Boorloo/Perth talents Have A Good Day and Drea have teamed up for a feelgood new single “Floating.” I love the retro 80s feel that the sax line gives this one. It’s a total bop.
Have A Good Day will bring their good vibes to Beerfest in Walyalup/Fremantle this Saturday, November 16. Catch them alongside Sneaky Sound System at Esplanade Park this weekend!
Photo credit: Marcus Wong
Kiwat Kennell, a proud Eastern Torres Strait Islander musician from the islands of Ugar/Stephens and Erub/Darnley, has one of those voices that captures your attention from the first note. It’s so rich and textured, and perfectly showcased on his latest single “The Moment.” Kiwat was inspired to write the track after watching a friend struggle with their mental health.
“’The Moment’ is a song that speaks to the balance of fear-inducing anxiety that the future can bring, and the overwhelming depression of living in the past,” Kiwat explained. “Sometimes our thoughts speak so loud, we cannot see the other side of the coin we are currently spinning on.”
Kiwat cowrote this song with Joel Quartermain of Eskimo Joe. It’s one of several new tracks he’ll release in the near future.
“The Moment’ is my first single from a series of new works from my latest project, Love & Hate, a depiction of what life is like in this colony as a Black Man who was raised to respect law enforcement, whilst simultaneously witnessing the systemic injustices Indigenous people are faced with. This track is the beginning of something truly special,” he promised.
I love music with meaning, especially when it’s coming from a singer-songwriter that sounds this good. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited to hear what comes next!
Photo credit: Benny Clark
Wafia’s dreamy new single “Say It To The Moon” is the perfect antidote to the grind of the working week. Press play and just let your mind drift for a few minutes. I swear it’s more soothing than meditation.
Wafia said she wrote the song for her sister. Wafia writes from the perspective of the moon, which both Wafia and her sister would see at night, just from different vantage points.
“This is a song I wrote inspired by all the nights my little sister tried to call me from Brisbane
while I was in LA but she didn’t quite understand time zones,” Wafia explained. “I wanted to write her something from the perspective of the moon, in a way that made her feel like I was always listening and always there.”
“Say It To The Moon” is the latest track from Wafia’s debut album Promised Land, which will arrive on January 17.
Photo credit: Sherrie Garcia
Angie Colman has floored me with her new single “Out of the Headlights.” It’s such a dynamic, original track, with plenty of musical twists and turns and powerful, introspective lyrics.
Angie says the single “is about being directionless, untrusting, and cold for a long period of time and then meeting someone who’s unwavering kindness enables you to feel more whole again.”
She added that “The ‘headlights’ is an image that used to come to my mind of being frozen emotionally, riddled with fear that if I showed myself to people they would run me down and leave
me in the dark.”
“Out of the Headlights” comes from Angie’s forthcoming debut EP. If this song is any indication, that release will be something special. You might hear more music from it when Angie launches the single at The Bird in Noongar Country/Northbridge on November 30.
Photo credit: Sarah Gelmi
Hugo Stranger and the Rattlers are so prolific that I can barely keep up with their material. They released their instrumental surf rock track “Go, Rattlers, Go!” on Halloween, and they’ve already got another tune for us, “Set Me Free.” Quantity doesn’t mean sacrificing quality for this local act. “Set Me Free” is among my favourite Hugo Stranger and the Rattlers’ songs.
“I guess it’s about wanting to be better,” explained the band’s frontman, Tom Harrison. “Knowing and being self-conscious that you haven’t been.”
Hugo Stranger and the Rattlers will celebrate the release of “Set Me Free” with a double set show at Bearded Lady in Kurilpa/West End on Sunday 17 November. It all kicks off at 2 pm and tickets are $10 at the door.
Image used with permission from Hugo Stranger and the Rattlers
Naarm/Melbourne-based act Among the Restless has knocked it out of their park with their latest single “Cutting Corners.” It’s one of those tracks that hooks you in with a killer intro and doesn’t let go.
“’Cutting Corners’ is a recount of growth and the confusion that comes hand in hand with it,” the band explained. “We approached the sound and writing process differently, and our natural progression as a unit really shines through. The emotion runs deep in this track, which is something we always strive for.”
Among the Restless have been slowly building buzz through performances at major festivals like Good Things and Uncaged alongside rock music’s elite, and with releases like “Cutting Corners,” it doesn’t sound like they’re slowing down. They’re also playing a secret show for hometown fans tomorrow night. Use the code NORTH20 for discounted tickets!
Image used with permission from Among the Restless
Yorta Yorta/Wurundjeri man Briggs hasn’t released solo music since 2021, but his latest effort “Ballad of the GOATs” has certainly been worth the wait. Press play and crank this track right up. Featuring Gomeroi artist Kobie Dee and the song’s co-writer David Novak from Polish Club on guitar, this one is an absolute banger.
“If the GOATs needed a song to enter the Pantheon of GOATs I would hope it would be this,” Briggs enthused. “I explained my vision for the track; a highlight reel of a song. I asked Kobie to trust the vision, think of it like we are creating the soundtrack for the highlight reel of life. The best bit was when we realised, we didn’t have to have any words for the chorus. Goats traditionally don’t speak.”
Briggs’ outfit A.B. Original were set to perform alongside Public Enemy last month but unfortunately, that tour’s been postponed. Let’s hope that they get the gig again when those dates get rescheduled.
Photo credit: Tristan Edouard
Hit that volume and enjoy Abbey Lane’s awesome new pop-rock single, “Just a Little”. This fabulous single has a nostalgic sound that perfectly marries with its insightful lyrics exploring bad timings, lost love, and self-reflection.
Abbey co-wrote “Just a Little” with New Wave Records’ Hayden Marie who also produced, mixed and mastered the single. The two creatives worked across different states, sending demos back and forth.
“Hayden had sent me the bare bones of the track originally and allowed me creative freedom to write my own parts to it,” Abbey explained. “We both vibed what the other was creating, so it made for a very easy creation process, sending each other logic sessions and demos until we reached our final recorded version.”
She said she wrote the lyrics “based on a friend’s relationship experience before the song took on a story of its own. Overall, it’s a narrative about having someone in your past who you can’t seem to separate from, and although you’ve both tried to move on, that in the end you’re still drawn to them.”
The release of “Just a Little” ushers in a new era for Abbey’s music following the release of her debut EP Afterthoughts in June. If you live in New South Wales, make sure to see Abbey play “Just a Little” and other fantastic tracks at one of her upcoming shows:
3 November 2024 – Gossy Weekender @ Drifter’s Wharf, Darkinjung Country/Gosford (FREE)
6 & 7 November 2024 – Musicbox Stage @ Sydney Olympic Park, Eora/Sydney (FREE for Coldplay ticketholders)
8 November 2024 – Lord Dudley, Eora/Sydney (FREE)
9 November 2024 – Sydney Streets Festival, Eora/Sydney (2 pm – FREE)
16 November 2024 – Sundown Festival @ Glenorie RSL, Darug Country/Glenorie (FREE)
29 November 2024 – Ramblin Rascal, Eora/Sydney (FREE)
Image used with permission from Abbey Lane
Carla Webhe celebrates all of the chaotic terrible joy of human existence with her gorgeous new single “Life’s An Awful Mess.” Whatever you’re going through right now, I know this breezy little bop will make you feel better.
“‘Life’s An Awful Mess’ is about the contradictory nature of life, and how it can be so terrible in one moment and magical in the next,” Carla explained. “It’s also about accepting the inevitable finality that life will face and realising that it’s all not that serious when you take a step back. We’re all doing our best, and while some of us are killing this whole life thing, some of us are still bringing swords to pillow fights. Life is everything and nothing at all, but in seeing the beauty in it and accepting it – flaws and all, maybe someday we can learn the art of living.”
Fans in Meeanjin/Brisbane can catch Carla supporting JP Cooper at the Princess Theatre on November 15.
Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia
If you need a little mid-week pick-me-up, look no further. Daphnie’s latest single “Perfect Piece Of Person I’m Made For” may just be the perfect piece of pop music.
“I wrote this one with Will O’Donohue (Runaway Mornings), and produced/mixed it in my bedroom,” explained Alistair Hayes, who performs under the Daphnie moniker. “We wanted to create a cruisy silly absurd love song that you could dance to with your significant other in your bedroom while your neighbour yells at you through the walls for being too loud. I think we really got it there, mostly because that actually happened.”
With Aus Music T-Shirt Day approaching, Daphnie has you covered. Check out the Daphnie merch store for some fantastic November 28 options.
Image used with permission from Daphnie