Every week, Rolling Stone AU/NZ rounds up our favourite Australian music releases from the past seven days, and the first week of August did not disappoint.
Before checking out this week’s picks below, catch up on our previous coverage of Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Nice Biscuit, FISHER, Ziggy Ramo, Void of Vision, 3%, Grinspoon, and It Thing.
Ben Lee – “Positive Energy”
Start with a boost from Ben Lee’s latest, which he calls one of his favourites. It’s a vulnerable song about the pressure to always stay positive.
Lee shares, “It’s about the pressure I have felt from others (and put on myself) to always be the happy guy, the glass half full guy, the positive guy. In present times, it’s not easy. Like anyone, I get dragged down in despair and depression sometimes, and even succumb to feeling doomed. But at the end of the day, I still aspire to give off good vibez, to be inspired and to inspire others. And that’s really the best I can do.”
CYRIL, Kita Alexander – “True”
CYRIL and Kita Alexander reinvent Spandau Ballet’s classic “True” into a breezy dance-pop track ready for the dance floor. It’s taken from CYRIL’s debut EP, FROM DOWN UNDER.
Hellcat Speedracer, DZ Deathrays – “Daybreak”
Sydney’s electronic dance duo Hellcat Speedracer team up with local friends DZ Deathrays for this frenzied electronic punk track. With its intense energy and anthemic chant begging for the party to never end, it’s a strong first taste of their upcoming debut EP.
Jarrow – SKIP INTO
Melbourne’s Jarrow returns with his new EP SKIP INTRO, featuring plenty of catchy indie-rock. “Birthmark” stands out with its upbeat tempo and quirky music video.
Dogworld – RANGE
Dogworld’s debut EP RANGE was made during a four-day writing retreat on Yuin Country, surrounded by nature. That expansive feel is palpable across the seven tracks, which blend post-punk, jazz, and alt-country into an eclectic mix where no two songs sound alike. A promising debut from the Melbourne outfit.
Stella Bridie – “He Didn’t Mean It”
Stella Bridie is among the rising stars heading to Brisbane’s BIGSOUND this year. The Melbourne-based singer-songwriter’s new single “He Didn’t Mean It” showcases her cathartic brand of indie-rock and stark, emotive songwriting.
EDIE – unsaid
EDIE’s new EP unsaid continues her bold alt-pop approach, exploring heartbreak and grief with raw honesty.
“This body of work explores all the things unsaid and all the things I never got to say,” EDIE explains. “It deals with heartbreak, anger, and sadness, covering all the stages of grief over a breakup. It’s a personal glimpse into my own journal where I overshare with brutal honesty.”
Straight Arrows – Surface World
Straight Arrows’ fourth album Surface World offers a reverb-laden mix of 60s garage, psychedelia, punk, and power-pop.
Hannah Stow – “But I Lie”
Ahead of her debut EP, Hannah Stow’s new single “But I Lie” features dreamy synths and intimate lyrics about love and identity.
“This song touches on the tribulations of being hidden in a same sex relationship… I wrote this song years ago… I decided it was too good not to release. I got Calvin Bennett to add some sexy guitar riffs and this quickly became a smooth listening track with a really raw meaning about love and identity,” Stow reveals.
total tommy – “REAL”
total tommy has been grabbing attention with standout singles this year, and we’re all in. The Sydney-based artist’s latest single combines gothy post-punk with driving indie rock, capturing the whirlwind of post-breakup emotions.
“‘REAL’ is about the dizziness of that post breakup time, where you’re dipping in and out of reality. It’s the whirlwind of irrational thoughts you have about whether your decision was right, and the guilt of breaking someone’s heart. It’s the reminiscing, the hurt, the love that stays for a while after. But ultimately, knowing you did the right thing for yourself,” total tommy says.
Slowly Slowly – “All Time”
Slowly Slowly take you from Soho to Rome with their new loved-up single “All Time.” Expect more bouncy, high-energy pop from the Melbourne outfit.
Hey! Astro – Don’t Waste Another Minute
Filipino/Italian-Australian pop artist Hey! Astro’s debut mixtape Don’t Waste Another Minute mixes indie and hip-hop, appealing to fans of Dominic Fike and Bakar.
Fan Girl – “eleveneleven”
Fan Girl’s new single “eleveneleven” is the third track from their upcoming EP, real or staged. It’s dark and danceable, with added broken drum machines and off-kilter trumpets for good measure.
“We wanted it to be a little bit 60s horror film, a little bit 2024 end of the world and a little bit of everything in between. It is all a little wonky, broken and ominous, and not quite how you remember it,” Fan Girl share.
Hannah McKittrick – “Utensil”
Hannah McKittrick’s first single since 2022, “Utensil,” is a splendid return, inviting us to embrace life’s mysteries and fleeting moments.
“Utensil’ is about letting things flicker in and out of your focus. It is about loving animals, noticing the wind on the surface of the Yarra and honouring the ceremony of it. To come home at midnight still carrying the exuberance of the outside world with you but trying not to wake everyone up as you come in. To identify the colour you love and then every time it enters your vision you are given a gift. To throw things up in the air to see how they feel when you catch them. To touch and always honour its predecessor; reaching,” McKittrick shares.
Gemma Ylana – “Stub(born)”
Gemma Ylana (formerly Gemma Navarrete) delivers smooth production and jazz-infused guitars in her latest track. Instant feel-good vibes that show off her effortless range.
AYLA – DOPAMINE
Sunshine Coast artist AYLA’s debut album DOPAMINE highlights her ‘sad girl pop’ style and powerful vocals, with standout track “Open Your Doors” offering an uplifting message.
Make Them Suffer – “Oscillator”
Perth metal icons Make Them Suffer have announced their fifth self-titled studio album, turning up the heat with a fiery critique of modern addictions.
“‘Oscillator’ is more than just a song about screen addiction; it delves into the profound impact this addiction has on mental health,” the band explain. “As we become more reliant on this constant source of stimulation, our baseline joy and excitement for life in general becomes lowered. I believe we are currently facing a mental health crisis, largely attributable to screen addiction.”
Alter Boy – “Prepare The Moon”
Last but not least, Alter Boy’s Molly Priest flips the love song genre with “Prepare the Moon,” written from the perspective of a selfish ex-lover.
Priest explains, “I spent many years writing love songs and preparing gifts and accolades for entitled and arrogant men, so I wanted to write a love song for the self I was at that time. To recall myself from the perspective of the person receiving me, naïve and pining, fresh off god and searching for a surrogate. I think the person who is infatuated and desperate to please is degraded for building that kind of attachment, but this song is like, ‘Hey, you thought you were entitled to it, this is embarrassing for you.'”
