Yuno has remixed my band, Braves’ latest song, Heartslur II. He took the stripped back sound and replaced it with pulsing bass, jittery vocals and a bunch of synths. It’s a free download on Bandcamp and on Soundcloud, so check it out.
These New Puritans have finally returned with Fragment Two. It’s the first glimpse of Field Of Reeds, their third album, out June 10th. In many ways, it continues the sounds and moods of Hidden, which is obviously welcome news. Fragment Two specifically sounds a lot like the third album’s take on Hologram, a standout from the sophomore. If you pre-order the album you can download Fragment Two right now.
Bleeding Knees Club are back with a very Blink 182 sounding track called Feel. If you’re a fan of heart-on-your-sleeve Punk Pop then get ready to fall in love. Here’s hoping they can keep up this intensity for whatever comes next.
If you like Flume and Disclosure (Of course you do.) then Cosmo’s Midnight, a brother production duo from Sydney will definitely impress. Their debut single, Phantasm, features Nicole Millar on breathy, sweet nothings-esque vocals. Best news is it’s a free download, so get on the bandwagon now.
Shy Boys make Jangly Retro Pop with 90’s Shoegazey elements and hazy male/female vocals. It’s actually a new project from Brandon Biondo of the now defunct Coolrunnings, and while you can hear hints of that old sound in there, this is definitely a different direction for him.
This is Julia, the B-Side from their recent (Like, 11 days ago recent) Ride / Julia release. As far as official debut releases go, it’s really quite strong, and to show their appreciation for the support they have already received, they went ahead and released another track, Something, for free download. This could be the start of something, guys.
Oberhofer seem to have dropped this track without much of a press frenzy. It’s called Earplugs and it’s the first taste of a five song EP that’s coming out at the end of the month called NOSTALGIA. It’s got that classic Oberhofer sound and a chorus that will dig its way into your brain and lay eggs in your heart. Then its spawn will probably eat their way out of your body and burst out of your neck, or something.
debris\ is the first single from Tropical Tobacco’s forthcoming debut album via Vice Portugal. It’s a tropical slow jam with playful keys and a methodical, plodding drumbeat. This one feels like the waves crashing against the shore in slow motion. Download.
Worries just uploaded a new song called Go Away, it’s a short and sweet slice of Dream Pop that you’ll wish was longer in the best way possible. Download.
You should also check out the equally excellent Halloween Night and 2u. Definitely for fans of Wild Nothing.
Les Sins, Toro y Moi’s more Dancey side-project, has two new songs for us. This is the A-side, Grind, from his upcoming single, to be released on the 18th of March on Jiaolong. It’s very House and chill, still not a return to the lofty heights of Lina / Toss And Turn, but a damn sight closer than that recent Dog Bite split. Listen to Side B, Prelims, here.
Smith Westerns announce a new album, Soft Will, and unveil the first sneak peek of it in Varsity, a glossy, synthy departure from their previous sound. That’s not to say you won’t recognise their trademark sing-along vocals and upbeat melodies though. Soft Will is out digitally March 12.
Small Black return with a very cleaned up, anthemic sound for Free At Dawn. It’s the first inkling of a new album coming in May. There’s definitely some New Order vibes here.
Flower Pop girl group Go Violets released this jangly masterpiece, Teenager, in August last year, but you may not have heard it, because the Australian music scene is incredibly insular and even more so for young bands. If you love catchy retro pop with bass lines you wish you could write yourself, this will make your day/week/month. You can purchase it on their Bandcamp for $1.99. It’s worth it.
Surf Club return with a new single, called Heaven. They’re continuing their new trend of more romantic, dreamy material, that started with previous single, Reverie. The same hazy reverb drenched guitars and vocals, the same feeling of longing and loss, looks like this is Surf Club’s new sound. Download.
Shout It Out is the new song from Garage Popper Mikal Cronin’s forthcoming album, MCII. This is probably the closest he’s come to a perfect pop song so far, within one listen you’ll be singing along to the chorus, I promise you that.
Go Cozy are a Dream-Pop band with that classic jangly guitar sound that characterises the 80’s influenced scene that bands like Craft Spells and Wild Nothing reside in. This track, Silverlining, was actually released late 2011, but you may not have heard it yet. Everything’s free to download from their Bandcamp too, so go for it. Download.
Hallows is the closing track of my band, Braves’ new Ep, Sorrow. It’s about the Living Dead, and if you like Beach Fossils and Big Troubles, you’ll probably like this. Download the whole EP for free.
So in light of Teen Suicide breaking up, Sam Ray and Alec Simke have a new project called Julia Brown. The bad news is there’s no more Teen Suicide, the good news is, if this first track, Library, is any indication, you’ll be able to transfer your affections pretty easily. Download.
