When a group drops into your inbox with the name Klubknight you naturally just sit up and pay attention. It's just a reflex really, but if they have a killer name then, generally, a killer sound follows suit. And this was no exception. (Trust me, it's a rule you should live by.)
Hailing from the Gold Coast, Queensland, this dynamic two-piece are renowned for extraordinary dance tracks and techno inspired tunes. Having been played in clubs throughout both Australia and the globe, the duo aim to please with electro beats that can still take you one an epic musical adventure.
It's people like these guys that prove why electronica is just as much a talent as any other genre.
Following the success of their 2014 debut EP From The Whiteboard, the lads are back with fresh material. Their latest track White Lines, taken from the upcoming Blackboard EP which is set to drop in November, is officially launching tomorrow - October 20th.
White Lines is all the right ingredients served hot in a seriously cool track. With the ever-present driving bass line and a sweet melody overlaid, this a tune just in time for summer and some serious groovin'. With an almost eerie, almost voice making occasional appearance in the track, too, this has a lot going on but never feels rushed. Despite many people's misconceptions, dance music is not always heavy and fast-paced.
Klubknight have delivered another standout track that can only be a good omen for their upcoming EP. And if you had any doubts that techno wouldn't make you want to dance, then pop this on and let the boys prove you so very wrong.
Before listening to the serious tunes this talented duo is producing, I'd only heard of Nakatomi from the Die Hard movies.
But then came along this talented Adelaide electro-pop group. Sizzling with some serious 80s inspo and synth-heavy beats, Nakatomi have just dropped their stellar single The Knife. A song about bad choices and relationships, but an ultimate pick-me-up, this is a song that is just a little bit neon drenched.
And just in case you can't look past the accidental Die Hard reference, the band are adamant that Nakatomi has a far classier meaning. Derived from Japanese, it's the ancestral name for the greatest clan of classical times, the Fujiwara. It's perfectly fitting but I wouldn't have minded the cinema reference either!
To back their impressive material Nakatomi are heading off on an Australian east coast tour. Playing a four show gig list, the talented duo will be joining on as support act in Adelaide before headlining in Melbourne and Sydney. This duo is the real deal, and if you're in the area you'd be completely missing out to not check them out.
I thought Wren's Facebook bio was so interesting that I knew it needed to be shared here, too.
"Wren is an unusually talented musician; a self-confessed introvert when it comes to expressing her emotions, music has become a vehicle for communicating this aspect of herself, whilst her lyrics offer autobiographical glimpses in a slightly ambiguous, yet poetic way.
She has a passion for composition combined with an impressive ability to play a number of instruments including the violin, in which she was classically trained. The signature vulnerability of her natural voice, combined with her seductive lyrics, enables her to create works which give us a fleeting, yet powerfully intense, glimpse into her normally secretive mind.
Honestly that was nearly so interesting I didn't listen to the EP! (I know, I know, I get distracted too easily..) But that's here nor there because I have listened to this fantastically haunting debut EP so fittingly titled Raw.
The musicality of this mega-talented Sydney-sider is evident straight away; everything about this album screams talent in a very calm yet completely listen-to-me type of way. I have no idea how someone could produce something of this standard for a debut, but Wren is clearly a musical genius in the makings and with a start like this the future is really, really exciting.
The violin for me is a constant standout - I have goosebumps just thinking about it. Listening to Raw made me want to learn even more than I already did. Combined with the numerous other instruments that Wren plays with skillful ease and her deep, emotive voice...I don't even know how to describe how beautiful this EP is. There is talent, there is hardwork, and there is Wren. Who of course has multitudes of both but the result is pulled off with grace. Kudos to Wren, but I want more!
In the lead up to their Sea Shepherd fundraiser in November, She Cries Wolf have debuted a brand new track.
Chapter II, which debuted last week on Triple J's Short, Fast, Loud segment, is the latest offering from the post-hardcore outfit.
This is the type of hardcore music I like - all the essence of metal but with underlying guitars and carefully crafted lyrics to match. I mightn't be able to convince my dad to listen to it, but this song is worth a listen and probably a few replays as well.
Chapter II is, I hope, the sound of She Cries Wolf's future. It's definitely a loud one, a fresh one, but most importantly, it's one you should all be listening out for.
Personally I don't fully function unless I've had at least eight hours sleep. 10 just to be safe. So when The Paper Kite's lead vocalist and songwriter wrote their entire album in the middle of the night, I wasn't sure whether to be slightly disturbed or majorly impressed.
But after listening to the album, I might have to rethink when I work. Because twelvefour is a masterpiece, even if it's probably a very sleep-deprived one.
So tell me, how did you manage to actually write songs on barely any sleep?
I was actually still sleeping - but during the day when everyone else was out and about, then I'd stay up and write through the night.
Were you surprised by the difference between the way the last album was written and using this new technique?
Not really - I think this record was always going to be different from the first album regardless of the way it was written, so even though staying up later probably had an effect on the mood of the songs I still think it was always going to be a different sound because I was in a different head space to where I was two years ago.
Did any songs written at a 'normal' hour make it to the record?
Well I didn't actually write any songs during the day, all the writing I did for the record was [between the hours of] twelve and 4 [in the morning].
When did you know that the album writing was finished?
I'd written about thirty songs or so and decided that was probably enough for the album and it was getting a bit exhausting at that point, so I felt like I'd done enough to cut a record from those songs.
You guys travelled a long way to record this album! Was it worth the trip?
Yeah, I think it was definitely worth it, we had planned to record it at home in Australia but when the opportunity came up to work with Phil Ek we thought it would be a great opportunity to get away and really focus on making a record. It proved really good for us to all be there concentrating on making this album.
What did recording in Seattle offer you that a studio in Australia couldn't?
Well we didn't have the luxury like we would in Melbourne of going home to our own homes after a session which was a good thing. It wasn't so much that the studios in Seattle were any better than Australian studios, but that's where Phil wanted to work and he felt comfortable with his studio there and knew how it sounded - producers like to work in a space that they know, so it was fine for us. Seattle is a great city, it was cool to feel like a semi-local for 6 weeks.
You're all heading off on tour in October, what still has to be tidied up music-wise before you hit the road?
We've actually only just started rehearsing for the tour so we have a lot more to do before we're ready to get on the road, but it's always fun working out the best way to play songs off the record live [at a show]. We're really looking forward to touring this album.
THEPAPERKITES NATIONAL twelvefour ALBUM TOUR
THU 15 OCT | THE GOV, ADELAIDE SA (ALL AGES)
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 16 OCT | AMPLIFIER, PERTH WA
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 17 OCT | SETTLERS TAVERN, MARGARET RIVER WA
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
THU 22 OCT | THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE VIC (ALL AGES)
2015 has had more spectacular albums in it then one person could hope to listen to; but if I was going to pick just one to play than Boy & Bear's latest offering Limit of Love would be a very strong contender. Officially released today and recorded live as a collective Limit of Love showcases the band's strength and musical unity, as well as giving a glimpse into the live-show-feel.
Opting to produce a record in this way is a challenge that would scare off many modern bands used to being able to tweak and perfect minute details. But the guys from Boy & Bear have taken to the new style like they were born to work like this. A masterpiece sold as an album, Limit of Love has things to say.
There is a grittiness to their music that demands attention - none of the tracklist could ever be considered a simple album filler, whether it ends up on radio or not. Everything is calculated in a way that feels both thought out and untouched. The music uncomplicated but enthralling.
The eleven song LP, beginning with the title track Limit of Love and concluding with Fox Hole, the album is yet another trophy for the cabinet of Boy & Bear highlights. And continuing with the highlight reel, this stellar Aussie offering is heading out onto the road again come January for a nationwide tour. Starting in Hobart, before playing in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and finishing up in Brisbane, the run of all-ages gigs is the next thing for this group of now-tour veterans.
"A masterpiece sold as an album, Limit of Love has things to say.
I've been reading the amount of shows you guys performed in 2015, are you sure you don't want any time off?
We had an amazing year of touring and it was great to be able to play as many shows as we did. By the end of the cycle we were all really inspired to make another record and to spend some time at home. We had a few months off from travelling and spent time up and down the coast of NSW doing writing trips, eating way too much and surfing in the afternoon. You could say it was like a holiday for us.
You tried something really different with the recording this time around, whose idea was this and what did you do?
We were lucky to be able to work with Ethan Johns as our producer. Were really happy to follow his lead on how to approach the album. He took us to record in Peter Gabriel's iconic Real World studios, which was the perfect set up for us to record live as a band, all in one big room. His approach was all about capturing honest performances and staying true to the analogue recording techniques he has grown up with. For us it was the perfect way to make the album.
Was there a reason that the band only now have started to write as a collective?
The band has always written together, however usually a sketch or idea is brought to the rehearsal room and then the band would work it up from there, and that works really well for us. This time we had a few songs that started from scratch with everyone building the sketch and this gave a new energy and sound to the band which we feel works really well for us too.
Do you think it's changed the sound at all or is that not even a concern?
I think that it is a natural progression for the band, especially after playing so many shows on the last touring cycle. This album has a real band feel and we like this direction for recording.
Can you share anything about your favourite track from Limit of Love?
There is a track called Showdown that I really like. I think the approach to this track allowed us to explore some new textures [musically].
Do you think it'll be third time even luckier for this album?
I know that we are very excited to play this new album live and get back out touring again. Hopefully people will dig the album. We are really happy with how it has turned out.
Heading back out on to the national touring circuit for the second time this year, Shameem is back with a new feel but the same enthusiasm for her live shows.
Opting to perform without extra accompaniment, the new round of tour dates is an intimate, keyboard-driven version of Shameem's stellar setlist. "I'll be doing a lot of the same songs at the live shows [as last tour], but it will have a completely different feel."
Although Shameem is quick to list her most anticipated shows - The Menagerie in Brisbane, "because I hear it's a really cool venue and I think the supportact, Astrid, is absolutely amazing" and Byron Bay's The Treehouse "because last time I played there it was super-duper fun" - but picking a favourite song is a much harder task.
"It's kind of like asking a mum who her favourite child is, I guess!"
"I will say that the song that I'm most happy about in terms of the way it came together in the studio is Give Me a Reason."
The overwhelmingly positive response to her album and music as a whole is something that leaves Shameem somewhat stunned, but once you turn on a track it's instantly clear why this talented Perth songstress is making waves in the Aussie music scene. And this self-managed, multi-talented singer-songwriter is all set up for the ride. So if you're in the right place at the right time, why not join in too?
