MELBOURNE’S KINGS. ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO (u) West Coast
Melbourne-based electro-pop newcomers, KINGS. have today announced their infectious new single (u) West Coast, a gem of a song that is soaked in seasonal nostalgia, set for release on July 1. The band have also announced the fittingly sun-kissed video for (u) West Coast, directed by Lawrence Phelan (Chris Watts, Reika).
(u) West Coast is a shimmering example of uplifting electro pop. Characterised by its sharp production and cyclic synthesisers, the song is intricate, dense and seriously satisfying. It transcends time and transports the listener into the haze of an Australian summer, intrinsically narrated by lead vocalist Hayden Jeffery’s honeyed, soaring vocal. The chorus is joyous, effortlessly cool, and buoyed by endlessly catchy hooks. Speaking on the inspiration behind the tune, Jeffery says, “(u) West Coast draws on the feeling of nostalgia, it’s one of my favourite emotions to feel; it sparks a very colourful and creative energy. The letter (u) in the title refers to a place where I once was and once experienced, it holds plenty of memories, stories and sentimental feelings.”
The lyric video for the tune is reflective of this energy, and consists of stunning, sparkling footage of beaches so picturesque they could have been plucked straight from a daydream. Rolling in and then receding, waves flow underneath the words as they flicker and fade, perfectly timed to emphasise the ebbs and flows in the music. Speaking on the clip, Jeffery explains, “We wanted the lyric video to tie in with the aesthetic of the artwork, as well as the themes of the lyrical content. The video is more or less a pleasing sight to envisage while listening to the song.”
With 80,000 spins across Spotify and Soundcloud, and 30,000 YouTube views for their last single, Whispers, KINGS. have the industry and music lovers’ primed and waiting for this anticipated second single and it will not disappoint. The skilled producers and musicians have a jam-packed year ahead, continuing to create new tunes for themselves and for other musicians, as Jeffery enthuses, “The unique thing about KINGS. is that all the music is DIY from home. We have a little rehearsal studio built in my garage and all of the records come together on my laptop. In our spare time we’ll be making more music and producing for other artists.”
KINGS. is Hayden Jeffery, Sam Buirski, Caleb Williams, and Tim Cox.
(u) West Coast is available for purchase on iTunes on July 1
ADELAIDE CHANTEUSE ‘MANE’ ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE ‘BITTER’ + DEBUT EP ‘HOUSE OF HORROR’ + EAST COAST TOUR
The enigmatic chanteuse, MANE has today announced her new single, Bitter to be released on June 10, alongside a fast-paced, abstract video directed by Benjamin Lancaster Powell. Bitter is the first taste of MANE’s debut EP House of Horror, a bluesy exploration of darkness, set for release on June 24. MANE will be hitting the road to celebrate the release in July, kicking off in Adelaide at The Bluebee Room on July 15, moving through Whole Lotta Love in Melbourne on July 24, and wrapping up in Sydney at The Newsagency on July 29.
Haunting and distinct, Bitter is an intriguing release, completely characterised by MANE’s irresistible voice. With catchy hooks that marry pop and blues influences together flawlessly, a driving percussive force, and intricate, edgy production values, Bitter is a venomous reminder to stay away from the bad side of a good songwriter. The woman behind MANE, Paige Renee Court, says of the release, “Bitter was inspired by a very evil, manipulative person – someone who was once very close to a family member of mine. I usually only write songs that are personal to me, but this song became an exception that flowed out onto the page of my songbook within a matter of minutes. If I’m totally honest, it’s probably too nice of a song for this particular person, knowing what I know now.”
The video for Bitter is a visual reflection of the ubiquitous contempt that propels the track. MANE stands alone, silhouetted and soaked in flashes of psychedelia. Directed by Benjamin Lancaster Powell (Aspirations) of Lightreel Films, the video is visceral and forward-moving. On the clip, Court says, “The concept of this clip is to project the attitude of the track through some abstract images and edits. It’s a fast-paced song and we really tried to keep the pace of the clip going with it.”
Produced by Jack Hookey (Harry Hookey, Imogen Clark) at Kanutsens Studio, the House of Horror EP is a melancholic, soulful journey through the human experience. As an avid fan of a variety of different musical genres, MANE calls upon an array of influences to inform her unique brand of blues-inspired popular music. Court says, “The making of the EP was a bit of journey in itself – I went in with a really open mind and didn’t want to shut myself off to any ideas. House of Horror explores a lot of darkness that has been a result of past experiences or the experiences of others, whether that be resentment, self doubt, death or depression. It all comes under the one roof.”
To celebrate House of Horror, Mane will be embarking on a national tour in July. Excited to be hitting the road, Court gives audiences a hint of what to expect from her live show, saying “The live shows we have planned on the House of Horror tour are going to be fun! Some shows will be performed more stripped back, similar to how I wrote the tracks on the EP, while others will be with the full band.”
New single Bitter is out June 10
New EP House of Horror is out June 24
STACE CADET ANNOUNCES NEW VIDEO FOR ‘MOLLY HAPPY’ + NATIONAL TOUR
Inserting some intergalactic optimism onto the dancefloor, Melbourne’s newest dance recruit, Stace Cadet has just released his debut single Molly Happy, alongside an accompanying music video that may or may not have been shot on Mars. To celebrate his release that has impressively already climbed to number 2 on the ARIA club charts (lastweek), Stace Cadet has today announced a national tour set to kick off in Melbourne on April 15, heading on through Adelaide, Brisbane and finishing up in Sydney on June 11.
Molly Happy is upbeat, visceral, and adventurous – and you can let Houston know that there’s not a problem in sight. House music fans will rejoice in the oozing bass, progressive, intricate production and concise, clever vocals that inform this slick debut. The man behind Stace Cadet, the effervescent Stasi Kotaras is coy about the details of Molly Happy’s conception, but reveals the basic recipe which could easily be mistaken for the plotline of the next big Hollywood blockbuster: “1 road trip around the US, one Claude VonStroke set, one private show from a high school marching band, a fire extinguisher, and a shirtless billionaire riding a Harley two hours inland for burgers.”
With an incredible host of Molly Happy remixes landing, including the likes of Dirtybird Records Kyle Watson, Sydney wonder boy Acaddamy and the best thing to come out of trap world since rolling snares, MOSS (Bris), you’d be forgiven for thinking it couldn’t get much better. “It was a Thursday afternoon and I was tackling a Bega Stringer like my life depended on it,” laughs Kotaras “and boom, I get an email from a very dear friend of mine, Guy Chappell (Yacht Club Dj’s / Twinsy) with a link to this delicious Twinsy mix. I threw the stringer on the ground and called the Medium Rare Records team and here we are.”
Directed by Chase Burns (Troye Sivan, Happy Little Pill), the video for Molly Happy is an existential exploration of yin and yang – punctuated to perfection with some signature Stace Cadet, astronautic dance moves, of course. Shot at Lake Corangamite – the closest thing to Mars on Earth, the video follows our hero Stace Cadet as he is thrust into an alien landscape, completely alone, or so he thinks. “In the clip, the YANG version of me finds a charm that transports him into another world where the YIN version of me finds some mirrors that encourage him to explore his emotions,’ explains Kotaras. “At the end of the clip he realises he quite likes this world, and lets himself wander off in the never-ending scape of it.”
Intrigued? You’re not the only one. The enigmatic Stace Cadet has caught the attention of Medium Rare Recordings, signing a deal with the renowned dance label owned by Ben O’Connor (better known as Benson), Daniel Farley (AKA Terace) Michael Mitropoulos (AKA Mike Metro) and Tom Piper (AKA LO’99).
To celebrate the release of Molly Happy, Stace Cadet will be embarking on a national tour, kicking off with a gig alongside the voice of Peking Duck’s High, Nicole Millar at Old Mates in Melbourne, and then wrapping up in Sydney on June 11. Letting audiences know what to expect from a Stace Cadet show, Kotaras enthuses, “Stace Cadet sets are deeply bass driven, energetic and climactic. Lots of big builds and deep drops… come have a listen and I’ll take you there. And I like to dance, notorious for it. Music is a joyous thing, it should be celebrated from both sides of the decks.”
Molly Happy is out now and we suggest you do yourselves a favour and jump on to Mars with Stace Cadet, strap in for a thrilling ride you won’t forget!