OHMS RELEASES WHIMSICAL NEW SINGLE ‘BIMBO’S INFERNO’
A fantastical journey welding art rock, progressive rock, synth pop and more, the brand new single Bimbo’s Inferno out today from boundless Melbourne creative Ohms is an intricate and unpredictable ride that marks a first single ahead of a, yet to be announced, full length album.
Peeling layers of oscillating genres and foreboding yet playful theatricality, Bimbo’s Inferno also dazzles with starry-eyed melodics interplaying between sudden sinister stylistic shifts. A pop song at its core immersed in woozy vocals and intergalactic instrumentation, Bimbo’s Inferno never wholeheartedly commits to any one genre for long, instead finding Ohms, aka Melbourne artist Hugo Ivers, exploring inspiration from a galaxy of sonic corners, including R. Stevie Moore, MGMT, XTC, The Cleaners From Venus and the early works of of Montreal. “I think I was just so attracted to the intricacies, both subtle and glaring in all their respective works, it made me think to myself “hey, great music doesn’t have to follow a particular formula if I don’t want it to!”. It excited me deeply to think that I could try my hand at composing something simultaneously pop-centric, and completely unconventional.”
With instrumentation performed dominantly by Ohms himself, who also took on the producer’s role, Bimbo’s Inferno also brought together additional instrumentation recorded by Timothy Dunn, drums recorded by Stu McKenzie, mixing by Ohms and Andrew Robinson at Rolling Stock Studios, and mastering by Mikey Young. And amid the long journey to finally releasing his new single, Ohms drew inspiration from his surrounds in Melbourne, conjuring an unsettling personal nightlife experience into musical form via Bimbo’s Inferno. “It’s not really inspired by anyone, but rather just a tongue-in-cheek pop song about my ineptitude to engage in Melbourne nightlife,” shares Ohms. “I was, and still am, somewhat of a creature of habit, finding more comfort in working on projects by myself into the wee hours, rather than hitting up various pubs and clubs. I remember a rare occurrence years ago where I emerged for a night out with friends, feeling like a fish out of water as we traversed the streets of the inner northern suburbs. I always had some strange, foreboding sense of paranoia once the sun died out and entered the evening. Anyway, the following day I read an article about the same bar we drank at burning down that very night. Suffice to say I didn’t head out on the town for a number of months following that.”
Drawing the Ohms creative name from studies in audio engineering and the necessity of the project’s namesake in the recoding and production process, Ivers’ grew up immersing himself in a vast tapestry of music from his parents’ extensive record collection, spanning 80s soul, 70s progressive rock, 60s folk and 20th-century classical music in his early childhood. Finding fascination in imagery conjured by certain music in his youth, Ivers also inevitably found himself drawn to “an overwhelming attachment to the romanticism of being a ‘musician’ from a very young age”. A multi-instrumentalist, seeking to experiment and understand each instrument intuitively, Ivers evolved into working to reverse-engineer melodies and sounds emanating from his creative consciousness; a process that would blossom with organic magnetic results. “I liken it to Brian Eno’s approach of replacing the element of skill with the element of judgment,” says Ohms. “If it works in my mind, I will seek out what I am hearing internally, in spite of whether I am technically proficient enough to achieve it.”
With Bimbo’s Inferno marking the first step towards a planned upcoming full length album, Ohms is set to entice listeners deeper and deeper into his creative soul; and it’s a journey that has kickstarted with an unforgettable bang. “Unpredictability, intricacy, and colour are elements I’ve always strived for when creating music, and Bimbo’s Inferno exemplifies this effort,” Ohms concludes. “Duality in my music is very important to me, and because of this, I’ve never truly known how on earth to present my music, whether there is even an audience for it. Ultimately, creative pursuits are a deeply personal effort, so the only audience in mind has always been myself. But, naturally, I hope that the madcap, warped pop song that Bimbo’s Inferno is crawls its way into the hearts and ears of those who appreciate its absurdity.”
Bimbo’s Inferno is out now.
CLOE WILDER SHARES ETHEREAL NEW SINGLE ‘AFTERGLOW’ EP ‘I SPENT MY SUMMER ON THE ROAD’ SET FOR RELEASE APRIL 19
A stunning mix of romance and nostalgia, the new single Afterglow from American singer-songwriter Cloe Wilder is a shimmering modern folk gem, marking an ethereal step closer to the release of Wilder’s impending new EP I Spent My Summer on the Road, set for release on Friday April 19.
A folksy ballad soaked in acoustic guitar and dreamy melodics, Afterglow also features glossy vocals from both Wilder and her long-time collaborator NICOLOSI, with the track reminiscent of Bon Iver and Lana Del Rey caught in a gauzy trance. Simultaneously introspective and wistful with celestial overtones, Afterglow ultimately evolved from a melancholic narrative, as Wilder elaborates, “Escaping from locations is a big theme in my songs, but I also love the concept of leaving someone behind. Afterglow sort of morphed into this story of two people growing apart in the wintertime; the understanding that the house has gone cold and there’s no way to imagine what that could feel like until it happens. I absolutely love that visual.”
Working alongside NICOLOSI for both Afterglow and its overarching EP, I Spent My Summer on the Road, Wilder also teamed up with Grammy Award-nominated engineer Adam Grover (Maggie Lindemann, Zach Bryan, Dizzee Rascal) and videographer/photographer Jesse DeFlorio (Matt Maeson, Imagine Dragons, American Authors) to bring her creative visions to life, with the accompanying lyric video for Afterglow seamlessly reflecting its subject matter, as Wilder offers, “I wanted to reference the essence of Afterglow. It’s a little bit of a nostalgic nod to classic folk with the super 8 look, but I feel that Sam and I wanted to give it a post-modern twist.”
Following on from her debut 2021 EP Teenage Lullabies, Wilder spreads her sonic wings on her upcoming EP, with I Spent My Summer on the Road traversing everything from stripped-back bedroom pop (Little White Pills), to coming-of-age odes (Fake ID), lush indie swoon (Take It In), folk-hued warmth (Afterglow) and enraptured calm (Five Years). And while still laden with youthful exuberance following the release a few years ago of her debut EP at the age of 14, I Spent My Summer on the Road is a stirring and disarming experience, with Wilder once again finding magic alongside NICOLOSI and an array of influences, as Wilder explains, “I started writing with Sam when I was 14 and working on my first EP. I honestly didn’t let him go after. Lana Del Rey is my ultimate reference for everything. Bon Iver, Matt Maeson, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes, The Lumineers, Florence & The Machine, and so many more came into play. This EP is a testament to the last three years of my life. It’s my coming-of-age scrapbook through the lens of being 17 and confused. In the course of processing that evolution, I started to accept it and I had to write about it.”
Emerging as a teenager armed with earthy melodies, wistful narratives and gossamer vocals, Cloe Wilder’s innate ability to evoke warm and familiar melodies with her witticism and heartfelt lyricism aligns her comfortably as a Floridian young Taylor Swift, with sonic poise well beyond her young years. Dabbling in the bedroom pop realms of Lana Del Rey and Phoebe Bridges as well as folk and modern sentimentality, Wilder is as much a confidante as she is a conduit for evocative and memorable music. With her previous single Call Me If You Need Me currently in command of over 1 million individual streams, Wilder also has an array of live performances in her wake, including Breaking Sound in Los Angeles, and supports with EMELINE, Spencer Sutherland, Steinza and is currently on the road with Charlotte Sands. And in 2024, her journey continues with the impending release of her sophomore EP, I Spent My Summer on the Road.
“I put out my first EP out when I was 14, so I’m beyond excited for this new introduction,” Wilder concludes. “These songs are really important to me, and I’ve loved being able to grow with them.”
Afterglow is out today, Friday March 29.
I Spent My Summer on the Road is due out on Friday April 19.
ESKIMO JOE SHARE DRIVING NEW SINGLE THE FIRST TIME
A buoyant yet bittersweet ode to nostalgia, Australian alternative rock icons Eskimo Joe return today armed with The First Time; the band’s first new music since 2021’s 99 Ways. Set to appear at Lookout Festival alongside Live and Incubus before embarking on their National Acoustic Theatre Tour starting this April, The First Time feels familiar yet fresh, with Eskimo Joe capturing the essence of their stadium rock-ready triumph, 2008’s Black Fingernails, Red Wine, alongside some sharp 2024 vigour.
Drawing inspiration from long-time Eskimo Joe creative influences as well as the band’s unshakeable bond, the core of The First Time also evolved following a stacked 2023, with multiple festival appearances sparking the trio to harness the energy of a giant crowd setting into their 2024-penned new track. “We really look up to bands like the Rolling Stones and U2 – those guys who keep touring and creating music over and over again,”shares bass player and vocalist Kav Temperley. “It makes us proud of our musical journey and the people who have taken our songs into their lives. Eskimo Joe is still the three core members. It just wouldn’t be the Eskies without the three of us in a studio or on stage making music together – our friendship is as much a part of the band as the music itself. After an amazing 2023 of playing some huge festivals, there’s this indescribable energy when a massive crowd is singing your songs back at you. We wanted to capture that energy and infuse it into our recording. So, in the first week of January this year, over five days we wrote and recorded The First Time at my studio in Fremantle.”
Opening with Temperley musing “I found myself looking for you, I wonder if you’re looking for me” over glimmering instrumentation and a driving beat, The First Time simultaneously tugs at your heartstrings while charming with creamy melodics and soaring choruses. An undeniable instant Eskimo Joe classic, The First Time ultimately delves into upbeat sentimentality, as Temperley elaborates, “We wanted to write something that set out to encapsulate the bittersweet feeling of nostalgia, that looks back through rose coloured glasses conveniently forgetting the heartache and sleepless nights that came with a certain place and time in our lives. It’s easy in the loneliest moments to look back and take comfort in those memories secretly holding onto that feeling like an addict. The song is also a realisation that holding onto the past might also be holding you back from the present. The subject is nostalgic but so is the sound of this song, it sounds like it could have sat perfectly on the Black Fingernails album.”
Lead guitarist Stu MacLeod says, “You put so much energy into each song, you build it up, tear it down, build it back up again until it matches the band’s vision. I love the energy in this song and the sentiment, and I’m stoked that we get to release it out into the world.” Drummer and guitarist Joel Quartermain adds, “Once it’s out in the world, a song truly exists. Hopefully people connect with it.”
The accompanying music video beautifully documents Eskimo Joe’s many years as a band, with nostalgic footage of their many achievements over the years.
Forming in 1997, Eskimo Joe would go on to become one of Australia’s most enduring acts, with six studio albums and ongoing commercial success in their wake, including 2004’s A Song Is A City and 2006’s Black Fingernails, Red Wine reaching Platinum status, and the latter dominating the ARIA Top 50 Chart for 62 weeks. The Eskimo Joe journey from Fremantle indie rock darlings to an international success story has also seen the band’s impact expand well beyond the studio, with ongoing chart success, 35 ARIA nominations and eight wins, two APRA Awards, countless appearances at major festivals and events across the globe, and frequent appearances in triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown, including their single Black Fingernails, Red Wine taking out the #2 spot in the Hottest 100 of 2006. With performances spanning Sound Relief, Live Earth, at the Sundance Film Festival or, closer to home, at Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass and, most recently, Good Things Festival, Eskimo Joe’s craftsmanship is only amplified by their swaggering live prowess; and it’s this very fact that inspired the band’s newest sonic output while also firmly showcasing Eskimo Joe’s ever-present vitality in the music scene decades into their career.
“It feels great releasing some new music with Eskimo Joe,” Temperley says. “We had such an amazing year last year, playing all different kinds of shows, and ending the year with Good Things Festival that saw us playing in front of crowds of 30,000. We left 2023 feeling so connected with our audiences that we felt that now is the right time to write a new tune.”
“Kicking off in April, we take to the road for the Lookout Festival, unveiling our new single with icons like Incubus and Live,” Temperley concludes.Straight off the back of the festival – April through August, we embark on a 22-show acoustic journey across Australia. This tour allows us to present our music in a more intimate setting, strengthening our connection with our audience. Each performance is crafted to deepen the musical experience, blending the high energy of festival shows with the personal touch of our acoustic sessions.”
The First Time is out today.
ESKIMO JOE – UPCOMING SHOWS
SAT 06 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, SANDSTONE POINT, QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets
SUN 07 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, SOUTHPORT, QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets
SAT 13 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, MORNINGTON VIC | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets
SAT 20 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, WHITFORDS WA | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets
SAT 27 APR | CIVIC HALL, BALLARAT VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 03 5333 5888
SUN 28 APR | WYNDHAM CULTURAL CENTRE, WERRIBEE VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office (03) 8734 6000
SAT 25 MAY | CASULA POWERHOUSE, LIVERPOOL NSW
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 02 8711 7123
SUN 26 MAY | THE CONCOURSE LOUNGE, WILLOUGHBY NSW
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 02 8075 8111
FRI 31 MAY | LOGAN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, LOGAN QLD
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
SAT 1 JUN | PROSERPINE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, PROSERPINE QLD
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office(07) 4945 0405
FRI 21 JUN | RED EARTH ARTS PRECINCT, KARRATHA WA
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours (no contact on venue)
SAT 22 JUN | CARNARVON CIVIC CENTRE, CARNARVON WA
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
FRI 28 JUN | ALBANY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, ALBANY WA
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office (08) 6212 9292
SUN 30 JUN | ESPERANCE CIVIC CENTRE, ESPERANCE WA
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
FRI 5 JUL | THE WEDGE, SALE VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 03 5143 3200
SAT 6 JUL | KINGSTON CITY HALL, MOORABBIN VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office (03) 9556 4440.
SUN 7 JUL | QUEANBEYAN PAC, QUEANBEYAN NSW | ALL AGES
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office (02) 6285 6290
TUE 9 JUL | HORSHAM TOWN HALL THEATRE, HORSHAM VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 03 5382 9555
FRI 12 JUL | SWAN HILL TOWN HALL PACC, SWAN HILL VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
SAT 13 JUL | THE ART HOUSE, WYONG NSW
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 02 4335 1485
FRI 26 JUL | MOUNT ISA CIVIC CENTRE, MOUNT ISA QLD
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
SUN 28 JUL | ROCKHAMPTON RIVER FESTIVAL, ROCKHAMPTON QLD | ALL AGES
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours