We listen to a lot of music here at Tone Deaf HQ, and we’re the first to admit we’re perhaps a little biased towards sounds of the Australian variety. We do make the best music in the world, after all.
In honouring our favourite Aussies, we’ve once again compiled a list of the most outstanding local releases you should be listening to right now – whether they’re smaller indies acts or big-name essentials, these are the newest Australian records you should be adding to your ‘must-listen’ list.
Let’s get started.
No Zu – Afterlife (Chapter)
A follow on from their attention commanding 2013 LP Life, Afterlife is nothing short of a triumphant return for Melbourne based dance/ world/ weirdo pop collective No Zu.
Delving into a deeper, darker, more urgent world, while still maintaining their trademark sound, Afterlife explores as band leader Nicholas Oogjes explains themes of human beauty, body movement, BDSM, belief systems, mortality, immortality, the fetishisation of Australian colonial invasion and destruction of land/cultures, all sung in dynamic dancefloor metaphors. It’s an ambitious release, but one the eclectic collective pull off with remarkable ease.
Mighty Duke & The Lords – Mighty Duke & The Lords (Independent)
One of the most exciting record we’ve heard recently is the new self-titled album from exotic party starters the calypso kings Mighty Duke and the Lords.
Comprising members from The Melbourne Ska Orchestra, the Suitcase Royale, NO ZU and The Lucksmiths, Mighty Duke & The Lords never fail to bring their tropical cyclone of mad rhythm and rum soaked tomfoolery to the dance floor. Having already brought regular audiences’ feet to a fevered and feathered frenzy, with their single and new dance craze ‘The Flamingo’ this 12 track LP is a welcome follow on from that addictively fun release.
Fever Land – FL_02 (Independent)
Melbourne muso and one half of local punk/ garage band Udays Tiger, Devin de Araujo has been working on something very different of late.
Named Fever Land the new solo project came as de Araujo explains from “spending time with a new piece of software or different instruments was a great way to keep busy and to challenge myself. I basically just started exploring other areas and ideas. I really enjoy being involved in completely different projects. Keeps things interesting.”
Drawing influences from some of modern electronic music’s greatest innovators like Nils Fram, Jon Hopkins, and Floating Points he’s created this EP titled FL_02 which is a collection of songs that are both challenging and rewarding in equal measure.
Milk! Records ‘Good For You’ Compilation (Milk Records)
The prolific label born from the talented minds of local songwriting legends Jen Cloher and Courtney Barnett has over the past handful of years gone from a hobby/ bedroom project to an Aussie music icon (that’s probably still run out of a bedroom).
Signing fellow local talents, Fraser A. Gorman, Ouch My Face, East Brunswick All Girls Choir and The Finks to the Milk! family, this compilation titled Good For You comes as a companion of sorts to the upcoming Milk! Records tour kicking off in March. The collection of six track is what is sounds like when a bunch of mates get together and produce some killer tunes (and we love it).
The Jezabels – Synthia (Independent)
One of this country’s most loved and respected bands The Jezabels recently dropped their highly anticipated new album Synthia and as expected it’s a stunning addition to Australian music in 2016.
The band’s Hayley Mary explains the recording process “This is a record we made ourselves, at our own behest… we just had a natural momentum. We were back in Sydney [from London] in January, got together to rehearse and wrote about four songs in a week.” The outcome is arguably the band’s best work to date.
