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Friday Mix: Destrends - Kolumbus - Kid Bloom - Slowcoaching

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Destrends - Papa. Background promo - Outfitted in Dr Martens, tight jeans and glitter, Destrends are a Melbourne based three-piece quickly building a reputation as a distinctly theatrical live band with a sound influenced by early 80s post-punk. Their sound is a unique blend, reminiscent of the new wave sound of the late 70s and early 80s, with a gentle touch of gothic hysteria. “Papa” is the first offering off Destrends’ forthcoming debut EP, which is set for release in late 2016. The Melbourne post-punk three piece have clocked up a handful of impressive gigs since forming in 2014, including sharing the stage Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age), touring with Stonefield and Apes on their recent national tours, supporting Aussie icons Hoodoo Gurus, and performing at King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s inaugural Dawn of Gizzfest. Recorded by Finn Keane at Head Gap Studios, “Papa” is loud, fast paced and aggressive whilst maintaining pop sensibilities. The track

Quality Not Quantity: Divan - Earth Heart

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Divan - Sale Of Lakes. Background promo - There's a lot of life in the city. Growing up in the idyllic Irish countryside and finding a place amid the alien, urban sprawl had a huge impact on Divan. Their music; all pulsating rhythm, soaring vocals and oscillating guitars, draws on a rich tapestry of styles and sounds, which evolves into a real statement of intent: the desire to understand art and its relevance in modern life.  Singer, Jamie Clarke writes: 'I think always having an innate desire to surround yourself with activity & action when all you've known is peace & tranquillity comes out in our music. It draws me to people, and also to the art that I love.' The lyrical narrative in Modern Knowledge weaves its way through such themes, affecting not just today's artists and creators but everyone that, like Jamie, is drawn to the bustle of something more than what was known... From experimenting with accessible but unusual time signatures in ‘Shards’

Midweek Double: Ghost Wave - Pip Blom

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Ghost Wave - All U Do Is Kill. Background promo - New Zealand’s Ghost Wave return with their sophomore album Radio Norfolk. Following on from 2013’s Ages the latest album sees the duo explore deeper into their psychedelic sound, while adding a more electronic focus to their sunny warped songs. From the opening track onwards Radio Norfolk is a series of trippy, psych hooks filled with clashes of keys, organs, and percussion. Taking minimal cues from their previous work, Radio Norfolk’s songs dance through a colourful, hyperactive rhythm sets (All U Do Is Kill), dazed, dub-laden melodies (Honeypunch, Blues Signal ’79), 70s jangle gems (Don’t Ask Why, Slow Cone Descent), the album offers no limit to the duo’s vision.  It’s the album they started a band to make, in the first place. On top of this, they aptly brought on the talents of Spaceman 3’s Sonic Boom to master the record. With a less serious, yet more focused, approach to their craft and seeking good times only, they created  ind

Genre Busters: Prison Escapee - SPC ECO - Closely

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Prison Escapee - Gunslinger. Background Bio - Prison Escapee is the moniker of Erik David Hidde located in Los Angeles, CA. After running the independent record label, Housewarming Records, out of New York from 2011-2013, Hidde has since decided to put all his focus into his original music. Inspired by equal parts post-rock, electronica, lo-fi field recordings, and film soundtracks, Hidde has been investing the hours into his music when he returns home from his day-job until he puts himself to sleep. Both his debut and sophomore albums were written, recorded, produced, and mixed in his living room. Hidde was raised in Fort Hunter, a hamlet located in upstate New York by a christian family, which is represented in his music. Surround by water, Fort Hunter is also a common subject in his music, which subject matter often includes reflecting back on his childhood. Other subject matter includes loss, which is centred around his close friend's prison cell suicide. Hidde was brough

Genre Wander: Vallens - Shaun Black - Graveyard Lovers

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Vallens - Devour. Background - Vallens debut album Consent (out June 24 via HDD). The songs on Consent are quite dark and discuss important issues to songwriter Robyn Phillips, such as the title track of the album "Consent." The song is about various issues around consent, consent to have a stranger talk to you, no means no, why women have to do something triply better than a man to just be considered, and the ever underlying sense that women only do things for the attention of men. Robyn Phillips created Vallens in late 2014 to serve as her performance alter ego, secretly constructing her own world of music alone while playing guitar and gigging in various Toronto projects. The Vallens moniker allowed Robyn to introduce her own sound within the scene under the influence of namesake, David Lynch’s Dorothy Vallens. Conjuring the likes of Rowland S. Howard, Wire, Angelo Badalamenti and Portishead; Vallens has been living deep in the construction of her first record, Consen

Quality Not Quantity: Renders - Arc Iris - La Legacie - Chain Wallet

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Renders - Running Through The Night. Kelly McMichael (Renders) has this to say about the featured song and forthcoming EP - The song is my 'take back the night' anthem, inspired by Slutwalk, dedicated to empowering those of us who feel vulnerable walking at night, and to protest victim-blaming. It's the first track off my Self-titled EP. The EP is out July 8th. On this EP, I am looking both inwards towards the emotional core and outwards to the dance floor. I write about the fluid and complex relationships we face - relationships tied to personal growth, inner struggles, and the multi-faceted world of human relations. This debut EP is about claiming space and demanding acceptance. Writing from an emotional intelligence; and singing for the fluid and tangled forces tied to nature. Keeping a keen ear to both classic and contemporary pop music. There are four really cool songs on the EP and featured track 'Running Through The Night' is the opener. Beehive Candy

Genre Wander: Highland Kites - Club Kuru - Jasmine Rodgers - Hiva Oa - Harpooner

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Highland Kites - This War Inside. Background - Highland Kites’ confessional anti-folk could easily be misconstrued as indie rock. With their angular grooves, new wave leanings and sharp-witted lyrics, the LA-based twosome exude an off-the-cuff coolness that is effortlessly backed by a hard earned substance.  The band is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Marissa Lamar who spent the majority of her 20’s very ill with Lyme disease. As the symptoms progressed, Lamar medication increased and she found herself stagnating as the years passed her by. She watched friends fall away and became resigned to her predicament; not entirely sure she was going to make it. Music emerged as her saving grace; giving her a reason to persevere and ultimately share her life-affirming strength as she overcame her illness. By weaving hope, positivity and closure into her songs, Marissa was able to create compelling and often dark content that ultimately felt uplifting. She still maintains her “goal wit

Friday Five: Feuds - Teddy and The Love Gang - Emily Capell - Manwomanchild - Smoke Season

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Feuds - River Of Wine. Background promo - Brisbane's Feuds herald the dawn of a new musical era in their journey with their unmistakably stadium-worthy single 'River Of Wine'. Anthemic from start to finish, the crowning glory of 'River Of Wine' lies in its chorus, which is driven by what is arguably one of the most colossal vocal hooks in recent memory. Frontman Jeremy Hunter was inspired by his struggles with using alcohol as a crutch, and never finding the peace he craved. "The bulk of the track comes from the struggles I was having with drinking a couple years back, suffering these awful bouts of depression for days afterwards, in this never ending cycle," says Hunter. Feuds are a curious beast; not exactly a new band, but not exactly old either. They performed in various forms under a different moniker for years, building up a respectable following and supporting the likes of Bad//Dreems, Holy Holy, Harts, and The Belligerents. Now they're r

Past & Present: Blonde Redhead - Zeke Finn - Pylon - Brutus Begins

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Blonde Redhead - Big Song. Background Info - Teeming with the energy and grit of pre-Giuliani Manhattan, Blonde Redhead's long out-of-print early recordings have finally crawled their way out of the '90s basement thanks to Numero Group who will issue a 4LP / 2CD set on Sept. 30. Weighing in at 37 tracks, Masculin Féminin compiles the band's first two albums for Steve Shelley's Smells Like Records (self-titled and La Mia Via Violenta), their period singles, extant demos, and radio performances across four LPs or two CDs. Dozens of previously unpublished photographs illustrate two lengthy essays on this essential New York band's formative years. This is the latest instalment in Numero Group's 200 Line series which has also included releases from Unwound, Bedhead, Codeine, White Zombie and The Scientists. "These songs combine a raw need, a ready access to neediness, with seemingly incongruous cinematic changes reminiscent of '60s Italian pop music

Down Under Double Play: The Marlenes - Kllo

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The Marlenes - My Blue Eyes. Background promo - The Marlenes are a 3-piece Garage/Indie/Surf-Pop band from the Mornington Peninsula formed in 2014. Drawing on influences from 60’s Soul and Rock ’n’ Roll, as well Psychedelic and Punk, they bring a fun sound that is full of catchy melodies.  They have just recorded their debut album Crawl Out Your Window at the Creme de la Groove Studio in Langwarrin. It follows their 2015 release Jumpin’ Cliffs, a 5 song EP which managed to get some airplay around the country with their single “Cakewalk”. My Blue Eyes” is the first single from the new album. Recorded and produced by The Marlenes, the song is reminiscent of the early The Strokes, with a surf vibe thanks to reverb drenched lead guitars, and harmonicas. They will be playing a run of shows throughout Melbourne from June onwards.“My Blue Eyes” will be released on the 17th June and the album “Crawl Out Your Window” will be released 1st of July 2016. Upcoming Shows: Sat 25th June – T