Every week, Rolling Stone AU/NZ rounds up our favourite Australian music released from the past seven days.
Catch up on previous coverage of Dune Rats, ISHAN, and Sycco, and check out fresh tracks from Emma Russack, Agung Mango, Mia Wray, Fanning Dempsey National Park, Allday, The Comfort, Stand Atlantic, and Christine Anu below.
Emma Russack – “That’s Not Free”
“If everything comes around again, if everyone gets found again, you’ll see me,” the Melbourne folk-pop artist Emma Russack sings on this dreamy, laid-back tune from her upcoming album, About the Girl. Russack’s tender realisations and warm guitar strums add to the track’s gentle swoon.
Agung Mango – IN BELLY WE TRUST
Melbourne rapper Agung Mango puts his undeniable talent for hip hop beats and rhymes front and centre on his debut album, IN BELLY WE TRUST. This 13-track mix draws on his Indonesian and Italian roots, with an eclectic sound that sounds like Paris Texas (whom he supported at Laneway) meets N.E.R.D.
“This album is a reflection of a pivotal moment in my life where I learned to trust myself and embrace authenticity,” says Agung Mango. “I was going through a lot during that time and music seemed to be the only release that was helping me. It’s a raw expression of my journey in the last year and a bit.”
Mia Wray – “The Way She Moves”
Mia Wray cuts loose with her uninhibited new single “The Way She Moves”. It’s a full-on, party-starting track that’s heading straight for anthem territory. This release marks a new chapter for the Queensland artist.
“I was newly single for the first time in my 20’s and aside from feeling completely heartbroken and lost, I felt giddy about the possibility of exploring my sexuality for the first time,” says Wray.
Fanning Dempsey National Park – The Deluge
Fanning Dempsey National Park combines two of Australia’s biggest music icons in Paul Dempsey and Bernard Fanning. Their debut album, The Deluge, is out now and promises an unexpected sound and new ground for both artists. They’ll be touring Australia this October and November.
“We didn’t want it to sound like a Fanning record or a Dempsey record, we wanted it to sound like a band,” says Fanning. “That was the point of the National Park moniker”, Dempsey adds. “We wanted the sense of an organisation bigger than the two of us.”
Allday – The Necklace
Allday, aka Tom Gaynor, is back and better than ever with his new concept album, The Necklace. 15 electrifying rap tracks packed with heartbreak, humour, and catchy hooks, all delivered with unmatched flair. Read our album review here.
The Comfort – “The Weight of the World”
The Comfort tackle some heavy themes with their existential new single. It’s their hardest-hitting track yet, proving we’ve got a lot more to hear from the Brisbane outfit.
Stand Atlantic – “FRENEMIES
Stand Atlantic tackle toxic friendships on “FRENEMIES”, and the high-powered track is sure to set the stage for some major headline shows at the end of this month.
“’Frenemies’ is about rocky friendships and not knowing where u stand w someone – we’ve thrown it back a lil more in this track for the OG fans stylistically but in a fresh lil way,” says Stand Atlantic’s Bonnie Fraser.
Christine Anu – Waku – Minaral A Minalay
Christine Anu’s first original album in 20 years, Waku – Minaral A Minalay, is a major project celebrating her family heritage and the generations before her. She recorded the album across Cairns, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Torres Strait Islands, and the Solomon Islands with her long-time producer and friend, David Bridie.
“This album is about reconnecting with my grandfather as a young father back in post-World War II, in the Torres Strait region. So I sing about a time from long ago… Waku – Minaral A Minalay creates a landscape, a picture, a soundscape of feeling like you were there listening to these songs when they were being made,” Anu says.
