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VOIID: Twin (Independent)

From the opening notes of VOIID’s latest single Twin, the four-piece grunge-punk outfit hit with the strength of an atom bomb. Twin is a lyrical attack on mundane society, with a call to instead embrace individuality and ignore the boring naysayers. This attitude combined with heavy and intensive instrumentals proves VOIID to be in a league of their own and not one to be stuck in the crowd. - James Chadwick

The Steady As She Goes: Warlock Radio (Independent) 


Brisbane’s own tireless workhorse, The Steady As She Goes have gifted us yet another album, only 4 months after releasing their previous full length album Crux into the netherworld. I presume Tal Wallace, the man behind The Steady As She Goes, must never sleep. Either that or he’s dabbling in the dark arts to be able to procure another 11 tracks in such a short span of time. ‘Warlock Radio’ would slot itself in nicely to any self respecting sci-fi film and the new record moves us into new territory too. With lusher 80’s inspired synths, handclaps if you listen real carefully and more distorted, overdriven backing tracks. A shift in direction from previous releases, but a welcomed shift indeed.Supporting Japan’s Masami Kawaguchi at 4ZZZ sponsor venue The Junk Bar on August 24th. (Jasmine Dunn)

Lilian Vase: Lilian Vase (Independent)

Woozy, languid indie pop from Indigo Pesu, Marcus Warren and Angus Gibson with psych-soul roots, soft and swung in all the right places. Lilian Vase have been gigging around a fair bit recently, launching this album at 4ZZZ sponsor venue The Bearded Lady last Friday, and also playing alongside other emerging local acts like Timothy Learjet and Fingerless - make sure you follow them online to catch their next one. (Liz Ansley)

Australian

Happy Axe: Dream Punching (Spirit Level)

For a debut album, Dream Punching is nothing short of amazing. Canberra-based multi-instrumentalist Emma Kelly draws from the deep well of her childhood, growing up in rural, heavily isolated pockets of rainforest in regional NSW. With these memories serving as her inspiration, Kelly has used her violin, layers of her voice, and the odd singing-saw here and there to paint all too vivid scenes of atmosphere and ambience. As a listening experience, this album is solemn, introspective, minimalist, with undercurrents of both darkness and hopefulness. Cheshire Heart captures this perfectly, with the almost percussive samples of fireworks at once sinister, yet innocent. It all feels strangely familiar to the listener, relatable, and it is apparent that is the artist’s intention. Best listened to in a quiet room, perhaps it will help to silence those disquieting things on your mind. (Clayton Bick-Paterson)



NASHO: S/T (NO PATIENCE RECORDS)

NASHO came together in 2017 as relative strangers to one another, the four members ' previous experience makes, collectively, an extremely impressive musical resume, coming from groups as varied as Royal Headache, BB & the Blips and DISPOSSESSED. Vocalist Serwah has carried over some of the rage from her other group DISPOSSESSED, channelling her own experiences into an exorcistic collection of songs, each heavy with the burden of emotion they have to carry. Each of the songs have their own flavours and strengths, despite the album being a nightmarish punk score on the whole, there's a lick of ska-punk here, some black metal there, all complemented by some rough production. The bass is played with a sense of urgency, at once demanding, commanding, and sharp as a knife, never getting lost in the commotion and holding down the slower jams. The drums are being torn apart on this LP, smashing out hardcore beats, each fill containing some surprising flourishes. This entire album is PISSED OFF and rightly so, Serwah and the rest of NASHO are conveying their true Australian experience, one that, as a white man, I couldn't hope to understand or explain. So let NASHO explain it themselves. (Clayton Bick-Paterson)

Tkay Maidza :Flexin' ft. Duckwrth (Single)(Dew Process) Tkay’s already proved herself a force of nature time and time again - on the one hand it’s hard to believe she’s been doing this for a decade, but on the other hand it’s almost impossible to remember what it was like before she burst onto the scene. Her output is consistently world class - she’s been making moves on global domination for a while now and her first new music since 2016’s TKAY is a gigantic home run from the formidable artist, featuring rising US star Duckwrth. Her upcoming tour with Kwame and Arno Faraji will travel here for Brisbane Festival on September 15. (Liz Ansley)

Phantastic Ferniture: Phantastic Ferniture (Makeout/Polyvinyl/Transgressive Records)

What started out as an in joke at Frankie's Pizza in Sydney became a jamming and enjoyable fully fledged band. Phantastic Ferniture's debut self-titled album has the right mix of humour and realness mixed in with the catchy indie-rock they so deftly wield. The album oozes fun when it wants and grooves out when it feels. Get some indoor plants in your ears.(Peter Strasser)

Darren Cross: PEACER (NO DRUMS RECORDS)

Sydney singer-songwriter, Darren Cross (formerly of Gerling), releases new LP titled PEACER. The album opens with a dazzling dream pop number that also infuses indie folk elements, similar to that of the Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men. The second track picks things right up with a retro upbeat tune that perfectly incorporates a saxophone sounding melody line with techno synth effects that you know were used in the 80s. My favourite track Ne fais pas I'enfant, is an explosion of spoken word, echo effects, more 80’s synths, telephone rings and muffled vocals. Written, recorded and produced by Darren Cross, the artists proves to have a strong vision for each track with a master in execution. PEACER is a crazy mix of dream pop, retro pop, indie-folk and avant pop, but somehow it cohesively comes together to deliver a cracker of an album. (Jade Rodrigo)

NZ/Aotearoa

La Felix: Comes & Goes (Single)(Independent)

With a pumping bass line and silky smooth vocals, the track is definitely a strong contender for chill banger of the year. Great tune to put on with friends while having some twilight drinks on a Sunday afternoon. (Jade Rodrigo)

Overseas

The Internet: Hive Mind (Sony Music Australia)

Featuring plusher, more laid-back soundscapes than 2015’s tenacious Ego Death plus considerably more vocals from band member and young super-talent Steve Lacy, who like other members of the collective (notably: that Syd album) has been busily releasing his own incredible solo work. Hive Mind is the sound of separate parts that have now been fully realised in their individual contexts, sliding neatly back into place with otherworldly effortlessness. (Liz Ansley)

Yama Warashi: Kofun No Uta (Single) (STOLEN BOY RECORDS)

Yama Warashi releases new funky world track titled Kofun No Uta. Yama Warashi is the project of Yoshino Shigihara, a Japanese musician and visual artist. The band name, Yama Warashi, translates from Shigihara’s native tongue as “small childlike mountain spirit”. Like the translation, Kofun No Uta has an upbeat, playful rhythm that generates a gigantic mountain-like energy. This is because Yama Warashi uniquely combines global influences such as Japanese folk dance and tribal African music with genres of free jazz and psychedelic rock to create a mythically magnetising tune. This isn’t really the type of music I would put on my UE boom in my spare time but after listening to this tune, I hope to delve more into the genres of world music. (Jade Rodrigo)

King Princess: Make My Bed (Sony)

I am done. I have gone to Heaven. King Princess swept me off my feet with her previous two singles and this EP is ethereal perfection. Starkly honest yet also sensually subtle at times, her music inspires bliss as well as being thought-provoking. (Molly Jackson)

Con Brio: Explorer (Burning House Music)

This album has a larger than life personality that exudes entertainment, exemplified in Ziek McCarter's energetic vocals, and captured in the lively brass and synth instrumentation that permiates the track list. But there isn't just one speed, the band changes gears multiple times throughout the LP and it is absolutely worth a once over for that gem (like Empire State of Mind, or the sexy Body Language). A slow burning full length for sure. (Peter Strasser)