Community radio music directors 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 directors to highlight new Aussie tunes that you might have missed.
In this edition, Steph Liong from Sydney’s 2SER, contributes with a selection of tracks currently making their way to community radio through Amrap’s music distribution service ‘AirIt’.
Check out Steph’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 8 best Australian artists
Spending the last few years working in comedy writing, radio and TV production, Laura Imbruglia turned her focus back to music late last year.
Already owning a spectacular back catalogue that cuts across hushed folk, serrated punk, and alt-country, ‘Tricks’ is steeped in indie rock and shows off the whip-smart and earnest lyricism we’ve come to know and love from Imbruglia.
Dark Fair – ‘Distance In The Line’
The new single from this Melbourne duo is imbued with a deep sense of appropriate grief and anger over the impact of violence, but all delivered with a huge amount of energy and attitude. Tightly coiled yet epic post punk that sprawls into 90s shoegaze and pop-rock for good measure.
The Putbacks’ first taste of their debut album does not disappoint. Right from the opening drum roll, we know this track isn’t messing around. This is deep funk that saunters and prowls in the shadows like a beast, and with Bilal’s snarling croon, it’s hard not to be enticed into it’s dark twists and turns.
There’s more muscle on this new track from Monnone Alone, both literally and figuratively. A once solo project fronted by Lost and Lonesome label head and ex-member of the Lucksmiths, Mark Monnone, it’s now flourished into a solid quartet.
‘Cut Knuckle’ is the first single from forthcoming album Summer Of The Mosquito and serves a big heaping of jangle rock with frayed edges, whilst retaining an unabashed honesty throughout.
Underlying Sloan Peterson’s music is a deep appreciation to ’50s balladeers, and this definitely shines through on her ornately crafted new single ‘Our Love’. In thrall to vintage sounds, beautifully hazy vocals are aplenty, and sun drenched key and string embellishments that seem to flutter in just at the right moments.
Straight Arrows – ’21st Century’
Sydney rapscallions Straight Arrows return with this colossal belter that sprints freely like a garage-rock odyssey. Full of break-beat grooves and fuzz ladened guitars that will put a barnstorming spring in your step.
Pop melodies lie at heart of this new grand and sweeping tune from Sydney’s Pirra. Pepped up with bouncing bass lines, chiming keys and the smoothest of vocals, this is one boasts a sweet and sticky charm.
‘Sur La Vague’ is one of the many highlights on Darren Cross’ latest solo, crowdfunded album PEACER. Well known for his work in Gerling, and Jep And Dep, Cross has long been a sonic polymath and on his new album you’ll find a wonderful smattering of styles that leap from anarchic gospel-krautrock, indie guitar pop, neo-folk fingerpicking and spaced out electro.
