Tori Forsyth – ‘Down Below’
Originally hailing from Kurri Kurri in NSW’s Hunter region, Tori Forsyth turned a few heads last year when she came out with ‘Be Here’, a track that abandoned her country roots for a much grungier, alt-rock direction. With the release of ‘Down Below’, however, it seems like Forsyth’s onto a winning formula, channeling the likes of PJ Harvey and Shirley Manson into a powerful guitar driven track that hits like a kick in the guts.
Jordan Dennis feat. Denzel M & ThatKidMaz – ‘Doc Marty’
Another young and exciting voice in Australian hip-hop, the new single from Melbourne’s Jordan Dennis underscores just how much potential his voice could have on a world stage. ‘Doc Marty’ sees Dennis and Denzel M trade bars over a tight groove from Duan, with ThatKidMaz coming through at the end to take the track to a sizzling finish. Dennis’ flow and energy on this track is absolutely bananas, and if you’ve ever seen him live with Billy Davis or Tones & I, you’ll know it all goes to the next level onstage.
Beddy Rays – ‘Sobercoaster’
Beddy Rays might be one of Brisbane’s best kept secrets, but if ‘Sobercoaster’ is anything to go by, it doesn’t sound like these dudes will be considered ‘underground’ much longer. Boasting and upbeat and anthemic sound not too dissimilar to Catfish and the Bottlemen’s debut album, ‘Sobercoaster’ is an absolute rip-snorter, and the chorus refrain of ‘I wanna spend my lifetime / Drinking beers in the sunshine’ is about as poignant as ever right now. Who says indie rock’s dead when these guys are still kicking?!?
Foreign/National – ‘Diamond Mine’
If you’re a sucker for anything that gets vomited up from the depths of Melbourne’s psych-rock scene, you’ll froth over this. ‘Diamond Mine’, the newly released single from Foreign/National, is absolutely irresistible, and is set to appear on the boys’ second full-length The Garden on Friday May 29. With snakey guitars, bubbling analogue synthesisers and a rollicking groove, ‘Diamond Mine’ sounds as if Can and Khruangbin joined forces with Stereolab to have one hell of a jam. Keep your eyes peeled for when the album lands next month!
Nat Vazer – ‘For A Moment’
This one’s a doozy: Nat Vazer has shared ‘For A Moment’, the third single from her forthcoming debut, the impeccably named Is This Offensive And Loud?, set for release on Hotel Motel Records next month. Spilling over with warbling indie guitars and lashings of reverb, ‘For A Moment’ shows off Vazer’s unparalleled songwriting talent and a knack for a catchy chorus. If you’re on the hunt for a local act reminiscent of Lucy Dacus or even Julia Jacklin, put Vazer on your radar.
Annie Hamilton – ‘Panic’
Best known for her time with beloved Sydney act Little May, Annie Hamilton now spends her time making art, writing songs and running a sustainable fashion label in Iceland – how cool! This song actually came about back in March, but it’s worth revisiting with the release of her new Annie Hamilton EP this Friday. Taking cues from ’90s dream-pop with just a hint of shoegaze, ‘Panic’ is an ode to anxiety in all of its twisted glory, with Hamilton’s lyricism and vocal delivery throughout the track standing out as a major highlight.
Reacquaint yourself with last week’s hot local picks here.
