AMS

[australianmusicscene]

Hi :)

[australianmusicscene]

/Music of Victoria

[australianmusicscene]

HIATUS KAIYOTE // MELBOURNE

/future soul /r&b

This group might be in my top 3 of Australian bands/artists. The delightful voice of Nai Palm leading their tunes is just part of the show and I ensure you’ll be impressed by what this guys can build together. Funk, jazz, soul, they are all there cleverly embedded, with no rush, in this massive puzzle which is Hiatus Kaiyote’s sound. Formed in 2011 and with two excellent albums released so far, I can’t wait to see how bigger these guys will become.   

 Fav tune: SHAOLIN MONK MOTHERFUNK

[australianmusicscene]

CITY CALM DOWN // MELBOURNE

/indie rock /post-punk

The National, White Lies, Interpol, I love when bands revisit the post-punk era. City Calm Down, a four-piece group from Melbourne’s inner east, is another band that bring those vibes to the present in a very talented way. They are about to release their debut album, “In a Restless House”, and if it follows the same greatness of its first single “Rabbit Run”, I can say that these guys will be big very soon.

  Fav tune: RABBIT RUN

[australianmusicscene]

LIFE IS BETTER BLONDE // MELBOURNE

/electronic

First this name came out to me (I like creative band names), secondly this BEAUTIFUL single called “Mine” and then this well recorded and written music video of the same tune. LIBB got me. If you are inclined to things like Flying Lotus, James Blake and stuff you’ll probably like this. LIBB makes a bunch spliced organs, handclaps and some other noises turn into something extremely deep and cool. I FUCKING LOVE Melbourne.

  Fav tune: MINE

[australianmusicscene]

KINS // MELBOURNE

/indie rock /guitar pop

They are from Melbourne, but based in Brighton, UK. While a band as we normally expect with instruments and stuff, Kins are way electronic sometimes, with this very expansive and deep down-tempo tunes. Alt-J might immediately pop up in your head after listening to these guys.

 Fav tune: YOUNG

[australianmusicscene]

MONIQUE SHELFORD // MELBOURNE

/folk

I read at her Soundcloud’s profile that was her parent’s idea to enroll her in a private vocal tuition when she was only 7 years old. Well, I have to admit that we should all thank them for that. What a voice. Mon Shelford’s sound consists basically in her voice and acoustic guitar. And it’s enough.

 Fav tune: HAPPY WHORE (listen here)

[australianmusicscene]

CLEOPOLD // MELBOURNE

/electronic /indie pop

You should know that Nick Murphy (or Chet Faker if you prefer) has a music label. Another thing you should know is that it has brilliantly started with this Melbournian lad called Cleopold who has also written songs for Miami Horror and Cassian. His first single, Down in Flames, shows us the same hard-to-resist R&B influence we can find in Faker’s tunes, it’s so beautifully made that I’m sure you’re gonna listen to it 3 times in a row, at least. Should be the water they drink in Melbourne.  

  Fav tune: DOWN IN FLAMES

[australianmusicscene]

MANGELWURZEL // MELBOURNE

/indie rock /experimental

Mangelwurzel is not an easy band to understand and maybe it’s better not trying to. Watch a live gig of these guys made me feel like on those days that you have a massive storm followed by a beautiful sunny sky and then you have the storm with fucking bolts again.  They are always putting those clever breaks in the songs with a very strong bass line that makes you feel like listening to a very influenced funk music, but suddenly you have the punk or a charming pop song confusing your mind. If you’re looking for a normal band with a normal sound, jump over to another section, but if you’re ready to put down the boundaries and let yourself go, these guys are the perfect riders to an ambitious trip.

  Fav tune: MY HOUSE

[australianmusicscene]

AINSLIE WILLS // MELBOURNE

/indie pop

It was my turn to drive our campervan on our way to Cairns when I listened to this song on the local radio, starting just with drums, a very catchy bass line (I love bass, bassists) and a strong female voice. “Oh! They are playing Feist in Australia, that’s sick.” Was what I said to one of my fellas. Well, I realized it wasn’t a new song from the Canadian singer, but a very interesting song from a woman called Ainslie Wills. The song is called “Drive” and it’s awesome to listen when you’re driving, I’ve tested.

  Fav tune: DRIVE

[australianmusicscene]

TOTAL GIOVANNI // MELBOURNE

/dance /disco

This brilliant quintet based in Melbourne brings to music that involuntary feeling when your body starts to pulse in the same rhythm of the music. There’s nothing more to say, this is magic. Don’t you believe in magic? I do and it just happens to talented people like this group. Long live to the Discotheque!

 Fav tune: HUMAN ANIMAL (listen here)

[australianmusicscene]

OLYMPIA // MELBOURNE

/indie pop

Olivia Bartley is the woman behind this delicate music project called Olympia. Her voice soars gently but majestic on top of every tune, completing a perfect match between the words pronounced and the choosen instruments. I could hear any sad history coming from her singing skills.

  Fav tune: ATLANTIS

[australianmusicscene]

DORSAL FINS // MELBOURNE

/indie pop

I was in a hurry when I first listened to this guys on the radio, and besides the fact that the tune I listened to is brilliant, the single “Mind Renovation” which is in my modest opinion a real music renovation, I got from the radio announcer that it was made by a 10-piece band. I love big bands. Especially when they can really produce a tight sound like these guys do. Also, while listening to their debut album it brought me back some Primal Screen vibe which makes me think that this band is a real good thing from Melbourne.

  Fav tune: MIND RENOVATION

[australianmusicscene]

BROADWAY SOUNDS // MELBOURNE

/electronic /dance   

An absolutely irresistible groove made with some Fela Kuti inspiration. That’s what I would say about them. There’s no fucking doubt you’re going to dance when you listen to this. Broadway Sounds is dance music at its high intensity psychedelia. 

  Fav tune: SHONKY MAN

[australianmusicscene]

HARTS // MELBOURNE

/rock  

I listened to his whole debut album, “Daydreamer”, and it turned out that it deserves all the compliments I heard about this guy. However, just after reaching this conclusion, it came to my attention that he is the one who played every single instrument on it, created every lyric, melody, produced and mixed the f*cking whole album, alone, by himself, on his bedroom studio.  And then I thought: What is he going to do next? Save the world from hunger? Besides that, PRINCE said he is good, so what am I doing here? Check it out by yourself, you can find a lot in YouTube.

 Fav tune: BREAKTHROUGH

[australianmusicscene]

AL PARKINSON // MELBOURNE

/folk

I met this woman before listen to any of her songs. She was in charge of Sofar Sounds (if you don’t know this project yet, you should get up to date now) in Melbourne while I was living there. I sent a couple of messages to their FB page because I wanted to be a volunteer, help the local music in anyway, I would be happy even if I just had to carry instruments. Well, she answered me, I went there, helped them a little bit with the door and I had an incredible night watching beautiful local acts. A week later I remembered she said she was an artist as well and I found this wonderful music video of “Like This”. Can you watch this and not smile? I can’t. Alvis, if you’re reading this, I would like to thank you all for the kindness. That night I could see why this city has so many great artists like you. Passion for music is the simple reason.

  Fav tune: LIKE THIS

[australianmusicscene]

FRASER A. GORMAN // MELBOURNE

/rock /country

A 24-year-old singer-songwriter owner of a sound that seems to be stuck in time some decades ago. And is cool. “Country music sounds to me like rock ’n’ roll” he says in one of the tracks of his debut and it’s all about that. Organ chords, harmonica, lap steel and you might also find out some similarity to Bob Dylan which makes his sound even nicer.

 Fav tune: BROKEN HANDS