Every week, Rolling Stone AU/NZ brings you the best new sounds from Australian artists.
Catch up on our past coverage of Dom Dolla, Private Function, and King Gizzard.
Here’s what else you might have missed last week:
Folk Bitch Trio – “The Actor”
Big moves for Naarm trio Folk Bitch Trio, who just signed to US indie powerhouse Jagjaguwar (home to Sharon Van Etten and Dinosaur Jr.). Their first release under the label, “The Actor”, is lush and loaded – a sweeping showcase of the band’s emotional range, wrapped in dreamy textures and backed by a cinematic clip co-directed by Bridgette Winten.
The trio describes the song as “falling hard and fast and breaking down quick too,” through lyrics that “flow down from affectionate details you notice about someone when falling in love, fighting and fucking, and ultimately the demise of a relationship at your partner’s solo theatre play.”
ILUKA – “Girl on the Run”
ILUKA cranks up the self-love with “Girl on the Run”, a glammed-up blend of ‘80s and country flair. It’s bold, feel-good pop with a bite. “‘Girl on the Run’ is my love story to myself,” she says. “It’s about choosing your own path even when it pisses people off and becoming the heroine of your own life.”
Guy Blackman – “I Love Myself For You”
A long-lost gem finally sees daylight. Guy Blackman returns with “I Love Myself For You”, a tender soft-rock slow-burn pulled from the vaults, landing ahead of his first solo album in nearly two decades, Out of Sight (June 13). It’s all breezy strings and hushed melancholy, haunted by time and memory.
“It has taken my brain nearly 18 years to allow myself the mental space to make another record,” he says. “Very glad that these songs that have been haunting my psyche for so long are finally getting to see the light of day!”
Tyne-James Organ – “Worth My Time”
Tyne-James Organ taps into something new on “Worth My Time”, the latest from his upcoming album The Other Side (out May 16). Built around a disco-flavoured beat courtesy of producer Chris Collins (Budjerah, Gretta Ray), the track pulls at the threads of complicated relationships – romantic and otherwise. “Originally, it had my usual sound,” he says, “but when Chris added a disco-style drum loop, it took on a whole new vibe.”
Amalia – “Silly Cliche”
Fresh off her debut and two sold-out shows, Melbourne songwriter Amalia drops the dreamy “Silly Cliche”, a swirling 70s-tinged ballad soaked in early-love wonder. “It’s a song about the overwhelming feelings of the early stages of a relationship,” she says. “And the hope the feeling never fades.”
Kaytlyn Johnson – “Soon”
Tasmania-born First Nations artist Kaytlyn Johnson follows up her debut with “Soon”, a breezy indie-pop cut that keeps the live-band energy pumping. “It’s kind of the younger sister to ‘Sunburn’,” she says. “I’m hoping these tracks form the basis of a really fun live experience for my audiences at gigs.”
Milly Mcpherson – “Bus Song”
The final teaser from Milly McPherson’s upcoming debut (out May 2025), “Bus Song” shifts gears into rock’n’roll territory – a track that rattles with energy but lands with weight.
“As a 21 year old, I have become more and more aware of things going on around me,” McPherson says. “I almost find the way I can be treated by strange men on the bus humourous but also a ridiculous thing that still goes on”.
