Only – Deepsea Lights
Joe Matthews and Gemma Lucy Smart perform as electronic folk pair Deepsea Lights. Their music is a patchwork of found sounds, electronic hiss, drum beats, acoustic guitar, spoken work and Smart’s celestial vocals. This has a touch of steampunk, not unlike American sisters and “freak folk” duo CocoRosie, in which edges are left roughly hewn, achieved by live looping and sampling, and add a rustic charm to otherwise synthetic music. The Sydney band released their debut EP 0 (zero) in April and play at Red Rattler in Sydney on 12 June.
The King’s Lament – Alex and Nilusha
Australian artist Barbara Hanrahan was a writer and artist, best known for her primal linocuts featuring flowers, animals, lovers embracing and floating eyeballs, before passing away in 1991. Her works have inspired eight new pieces of music by vocalist and composer Nilusha Dassenaike, which will be performed in concert at Melbourne Recital Centre on 6 June. Joining Dassenaike are some of the country’s finest contemporary jazz musicians as song, spoken word and the enigmatic artwork of Hanrahan meet. Until then, enjoy this 2014 original composition by Dassenaike, The King’s Lament.
Spark – Fox & Fowl
Brisbane band Fox & Fowl have released a new single Spark, inspired by the controversies that dogged Brazil’s hosting of the World Cup in 2014. “We wanted to highlight the fact that the Brazillian government and Fifa were spending millions of dollars on the cup, while millions of Brazilians were living below the poverty line and struggling with their every day life,” said singer and keyboard player Lachlan Smart. “The country was just a spark away from igniting in uproar and riots.” Catch the band play Sydney (5 June), Melbourne (6 June) before returning to Brisbane for a 27 June show.
Find My Way – Jinja Safari
We may be in the dead of Australian winter, but Sydney indie lads Jinja Safari are back with a summer-filled taster from their forthcoming third album. Find My Way is a nod to the infectious, loveable pop of Vampire Weekend or Paul Simon. Vocals from lead singer Marcus Azon are paired with the cottony soft beats of a steel drum. Since the band were picked out of obscurity by Triple J’s Unearthed in 2011, they’ve been touring the globe, with Azon cutting together footage of their adventures for this new video.
My Own Way – Kita Alexander
My Own Way is the debut single from 19-year-old singer songwriter Kita Alexander. The track has a dark, witching hour glamour and satiny sensuality, but made radio-friendly by its catchy hooks. It’s pop that maintains its sophistication, and follows the footsteps of Fleetwood Mac and, more recently, Haim. And while it’s early days for the Brisbane artist (who boasts an astounding sea siren beauty), with lyrics like “want to be the voice to your favourite song” she’s made her intention clear.
