Community radio music presenters and music directors often have an encyclopaedic knowledge of local music and an insatiable thirst to keep their ears ahead of the curve. So in this Tone Deaf series, the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) invites music directors to highlight new Aussie tunes that you might have missed.
In this edition, Simon Winkler, Music Director at 3RRR in Melbourne, contributes with a selection of tracks currently making their way to community radio through Amrap’s music distribution service ‘AirIt’.
Check out Simon’s selections below and if you’re a musician you can apply here to have your music distributed for free to community radio on Amrap’s AirIt.
This week’s 7 best Australian artists
Gordon Koang – ‘Stand Up (Clap Your Hands)’
An anthemic song from Gordon Koang, a household name in South Sudan with a catalogue of nice outstanding albums.
Gordon is currently seeking asylum in Australia, and through all his music spreads a message of “peace, love and unity, dancefloor style.” The title and song invite audiences to join together in celebration, and it’s impossible not to be moved when listening to this.
Check out ‘Stand Up (Clap Your Hands)’ by Gordon Koang:
HTRK – ‘You Know How To Make Me Happy’
So excited to hear the return of HTRK, the visionary duo of Jonnine Standish and Nigel Yang. The last record was Psychic 9-5 Club released in 2014 and Venus In Leo, their forthcoming LP, resonates with the same sense of space and intimacy, layering instruments, vocals and textures.
The energy and tempo represents a return to their underground rock past and the whole album is described as having “the stylistic playfulness and variety of a modern mixtape.”
Check out ‘You Know How To Make Me Happy’ by HTRK:
Sui Zhen – ‘Perfect Place (Roza’s Smoke Machine Mix)’
Perfect Place is the first single from Sui Zhen’s upcoming Losing, Linda LP, exploring intersections between human life and technology, and examining loss on multiple levels. Musically the track draws on Sui Zhen’s signature style of exploratory synths, experimental pop and electronic music.
Roza Terenzi’s ‘Smoke Machine Mix’ takes elements of the original and refracts them through her own unique vision. Sui Zhen notes the “the broken electro style kick and fresh style she brings is super addictive.” I love it too.
Check out ‘Perfect Place (Roza’s Smoke Machine Mix)’ by Sui Zhen:
The title track from Emma Russack’s latest album – and, if rumours are to be believed, the last record released under Emma’s own name, for a little while at least. Russack’s exceptional skills as a songwriter will be deeply missed.
This song is a great example of Emma’s ability to evoke profound and universal themes with descriptions of specific and personal experience. Her blues, folk and rock arrangements are equally captivating.
Check out ‘Winter Blues’ by Emma Russack:
Taken from the anticipated debut album by Poppongene, the brilliant project of Melbourne’s Sophie Treloar.
‘Not Wrong’ is described as “a glittering slow-burn, a song of initial infatuation, of the equal thrill and uncertainty of attraction.” It traces this emotional arc with great musical skill.
Check out ‘Not Wrong’ by Poppongene:
jade imagine – ‘Remote Control’
Basic Love is the debut LP by Melbourne’s jade imagine, spanning new wave, synth pop, and experimental rock. The lyrics are equally deep and wide in their reach.
Jade McInally is a skilled writer who captures our troubled times with insight and humour. Her imagery and phrasing evokes the strange romance and science fiction of a lucid dream.
Here Jade is joined by a recording lineup of Liam “Snowy” Halliwell (The Ocean Party, Ciggie Witch) on bass, producer/guitarist Tim Harvey (Emma Louise, Real Feelings) and James Harvey (Teeth and Tongue) on drums.
Together they create a richly textured and dynamic sonic world to explore.
Check out ‘Remote Control’ by jade imagine:
Sampa The Great – ‘OMG’ & ‘Final Form’
They’ve appeared in this column before, but I just wanted to make sure in case if you haven’t already heard these two towering tracks! Both have been on high rotation for many presenters at Triple R, and both are taken from Sampa The Great’s official debut record, The Return.
It follows two highly acclaimed mixtape releases, The Great Mixtape, and Birds And The BEE9. ‘OMG’ and ‘Final Form’ address themes of home, incorporating the sounds of Sampa’s childhood in Botswana and paying tribute to her Zambian heritage.
Check out ‘OMG’ & ‘Final Form’ by Sampa The Great:
