Amy Sheppard is taking a break from trio life with the country-pop star going solo for a while. Amy’s latest single ‘Blue Guitar’ is the second taste of Amy’s forthcoming debut EP, ‘Nothing But Wild’ which is due for release on the 16th of September and will see the Queensland born Singer/Songwriter hitting the road for a bunch of launch shows. We stole some of Amy’s prep time to ask her about her new way of thinking about self image, the new musical direction she is taking, and the pro’s and con’s of going solo.
The Sydney 4-piece Jet City Sports Club have just released their new indie-pop tune ‘Green Thumb’’ while also bringing their music to audiences along the East Coast. The band are not only completing their own headline shows but they are also supporting The Vanns on their NSW FNC tour. We caught up with Lilla from the band where we asked her about the new song, where that name came from, and her genius idea to encourage more Australian music to be played on our radio stations.
The refreshing and very talented Yazmindi has released her genre-bending debut album ‘Dream On’ which she was able to record through an online fundraising campaign. Being a fully independent artist all Yazmindi’s success is purely her own, so while she is out showcasing her album to live audiences along the Eastcoast we interrupted to ask her some questions about the new album, what are the best and worst parts of being an indie artist and what she thinks about streaming services.
Wollongong has long been known for producing talented musicians, this reputation has been solidified with the explosion of Pirra into the mainstream collective of Australian Music. Pirra recently teamed up with Tim Wheatley for the latest track ‘Out of my Hands’ our first sample of their forthcoming album Spirals which is set for release at the end of September. We were lucky enough to have a chat with guitarist, James McKendry, were we asked him about the collaboration with Tim, what fans can expect from the forthcoming album Spirals and who he’s planning to “fan-girl” over at the slew of festival shows they have coming up including Jungle Love, Relish & Listen Out.
Perth 3-piece, SKY CAVE have released their hard-hitting single pierced with emotion in ‘FALL’. . A song that shines a light on the destructive effects of untreated depression and given the last few years its a subject matter most of can relate to in one way or another. While the lads were preparing for their Launch show happening on Thursday 11th of August at Mojo’s Bar Fremantle, WA (with Circa the Sun, Cloud Shape and Sgt Hulka) we had a chat with them and asked about ‘Fall’, the makings of Sky Cave and what’s next for the talented trio.
Perth indie punk-rockers Tied Down have returned with their new single ‘Undefeated’. A song which the band describes as a “powerful anti-suicide note”. A track that features explosive drumming, high-tempo, punk riffs and showcases everything Tied Down are building a solid reputation for. We got the opportunity to ask Vocalist CJ a few questions about ‘Undefeated’, what the creative process was like for such an emotive song and the band’s first trip to play on the Eastcoast.
Eskimo Joe frontman Kav Temperley has released our first taste of his second solo album ‘Machines of Love & Grace’. The newly released single ‘Graduation Day’ sees Kav team up with Little Birdy’s very own Katy Steele for the charming track and its accompanying video that features their hometown of Fremantle. The new album ‘Machines of Love & Grace’ is set for release in September but if you would like a sneak peek, you can catch Kav on his regional tour which kicked off last month and is coming to a town near you. We caught up with Kav on a break in his tour schedule to find out about ‘Graduation Day’, his debut making music videos and the secret shows he plays as Christopher Walkman.
Nick Saady is a name on the rise not only on the Sydney club scene but across the ever-expanding festival circuit here in Australia. The recent release of his debut single ‘Amazing’ has demonstrated his talent not only as a DJ but as an artist and as a producer as well, so there was lots to talk about when we caught up with Nick recently. We covered everything in our chat, from him getting his first Deck to his recent appearance at the Lunar Electric Festival and everything in between.
Sheph.ART & Barry Saleh are no strangers to music releases, the two producers have steadily made a name for themselves in Sydney producing a multitude of talented acts out of their BeatswithSheph studio, including A.Girl, Youngn Lipz, Pistol Pete, & more. Now they have come together for ‘Action’ The two talented hit-makers are debuting their first single as artists in their own right and it’s just the beginning. We caught up with Sheph.ART & Barry and asked them about ‘Action’, the producer vs artists label, and their thoughts on streaming.
Melbourne four piece Nth Rd have just released their debut EP, ‘Panic’, on the 22nd of July. The EP’s first two singles ‘Wearing Thin’ and ‘Worm’ showcased the band’s ability to write incredibly well crafted songs. Drawing influence from a heavier place, Nth Rd arrived at a sound that fused their familiar rock sensibilities with the old school nu metal and metalcore. With the help of producer Christopher Vernon (Better Half, Belle Haven), the band created a collection of tracks that explore feelings of claustrophobia and panic. We got the chance to ask vocalist Jordan Kellaway about ‘Panic’, the anxiety that inspires his writing and that time the rock-core band wanted to be Silverchair.
Melbourne alt-pop artist Ellery Cohen has continued to deliver with his new track ‘Demons’. Captivating and catchy, ‘Demons’ is another step up the ladder in Ellery’s rise to fame which came to abrupt halt during the lockdown’s Melbourne was subjected to is now free to soar sky high. We spoke to this genuine, down to earth, and all round nice guy about the new song, his Synthy-Pop sound, and what it’s like to hear yourself while shopping at Kmart.
The debut single ‘Let It Go’ from dynamic drummer and songwriter Kat Greta which features Melbourne’s Charlie Lane on vocals has been released. ‘Let It Go’ is our first taste of Kat’s impending maiden EP ‘Get Up & Go’ which is due out on the 5th of August. The Queen of the sticks will also be delivering ‘Let It Go’ live in July and August, with Kat launching the single at The Old Bar in Fitzroy on Thursday the 21st of July, and an EP live unveiling at The Workers Club in Fitzroy on the 28th of August. We jumped at the chance to ask this this new-gen rock n roller about the new music, the collaboration with legend Charlie Lane, and that time she took her drum kite for a drive.
Verticoli are a three piece alternative-rock band from Tassie, known for delivering an absolutely killer Alt-Rock live set. ‘True Love’ is the second single from Verticoli’s forthcoming album, but for now the band are embarking on a Single Launch Tour that kicked off in Melbourne on the 15th of July. They kindly interrupted preparations to let us ask them some questions about the meaning of ‘True Love’, the struggles of being an Alt-Rock band in Tasmania, and their loyalty to the music they want to make, like their role models Luca Brasi.
After six studio albums and nearly as many tours of Australia, Shannon & The Clams have a huge catalogue of killer tunes which make for killer live shows. Love Police Touring have gifted us Shannon & The Clams return to Australia this July for appearances on the Love Police Stage at Splendour in the Grass as well as headline shows happening in Melbourne, Sydney and Wollongong. The bands will be showcasing their latest album ‘Year of the Spider’ which was reordered in Nashville just before the American lockdown’s started. Before the shows kick off this week we got the chance to ask Keyboardist Will Sprott about the ‘Year of the Spider’, playing festivals like Splendour in Australia, and what punters can expect from ‘The Clams’ live experience.
st.james has released her brand new alt-pop song ‘Aquarius’, the song marks a shift for st.james from her earlier work; but it’s ultimately a brilliant deviation. This rising, multi-talented pop star is determined to keep pushing herself to achieve the things she has dreamed about since she was a little girl. Talking to st.james you instantly see why this breath of fresh air, independent artist is making huge gains. We asked st.james about ‘Aquarius’, the moves she’s made so far, and of course her stint on Byron Baes.
MoveMINT is a well known name as a DJ, Producer, and Writer but did you know he was also a professional race car driver? Nope, neither did we but it was something we learned when we interviewed the Sydney based musician recently. Having worked with the likes of Bliss n Eso, Afrojack, Uberjakd, Alice in Wonderland and Sean Kingston, even if you don’t think so, you have probably heard some of MoveMINT’s creations. We wanted to ask him about who was still on his wish list to work with, how the club scene in Sydney is coming back and his aim to prioritise festivals for a while . Oh and that race car thing!
Australian-born but now LA-based RIP Youth (songwriter/producer James Maas) has partnered with the worldwide fitness brand, Peloton to deliver an exclusive remix of his single, “It’s A Vibe”, from top DJ/Producer R3HAB. The remix was exclusively premiered during the ‘Pride Live DJ Ride’ at Peloton Studios in New York on the 10th of June. We got the opportunity to talk to RIP Youth about his collaboration with Peloton, how the the R3HAB remix came about and the Playboy party that started it all.
Glossy Elecrto-Pop artist and producer Christian Ruiz has released his new single & video ’Miss You’. ‘Miss You’ is Christian’s first single as a solo artist and the music video is the perfect accompaniment to instantly transport you into Christian’s creative world. After Covid forced the successful Hip Hop producer home from LA, Christian decided to finally try his hand at the solo artist dream he had always had. We got to ask Christian about the choice to try the solo thing, the song he chose to release to start of this career and his hopes to collab with the legendary Santana one day
The 10th of July sees the official release of Georgia Fields latest single ‘Holding My Hands Out’ and its a song she is incredibly proud of writing. Penned between the birth of her son and the lockdowns in Melbourne, this songs represents two chapters in the life of Georgia Fields and all the parts in between. The independent singer/songwriter/musician is hoping to tour later in the year, which isn’t an easy thing to accomplish as an indie artist, let alone one that has a young family at home. We asked Georgia about touring, her forthcoming album ‘Hiraeth’ due out in November, and the importance of funding for independent artists.
Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Audio Engineer, there is very little that m8riarchy hasn’t mastered in the way of the musical craft and this has only been reinforced with the release of her latest song ‘Body’. Before m8riarchy heads off to join Shouse at Meo Sudoeste in Portugal next month we sat down to have a chat about the beauty she finds in Synthesis, the new single, and the collaboration process she adores.
