Article that includes a reference to Mark Seymour’s new single, The Whole World is Dreaming.

Author:  Will Brewster, Mixdown.

Date: 5 May 2020.

Original URL: http://www.mixdownmag.com.au/six-new-aussie-releases-you-need-your-radar-may-5

Article Text

Featuring Mark Seymour, VOIID, Suneden & More

Right now, we’re living in an abundant age of content: there’s international collaborations galore, Netflix is going gangbusters, and there’s a whole gamut of live streams waiting out there for you to stumble upon. However, with so much stuff keeping us inside and entertained, it’s easy for local releases to slide under the radar in favour of everything else out there vying for your attention. To save you the work, we’ve compiled six of our favourite new Australian releases that we reckon you should chuck on – who knows, your new favourite song might just be waiting for you.
VOIID – ‘Bug’

If you’ve been itching for a punk fix, then we’ve got the goods for you. ‘Bug’ is the latest single from Brisbane outfit VOIID, and is set to appear on their forthcoming EP Socioanomaly, which is out on Friday June 5. Over a three minute blast of urgent guitars and drums, ‘Bug’ sees VOIID shift away from the light-hearted material of their past work to address overt misogyny and the stigma around abortion, using sheer stabs of feedback and an eerily silent bridge to drive the message home.

Suneden – ‘Sapana Ko Samaya’

This one’s more of the eclectic numbers we’ve covered here, but its quirky musicality and idyllic melodic phrasings really do make it an unsuspecting earworm. ‘Sapana Ko Samaya, which aptly translates to ‘dream time’ in Nepalese, is the sprawling debut single from Melbourne-based duo Suneden, who’ve been gigging around the traps as a five piece for a while now. It’s a blissful, sitar-laced psychedelic funk odyssey that spans almost 13 minutes, and might just be one of the most ambitious debut singles I’ve heard in a long time – but I’m totally hooked.

Mark Seymour & The Undertow – ‘The Whole World Is Dreaming’

Legendary Hunters & Collectors frontman Mark Seymour has linked up with his band The Undertow for a sublime new cut ‘The Whole World Is Dreaming’ from his upcoming album Slow Dawn. With an ascending vocal melody reminiscent of Bill Withers’ ‘Lean On Me’, ‘The Whole World Is Dreaming’ lulls you in with its soft strums and gliding lead guitar before Seymour’s vocals bring the song to a triumphant, teary end. 40 years in, and he’s still at the top of his game. Check out his own self-made live isolation version below.

Runaway Belles – ‘The Weekend’

Here’s another top notch debut single, this time from Tasmanian indie-folk duo Runaway Belles, who received funding from Arts Tasmania to release three singles in 2020. Recorded between an 1800’s bluestone cottage in the Tasmanian wilderness and at Gotye’s farm in rural Victoria, ‘The Weekend’ uses beautiful lyrical metaphors and gorgeous vocal harmonies to paint a vivid portrait of a relationship in disarray. If you dig it, the duo have been livestreaming performances from their sharehouse every Monday night at 8pm, and we strongly suggest you tune in.

Haiku Hands – ‘MANBITCH’

Banger alert! Haiku Hands are one of Australia’s funnest dance acts going, and their new single ‘MANBITCH’ goes the distance to prove it. Written and recorded in Joel Ma’s Melbourne studio and featuring additional production from Elgusto, ‘MANBITCH’ doesn’t piss about with its message, with its empowering refrain being bolstered by a bouncing, brassy groove that’s designated for the dancefloor. Stay tuned for more material in the coming months as Haiku Hands prep to release their debut this August, which is set to arrive via Spinning Top and Diplo’s Mad Decent – sounds about right.

Two Another – ‘Stronger’

Initially bonding through a music program run by Bag Raiders at their Sydney high school, Angus Campbell and Elliot Porter formed the duo Two Another after linking up in London five years ago, with the duo now spending their time making tracks between Amsterdam and Stockholm. Driven by a dangerous bassline and powered by a particularly ear-pricking vocal performance from Eliot Porter, ‘Stronger’ demonstrates a new level of confidence from the group, blending electronica and soul to create a powerful sound that’ll almost certainly get you moving.

Missed out on last week’s top picks? No stress – reacquaint yourself here.

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