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, Gloria Brancatisano from Melbourne’s SYN Radio contributes with a selection of tracks currently making their way to community radio through Amrap’s music distribution service ‘AirIt’. Check out Gloria’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.
Tired Lion – Not My Friends
Finally we’ve got some new music from Tired Lion, and it is HUGE. Melodic guitar licks and hooky singalongs give just enough breathing space for the pounding drums and blaring distortion to hit you right in the face.
This track is destined for a live setting and with the power and raw emotion from vocalist Sophie Hopes audiences will be right behind it.
The throwback pop culture references in the video are pretty darn great too!
Alexander Biggs – Out In The Dark
There is something so incredibly beautiful and comforting about this track. Not sure if it’s the simple acoustic melody or Biggs’ silky smooth vocals but all I want to do is spend a night under the stars, in front of a fire.
It’s delicate and soft, layered with earnest songwriting – creating something complicated and making it sound so damn easy.
Chymes – Oracle
The pairing of Cameron Taylor and Kiersten Nyman is the perfect combination of textured production and delicate vocals. It is all kinds of dreamy, from Nyman’s ethereal vocals to the lush instrumentation allowing the track to drift along.
The addition of Taylor’s vocals creates an intimate tenderness while still ensuring Orcale remains perfectly restrained. Surely debut singles aren’t meant to be this good.
Miles De Carteret – Honey
Speaking of stellar debut singles…Honey comes from the pairing of Miles De Carteret and Danny Barwic. The five years of touring with other projects, including the notorious Bareback Titty Squad, gives this duo a real confidence and dare I say it, maturity.
This track is literally as slick as Honey and it’ll stick in your head much the same. That soft guitar melody and gradually building synth line are the perfect pairing to Carteret’s soaring vocals. It’s soothing and hypnotic and that chorus is a whole lot of fun.
Soft Corporate – Boats
Though this is Soft Corporate’s first single, their history as When We Were Small ensures that their first foray is solid. Pulsing bass and airy vocals create a lush soundscape before those guitars build into a surging crescendo that brilliantly fade into nothing- until you hit repeat of course.
Breathtaking, packed with emotion and intelligently measured- I look forward to what comes next.
Self Talk – Clean Washing
Self Talk just dropped their debut EP ‘Seeing What I Want To See’ and it’s full of punchy pop rock. This tune is probably their catchiest track yet, sure to please any crowd- even if it’s over way too quickly.
Tight instrumentation, honest lyrics and gripping hooks- short, energetic and charmingly relatable.
Mary Handsome – No Hot No More
YYYYEEEEEEEEEAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
No Hot No More is all smooth verses that explode into sound and force you to sing along. The band has said this track draws on the fact that they are coming into their own as artists, and if that’s the case then I like where Mary Handsome are heading.
Keep going that way.
Hellions – Quality of Life
Hellions started out from the ashes of one of my favourite local bands The Bride, but with a stack of great singles and a couple of stellar albums, the band are definitely standing on their own.
Continuing to prove why they are one of the most exciting heavy bands rising through the Aussie ranks, the soaring choruses and tropical infused riffs in this one combine for an empowering, anthemic listen. Posi vibes all round.
