Velvet Starlings | Sold Down the River

Velvet Starlings is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist, mega-talented, fifteen-year-old Christian Gisborne. Filled with gritty, 60s inspired rock and blues Velvet Starlings have already begun demanding - and receiving - attention. Drawing huge inspiration from the original 'British Invasion', Velvet Starlings boasts some impressive tracks and their latest, Sold Down The River has kept the ball rolling.

Stopping by to introduce himself, Gisborne chats the best album ever released, LEGO sets and putting off chemistry homework.

Hey, my name is... Christian Gisborne of Velvet Starlings

I'd describe myself as... a 15-year-old singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, music producer, Beatles aficionado and avid builder of LEGO sets to keep a good life balance. You are never too old and it's a good contrast from non-stop rocking.

My music is... Blues and British based Indie Rock n Roll.

I write songs because... I write songs and play music as it's a form of therapy for me and let's me escape to somewhere I love to be. I like to just sit in my room or outside with an acoustic guitar and tune in to something out there and let the emotions, lyrics and melody pour out. I write about my life experiences and by song writing I get [to] go on melodic searches and analyse what's going around my head, get a sense [of] what I'm trying to say, then finally ring out that sponge onto a demo recording.

Sold Down The River is... a single on our debut EP which is lyrically one of our more thought-provoking tunes. It definitely shows my love for [John] Lennon and [Bob] Dylan as it's got a bit of poetic political commentary here and there. It began as an acoustic song that we then decided to add full band and production to it.

I'm most inspired... by my own real life experiences and people and anything cool from the 1960s. I'm currently working on a time machine so I can get back there soon. I just need one of those UK red phone boxes.

I know a song is ready for release... when I feel like the band has it down 100% live and I'm 70% happy with the way it sounds. Also [when] I can read the lyrics back as spoken verse and not feel like they a re-write. If the master sounds loud and proud.

A song I wish I'd written... It's a toss up between A Day In The Life by the Beatles and The Zombies' She's Not There. Both songs are just green light songwriting all the way through. They are songs that have it all: great melodies, a bit of danger in the lyrics, organs and Rhodes. A Day In The Life is just another Lennon masterpiece. These are perfect examples of timeless songwriting and why The British Invasion was so successful.

The best album... in my opinion is easy to pick. It's the Beatles' Sergeant Peppers' Lonely Hearts Club Band followed by Revolver or Magic Mystery Tour. Oops that's three, can't narrow it down to one.

If I could join any band... Depends, living of legends? Living would be Jack White's new band that he hasn't started or thought of yet. Come on, Jack! I've got some great tunes ready for the first jam. I am sure we can come up [with a] legendary band name, too. Legends, it would have to be either a fifth Beatle position, including songwriting and studio, or being Brian Jones replacement and touring with The Stones through all of their various states.

I could listen to anything by... The Beatles, The Kinks, The Animals, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Zombies, basically the whole British Invasion. Not at all forgetting Jack White, Simon & Garfunkel and The Doors. Can't forget the D, Tenacious D - first album mainly.

People should stick around... because the best is yet to come. The live show is getting to that point where you can just enjoy it and the new songs are ace. I think every songwriter says that about new songs though.

And finally... it's time for me to hit my chemistry homework that's due tomorrow. I will focus in with a psychedelic Beatles playlist I've made, so in go my headphones. Stay tuned for more Velvet Starlings music as there's plenty more of it coming soon.

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Jade Alice is In The Deep

"I do try to find a balance, and make sure that when people listen to it, they can still identify it as a Jade Alice song. I think that lies in my vocal arrangement, no matter what vibe or speed the song is, I always focus on vocal layering and incorporating that into my production. 

Jade Alice is the powerhouse that just keeps going. Following the success of her previous release Heartbreak Club, Alice recently dropped new track In The Deep a dreamy, dance inspired tune moving seamlessly between genres. Weaving between ballad and soft electronic, Alice has crafted a tune about the first moments of attraction and the feeling of connecting with someone new.

Your previous track, Heartbreak Club, has only been out a few months, how do you keep the momentum going while also keeping the songs fresh and unique?
It's funny because Heartbreak Club and In The Deep sound so different from each other, but they were written around the same time. I have a few songs I've written in the past year that I'm really excited to put out. It's just been a process of figuring out the timeline and putting in the same amount of effort into each release. I like to make each song I write sound unique to itself; like they each have their own personality and story. Especially in terms of production, I always go with whatever direction or sound elements I think would enhance that song best, and whatever those are may be completely different for another song of mine. 

How has the reception to your music been like so far?
It's been very positive overall. When the reception isn't coming from friends and family but people you've never met from across the globe, that's the most fulfilling and rewarding feeling. It's been interesting to hear what people's favourites are, because the songs do sound so different from each other. It makes my day when I receive a private message from someone telling me how my music has made them feel.

"It's so personal, they are giving you back that same vulnerability that you put into the song.

In The Deep is a lot more dance heavy than some previous releases, how are you going about finding your sound?
It is and I'm working on finding a sweet spot that combines pop and electronic dance music. The influence has stemmed from working with dance producers and writing vocals for their tracks. Some of my future releases are definitely heading in a similar direction with this production. I love the energy of it and I find it so empowering using these big, heavy electronic sounds. Especially in a live setting, I just get so excited.

There's so much going on in the music scene at the moment with artists bending genres, has this movement impacted on your own style at all?
Yes for sure, I've always been a fan of blending genres together! It's very inspiring hearing so many fresh ideas from people and sounds that I could never have imagined. The possibilities we have with technology now are endless, but that can be a bit intimidating when you're trying to create something new. 

"I love that bending genres has been embraced so warmly in Australia and that it has allowed musicians to bloom and grow.

What are you feeling most inspired by lately?
At the moment a lot of my inspiration comes from Scandinavian artists like Aurora, Susanne Sundfor and Sigrid. They have the most amazing pop instincts and sensibility. I love the way they write lyrics, too, when English isn't their first language and they phrase things in such a beautiful, quirky way.

Find In The Deep //
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Meet TAMMA | New Artist Spotlight

Australia has plenty of exciting pop newcomers and adding to the growing list to watch is TAMMA. The skateboarding sweetheart has recently dropped her debut track, Beat You Down, and it's one to pay attention to. A triumphant song, both musically and conceptually, TAMMA has overcome more than her fair share of the tough stuff in recent years, but now she's here to make her mark and share some serious replayable tracks.

Hey, my name is... TAMMA aka Tammy Martin.

I'd describe myself as... an outgoing person. I have a big heart for people and fierce passion for life and love. My family and friends are my everything. I'm a curious person and I love connecting with other humans. I don't like routine too much and spontaneity is my [kind of] thing. I love sunny weather and beaches, holidays and travel. Music is my greatest love. I love singing for people, except when they ask me to do it in an Uber or something.

My music is... I write a mixture of vibrant pop or raw soul. My music is authentic and about my experiences in life.

I write songs because... it heals my soul and makes me feel like everything is going to be okay. I write with the hopes it connects with others and they can feel uplifted or empowered when they need a little pick me up. I want people to remember they aren't alone when they are going through tough times.

My song, Beat You Down, is... written for my nieces and nephews to send them a message as they navigate through life to stay close to their loved ones; to rise above trivial things or toxic people and that they will get through the hard times with persistence, resilience and the people who love them to guide them. It came from the hardest, most brutal time of our lives: the loss of my little nephew. When you have to face that kind of pain it puts life into perspective. I am so glad that the song has gone beyond their song and that it's resonating with thousands of people.

It's my debut single because... it means so much to me. It represents the time of my life and got me through the darkness.

The music video is... filmed in Venice Beach in LA. I found Damien Blue, the director, on Instagram and decided to send a message asking if he would be keen to fly to LA to shoot the clip. We shot the whole thing on skateboards and also in my bestie's back yard in their Airstream caravan. It was heaps of fun. I chose skateboarding because I wanted a visual representation of something that shows persistence and resilience. Skateboarding is an art form that requires courage to master: you fall off, eat shit, get up again until you nail it. Society [as] a whole treats it as an annoyance and again it requires you to rise above it so you can nail that move.

A song I wish I'd written is... oh that's a hard one! Probably Thriller by Michael Jackson.

The best album... another tricky one, can I pick three? I'm loving The Teskey Brothers Half Mile Harvest, Babe Rainbows Double Rainbow and Kruangbins Con Todo El Mundo at the [moment].

If I could join a band... well band wise it would be Kruangbin, the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and to jam with Ray Charles. Some artists I really want to collab with are Diplo, Childish Gambino, Post Malone and Chance the Rapper!

I could listen to anything by... Nina Simone and Amy Winehouse.

People should stick around because... I have plenty more up my sleeve for you, [I'm] working on my second single to release over summer.

And finally... being kind and taking time to get to know people and their journey, caring for others and not judging is what life is about.

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Artist Takeover | Spectoral on the Top 10 Influential 2018 Tracks

"I think these days it's becoming a lot more difficult to call something straight up "RnB" or "hip-hop". [Now] you get a lot of tracks that straight up trap beats or as soulful as D'Angelo but which could be classed as electro-pop or singer-songwriter tracks. All these genres are just becoming so blurred, but that's what I love about music today: everyone's out to break the rules and carve out little niches of their own.

I didn't want to make a list of the most obvious singles of the year from Post Malone, Drake, Kanye, and Childish Gambino. Instead, here's a list of 10 deeper cuts that are total stand-outs of 2018. They all influence and inspire me.

Cautious Clay - Cold War
A producer singer-songwriter out of LA, this track is driven by a deep, cruisy, arpeggiated bassline while being awash with super long-tailed reverberated harmonised vocals and buried guitars.

The Weeknd - Privilege
The thing that stood out about this track, besides the super moody 'two red pills to take the blues away' hook Abel Tesfaye does so well, is that it has such an atypical structure. It's under three minutes long and repeats no part of the song. One verse, one pre-chorus, one chorus, a breakdown, then it ends. But man, it leaves you wanting more.

Alexander Vincent - I Won't
So what genre is this song? [For the] first 30 seconds you'd think it was a soul or RnB track, but nope, it ditches the urge to break into trap beats or high hats and instead turns full indie electronic with the glitchiest of grooves. Total magic.

Nas, The-Dream & Kanye West - everything
What an epic seven and a half minutes. This is a deep, reflective journey that includes probably the best singing from Kanye all decade, the prettiest pre-chorus hook from The-Dream, some deep-as bars by Nas, and, I think, the most gorgeous outtro I've heard all year.

Joji - Yeah Right
It's funny because this Japanese-Australian record producer was releasing super-explicit comedy trap last year under his alter ego Pink Guy. [However] he abandoned it, and his millions-strong YouTube persona Filthy Frank, to bet it all on a serious RnB/hip-hop singer-songwriter career as Joji. And man, is he kicking goals.

Ric Wilson - Sinner
There is no way on planet earth you're not going to like this song the second you put it on. It's like a little funky slice of Andre 3000 meets Childish Gambino meets BROCKHAMPTON and it deserves a hundred million streams. That pitch-bent keyboard synth gets me turnt!

Lennon Stella - Bad
This is the perfect example of how to craft a bittersweet 50's pop inspired single cleverly blending into modern trap/hip-hop. She's got such an earworm of a single here and her sultry vocal delivery makes it 10/10.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Not In Love We're Just High
The last two UMO albums before this also had at least one unignorable modern classic on each. So Good At Being In Trouble, Multi-Love and now this. This is probably going to get one of my [Triple J's] Hottest 100 votes it's so good. It's like Stevie Wonder collaborated with Tame Impala.

Lily Allen - Come On Then
I love this track from Lily because she's uncompromisingly honest in this thing. It's tragic, it's sad, she tears herself apart all over this track, god damn. But you don't get the downers about it because she's juxtaposed it around all these amazing electronic, euphoric synths thanks to her working with Fryars, one of my favourite singer-songwriter producers.

Matt Corby - No Ordinary Life
Rounding off this list is the genre-defying Matt Corby with this masterpiece. If this doesn't make it into the Hottest 100, I don't know what I'll do. As always his voice is soulful, the lyrics are all reflective about the dream of, I guess, the call to settle down into the predictability of a typical life. Then the whole thing is lifted into the stratosphere with that gorgeous production by Dann Hume.

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Meet Tales | The Winter Gypsy rebranded

'We wanted to change our name for a few reasons - "gypsy" is an outdated term and we want to stay relevant and respectful. We also felt that being locked down by our name to an indie folk image wasn't something we wanted in the long term.'

The always dreamy folk from the band formerly known as The Winter Gypsy, Tales have entered a new era; with a new name and new release fronting the charge. Under the mentorship of Aussie label Wonderlick, the indie five-piece have taken the South Australian Music Awards "Best Folk Artist" category. Through their mentorship, the band have established themselves and have a clear direction to follow. '[It's] really helped us pave a path for our next step in what we hope is the right direction,' explains lead singer Tushar Singh.

Having had a stellar 12 months, the lads are continuing to grow into themselves and it's showing in their music. The boys' latest track, So Blue, is busy but focussed. Singh explains further, 'For us, it's essentially about living with free minds and not letting little issues strike us down in times of vulnerability'.

Coldplay - Yellow
Not only is Yellow one of the best songs of all time, but the entire Parachutes album was one of Coldplay's best albums to date. That album, and this song, will stay with me for a lifetime.

Syzmon - Golden
Rest in peace to one of the best up and coming artists to grace this world. Unfortunately, his passing was tragic and he never got to play any shows; but this song and his album will live on. This track is nothing but golden! Trust me.

Mr Jukes ft. Charles Bradley - Grant Green
Mr Jukes was the lead singer from one of my favourite bands, Bombay Bicycle Club. I remember trying to find out what he'd been up to, then I stumbled onto his new project, Mr Jukes. Grant Green  was the first track I listened to, and I instantly fell in love. Such a feel good track, and the video itself is filled with so much colour. Definitely check it out.

Tony Orlando - Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole' Oak Tree
I just had to put this one in the mix. I just remember my mum and dad always singing this one whenever it came on the radio. [It's] definitely a nostalgic and happy tune from the past for me.

Michael Jackson - Black or White
My whole family loved Michael Jackson. Unfortunately I was the only one that didn't see him live, however I was also not born yet. I can remember my brothers always playing his albums and watching his tour DVDs. He was truly the King of Pop. Rest in peace, Michael.

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My Polar Dream by Jade Hameister | Review

Title: Nine Perfect Strangers
Author: Liane Moriarty
Release Date: 18th September 2018
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Source: Proof copy from the publisher

Fourteen-year-old Jade Hameister had a dream: to complete the Polar Hat-Trick.

In 2016, she skied to the North Pole.
In 2017, she completed the Greenland Crossing.
In 2018, she arrived at the South Pole.

This is the story of an adventurer who never gave up - who set herself incredible challenges beyond her years and experience. An adventurer who endured extremes of cold and blizzards; tackled treacherous terrain where one wrong step could be fatal; struggled through sastrugi, ice rubble and emotional lows to achieve an extraordinary goal.

Along the way, she made a sandwich for online trolls, inspired young people, and made international headlines.

At sixteen, Jade Hameister became the youngest person in history to complete the Polar Hat-Trick.

I really wanted to love this book. It's the story of a young, female adventurer who has overcome a whole raft of adversities to go places no one has ever gone and prove there's more to girls than the media portrays. Jade is articulate in interviews and clearly has dreams and passions that she is unafraid to follow. She's brave, strong, and insanely motivated. She's had the chance to do things a lot of people her age can only dream of doing. And now she's written it all down in her debut memoir, My Polar Dream. The whole thing sounded exactly like my cup of tea. 

Except it wasn't. I want to be careful here, because this is a girl I think a lot of people will really look up to and an example that definitely wasn't around when I was in my early teens. So I want it to be clear that this is not a personal attack, but merely a mediocre review for what could have been an amazing autobiography.

It is clear from the start that this was going to be a quick read: the writing is simplistic and there isn't any hidden meanings; what Jade wants to say, she'll say straight out. However, it was really the writing style that let the book down for me. I wanted more. The parts that I found most interesting - hiding in her tent from polar bears, living in close confines with her dad for weeks on end, being the only girl in an all-male group, why she picked this challenge before she even knew how to ski - were never explored in the depth that I felt they deserved. I came away feeling I knew more about her weightloss over the duration of the South Pole trek than I did about the harsh emotional challenges she faced (and overcame).

I think this is an important book for young girls, but I definitely feel that it should be more heavily targeted towards this audience. It's not a book I would recommend to someone my own age or older, instead it's a book girls in their early teens should be reading. Jade is an admirable young woman, but I was just too old to properly enjoy her writing.

dirtgirl | Upcoming Tour and Gumboot Boogie

dirtgirl has always just wanted to share her way of living with as many people as possible.

She's been working on sharing the message of loving and respecting the earth since 2009, and now, finally, she's taking the message from the screen to a string of upcoming live shows around Australia. It's been a long time coming, but the upcoming string of spring shows has been in the artist's mind for just as long. "I'm busting to get [on tour]. I'm so excited to play with my all girl band!" 

While the dirtgirl community is undoubtedly one of the most inclusive on the internet, dirtgirl is excited to take the stage in front of physical faces. She happily describes herself as a musician, and it is clear that her latest single, Changes, and upcoming album are another project of love. dirtgirl herself explains the fittingly titled upcoming Gumboot Boogie album as "feel good tunes, with some solid rock." 

A seasoned traveller and a passionate soul about everything environmental, dirtgirl is a multifaceted artist, who spends as much time being the voice for the natural as she does singing about it. Having recently travelled everywhere from the Torres Strait, to the Great Barrier Reef, and recently into the offices of Canberra's politicians. But wherever she is, whether delivering petitions to Federal pollies or singing to families through their screens, it's the same heart that drives her forward. One of her latest projects, the 21 Days Plastic Bag Detox, is an even further example of the kindness she extends to the environment, but also to the people she is confident can take care of it. "It's all about protecting what we love. I think everyone can understand that." With an aim of equipping people to better approach simple changes, dirtgirl explains "It's not about choosing to have less, it's about choosing better".

Having been in people's loungerooms for just shy of 10 years, it is clear that dirtgirl has established a supportive audience, both online and off. Ultimately though, she just wants young people to know that change is natural and that everything will be okay. (Especially if they remember to take their reusable bags.) 

DIRTGIRL LIVE PERFORMANCES
SAT 06 OCT | FLORIADE, CANBERRA, ACT | ALL AGES
DIRTGIRL AND SCRAPBOY GET BUZZY  | FREE EVENT  | STAGE 88 | 10.45AM
SAT 06 OCT | FLORIADE, CANBERRA, ACT | ALL AGES
DIRTGIRL AND HER BAND  | FREE EVENT  | STAGE 88 | 12.30PM
SUN 07 OCT | FLOURISH, NGA SCULPTURE GARDEN, ACT | ALL AGES
DIRTGIRL AND SCRAPBOY GET BUZZY  | FREE EVENT  | NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA
MON OCT 10 | MACDONNELL COUNCIL, NT | ALL AGES
DIRTGIRL GET GRUBBY MEET AND GREET  | FREE EVENT  |  9.00AM
SAT 03 NOV | THE LOST LANDS, WERRIBEE PARRK & MANSION, VIC | ALL AGES
DIRTGIRL AND SCRAPBOY GET BUZZY | Tickets available from www.thelostlands.com.au
SAT 04 NOV | THE LOST LANDS, WERRIBEE PARRK & MANSION, VIC | ALL AGES
DIRTGIRL AND HER BAND | Tickets available from www.thelostlands.com.au
THURS 08 NOV | THE GREENHOUSE OF ORANGE,  ORANGE NSW | ALL AGES
DIRTGIRL AND SCRAPBOY GET BUZZY | Tickets available from  www.thegreenhouseoforange.com.au
FRIDAY 16 NOV | CLARENDON, TAS | ALL AGES
DIRTGIRL NATURE PLAY  | FREE EVENT  |  2.00PM

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