Every week, Rolling Stone AU/NZ rounds up our favourite releases in Australian music from the past seven days.
Catch up on previous coverage on Alex the Astronaut, Kylie Minogue, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Amyl and the Sniffers, Brad Cox, Y.O.G.A., ISHAN, and Briggs/Kobie Dee, and check out fresh highlights from Delivery, Maybe Hugo, Oscar The Wild, Lara Villani, Miss Lucy, Semantics, Greta Stanley, Carla Wehbe and more below.
Delivery – “Operating At a Loss”
Melbourne’s garage-punk five-piece Delivery are back with “Operating At a Loss,” and it hits like a caffeine-fuelled office worker set loose. This electrifying single is the second taste of the band’s forthcoming second album.
Maybe Hugo – Maybe, Might Be, Could Be
Adelaide’s Maybe Hugo debuts with Maybe, Might Be, Could Be, a self-produced EP that channels the grooves of Parcels, Jungle, and Steve Lacy. It’s swooning, funk-laden tracks deliver smooth listening with a theme of indecision — because that’s the point.
“Going into the writing process, I didn’t really have a specific message I wanted to push with each song. I wanted to let the listener interpret the music themselves, as I’ve often found many of my favourite songs gave me this exact feeling! Maybe it provides you warmth, whereas someone might have a gloomier perspective on it; the choice is with you!” Maybe Hugo shares.
Oscar the Wild – “Roll with the Punches”
Even with its upbeat Brit-rock vibe, Oscar the Wild’s new track packs a punch with a darker message. Ruby Gazzola penned this one after the Bondi Junction attack, during a time when violence against women was declared a “national emergency.”
She says, “This song is heavy, but also very close to my heart because women, trans people, enbys and allies stand strong together.”
Lara Villani – “Fire”
Melbourne singer-songwriter Lara Villani switches things up with “Fire,” exploring new sounds and a fictional, magnetic relationship. After two personal singles, she’s having more fun with this one, and it shows.
Miss Lucy – “Chapter on Dancing”
Miss Lucy swap their slick synth-pop for something dreamier on “Chapter on Dancing.” The soothing, reflective track marks a new chapter for the Brisbane indie duo.
Semantics – I Feel It All At Once
With its punchy guitar riffs and hooky chords, Semantics’ new album I Feel It All At Once shows the Brisbane indie-punk quartet in top form for their national tour this month.
Greta Stanley – If I Get In, Where Would I Go?
Greta Stanley takes big strides in songwriting with her third studio album, If I Get In, Where Would I Go?
The project centres around healing and the ongoing journey of self-improvement. “The past three years, I’ve been doing my best to face the beast that is anxiety and depression,” Stanley shares. “This album is all about my experience.”
Elana Stone – Married to the Sound
Elana Stone’s third studio album, Married to the Sound, follows her 2015 debut EP Kintsugi and explores themes of love, motherhood, and climate change. It’s all wrapped in a mix of modern electronica, indie pop, and balladry, which she describes as “Billy Joel’s piano meets Kate Bush’s vocals meets Ben Folds Five’s harmonies but with Unknown Mortal Orchestra or Tame Impala as the house band.”
The Rions – Happiness in a Place It Shouldn’t Be
It’s been a huge year for The Rions. The band has released impressive singles like “Physical Medicine” and “Sweet Cocoon,” leading up to their new EP, Happiness in a Place It Shouldn’t Be. They’re also gearing up for their largest Australian headline tour yet, hitting Darwin, Cairns, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Margaret River, Fremantle, and nearly everywhere in between at the end of the year.
John Butler – “Banjo Loop”
Just six months after his ambient-inspired solo album, Running River, John Butler is back with a new instrumental album, Still Searching, set to release on Friday, November 1st. The first single from the album, “Banjo Loop,” is out now and features a video shot in iconic Fremantle locations by Nick McKinlay, directed by Butler himself – a nod to the city where his career began.
Mitch Tambo – “The Best”
Mitch Tambo puts a fresh spin on Tina Turner’s hit “The Best,” performing it in traditional Gamilaraay language, just in time for the 35th anniversary of Turner’s anthem.
The Amity Affliction – Let the Ocean Take Me (Redux)
Metalcore icons The Amity Affliction have dropped Let the Ocean Take Me (Redux), cranking up the intensity of their breakthrough 2014 album with a harder sound.
Coldwave – “The Ants / Italia ’06”
Lastly, Adelaide-based post-punk six-piece Coldwave go all out with their first release of the year, sharing not one but two new songs.
Carla Wehbe – “Life’s an Awful Mess”
Another indie rock banger from the big Australian talent. Wehbe’s new single “Life’s an Awful Mess” serves up a daily dose of existential crisis, and we’re very much here for it.