body tries to move to his time signatures. Before you even get close to working out what you think he’s trying to say, a cluster of rapid-fire melodies all shout at you at once.

So spare a thought for the man behind it all. He’s out with a new track titled ‘Hypno’, building on the hybrid jazz-cum-future soul he’s had quite the knack for – otherwise known (on Soundcloud) as #kirkis. The single comes off a forthcoming LP to be released through Eglo Records, thanks to a chance meeting with label reps at the Evelyn Hotel during Melbourne Music Week.

For a musician who isn’t formally trained, countless hours of consuming myriad influences have sure made their mark. It’s telling that he first studied Painting at the Sydney College of the Arts before jetting off to the New York Art Students League, considering he told us that “colours and moving picture play a large role” in his work. What that work is can’t be pegged solely to his music: he’s a painter, he’s also Anti-Kirkis (his experimental electronic alter ego), and he dabbles in a bit of set-design, too.

‘Hypno’ then, is yet another expression of this guy’s desire to create. He seems to have this boundless energy that you need to see in person if you’re ever given the chance. To describe him, best take a leaf out of the Hiatus Kaiyote playbook, because there has to be a Kirkis equivalent of ‘multi-dimensional polyrhythmic gangsta shit’. ‘Doing handstands on giant dragons’ is halfway there.

 

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INTRODUCING: Gaiamusic

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Gaiamusic

Seekae’s Alex Cameron once said that an instrumental electronic record “isn’t really what people need to hear right now.” So then where does that leave more downtempo players like Gaiamusic?

The producer/DJ (also known as Julian Welgus-Dillon) has released his first solo single, ‘Neptune’ via Melbourne collective REAL Music. Sonically, this sounds like something out of trendy East London. You know, you can imagine some guy in a spray jacket, most likely toting a five-panel cap on with the frame of Archie Marshall. This is music you’d hear in a room lit with the soft glow of a laptop.

And it’s nice, there’s a subtlety to this shared with other producers like Planète. It’s electronica with a gentle rise—it’s not out to promise too much but doesn’t give too little. That is, it seems to avoid being self-consciously ‘ambient’.

There’s an almost cinematic quality to it, ‘Neptune’ seems to be a track that understand its place—where to bring sections in, where to mix the electronic with a guitar line. So it’s neatly packaged, but you leave it you can’t help but shake off the feeling that its still searching for some kind of narrative.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B7mX7ozVaw[/youtube]

And maybe that’s what the likes of Cameron are getting at. Instrumental electronic records aren’t as readily consumable as those mixed in with vocals. So it’s interesting that Gaia cites Flying Lotus as an influence, considering that his last record uses Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg and even Herbie Hancock to flesh out its narrative of death. It seems like spoken-word samples are used to flesh out some wider dialogue that would’ve otherwise left a pretty barren instrumental track begging for some context.

So what kind of dialogue does Gaia engage in? “Knowledge is preferable to ignorance”. And then it ends. For something just over three-minutes, that’s not a lot of time to digest something like this. But maybe that’s the point, because when isolated, instrumental tracks don’t really make sense. So consider ‘Neptune’ then, a little nod to story that’s going to play out on Gaiamusic’s forthcoming EP.

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STUFF WE LIKED IN 2014

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2014 has been another great year for Australian music, cementing the perception both here and abroad that there’s something very special going on down under. Courtney Barnett continued her project of total world domination, touring the globe, selling out show after show back home and putting out a lovely little mixer on her label, Milk Records.

We heard stunning new albums from Total Control and Blank Realm, which were utterly deserving of the international acclaim. Cut Copy gave the Melbourne dance scene a critical shot in the arm, bringing some terrific acts together on the Oceans Apart compilation. The managers behind Pond and Tame Impala launched their own imprint, Spinning Top Records, bringing the charming Peter Bibby into our lives, with his drunken burble and shifty grin. Sydney label Plastic World expanded its catalogue of stylish retro club music, curating EPs from the likes of Retiree, Savoir and GL. The local hip hop scene did what had hitherto seemed impossible and produced a number of very promising MCs and producers. And, in one of the biggest surprises of my year, old mate Chet Faker put out a track that didn’t make me feel nauseous (though it did sound quite a lot like James Murphy).

Faced with such an embarrassment of riches, we figured it would be unfair – not to mention too difficult – to fashion a definitive list of the year’s best releases. Instead, our contributors have come up with their personal top three moments of the year in Australian music. If you’re a real stickler for lists you can always check out our newest Spotify playlist, featuring 100 of our favourite tracks from 2014.

Read the team’s contributions below.

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Who the Hell’s Guide to BIGSOUND

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Apart from being one of the few places in the world where old white dudes drink for free, BIGSOUND (if you don’t know) is also a great place to see new Australian bands – and your old favourites – which is something we’re pretty keen on. Here’s who we reckon will be worth checking out between beers at the LIVE portion of this year’s festival. You can check out the whole lineup and pick up last-minute tickets here.

We’ll also be instagrammin’ live for the festival at @whothehellnet if you wanna see us attempt to find a filter that might make Fortitude Valley Mall look good.

Jesse Davidson: Wednesday, 8.00 p.m. – New Globe Theatre

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Jesse Davidson is an Adelaide eighteen year old (and he already supported Mac Demarco this year. Jesus.) making really subtle, lovely pop music with warm, dynamic vocals. He does mumbly angst just as well as soaring… angst. His latest single ‘Ocean’ is precise but dreamy – nothing seems out of place or accidental, and the end result is something very pretty.

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Bad//Dreems: Wednesday, 9.40 p.m. – The Brightside (Outdoor)

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It’s no secret that we’re fans of these guys, but if you haven’t seen them live yet, you’re missing out. Bad//Dreems specialise in heavy downer vibes and grab-you-by-the-throat melodies. With a debut album on the way, there’s sure to be plenty of new stuff to sink your teeth into.

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Blank Realm: Wednesday, 11.20 p.m. – New Globe Theatre

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Okay, not exactly an underground find, we know, but Blank Realm is a truly world class act and if you’re not already planning on seeing them well… you gotta. They write riffs like no one else and are probably gonna be the most fun act you’ll see all festival – the perfect band to get sweaty and messy and a bit dirty to at the end of the first night.

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INTRODUCING: Planète

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Planète

Dion Tartaglione is an expert manipulator of noise. As Planète he is at the forefront of the newest wave of Australian electronic music. This might seem like big praise if you’ve never heard of him, but I have a feeling after listening to the latest Planète tunes – the ‘Visions’ / ‘Snow Sketch’ double A-side – you might agree with me.

I’m so confident that you’ll agree this guy is the bomb that I am tempted to stop writing now and let the music talk for me. I’m too vain to let that happen though; let me tell you a bit more about what to expect.

‘Visions’ starts off simply, quietly. Only a few blips and clicks permeate the low-level sound, but they are crucial to the build up. Not long after, the bass enters and your synapses start firing; electrical and chemical impulses start moving in your brain. The groove, once this track gets going, is undeniable – it might not make your heart race, but it will make your brain work.

‘Snow Sketch’ is the slightly longer song of the two, and it has more of a body groove going for it. You can bop around a bit more to this one, but its charm is in its restraint. Plucky synth notes dance around the maracas and bass undercurrent. Both tracks get beyond the seven-minute mark, making each a hefty yet satisfying aural trek.

‘Snow Sketch’ and ‘Visions’ are so immaculately crafted you’ll think they came from a bigger, more established name. The songs are like rooms decorated in the most elegant, minimalist style – unfathomably cool. Planète has the backing of similarly hip electro-heads, Silo Arts, and has supported the likes of LUCIANBLOMKAMP live. If you’re not convinced by this release, then it’s genuinely your loss.

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