INTERVIEW: ALEXANDER BIGGS AND THE FEELINGS BEHIND ‘HIT OR MISS’

Melbourne creative Alexander Biggs has released his debut album ‘Hit or Miss'. The album is about hanging onto the idea of someone after they’ve left the room like you’re hanging onto their ghost or a husk like a cicada—all the insides gone, taken off, old here and new somewhere else—like an outline of dust in a roadrunner cartoon. Our girl Kayla chatted to him all things Biggs.

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You’re quite well known for these incredibly distinct, almost poignant emotive songs - ones of which resonate deeply with many people. How do you find that your musics ability to touch so many people has influenced the manifestation of the themes present within your songs?

I try not to think too much about anyone else’s perception of my music. I remember a time when I was like, 19, playing the first kind of iteration of my project, like the very raw, beginner phase of figuring out what you’re going to sound like, and how to write songs, and someone telling me I reminded them of Death Cab, and I didn’t know any of their music, except that one song, so I looked it and then found myself emulating them, and I don’t even think I was the biggest fan at the time. I’m not saying I’d do that now, but I know that feeling now, and I know how you can take your own agency away when you worry about what others think about you, well-meaning or not.

Do you find you often write to appeal to the emotions of your listeners or are these songs truly written on the basis of your own experiences and emotive forethought?

I write solely to explore what I want to explore and to channel what I want to channel. I think there is a desire to connect with people, maybe offer a feeling of our shared experience, but I don’t let that come first, that comes after the fact. I write the songs because I’m compelled to, and they resonate second. I can only write from that experience.

In a 2018 interview - you’re quoted as saying “Melbourne is an inspiring place to live” have you taken inspiration for your new album release from any local talent, locations or occurrences that your listeners mightn’t have caught in your album’s musings?

Nah, I don’t look out at people like that. I appreciate Melbourne artists, any artists, for the unique things they bring to the table, their voices. I think Melbourne is imprinted heavily in my songs, but maybe more in just a personal sense. Songs translate to many locations, but in my mind I see where I was, or where I’m singing about. The new stuff I’m writing has a lot more of a city feel to it with a hint of northern suburbs. The stuff on Hit or Miss feels 90 percent northern suburbs, 10 percent NYC.

You have been a support act for some incredibly talented artists like Stella Donnelly and Julien Baker. If you could pick anyone in the industry to support (past artists included) who would absolutely make your lifetime if they asked you to support them?

I’m really hoping Ruby Gill takes me touring the world with her when she gets famous.

Your discography has a really consistent sound and tone - often as listeners we assume that your album release has direct connotations to your emotional state at the time of writing and it definitely has an almost cathartic feel to it - talk us through the process and feelings behind ‘Hit or Miss’.

The process was a whole bunch of recording, a whole bunch of feeling things, and a whole bunch of stressing about it.

How does it make you feel as a musician to know that people all over the world are listening to your music?

It’s neat to think people around the world are listening to my music. It’s a privilege, but one I don’t think about too much.

If you could think of any scenario or location in which you think your album is best listened to what would that look like? (for example I could definitely see myself crying into a tub of ice cream listening to ‘mostly i feel nothing’ haha)

I think it’s a headphone-walk kind of album. Walk around your neighbourhood at dusk. That’s the mood.

What can we expect from you in future? Are you ever tempted to produce collaborations or experiment with new genres?

Ummmm, I’m really interested in synths and euclidean rhythms but I’m not sure how much they’ll feature in the next stuff. Still exploring. Well, synths are involved a little, but I’m not going full radiohead or anything. They have such distinct characters and feelings, which I feel helped a lot when used sparingly in the last stuff. I’d like to turn it up a notch maybe.

Writing an album can be quite the process - did the songs on ‘Hit or Miss’ come to you over a length of time or did you smash it out and work on the production side of things more?

Hit or Miss was an ever-evolving process. It had so many different iterations, and a lot of songs got bumped out for others. I think it took a lot of time because it hadn’t yet arrived, and then one day it did, and it felt right.

Do you fear being pigeonholed to one type of genre or do you feel as though your current releases are the most authentic reflection of your past, present, and future self?

Yeah, I mean, most artists in my experience don’t like that. The amount times I get put in some, surf chill coffee strum playlist is a little annoying but I’m also grateful, and at the end of the day, you can’t choose who listens to you. I think any of the people I look up to or that my ego would want to be validated by would think my record was trash or trite or something haha

Music often provokes a feeling of nostalgia or provokes emotion tied to events in one’s life. Do you find that performing songs consistently stops this from occurring for you, or if anything does it make you remember events, feelings etc more vividly?

Maybe at first. I get tired of songs sometimes, but I’d say the feeling just develops and evolves into something else. It’s like looking at old photos—they still do something to you, but it’s not the same as being there. Probably for the best.

How has the response to your new album been so far? Is this what you expected or has it exceeded your expectations?

It’s been nice. I didn’t really know what to expect so I just take it day by day.

Congratulations on a super great album it’ll definitely be getting a ton of listens from me!

Thanks :)

'Hit or Miss' is OUT NOW

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INTERVIEW SERIES: TEENAGE DADS & X PROMOTIONS

Teenage Dad’s released a new single a few weeks back ‘Thank You For The Honey, Honey’ and are playing their first live show for a while via a live stream on Thursday night along with 3 other acts from the Frankston/Mornington Peninsula area brought to you by X Promotions and The Frankston Art Centre.

I caught up with Vincent and Connor this morning to talk about the single, the live stream and I may have caught a few funny stories from the boys!!

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Tell me about Teenage Dads and how you got your name?

Vincent: We’ve been playing gigs since 2017 but we started in 2016 just playing at everybody’s 18th birthday parties. Early on in the band we had a second guitarist, and he suggested the name. It was turned down from another band he was in. We all thought it was funny at the time, so we just held onto it since we didn't really know what we were doing haha. It’s been a good ride so far.

How did you guys get involved with Ryan and Andrew from X Promotions?

Connor: That was through 2016, towards the start of 2017. Andrew had put on a couple of gigs at The Rockstar Bar in Frankston on Sunday afternoons just for young bands, all age events. Some of my friends at the time played in a band and had done a couple of gigs with Andrew. They put in a good word for us and I think that’s how the relationship started with him. We did one of the Sunday afternoons there and have been in contact with Andrew ever since.

Vincent: Yeah he has always thrown opportunities at us the whole way, whether or not we have been able to do them. He’s never forgetting about the local bands that are coming from the area which is really cool. When they came up with this idea I think he said us and the rest of the line up were the first artists him and Ryan thought of and reached out to. Obviously everyone is really keen.

Yeah they said everyone jumped on board really quickly! And they have discovered a really cool AA venue with the Frankston Arts Centre. It sounds like a really great space, having the three to four different areas to play.

Vincent: I’ve only been in the main theatre section which I never thought they would end up using for something like this. The other space we are using Cube 37 we have played in before during a Battle of the Bands. So again there’s the all ages aspect. But I haven’t seen the other spaces. Have you Connor?

Connor: Yeah I did a couple of primary school productions there, but I can’t really recall what it is like inside because it has been over 10 years.

You have a new single out ‘Thankyou for the honey, Honey’

Vincent: Yes we do. We’ve had it for ages, but I think when we once we had recorded it we had a couple of other songs that were ready as well. I guess we kind of planned to release them in this order Pocket Money, Adrenaline Rush and then Thank you for the honey, Honey. We did the first two and that was awesome. Then getting ready to get Honey out around May and Corona happened. We just had to delay it all. I think in some ways it may have been for the better. We are really impressed with how it is doing so far. If we had of put it out earlier in the year we might not have had anything to do all throughout lockdown. I think we have done really well at staying active.

Connor: At the start of lockdown when we were scheduled to put it out we discussed staying on schedule, but it was so unclear. What if we threw this song out there and it just feel on the ground. I think waiting was good in the end. Getting to the point where we knew that it was safe to put a song out and people would hear it. I think at the start of lockdown at lot of stuff could have gotten lost.

There’s been some great stuff come out during Covid

Vincent: And what is still to come that has been written during lockdown.

I saw that guys you had played a few of the bigger festivals like NYE on the Hill and St Kilda Festival.

Connor: Yeah I think NYE on the Hill and St Kilda Festival are probably our two biggest ones. NYE on the Hill was really fun because we played the day before NYE and it was 40 degrees plus. We were so scared with all the bushfires starting to pop up around whether we were actually going to get to play. Our whole area was pretty sweet in regard to that. On stage the wind gusting in at 40 degrees…. They had sandbags on Vince’s cymbals, but they got blown right over half way through the set.  Shit was flying around everywhere! We were in the shade of the stage but everyone in the crowd was getting absolutely char grilled. We had to have lie down after that set, it was pretty rough.

Vincent: Not long after that the typical storm came through it got hectically windy. I think a tree fell on someone, but they were okay. I just remember hearing about that and thinking holy crap.

Connor: It was at Welcome to Country at the start of the day. So there was a big celebration going on and everyone was watching the dancing and you just heard this almighty snap, and this tree falls down. Luckily no one was hurt. Everyone rushed over and helped them out.

You also released an EP last year, how was that received?

Vincent: Yeah Red.

Connor: Yeah it was alright. We had just come off doing our debut album (Potpourri Lake) at the end of 2018. We wrote a bunch of songs that we were really pleased with, it was when our sound kind of changed a little bit. We got Jordan our singer on guitar as well as keyboards. A lot of the songs we were writing were really interesting and exciting for us because we hadn’t played with two guitarists since 2016 when we were a 5 piece. It was exciting to get some of those sounds back. That’s were our songs Message in the Sand, Pocket Money and Taylor came from. I think we pumped that EP out really fast and into the open, but it was still a fun process. I don’t know that it performed as well as we would have liked it to, but it still did well, and we got heaps of opportunities from it.

Do you record in a studio or do you do it in house?

Connor: Jordan did it at Uni for a bit, but he has been teaching himself to do it for a long time. We’ve had one song mastered by someone else and we kept telling Jordan he should have a go at mastering it as well so we could compare them, but he never did! It turned out good but not quite how it does when we do it. It wasn’t that one was better or worse it’s just that we like how Jordan does it better. So we are sticking with that for the time being.

Vincent: If you’re competent enough with the programs you can pretty easily figure it all out. We just enjoy the process too, all being there. It’s easy enough to make changes and not be worried about the ‘time is money’ thing. If you’re getting someone to mix it or something then you’re paying for every change. So it’s good inn those aspects for sure.

Tell me about the story behind the new single.

Connor: Most of the instrumentation I had done I think in 2018. It would have been the last year I was at Uni. I was pretty fed up with Uni and if you take all the lyrics out and just listen to the instruments it sounds heaps more angry than what it turned out in the end. Which is good. I think it’s a good thing that Jordan and I have got going at the moment. With his musicality and lyricism and the way I write songs as well I think we’ve got a pretty good combo going on at the moment. Also our bass player Angus has been stepping up and doing a bit of song writing too which is cool. SO now there is bit more dynamics going on in the song writing process. The lyrics, from what Jordan has explained, it’s about you kind of being left in the dark not knowing if someone just wants you for a short amount of time or if they are in it for the long haul. That’s what I understand from what Jordan has told me about it. Like I said the instrumental part has been around since 2018 but we didn’t do anything with it until 2019, we recorded it all and haven’t been able to use it since, until September when we could put it out. We’ve been playing it since before this time last year, so I think that kind of helped with the anticipation of it. We would announce that we were putting a song out and that it wouldn’t be this song and people would be like ‘Oh come on put out Thank you for the honey, Honey’ already. It was like na we want to put this one out.

Vincent: Pretty much after every show people would message us saying I can’t find that song where is it?

Connor: Or they would put it on Instagram stories asking what’s this song. Or do you guys have this song out? There has been good build up to it. I think being able to practise it for a year before it came out is pretty good too.

I did see someone had written something about it being leaked prior to release, I’m assuming that is what they meant. You guys already playing it live.

Connor: We had a mutual friend leak our song. Often we show our friends to see what they think of songs and get some feedback. It was pretty funny, one of Jordan’s friends put it in a team fortress 2 gaming montage. So he had it in a gaming clip, I don’t know how big his following is, but I assume he has a bit of a following, but people watching started asking what’s this song. There was just silence, he was like I’m not allowed to say what the song is because it’s not supposed to be out yet. It had a couple of changes before release and you’d have to dig pretty deep into YouTube to find it.

I guess you are pretty keen to get on the stage on Thursday night and play

Connor: Yeah it’s going to be good. We are mixing up our set a little bit and trying something that we have wanted to try for a long time. We are going to tandem our songs into one another because there is only a very short set so there are going to be no breaks or end of song, just play them straight through. We are excited to try it out because we haven’t done it before, we also haven’t practised it together either so we could scrap that last minute!

Vincent: We could get into rehearsal and realise we need more time to do it! But we’ll see. Hopefully it works.

Connor: We have some time to rehearse prior to the gig. After taking a bit of break, the first time we play it’s like crap we’ve lost the mojo between us but then the next time it’s like it’s just there again. We are all back in sync with each other. Hopefully that happens on Thursday!

It’s a very talented line-up and I’m looking forward to watching you all.

Vincent: We are super keen. Specially to see Boler Mani.

Connor: I was doing a phone interview the other day and I was saying Boler had his first ever gig in 2018 and my friend group knows him from his sister being in our social group. Everyone was like get down for his first gig and I missed it by like 5 minutes.  So I’m excited to actually see him play.

He has so much content on You Tube.

Connor: Yeah he has heaps of stuff.

And Velvet Bloom are just amazing. Maddy’s voice is something else.

Connor: We have been fans of Velvet Bloom for a long time. They have played a bunch of shows with us.

Had Ryan not sent me the PR pack weeks ago I would be none the wiser about these bands. I’d heard of you guys before but not the other acts.

I also got a little touring story from the guys when they set themselves the task to free camp the entire tour!

We Big 4 a lot when we tour or free camp. On our tour at the start of the year we had a goal to try and not pay for any accommodation for the whole tour. We did really well but there was one night where we couldn’t stay where we were going to, and we had to get an Air BnB at the last minute. But the rest of it we tried to do it without having to book and pay for somewhere. Obviously when people let us stay we buy them beers or dinner or merch. I think it was funny. I think our biggest show in Adelaide we supported Lime Cordiale at HQ, that’s a huge venue and when its full it looks awesome. Some of the other guys rocked up early and we were like where are the rest of the guys? They were like there at the hotel studying for exams.  We were like that is so different from our set up!! We are at the West Beach Big 4.

That’s actually a really good caravan park!!

Vincent: Yeah it is I love it there.

Connor: Actually we were at Wills that time! I remember thinking man I wish we could pay for a hotel (laughs) I reckon out favourite packing the car story is one of the first times we had to fly from city to city. We flew from Melbourne to Sydney to play our own show and then the next morning at 5am to play the HQ show. In Sydney we got a hire car. Vinnie and I were talking about it for ages. Like should we get a sedan or a small hatch. We went with small hatch thinking it would have more space. We rock up to the depot and we have all of our shit and we look at this car. It’s like stuff under the arm, hold cases, bags and stuff and we just looked at it and thought there is no fucking way that this is going to fit in there. Basically it just fit. It was the most ridiculous set up ever. The front seat was pushed right to the front. We had one of the back seats down and Angus and I were just about sitting on each other’s laps!! It was a good time, but I think we will go for a Rav 4 or something next time! We just wanted to cheap out but sometimes its not a good idea.

You get good stories from that and make hilarious memoires.

Connor: I just remember Jordan losing it!! “Who’s fucking idea was this??” That was before we had even attempted to get anything in the car. Just doubt straight from the start, like this is not going to work.

I can relate to that. When I picked up the Diamond Construct boys from the airport we got to my car, which is a Commodore, and just looked at the car and all the gear!! We looked at each other and then at the car and we all had that “how the hell are we going to do this” look on our faces. It was like Tetris packing, but we got it all in.

Last words…

Vincent: Stay tuned because we have more stuff in the works as soon as we are able to record.

Grab a ticket to the live stream on Thursday night here: https://bit.ly/2FV8QOz

Teenage Dads are another band to keep on your radar. Go follow their socials to keep in the loop.

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SOUNDS FROM THE SOUTH: TYLER JENKE ON THE SOUTH AUSTRALIA MUSIC AWARDS 2020

The South Australian Music Awards (SAMs) are set to go ahead in November, celebrating another incredible year of both up-and-coming and established South Australian musicians. 

The ceremony will be in line with COVID-19 restrictions, with the winners being announced on 3 November 2020. 

In 2019, the SAMs made waves as they encountered a record-breaking number of votes in the lead up to the event. 

Amongst the judges of the SAMs, ex-Adelaide local and Editor of Rolling Stone Australia, Tyler Jenke has a personal connection to the sounds which are emerging from South Australia.  

“I’m originally from Adelaide, so I’ve always had that really close experience and relationship with South Australian musicians,” he said.

“I think from a personal point of view that’s the big thing that really appeals to me, it’s just giving back to the music scene that gave so much to me.” 

Adelaide, a city which at times was overlooked on tour schedules by bigger artists, has been coined as the first and only UNESCO City of Music in Australia. Jenke found this to be a great step in the right direction for Adelaide musicians and fans. 

“As an Adelaide music fan, you would always miss out a little bit,” he said. “To have this sort of distinction like a UNESCO City of Music I feel that would really help for putting Adelaide on the map as more of a music city… it’ll mean that a lot more bands and artists have much more of a platform to show their stuff and end up as huge Australian names in the future.” 

Something which draws Jenke to the South Australian music scene is a sense of realness and vulnerability, with artists such as Wing Defence and Triple J Unearthed High Winners, Teenage Joans developing and distinguishing the South Australian sound. Jenke found the songwriting abilities of South Australian’s to be something which draws him to that scene. 

“And that shines true in their storytelling – they don’t necessarily sort of want to better all the other states or anything like that, they’re just sort of blazing their own trail,” he said. 

“It’s something to really be proud of, I feel.” 

Artists such as TOWNS, Horror My Friend, and Stellie are amongst the nominees for this year's SAMs. Jenke has a feeling that the bar will be raised yet again at the SAMs. 

“Every year it’s always such an amazing example of everything that artists have done off of their own back, there’s always so much creativity and innovation that comes out from these artists,” he said.

“So I think if anything I’m still just expecting more of the same - just expecting the next level to be reached once again as they do every year.”

In regards to COVID-19’s impact on the South Australian music scene, Jenke said 2020 will serve as a reminder of South Australia’s sheer determination to revive the scene. 

“I really feel it’ll highlight the tenacity of the South Australian music scene and hopefully a lot of outside states will be looking over and saying, ‘Wow, Adelaide have really got it,’” he said. 

“South Australian musicians really know how to survive under pressure.”

2020 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC AWARDS
 
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020
Further details to come 
 
The SAM Awards is looking ahead to the future in continuing their commitment to celebrating the thriving community of musicians that really make SA Great.

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FEATURE: EVIE CHATS TO BEC SYKES ON EDITHVALE AND GIVES US HER RUNDOWN ON THE SINGLE

Every so often you hear a song that completely transports you to somewhere else. It is engulfing, wholesome, and wounding all at the same time. It is that final puzzle piece that makes the end of a relationship make so much sense. It is a memory.

Yet Bec Syke’s debut single, whilst seemingly relatable in so many ways, captures a time unique to the beholder. Through the simplistic beauty of stripped-back melodic vocals, Melbourne based singer-songwriter shares Edithvale, a story about the end to a relationship realised by the torching of a car.

“My ex-boyfriend [and I] used to drive down to Edithvale beach in summer,” Bec says. “My ex’s car got stolen and set on fire just after we broke up, so I was thinking about how much of our relationship took place in his car. The car being set on fire was like a symbol of our relationship going up in flames.”

Symbolic to its core, Bec explains the how writing process came to her organically.
“I wrote the song on my family’s upright piano and the chords, melody and first few lines poured out of me so naturally. It was quite cathartic to write.”

The sombre piano chords Bec describes initially set the tone for the song, but it is her opening vocals which induce multiple emotions, many of which I was not prepared for…

I want to be in love again. I don’t want to be friends

It is that line – honest and raw – which takes the listener on a journey told from the front seat of a car in a hot summer’s night. Whilst the song resonates with the pain of a relationship’s end, it doesn’t simply park in the heartbreak, instead it reflects the complex emotions of happier times.

Bec’s vocals are flawless, her storytelling abilities showcased as she draws her listener in to glimpse a memory with intimate closeness. This song doesn’t include all the flashy bells and whistles- nor does it need to, with vocals as mesmerising as hers.

Although a relative newcomer to the music biz, Bec’s talent scored her the chance to work in the studio with Tom Iansek (Big Scary and #1 Dads) which led to the creation of Edithvale. Recently presented with the Josh Pyke Partnership – a yearly grant whose previous winners include Angie McMahon and Gordi – it is safe to say this artist is making headway in the world of music. Bec Sykes is clearly a name to remember, and I cannot wait to hear what is next in store for her.

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PREMIERE: Thea Fitzgerald CLOSES OUT THE BUILDING BLOCKS ERA WITH TWO FRESH VIDEOS

Thea FitzGerald closes out the Building Blocks era with two fresh videos, and we’re pumped to be bringing them to you here first! Better late than never, 23 year old Melbourne singer-songwriter Thea FitzGerald has two brand new videos to round out her debut body of work - Building Blocks.

Adding to the stunningly vibrant visuals previously released for ‘Stuck’ and ‘Holding Your Hand’, the killer team at Thick Heart Productions have worked with Thea to add to the collection with videos for ‘Breathe’ and ‘Higher Ground’. With a huge focus on colour to build the emotional narrative of each story, these new videos are absolute eye-candy.

The new videos add aesthetic and emotional symmetry to the body of work - the upbeat playfulness of ‘Higher Ground’ bears resemblance to the somewhat chaotic mix of cheek an pain in ‘Holding Your Hand’, whilst the solitary power of ‘Stuck’ is mirrored in the confined discomfort of ‘Breathe’. There’s a stellar cast involved too - Stephanie Wall, Ed McCullough and Sarah FitzGerald beautifully execute the story of Higher Ground, and Tamara Bailey nails her performance in Holding Your Hand.

WATCH THE NEW MUSIC VIDEOS HERE!

If you haven’t yet sussed the Building Blocks EP, you’re bound to love something in there – it’s a catchy fusion of pop, indie and R&B with infectious hooks, and will not disappoint! These new videos are the perfect ending to the Building Blocks chapter, making way for the release of Thea’s highly anticipated second EP later this year!

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INTERVIEW: WILL HYDE - INSPIRATION, ISOLATION, AND WHAT’S NEXT

Imagine the first time you hear a record of your own voice, or the silence right before someone clears their throat and tells you how they really feel. for will hyde, this uncharted territory has been years in the making. Evie had a chat with will about his recent releases, his process, time in isolation, personal experiences and inspirations, and what’s coming up for him in 2020!

(This is an email Q/A so we’ve left everything just as will wrote it - straight from the…Will’s…mouth'!)

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QUICK FIRE 

If you could go anywhere right now (pretend lockdown/ the pandemic isn’t a thing) where would you go?

i would love to go to the States!! i wanna go back to LA & NY soon.

If you could have 3 wishes what would they be?

great question.

1)   for everyone in the world to live in the present moment (that would take away anxiety, depression - living in the past/future like many of us do).

2)   for people to be happy. if we were happier, there wouldn’t be a need to bring negativity into the world.

3)   for equality in society. we’re all humans. sexuality/skin colour don’t need to seperate us. we all wanna be loved. we ain’t different, come on my people.

What is one thing you have put on your “bucket list”?

hmm. i actually haven’t thought about this or about a bucket list! i think i wanna spend some time in a silent retreat for a while at a temple in the future. i wanna meet Ekhart Tolle! 

Favourite song you are currently grooving to?

i love ‘not fair’ by kid laroi!! i always forget what i’m listening to i had to go to my artist spotify playlist haha (songs that remind me of u - quick plug).

Do you have any pets?

i do! i just got a puppy - his name is Bear. he is a labradoodle. when he yawns he makes a really cute teddy bear sound. i also have a few fish (they don’t get as much attention anymore which feels tough to say). 

Best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

hmmm. don’t wait for happiness. happiness will never come if u wait. success won’t change how u feel about urself. the only way u can start feeling better is to make peace with who u are NOW. :)

 And now for the serious stuff; 

How have you been coping in lockdown? Have you found any inspiration to get creative?

i have been finding it very good for me. i have been learning a lot about myself. i get lost in my head too much, i need to connect with the present moment more often. when i get lost in my head, life doesn’t feel as exciting or satisfying. i actually haven’t felt an effect of lockdown, purely because i got used to working from home when i first left school. routine is important. taking time for myself has been important. i’ve been reading! i’ve been writing a bit. i made two songs which feel super good to me. so it has been positive, yet i haven’t forced anything. i only really make music when i feel inspired!

You started off as one half of teenage electronic duo SŸDE, what led you to follow a solo career?

i like answering this question because it was a defining moment for me. i had a picture in my mind of who i wanted to be, what i wanted to stand for, the people i wanted to keep around in my circle. all of those things made my heart scream to follow my next chapter. we had a great run in SŸDE, a lot of moments i’m proud of, yet i had my darkest days during the period. i found it tough to be myself & the art i was creating while apart of the group just wasn’t me. i felt like i didn’t know how to be myself after leaving, i had to teach myself to be authentic to me. that was a really positive experience. the biggest catalyst was my depression/anxiety which forced a lot of internal change within me. i wanted to write about it, sing about it - the only way i could do that would be to go out on my own. very grateful for those times.

Can you please describe us what your creative process is like, how do you find inspiration for your music?

for sure! i like listening to a lot of music. especially during this period. just sitting back and taking in a bunch of different sounds has always been positive for me. honestly, the only music i listen to is stuff that makes me feel. when i feel something, that inspires me - because i have the opportunity to pass that on and give that to someone else. hopefully they feel some type of emotional connection to the songs i create. music is a gift that keeps on giving. from there, i generally just go about my day & melodies, track titles and production ideas flow thru my brain. when i think i have something great, i will work on it - take it to my notes and flesh it out. i mostly do this process by myself now. i like working with friends who are producers. i enjoy hearing how other people can interpret something i’ve made and make it better. collaboration is amazing like that. i always like to have a solid idea before entering any studio :).

 ‘easy for u’ is very groovy with a deeper message; it seems to be a bit about the kind of push and pull struggle of a hopeless relationship. Was this song based off an experience you had, or can it relate more broadly all kinds of relationships?

well thank u! i’m glad u felt that. it is based on experience yet i also want to keep my songs applicable to every relationship. there’s love in friendships, ur relationship with ur parents & of course intimately. the hard thing about the struggles of relationships is that it can feel very personal. usually people are just acting in their best interest but it does feel like something could be wrong with me. that’s a maturing thing i’ve let go & can understand now. it takes a few sobering conversations to reach that perspective tho, for sure.

What inspired you to write ‘meant to be’?

i remember going in to the studio session with fergus & dylan thinking about the concept of fractures. how a relationship can be so broken & over but it feels like u could still make something of it. i find for me that getting over people takes time. even tho i make decisions about who i want in my life quickly, if there was a connection, it still is a human that i’ve had memories with, you know what i mean? so sometimes it feels like we really could make amends. the trouble is, humans don’t really change! as much as i can want them to! they don’t usually. that’s a tough reality. a good lesson i’ve learned tho! on & up.

What do you hope people will take away from your work?

i hope people take away that it’s honest & authentic. i don’t want to sugar coat things & i just wanna do me. i spent too long doing the opposite. i hope people see a maturity in it too! most importantly, i hope people can find peace or happiness thru the music. that would be so special! that’s what i do it for.

You have been very open about the topic of anxiety and the challenge of overcoming adversity. How has the challenges in life influenced your music?

thank u. that means a lot to me. i like to think so! in the biggest way possible. it has shaped everything i have done. because of what i have faced, i am the person i am today. i wouldn’t change anything for the world. it has taken me a lot of pain to find peace & start to find true happiness. all of the sobering conversations i have had with myself, when i would cry about shit that was happening in my life, it all has a purpose. that purpose could be as simple as saying this & then it helps one human out there. if it does that, maybe my purpose has been fulfilled. not sure, but either way that’s how i think of it!! i also feel a freedom now with everything i’m creating. i find expressing myself so much easier. because i know myself a lot better. now that i’ve taken a lot of my shadows out of the closet to face, i can be free-er. it feels great!

Who are your favourite Aussie artists? What music inspires you?

i like a lot of the pop underground stuff coming out of the states at the moment. chelsea cutler, jeremy zucker, lany, gracie abrams, sasha sloan. all so dope. from australia, my home, kid laroi is a star. he’s doing a lot for australia. i think ruel is a stud, matt corby is a musician that i was fortunate enough to collaborate with & he is just a truly talented person. probably one of the most gifted all around musicians i will meet in the world.

 What does 2020 have in store for you musically?

i have a lot of music coming out!! i’m excited to show different sides of me, i’m fortunate to be able to release music & so i’m just enjoying putting out layers. i have more acoustic performances that i’m recording for the new songs coming out. i have music video’s dropping. hope u love it <3.

Where can we find your music?

u can find me on social media!! ( below :) ). thank u for the interview - this was a lot of fun & i’m grateful for ur time.

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INSTAGRAM (pics of meh)

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FACEBOOK (my mum checks me on this so u can too)

YOUTUBE (there’s good juice on here so try that 1 too).

INTERVIEW: CHATS WITH MELBOURNE POP-PUNKERS PAPERWEIGHT (FKA NORTH SIDE STORY)

How has Covid been treating you guys?
Actually, we’ve been quite lucky - we had a lot of our projects finalised just before Covid hit, so we’ve been able to stick to our release schedules, even during lockdown. We filmed our music video the week before that first lockdown was put into place - phew!

You’re about to drop a new single - what can you tell me about it?
Our new single “The Kids On The Ground” is a bop! It’s all about the bittersweet reality of growing up, moving forward and embracing a place in time. It's a celebration of good memories that are no more, and thus was written with the intention of being upbeat and happy with an undertone of bitterness.

What has been the toughest thing for you guys through Covid, being that you are a new band?
Not being able to gig! After all, nothing beats the experience of a live show... we were so ready to get out there and smash it - but best believe, when we’re able to, we’ll be one of the first back on the stage.

Who are your biggest influences?
Haris: The Beatles, Twenty One Pilots, Blink 182, New Found Glory, Green Day.
Luana: Sum 41, Heroes For Hire, Simple Plan.
Basil: Led Zeppelin, Blink 182, Metallica, Rage Against The Machine.
Tom: Blink 182, Ben Folds, The Beatles.

What made you decide to become musicians? Was it from a young age, parents/family influence or a band you heard and that made you think ‘yep, that’s what I want to do?’
Basil: I started playing drums when I was 13. At age 10, I’d play on my older cousin’s kit - it was the one thing I looked forward to every week!
Luana: I do come from a musical family, but my real lightbulb moment was when Joel Little from Goodnight Nurse gave me his guitar pick at the first local show I ever attended - that was all I needed to pick up a guitar!
Tom: School of Rock! Having a family full of different musicians helped broaden my music taste and I now appreciate all kinds of music.
Haris: I don’t come from a musical background, but I don’t have any memories of any time in my life where I wasn't completely enamoured by music/creative storytelling. I guess it has just always been there.

What is on the horizon for Paperweight?
We are always writing and creating. The hardest part is being patient with our release schedule - all we want to do is show everyone everything as it happens! But rest assured we have plenty of things lined up that we truly can’t wait to share. 

Your dream line up to tour with?
Haris: Cannibal Corpse, Baby Metal and The Wiggles would go off.
Luana: Sum 41, Simple Plan, Zebrahead
Basil: All the bands I’d have wanted to tour with don’t tour anymore...
Tom: Blink 182, New Found Glory, Sum 41

Top 3 favourite Aussie acts at the moment?

Haris: With Confidence, Between You & Me and The Dead Love
Luana: Between You & Me, Drastic Park and Terra
Tom: Children Collide, Stand Atlantic & Down For Tomorrow 

Catch Paperweight's 'The Kids On The Ground' below and jump on their socials to keep up to date with what they are up to.

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INTERVIEW: KYLE FROM BABIRUSA TALKS ‘HUMANOID’, DREAM LINEUPS, AND ALL-AUSSIE FAVES

On the back of their first three releases Brisbane Deathcore outfit Babirusa (or Pigdeer as they may now be known!!) are about to release their debut album Humanoid. A concept album that follows the journey of 343, vocalist Kyle Williams sat down with me to talk about the band and the album.

Hey Kyle thanks for dropping by for a chat.  Who are Babirusa?

So originally the band was started by Dean and Tate about 6 years ago.  Roughly 2 years ago Dean moved in with Rangi and I’d always go round there and hang out. Dean had recently started up the band again after about a 4-year break so Rangi and I jumped on and started doing some stuff. Checking out what they had written previously. Reece came around and he and I started writing lyrics and trying to see what we could come up with. It was decided that Reece would join the band too. It all just fell into place. Basically we were all just hanging out and it happened!

Your album Humanoid is out on the 28th August.

Yes the album. Originally there was just an EP written about 6 years back, but we added on to it and just decided to go with the full album. The whole album concept is based around a character known as 343 as he’s being ripped between reality and a cybernetic world run by a sinister artificial intelligence.

“Upon re-entry 343 quickly finds that he should not have chosen to return to the Cybernetic world as he is captured and held against his will. Told by a disembodies voice that he is akin to this technological entity, a mirror of sorts, and that he should be willing to cast aside his body if only to elevate himself to a higher form and plane of existence. The voice eerily telling him that it is time to become a part of all things… Unable to understand exactly what was meant he begins to panic, wanting desperately to wake up and be rid of this nightmare. In a catatonic state, his mind races as he feels more fear than he ever imagined possible, questioning the very essence of his being and the reason for the existence of all humanity if he is to be turned into something unknown against his will”

You guys all collaborate on the writing process?

Dean and Tate usually write their thing and Rangi adds his drums. Reece and I then sit down and write the lyrics together. We’ll change the song up a bit if needed, sometimes we will add a bit to the instrumental side too. It’s a step process, it’s pretty cool though and it works well. A little conveyor belt to get the song ready.

Did you guys have any gigs lined up for the release?

No, we were hoping to tour off the album, but nothing is confirmed yet. With restrictions we aren’t sure what we are allowed to do gig wise or what’s even available. We will just keep pushing our presence online. Making a post and having people share it really gets the reach out further, especially at the moment.

What bands do you guys draw your inspiration from?

We’re all very different. Tate listens to a lot of Volumes, The World Alive, Issues etc. Dean and I are more into bands like Within Destruction and Vulvodynia. Reece is an old school boy, his would be As Blood Runs Black and that era of Deathcore and Rangi listens to bands like Meshuggah, and Animals as Leaders. He’s also in a punk band called Pandemic so he listens to that kind of indie rock stuff as well.

What would be your dream line up to tour with?

Signs of the Swarm, Slaughter to Prevail, Within Destruction and especially Vulvodynia.

What about an all Australian line up?

Inhibitor, The Gloom in the Corner (they’re the sort of band you can get up on Spotify, hit shuffle and the content is always good) and Thy Art is Murder.

If you’re a fan of Deathcore then you don’t want to sleep on these guys. What they have released so far has been damn good and I’m keen to listen to this album from start to finish.

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Babirusa’s album Humanoid is out on all platforms on the 28th August.

Hit the link to pre-order the album HERE

Babirusa is:

Rheese Peters – Vocals

Kyle Williams - Vocals

Tate Senhenn - Guitar

Dean White - Guitar

Rangi Barnes – Drums

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INTERVIEW: GRACE FARRIS - ‘ALL THE PEOPLE’. GRACE TALKS HER WRITING PROCESS, GROWING UP WITH FAMOUS FAMILY, AND THE STATE OF THE WORLD

What inspired you to write ‘All the People’? 

‘All The People’ was one of those songs that came to me so fast that I even and often asked myself or the universe where did this come from? It came through within an hour and then I had a full song. Including the feel, the groove, the bass, melody and lyrics, the arrangement followed soon after. I feel though that I was tuning into the worldly events happening at the time that really affected me in one way or another and ‘All The People’ came through as almost a song of reassurance for me and for my greater community being the people of the world. We all have our darkness and our lightness to face every day and I feel ‘All The People’ is such a beautiful and very much a uniting song of strength and love. When I wrote my song ‘All The People’ it was one of those rare songs I knew was meant for others to hear and not just for me. Some songs and art is just for myself and some songs I know is for other people to listen to and to share. 

Was the idea of the track a slow process or was it something that came to you quickly?

I did not have an idea before writing ‘All The People’ which is unique for me. Some songs I have a feeling about what I am going to write about or a certain emotion I honour while I am writing. Although ‘All The People’ came into my life and through me like a beautiful gust of wind. I wrote it so quickly that the minutes felt like hours and seconds felt like minutes. It is still to this day one of the most awe inspiring songs I have ever written and I still wonder where the understanding for exactly how it wanted to be came to me so quickly. Around an hour to be exact and then the arrangement followed soon afterward.

In light of the recent world events it seems that the notion of coming together is incredibly important right now. What message are you hoping to reach your audience through the lyrics?

My biggest message in my lyrics and music is to come back to yourself and who you truly are and what is your own path in life is as a person as well as coming back to how I can serve within my own community. This is my biggest message that I feel shines through in ‘All The People’. This is usually the place I come from when I am writing. I never write music because someone wants to hear something in particular. I write from the heart with the intention that it will help me find solace in processing these emotions as well as help others in finding and feeling the same emotion and feelings I felt or feel. Which is something that happens naturally because It comes through very naturally. Which is such a beautiful feeling. ‘All The People’ is all about uniting and coming together to do the best we can and to be the best we can for our family, friends and others we meet along the way. I knew it was a very grand song when it came through and I knew where it needed to go as soon as it came to me. The music and the feeling is the most important component to me when writing a song. This came through very strongly for my song ‘All The People’.  

The track is incredibly funky, it has effortless amounts of groove brought forth by the combination of drums and the sax. Has the track changed considerably from its conception? What was the recording process like with Tony Buchan?

I knew as soon as I wrote ‘All The People’ that it would be a heavily funky, groove based song. I felt its power and its heart the minute it came out. I had the song two years before I went to record ‘All The People’ so I knew it better that I thought anybody ever could. So when I approached Tony and I was wondering for a long time who to choose as a conscience and producer. I decided Tony could grasp what was going on in my head the most after all of these years. Tony was amazing and his musicianship and knowledge is so incredibly wide. I knew exactly what I wanted for all of my songs and compositions as well as the arrangements on my album ‘Grace’ so to have someone that understood this was a very important and a wonderful feeling. ‘All The People’ was one of my songs I spent the most time on in terms of sound and feels, especially the bass throughout and the way it felt was so important to me. I spent hours and hours and hours getting the bass just right and one day I finally heard it. I would be up all night long figuring out all of the layers, vocals, bass. I wanted to work on ‘All The People’ in the studio as long as possible until I heard in the studio what I could hear in my mind. I was so strict and so focused and firm on creating what was in my head for so long for each of my songs on my album ‘Grace’. I am very much so happy and proud with how each of my songs and compositions turned out. My song ‘All The People’ is one of my greatest songs and I am so proud and so glad it is now there for the world to listen to it.

You have been surrounded by music from a young age, having a father renowned for his songwriting talents with INXS. What was growing up like in such an artistic family?

I was raised in a very normal way. Although we were surrounded by beautiful artwork and beautiful architecture and went to some of the most amazing schools in the world. I think at the end of the day my experiences in nature are what grounded us as a family and me as a child. My father and mother made sure that our childhood was as protected as possible and that nature influenced us as much as possible. If we felt like making art we would. Although I enjoyed history and science and geography so much. I painted a lot growing up and started writing at a very young age. I thought most families were as creative as my family, although this was not always so. I was surrounded by nature everyday growing up. This is the foundation of life and I really honoured this as well as the innovative nature of mankind, which I had a huge appreciation for. I had written over 2000 songs by the age of 18 as well as poems and stories. This came to me so naturally and very much so by my own will and joy for writing. 

You seem to be extremely passionate about the environment, being an ambassador for both Sea Shepherd and the Jane Goodall Institute. What is it that inspires you to take environmental issues into your own hands?

I have always been surrounded by nature in its natural state and all at once I find mankind's ability to be creative and innovate equally fascinating. I have found many moments of solitude and some of the greatest moments up until now have been in nature in its natural state. I find you are able to listen to the real rhythms of the earth and your own self rather than others or other people's inventions. I feel that so many children grow up without being in the natural world and the beauty and peace it can bring to someone's life. Being the ambassador for “The Jane Goodall Institute” I am shining a light on her program “Roots and Shoots” which involves families and children and anyone who wants to be involved in growing their own plants and food and growing their awareness of being more connected to the natural world and its need for us to honour it. I believe that Jane Goodall’s work along with many other scientists and people of this nature provide information that is just so wonderful and so integral in the health of our amazing home. My awareness of the natural world has come from many different sources. I grew up around and surrounded by the traditional indengous Aboriginal people of Australia both up in Arnhem land and in Garma festival as well as in my home all of the time. Weaving baskets and learning about the knowledge of the Aborgininal elders and in particular about the plant  medicine in different parts of Australia that have influenced me greatly. I grew up on a working farm and near the ocean which brought a lot of solace and comfort to me when I felt I needed it, which also led me to become the ambassador for “The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society”. I garden and bush walk a lot and enjoy looking and being around trees for long periods of time. Listening to the birds and other creatures and the elements is the most uplifting and peaceful feeling to me. My own organisation “The Grace Earth Organisation” will be launched in November/December 2020. My organisation will be a place for people to come and find out more information on the many different ways to help us all to be much more mindful about our footprint and the health of our local environments. It will cover many different topics and areas and will have information from other institutes and organisations as well as there being events to help raise awareness about our connection to the natural world and our place and impact on our ever changing home. 

Your debut album, titled ‘Grace’, is set to release later this year. What can fans expect from the new music?

My album ‘Grace’ is one of the proudest moments in my life and I already had 6 of the songs for around 15 years and 4 of them around 2 years before I went on to record my full album ‘Grace’. When a song comes to me I can hear what it wants very clearly and quickly. I listen to the song and what I feel the song is asking to sound like once recorded. This is something I thought very long and hard about for each song I wrote. I consider myself a writer first and foremost and I write everything from the heart, including the arrangements and each layer for each song has its purpose and its place. I loved writing each and every song for my album ‘Grace’. It is one of the greatest achievements of my life and I am so looking forward to others being able to enjoy and listen to my music, dream and find a world of their own within the music. 

What are your favourite Aussie artists? What music inspires you?

I really enjoy Australian music. There is so much art and amazing music in Australia that I have so much respect for. I enjoy ACDC, INXS, The Seekers, Paul Kelly, Nick Cave, Slim Dusty, Yothu Yindi, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. The music that inspires me the most and I always seem to come back to is classical and traditional indigenous music from all over the world. It feels so beautifully raw and so wonderfully uplifting to me. I have always gravitated towards this kind of music. Hymns and opera music inspires me greatly too and always has. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart inspires me greatly. When I first heard ‘Clarinet Concerto in A major and A minor, K.622’ I felt it’s lightness, darkness, softness and suspense he carries throughout these entire pieces in particular. So many times these pieces of music have brought me great solace. It is so brilliant and has inspired me more than I can even say. I do not know how to not think of Mozart’s music when reflecting in particular on my own musical arrangements to bring my writings to an accompanied setting.

When I first heard ‘Four Seasons’ by Antonio Vivaldi I laughed and cried with happiness and all of the emotions one might have in each season going about their daily life. I could feel in his compositions the very essence of our natural world and how we change and turn to move with the beautiful season’s we all adjust to through every year. I love how the leaves on the tree’s turn red and yellow in the Autumn and bare in the winter, and how all of the animals and land gets quieter and much more silent, there is a median feeling in this section of ‘Four Season’s’ that is just so incredibly beautiful. Then in Summer and Spring everything feels bright and warm and passionate and so sensual. This very essence is found so deeply and so beautifully in ‘Four Seasons’. This Artist has inspired me so greatly. 

“Jules Massenet” When I first heard ‘Meditation From Thais’ for violin and piano. This artist has inspired me so much and I will forever be learning from and unveiling the incredible intricate writings and compositions of Jules Massenet. 

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A GENTLE REMINDER IN THE FORM OF MUSIC FROM PEAK PARK’S NEW SINGLE: PLEASE DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF

 Pictured: Callum Lausberg, Mitchell Summers, and Thomas Hoeft from indie-rock band Peak Park.
Image: Todd Riley

As July begins, 2020 is half way through and the winter months are in full-force. Winter, along with a second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria, presents a somewhat difficult time, especially for those who are confined to the safety of their own homes. Enter Melbourne three-piece project Peak Park, who have released their new single, Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself, and you’ve got yourself a seasonal remedy which is sure to provide a sense of comfort amidst the uncertainty.  

 Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself, released on 25 May, touches on feelings of shame surrounding mental health struggles, and is an attempt to bring relief in the form of a four-minute track.

Multi-instrumentalist, producer and mixer of Peak Park, Thomas Hoeft, spoke of the source of inspiration which led to Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself.

“The complete process of writing, recording, producing and releasing this song in and of itself ended up being an enlightening journey for us to realise how important song writing is for our own mental health,” he said.

“It wasn’t till we started recording and finishing the mixing process that we began to critically discuss what the song was about and why we’d written it.”

This process allowed the three-piece to really tap into vulnerable moments people may encounter when facing troubling thoughts.

 “The themes explored in the song can be quite intimidating and confronting but the challenge for us (or anyone for that matter) is to find your own way of expressing these emotions,” he said.

“You should also never feel ashamed for talking about them. It’s a nice notion to be reminded that sometimes you need to cut yourself some slack.”

Pictured: Peak Park helped each other with their mental health during isolation periods of COVID-19.
Image: Todd Riley 

Hoeft added that during COVID-19 the band collectively helped each other to maintain a healthy mindset. 

“We’ve been fortunate enough that through the band the three of us have become quite close and have created an open forum to discuss our emotions and to rely on one another,” he said. 

“Talking to friends and family and admitting when things are rough has really helped me get through iso, and working on music when I’m stressed is also a big thing for me.” 

The song itself encompasses a whirlpool of genres: the beginning starting as what seems to be a lofi-bedroom sound, which quickly transcends into a synth driven indie-electronic mood, and then eventually culminates in an alt-rock breakdown (my favourite kind!) reminiscent of English alt-rock band Foals.

All of these components blend and build upon one another, ultimately creating an incredibly unique sound for Peak Park.  

 Hoeft said if Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself reaches even one person, the band would be “incredibly stoked”. 

“The hope is this song speaks to at least one person and they feel a sense of comfort or reassurance through the music and lyrics,” he said. 

Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself is a gentle reminder from Peak Park to take it easy, and whilst doing so, absorb all of the swirling sounds they’ve so wonderfully produced. 

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If you, or someone you know needs help:

Lifeline on 13 11 14

Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800

Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636

Headspace on 1800 650 890

MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services

LGBTIQA+ Support 

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BEN & LOUIS FROM ASTRONAUGHTY TALK ‘CHANGING HANDS’ AND WHAT’S NEXT

We had a short chat to Ben & Louis from Melbourne indie-pop-rock-ish band, Astronaughty, about their latest release last week.

‘Changing Hands’ is definitely our favourite official Astronaughty release so far and the fact that it comes with such a funky retro style video has us swooning. It’s a little warm, a little fuzzy, a lotta groovy.

Here’s what they had to say!

“Here comes Astronaughty with a bad mama-jama. And she’s as fine as she can be. This is a DIY dance number at its purest. Recorded and mixed entirely in our Brunswick East Garage, so you can enjoy an iso-boogie on that daily dog walk down the Merri Creek. We slapped together Nonna’s finest ingredients for this tasty caprese. Mangiare!”

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You’ve just released ‘Changing Hands’ along with your first proper music video, how does that feel?
Feels great! It’s good to put something out there again. It was a lot of fun to make! It had a great response from friends. '

Following your releases from last year, ‘Gravity’ and ‘Camera Shy’, what’s different for you guys this time around?
We got to put our own spin on everything this time because we recorded the track ourselves in the same garage that the music video is set (which is also where we rehearse). Nick helped edit the music video, and Ben mixed the track. So it had a real homegrown feel to it.

There seem to be a range of influences and sounds mixed between your live and recorded tracks – how would you describe your sound, or even what you want your sound to be?
A mix between 70s stuff like Todd Rundgren, Big Star, and Japanese city pop artists like Tatsuro Yamashita, as well as newer indie rock stuff like the Strokes, Arctic Monkeys

Favourite track to play (recorded or not)?
’Never Perform Again’, its an absolute shtumper!

What’s next for Astronaughty? Michael mentioned a possible album at the end of the year, is that right?
We’re actually going into the studio in a couple of weeks to smash out an EP, which also includes ‘Never Perform Again’, which we’re excited about! We’re mixing the best of both worlds that we’ve had with changing hands and the previous stuff - this time we’re recording professionally again, but then bens going to produce mix it all (so we still have creative control

What are each of your current top Aussie acts - old or new, but Australian (or NZ if you like)?
Tame Impala, Gabriella Cohen, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Karate Boogaloo, Good Morning, Julia Jacklin.

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