Thursday, October 08, 2020

Best new tracks Down Under #40




With the vibrant indie music scene in Australia and New Zealand constantly outshining much of the output from their British and American cousins, Little Indie picks our weekly bunch of some of the best new tracks on offer.


SYRUP - TURN


Released last week, Brisbane alt-pop outfit Syrup follow their recent drop 'Sun', with this new bolder, dancefloor-orientated number. The project of childhood friends Harry Pratt and Henry Anderson, combines the latter's affecting baritone and melodic guitar, with Harry’s 80s style synth, with a catchy chorus. "After taking some time stepping back to realign our choices in aesthetic of production, taste and ideas we decided to move along and further down the path of funk. This track was therefore built totally around the bassline and we are stoked that we channelled the energy of the low-end in this case," says Harry.  



CHINA ROSES - WORST ENEMY


Rising Adelaide duo China Roses' (Jes Fisher and Pietro Filippone) new single ‘Worst Enemy’ is a finger-snapping three minutes driven by a firm bassline and sultry vocals. “We took that chorus-guitar sound and added our electronic take to the drums and keys," says Pietro. "The vocals and music combined express the unspoken imagery, offering the listener an additional layer. I think that’s what we also tried to capture in the film clip. Having two sides of the same person and how they interact with each other. There’s a lot of story and symbolism for people to interpret for themselves and I think people will take away their own meanings”. 




SPARROWS - SEXY SOLITUDE


Sydney-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Jessica Nitties, aka Sparrows, brings her pop and dance-influenced touch to new single, 'Sexy Solitude', which was "written over several months, firstly born out of contemplating crossing the line with a good friend," she says. "It then took on further meaning during lockdown as we’ve had to navigate our way through the realisation that connection and physical intimacy have often been out of reach. Lockdown has forced many of us to go inward for pleasure and self-fulfilment learning that we have to be our own friend with benefits. Being human and having needs during this time highlighted the frustrations we go through on a daily basis but particularly for physical touch and intimacy."




WILSON'S PROM - MANIFEST PROTAGONIST 


The second release - after July's 'Love Fool' - from Melbourne duo Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt (Merpire) and James Seynour (Feelds), melding their solo projects into Wilson's Prom. Taken from their forthcoming self-titled debut EP out on November 4, sweet dual vocals move over a dreamy guitar-pop sound. "We wrote the song on acoustic in the studio - it was actually the last one we finished, so it was really fun to play off the world we had already created and bring this story to life. It’s built around the idea of formulating a sense of identity and belonging; especially to one’s self, and realising that the way you perceive and think about things can make you the way you are," says James. 


CRYSTAL CITIES - GOT MY BACK TO THE WIND


After recording their debut album 'Under the Cold Light of the Moon' last year, Sydney-based alt-dream rockers Crystal Cities try out a different approach for their upcoming second LP, 'Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight', from which this engaging, melodic sinhke cut, released last week, comes. "'Got My Back to the Wind' is based on a night out I had where I found myself at the casino till the late hours of the morning," explains vocalist Geoff Rana. "I pieced together moments and characters from the night as inspiration for the song and based the narrative around a larger-than-life main protagonist - a sharp dressed, martini-drinking gambler with attitude, rolling with the big time players.⁣ The character finds himself winning effortlessly and thinking he can do no wrong. Draped in woman, with pockets full of money, and completely out of his mind, he eventually stumbles out of the casino in the early hours of the morning looking for the next adventure. ⁣
'Got My Back to the Wind' is the high before the hangover."


Melbourne singer-songwriter Nic Georgiou, aka Quiet Blue, released this new single last week. A haunting and reflective slow-burner, its quiet simplicity aided by subtle beats.  "'Hollow is a song about the feeling of futility that we sometimes get in addressing the world around us. I definitely feel that I’ve tried to fill gaps in my own happiness with things that the world has told me ought to make me content. Causes, possessions and relationships have at times provided moments of intense meaning to my life but at the same time, I’ve felt that my attempts to fulfil myself with these things are often futile. Sometimes the battles we fight are to no avail and what we thought was important turns out not to be. I wanted to create that hopeful-all-consuming-about-to-burst-with-excitement feeling we all get before something we’ve been looking forward to and then tear it away to accentuate the inherent transience of those feelings."

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