EXTENDED PLAYLIST 072: NEW RELEASES - JULY 28 - AUGUST 4
It’s been a HUGE week for Aussie music releases - it was hard to choose our favourites!
Futuremag Music Editor Brooke Gibbs has handpicked her favourite releases from the last week into one convenient playlist just for you.
Airports - Everything We Know
Self-written, performed and mixed, this Aussie who is now living in London, has released a fresh new track.
Airports shares, this “was written as a reminder to myself to disband from old beliefs rooted in victim or lack of mindsets, and a reminder to believe in myself when the odds feel stacked against me. And to be honest, it worked.”
YAGKI - Just A Ghost
This Lebanese/Australian alt-pop artist has released a new single, and it’s my favourite one by her yet!
YAGKI shares, "'Just A Ghost reflects my journey of running away from home at 16 to escape a difficult upbringing in housing commission and foster care. It also delves into the guilt of leaving my family behind in severe hardship and highlights the generational trauma that traps families in these environments."
Tones and I - Beautifully Ordinary (Album)
Co-produced by Tones And I, Beautifully Ordinary sees the Australian artist embracing personal growth and finding peace as she champions listeners toward the same.
Further on the album, there is joy in the breezy We’ll See Stars, a song of hope Tones wrote for her sister; Dance With Me – the current single, is a happy-sad dancefloor anthem that belies the heartbreak that informs it; and You Don’t Know Me Like That (about Tones’ experiences with a stalker) sounds like a dance song set in the Wild West. And then there’s Call My Name, an ebullient club anthem co-written by Jenna Andrews (BTS, Drake, Jennifer Lopez) that sends the album out with a bang. When taken in tandem with the rousing, gospel-flavoured Figure It Out (about being granted the time to grow and become a fully-formed person) and slow-building Only One (about still loving someone even after they’ve broken your heart), the result is an album in the truest sense of the word – a sonic and emotional journey that ebbs and flows with ups, downs, and all points in between.
Eva Rundle - A Familiar Place
This Adelaide-based Indie/Pop singer and songwriter has released her second single, inspired by her personal experience of moving outside her comfort zone.
Eva shares, “I got inspiration to write the song when I moved house from the suburbs to a country town. I went away from my friends and popular places to somewhere not many people lived… things felt familiar, but nothing was recognisable, so I didn’t know my place even though it’s where I lived.”
Stay tuned for Futuremag’s interview with Eva Rundle and her upcoming music video for A Familiar Place.
Squid The Kid - Moves
One of Melbourne’s hottest rising artists has released his latest single off his forthcoming debut EP, KOZY TAPE, set for release on August 28.
Moves illustrates Squid The Kid's ability to blend storytelling with infectious grooves. Describing the inspiration behind the track, he explains, "With the release of SPEED, I wanted to go back to my roots and bring back the funky/groovy elements that I’m normally known for. This next single, Moves, recaps a story of two individuals grabbing each other's attention, then proceeding to ditch their original plans and head out on a spontaneous adventure, whilst getting to know each other in the process".
Read Futuremag’s interview with Squid The Kid here.
RARIA - … WHY DO YOU HATE ME?
This is the first song RARIA has put out independently in years and it’s definitely getting the recognition it deserves, landing radio support across all Aussie stations.
RARIA shares, “This song might seem like a fun, dancey pop song, which it totally is, but it comes from a place of deep trauma. High school was traumatic for me. Everyone there made me feel small for wanting to be an artist. I remember releasing my first song at 15, only to be crucified at school the next day. Long story cut short, those years were hell for me and it’s always left a huge scar. I honestly don’t know how I made it out alive.”
RARIA, rest assured, Futuremag LOVES YOU!!
Melody Pool - Changing
Working towards the release of her third studio album, Melody has unveiled a compelling new single.
Melody shares Changing “is really mostly about accepting that the only constant in life is change. Changing, to me, is about finding a way to make the heavy stuff worth it, allowing it to change you. And allowing the darkest parts of yourself their time in the light so you can hear their needs and shift them into a healthier space in your life.”
Late June - Focus
This Aoteroa-based producer and DJ has released a new single to accompany the announcement of his forthcoming album.
Late June shares, “Focus as a song is about relieving the pressures of succeeding and having perfect friendships and relationships in life, and just putting more comfort and love into daily life. I wrote the Focus chord progression in my head while staring at the waves at the beach, just at sunset golden hour, purple golden light shining down with my daughter digging a hole next to me, smiling and asking me questions. I wrote that song late that night, from around 7pm till 4am.”
Stay tuned for Futuremag’s interview with Late June. Mending, the forthcoming album is due for release on December 6.
Party Dozen - Money & The Drugs
These Sydney punks have dropped another single from their forthcoming album, Crime in Australia (due for release September 6).
Party Dozen shares, “The first section of this song is inspired by a sound that we heard at the airport pick up zone in Sydney. A small aircraft coming in to land low would project this low bending rumble into the cement car park filling it with resonant frequencies.
"Money & The Drugs features Kirsty really letting it out into her saxophone void. Then, it picks up a coupla gears into a rockin’ frenzy. It’s one of our most fun songs to play live. But, sometimes too much of a good thing can land you in deep water. Sometimes, this song gets away from us.”
Alana Wilkinson - With A Boob Out
Ladies, let’s be honest! How many things have we done just to realise we had a boob hanging out? Well, Alana Wilkinson captures that feeling perfectly in this hilarious, yet relatable song.
Alana shares, "In the middle of a sceptical ponder about the significant neurological changes of a woman's brain in postpartum AKA ‘Mum Brain’, I accidentally answered the door to the postman with my boob out. I started to tally some moments of wild postpartum brain fog and boobie milk chaos and created this love song for that precious chapter - so full of love and surprises."
51st Avenue - Moments
This is the heaviest track from Sydney’s hyper-modern, pop-punk bad so far, and the first to feature new bass player, Anthony Corrollo (as well as the bands first ever breakdown!).
“I’ve been waiting for a track that makes me feel like dancing, so when I heard the instrumental of Moments, I couldn’t help but move. It’s really different to our other tracks, so I figured why not lean into that and write about something we haven’t before. It’s also not a very long track at all so naming it Moments and writing about a one-night stand felt very appropriate and heaps of fun! I’ve also been in my mum era so a step out of that was refreshing.” - Alyniss Zizza, 51st Avenue.
Eli - One of These Days
This newcomer will be giving us his debut EP, I Can Be Whatever You Want Me To Be, later this month.
This is a song about dreaming big and enjoying the journey over focusing on the destination. Eli also reveals that this was initially a quick song to create, but then the refining turned out to be a much longer process. It also sets a much slower pace to its predecessors, but it is only a short reprieve before we dive into the full EP.
Dylan Tai - Let’s Get Bubble Tea! (LGBT)
This song was inspired from the popular meme, while paying homage to Dylan’s roots growing up in Malaysia to Chinese parents. They have since used meme culture to share their store about their cultural background.
N.Y.C.K - United Places
These cult storytellers have surprised fans with the instant release of their irresistble sophomore album.
They began sampling their favourite records 12 months ago, stealing snippets from songs they’d grown up listening to, secretly recording friends’ conversations overheard, streetscapes and the sounds of life to form a rich library of sounds to draw from.
Stay tuned for Futuremag’s interview with N.Y.C.K.
The Comfort - The Weight Of The World
This alternative-rock outfit has made a thrilling return. Before finding a home within The Comfort’s discography, The Weight of the World was initially intended for a heavier side project. “We decided that this just had to be a Comfort song, despite its clearly different style to what we usually write,” reveals vocalist and bassist Dominic Harper. “I guess we found that once you add the vocals, it becomes The Comfort. There are a few other heavy songs similar to this floating around that might one day make it out of the vault, but this one felt like it couldn't wait.”
Jimi The Kween - Starlight feat. Zoe Badwi
This Melbourne DJ, drag artist, and musician has teamed up with Australian pop royalty Zoe Badwi for a modern, banging take on Starlight - the 2001 classic by The Superman Lovers.
9lives - I DID IT (w/ Kanii & Anycia)
Fresh off recent collaborations with the likes of Trippie Redd, Lil Nas X, Lancey Foux, LAZER DIM 700, and Odetari, 20-year-old New Zealand multi-hyphenate artist/producer 9lives joins forces with Kanii and Anycia for their new single.
"This song is a mood boost," 9lives shares of the track. "Kanii and I were in Noise Nest Studios in LA, and Kanii went live on Twitch — so we were actually live with fans when we made the record, which was a special moment. I first met Anycia earlier this year in Atlanta, and I knew her nonchalant, laid-back delivery would be perfect for the song."
Lizzie Hosking - Dance With Me
This Adelaide-based artist has released another dance pop anthem! She’s also released a very cute dance video to go with it.
Watch Futuremag’s interview with Lizzie here.
ISHAN - Make Up Moves
ISHAN shares, “I wrote this song because I was thinking too much. I wanted something of my own that I could relax my brain and dance to. Also it’s about love tehe.”
Watch Futuremag’s interview with ISHAN here.
Tierney Brothers - Praying
Andrew and Mike Tierney are back with the follow up to their debut single, Lemonade.
Praying is an upbeat soul-driven pop song that underlines the Tierney Brothers musicality and songwriting skills.
RÜFÜS DU SOL - Lately
This release sees the Grammy-winning, live electronic trio continue to roll out their first new music since their 2021 album, Surrender.
Lately lends itself to RÜFÜS’ indie inclinations, balancing the club rhythms, intricate sound design, and heartfelt songwriting that continues to soundtrack the highs and lows of their fans' most pivotal life moments.