Community radio music coordinators often have an encyclopedic 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 coordinators to highlight new Aussie tunes that you might have missed.
In this edition, Chris Cobcroft and Nick Rodwell from 4ZZZ in Brisbane contribute with a selection of tracks currently making their way to community radio through Amrap’s music distribution service ‘AirIt’.
Check out Chris and Nick’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.
Spirit Bunny – ‘Amen Skew’
Growling synths and industrial, quasi-dance beats almost obliterate Kat Thomas’ sweet vocals. Stylish echoes of Fiery Furnaces or Stereolab at their loudest or Deerhoof … at any point in their discography. Stuff that you don’t hear much of these days and it’s bloody nice that someone’s doing it and doing it well. – Chris
Simi Lacroix – ‘Runnin”
Brisbane’s emotive superpower returns with an incredible single. Outside of its grandiose commitment to ‘80s kitsch (which is airtight, btw), the actual song is crafted meticulously. If you want to know how to write a good pop song, look no further than Simi Lacroix. – Nick
Plaster Of Paris – ‘Oh Wow’
There’s plenty of raw female power at work in Melbourne’s Plaster Of Paris. The vocals, most obviously, take bleeding chunks out of the style of both Patti Smith and Kathleen Hanna. Loose but thoroughly energetic and with guitars that sound great. Pretty goddamn likeable throwback. – Chris
Big Bad Echo – ‘Battered Fish’
These Brissie post-punks draw on that desert rock drudge with their first taste of new music since 2015’s ‘It Takes A Big Dog To Weigh A Tonne’. It’s not as heavy as, say, Kyuss but its long drone and searing guitars certainly create a mirage of the Joshua Tree within Brisbane’s miasma of rock. – Nick
Morning Harvey – ‘Holy Gun’
It’s bittersweet to hear an indie artist stick around long enough to get really good at their craft. Bitter ’cause of all the deprivation it takes to get there and sweet when it sounds like this.
Starting out with a burst of post-punk tension that sounds like Interpol, following up with some expansive indie-fusion and synths that sounds like Spoon’s recent work and finishing with just a touch of Flaming Lips style psych strangeness. This is as good as any of those bands. Nice work. – Chris
Saskwatch – ‘December Nights’
Melbourne’s Saskwatch have really upped the surreal with new single ‘December Nights’. Vibin’ like they’re ridin’ on the magical mystery tour there’s flutes and fuzz for all in this technicolor gem. – Nick
Jackson Reid Briggs And The Heaters – ‘When Are You Going To Give Up So I Can Give Up On Myself’
Crushingly heavy and fast post-punk. Fans of The Peep Tempel or Batpiss will find tons to like on this balls to the wall record. The band themselves quote a variety of influences, from the proto-punk of MC5 and The Stooges, to the punk of The Saints and the post-punk of Wire and The Fall. Good research makes short, sharp brutal music better. – Chris
Vices – ‘Broken’
This is physical AF. Sydney’s Vices bring the righteous heavy with a level of tact that doesn’t lose hardcore’s vitality whilst also extending the rhythmic catharsis that we want and need. – Nick
