WOMEN OF SOUL SHARE DOUBLE SINGLE ‘LIFELINE’ FT RITA SATCH & ‘I AM ENOUGH’ FT CANDICE MONIQUE AND ANNOUNCE SOPHOMORE RECORD ‘FEEL GOOD’ SET FOR JUNE 2 RELEASE
Australia’s premier collective of female-identifying artists Women of Soul, is proud to share the first two tracks from their forthcoming full-length LP Feel Good, set for release on June 2 on House of Valerie Joan. Featuring more than 25 creatives, the album contains contributions from artists such as Kylie Auldist, Stella Angelico, Thndo, Maria Moles, Monique diMattina, Vanessa Perica, Kathleen Halloran, Tamara Murphy and many more. With Chelsea Wilson as executive producer and Anna Laverty as producer and engineer, the album was entirely composed, recorded, performed and produced by an all-female team, a rare feat in the Australian music industry.
Lifeline draws on classic pop songwriting such as Carole King, but the sweeping cinematic arrangement paired with classically trained violinist and vocalist Rita Satch’s impressively gorgeous vocals evoke thoughts of Lianne La Havas and Emily King. A dynamic live performer, Satch has appeared at world renowned festivals such as Glastonbury and Cheltenham Jazz Festival (UK), won first prize in the Unsigned Only International Songwriting Competition and is a regular collaborator with ARIA winner Barney McAll. The track was co-written by Rita Satch, Miss Emilia, Chelsea Wilson and Alzzy during the Women of Soul songwriting intensive. Funded by the Creative Victoria Music Recovery program, the intensive saw 30 Melbourne-based artists collaborate on new compositions.
“I see this song as an anthem for anyone who feels like they’re caught in the storms of life,” says Alzzy. “It’s a song about the power found in the choice to fight and to hold on to hope, no matter what obstacles lie ahead. Finding your ‘lifeline’ means finding the perseverance, resilience, and strength to push through and overcome the challenges you face. It all starts inside – you can feel like you’re sinking and surrounded by rising waves, but when you choose to keep fighting, it means that triumph is still possible.”
I Am Enough wields a powerful and heartfelt, uplifting message, reminiscent of India Arie’s Video and the more recent feel-good anthems of Lizzo. The song features poet, lyricist and vocalist Candice Monique who has an inimitable style that fuses neo-soul and hip-hop. A prolific writer, her extensive catalogue includes collaborations with Professor Griff of Public Enemy, Rich Medina, Metals and P-Phazes. I Am Enough was co-written by Monique, vocalists Thndo and Chelsea Wilson, pianist Mon Boggia and trumpet player Audrey Powne.
“The song is essentially about realisation of self-love and self-acceptance, overcoming the pressures society puts on us to look/be/act a certain way, especially when it comes to body image, and allowing ourselves to just be amazing .. it’s about throwing all the self-criticism away and embracing our own unique brilliance” – Candice Monique
Recorded at Sing Sing East and Tender Trap Studios, this exquisite and uplifting Feel Good LP was executively produced with precision by Chelsea Wilson, engineered and mixed by producer Anna Laverty and mastered by Kathy Naunton at Db Mastering. And it must be said that this unique album is not a compilation – each song was deeply thought through and developed collaboratively with the songwriters, musicians, vocalists and production team. Also doubling down as the collective’s Artistic Director, Wilson offers insight into the extraordinary effort involved in bringing the Women of Soul album to life, saying, “For a lot of artists in the collective, the last few years have been incredibly challenging professionally and also personally – there has been family loss, divorces, births, unemployment, marriages and illness. So, the fact that amongst all of this, we managed to bring together over 30 creatives to make an album is no mean feat. I am really proud of the work, it stands together as a great album to listen to.” Wilson continues, “I think some people will be surprised by the sounds, it is a more mellow and sophisticated sounding record than our first which I think shows the development of a lot of the artists musically over the last few years.”
Currently in Australia, only 20% of APRA AMCOS songwriter members are women or female-identifying, with only 15% of annual royalties going to female writers. Worldwide, less than 2% of recording producers are women. The Women of Soul record is significant and is one of the very few albums in Australia to be produced, composed, recorded and performed by an all-female team. The album recording and songwriting provided employment throughout the pandemic lockdowns and offered a meaningful opportunity for female artists to collaborate in a safe environment. For many of the artists, it also provided a professional development opportunity; for some it was the first time they had appeared on a commercial release, for others it was their first time arranging for an album or assisting with engineering. And for almost all, it was their first creative project post-lockdowns, so being able to write and work together proved to be a cathartic, healing and emotional experience.
To honour the LP and the Women of Soul fans, there’ll be an album launch show at The Toff In Town on Friday June 2. Spotlighting the immense talent and expertise of all those involved, all songs on Feel Good were recorded live in the studio (with some overdubbed vocals and strings), and hence the record boasts an authentic sound comparable to their energetic and inspirational live show. So, get to know this masterpiece of a record, and whip out those dancing shoes for what is a guaranteed feel good night celebrating the talents of some of the finest females in the Australian music industry.
Lifeline and I Am Enough are released today.
Feel Good will be released on June 2 via House of Valerie Joan.
Tickets to the album launch show at The Toff In Town are on sale now.
STREAM LIFELINE | STREAM I AM ENOUGH | DOWNLOAD SINGLES
FRIDAY 2 JUNE | THE TOFF IN TOWN, MELBOURNE | TICKETS: https://thetoff.com.au
Songwriters “Lifeline”: Rita Satch, Emilia Schnall, Chelsea Wilson, Alyssa Allet
Songwriters “I Am Enough”: Thndo, Candice Monique, Chelsea Wilson, Audrey Powne, Monique Boggia
Executive Producer: Chelsea Wilson
Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Anna Laverty
Mastering: Kathy Naunton
Assistant Engineer: Natasha Newling
Additional Engineering: Laura Hancock
Graphic Design: Vanessa Fernandez
Photography: Nicole Cleary
Recorded at Sing Sing East Box Hill and Tender Trap Studios Melbourne
Drums: Freyja Hooper (Lifeline), Maria Moles (I Am Enough)
Bass: Tamara Murphy
Guitar: Kathleen Halloran
Piano/Keyboards: Monique DiMattina
Percussion: Neda Rahmani
Cello: Anita Quayle
Violin: Fem Belling, Rita Satch
Backing Vocals: Alzzy, Emilia Schnall, Chelsea Wilson (Lifeline), Sickone and Candice Monique (I Am Enough)
MORE INFO:
Women of Soul is led by Artistic Director, Vocalist, Broadcaster and DJ Chelsea Wilson. Since 2011 WOS have presented live original music from artists including Mo’ Ju (VIC), Nkechi Anele (Saskwatch) (VIC), Odette Mercy (WA), Clairy Browne (VIC), Alphamama (NSW), Randa and the Soul Kingdom (WA), Tara Lynch (The Transatlantics) (SA), Milan Ring (NSW), Shae Mourtzakis (QLD) and many more. The collective has been featured on ABC Radio National, Mi-Soul London, PBS 106.7FM, RRR 102.7FM, and were guest hosts on triple J’s Roots ‘N’ All program. Performance highlights include Melbourne Recital Centre, The Malthouse Theatre, Federation Square, Adelaide Fringe Festival and a special live broadcast from the MPavillion for Australian Music Week on ABC Radio. Their debut self-titled album was nominated for Best Soul/R’n’B Album at The Age Music Victoria Awards. The collective aims to empower women in the music industry through songwriting, recording and live shows. Women of Soul also engages women behind the scenes in supporting roles including sound engineering, production, photography, lighting, producing and childcare, overcoming barriers to women participating and thriving in the music industry.
ARTIST BIOS
Rita Satch – Vocalist/Songwriter
“Soulful vocals with a jazz-tinged charm, there’s a defiant, modern approach at play here.”
– Clash Magazine.
Classically trained violinist, vocalist and songwriting Rita Satch seamlessly moved from the jazz world to the soul scene with her debut self-titled EP. Brought up on jazz and soul greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles and Nina Simone, Rita Satch has a powerful voice that transcends time. A dynamic live performer, she has appeared at world renowned festivals such as Glastonbury and Cheltenham Jazz Festival (UK) and won first prize in the Unsigned Only International Songwriting Competition. Satch regularly collaborates with ARIA-winner Barney McAll (Sia, Gary Bartz) who featured her in his most recent releases, “Precious Energy”
Candice Monique – Vocalist/Songwriter
It is said Candice Monique fuses Classic & Neo Soul, Jazz, RnB, Funk, Blues, Folk & Spoken Word – some statement, but when you listen .., you’ll see the description is spot on” – Paul Miller Soul Show – BBC Radio
Poet, lyricist and vocalist Candice Monique has an inimitable style that fuses neo-soul, hip-hop, spoken world and soul. A prolific writer, her extensive catalogue includes collaborations with Professor Griff of Public Enemy, Rich Medina, Metals and P-Phazes. Her debut album “In My Soul” (Freestyle Records) with her band The Optics generated Candice BBC airplay and international recognition, drawing comparisons to Me’shell Ndegeocello, Lauren Hill and Erykah Badu.
Chelsea Wilson – Women of Soul Director/Vocalist/Songwriter/Producer
“A goddamn soul/jazz powerhouse” – Beat Magazine
Chelsea is a Melbourne based vocalist, songwriter, broadcaster and producer. Her debut album “I Hope You’ll Be Very Unhappy Without Me” was lauded #2 Album of the Year on ABC Radio National and nominated for Best Soul Album at The Age Music Victoria Awards. An internationally acclaimed live performer, she headlined the Arts Centre Melbourne stage at the Australasian World Music Expo, and made her UK debut at Glastonbury Festival, subsequently selling out the famous London Jazz Café. Her second album “Chasing Gold” was nominated for the Australian Music Prize.
Behind the scenes, Chelsea is an advocate for the Australian music industry and women in music. She has held roles including Artistic Associate of Melbourne International Jazz Festival Congress, Deputy Chair Board Director of Music Victoria, and Artistic Director Brunswick Music Festival. As a guest speaker Chelsea has appeared at music industry conferences such as NYC Jazz Congress USA, Indie-Con and Bigsound and is a guest lecturer at Melbourne University and Monash University. The former Music Manager of iconic Melbourne radio station PBS 106.7FM she has presented radio programs for PBS, Mi-Soul Radio UK, triple j and Delite Radio London. An advocate for Women in Music she was a founding member of the Music Victoria Women in Music Advisory Panel, has managed the Women of Soul Collective for over a decade and currently produces the Control Podcast, highlighting women and gender diverse creatives.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK ABOUT WOMEN OF SOUL VIDEO
CHAVEZ CARTEL SHARE NEW SINGLE ‘MIDNIGHT SKIES’ NEW EP ‘MAN’S BEST FRIEND’ OUT MAY 5
A swaggering, dazzling mix of classic rock and modern hues, the brand-new track Midnight Skies from Gold Coast quartet Chavez Cartel will light up the night sky and drive into your soul. Moody, edgy, yet ever-so-charming, Midnight Skies also marks a polished glimpse into Chavez Cartel’s upcoming new EP Man’s Best Friend, officially set to release on Friday May 5.
Opening with swirling textures, affable beats and crisp guitars, Midnight Skies evolves into a pulsing cinematic rock dream, like a vintage Camaro tearing through a dark and dusky desert. And while the tones may be coated in smoky modernity, Midnight Skies would equally be at home soundtracking HBO’s Peaky Blinders, showcasing the Gold Coast group’s glamorous grit and reflecting the band’s eclectic yet complementary influences; a fact that carries throughout the broader upcoming EP, as drummer Tom Isaacs explains, “We all have different inspirations and different artists we draw our inspiration from. For me, All Them Witches have a huge influence on my drumming and my thought process for writing music/structure/songs. I know Ben [Simpson, vocals] draws a lot of inspiration from artists such as Velvet Underground, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Oasis. Jack [Kelly, guitar] is more old school, he loves AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and Josh [Kemp, bass] is a good mixture of all of us put together!”
Tracing the journey to their forthcoming new release Man’s Best Friend all the way back to 2021, the road to conjuring and shaping the end product was also firmly linked by a key inspiration: the hard-driving and rebellious spirit underpinning the aforementioned HBO series Peaky Blinders, including the series’ iconic opening credits featuring Nick Cave’s explosively moody Red Right Hand. Teaming up with ARIA Award-winning producer, musician and recording engineer Govinda Doyle, as well as Callan Holstein and Froggie Evans from Studio One16, to bring their striking new EP to life, the end result is a unique, dark and ambitious joyride on its sonic surface, while also deeply targeting themes of trauma, pain, strength and positivity. “It feels like it’s about damn time we released this EP,” shares Tom. “We recorded the EP back in May 2021, and we’ve been aching to release it. But we’ve been so busy since, we haven’t had the chance! It feels great though, we’re all ecstatic and can’t wait to share these songs”. “Lyrically the EP is about the life cycle of emotional traumas,” adds Ben of the EP’s thematic framework. “From pain and darkness to strength and light.”
Opening with acoustic haze that builds into a swooning rock fever dream via title track Man’s Best Friend, Chavez Cartel firmly thread their trademark prowl with emphatic vocals and scathing fuzz before morphing into their latest single Midnight Skies; a jangly, moody cocktail of toe-tapping proportions. Flitting between thunderous anthems (Coming Around) to sparse and gleeful menace (Writer’s Block), Chavez Cartel flex and unfurl every inch of their arsenal before the EP’s penultimate track, gifting a smouldering cover of Arctic Monkeys’ Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair and an unforgettable closing track in the form of previous single Dead Weekend, hypnotising with blues-infused alt-rock and a heart-pounding conclusion.
Following the release of the group’s previous EPs, 2019’s Lucky Lucy and Confidence Is All I’m Taking Home, Chavez Cartel harnessed the forced time away from touring during the pandemic years to instead focus and sharpen on their sound and songwriting, ultimately emerging with the six-track cinematic delight that is Man’s Best Friend. With early live recordings of some of the EP’s songs turning heads, including radio play on BBC’s Music Introducing, Chavez Cartel were recently able to bridge the UK connection down under, supporting English indie rockers The Reytons on their recent Australian tour. But there’s still plenty more across the pond action in store for the band, with a UK tour set for May, including a show repping Aus at The Great Escape. And ahead of the release of Man’s Best Friend, it seems the best is still yet to come for the group who embrace the loose acronym with their moniker: “Can Have it All Very EaZily”. “We’ve been at it hard and we can’t wait to showcase all that we’ve been working on,” concludes Tom. “Not only do we also have some new sexy merch but we’ve been experimenting with new sounds that add so much depth to the songs and it’s all ready for our fans.”
Midnight Skies is out today, Friday April 14.
Man’s Best Friend is due out Friday May 5.
CHAVEZ CARTEL – UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
WED 3 MAY | THE WASHINGTON, SHEFFIELD, UK
FRI 5 MAY | IMPERIAL, MEXBOROUGH, UK
TUE 9 MAY | THE GOOD MIXER, CAMDEN, UK
THU 11 MAY | GRAND CENTRAL | THE GREAT ESCAPE FESTIVAL, BRIGHTON
FRI 12 MAY | INN ON THE SQAURE | THE GREAT ESCAPE FESTIVAL, BRIGHTON
SAT 13 MAY | THE FOLKLORE ROOMS| THE GREAT ESCAPE FESTIVAL, BRIGHTON
FRIDAY 19 MAY | THE GARRISON, BARNSLEY, UK
SATURDAY 3 JUNE | MANSFIELD TAVERN | MOONDOLL FESTIVAL, BRISBANE | TICKET LINE – https://bit.ly/3Y1V2UB
ROBBIE BOSTOCK SHARES NEW SINGLE CRYPTIC LOVE NEW EP EXPLORATIONS OUT MAY 12
A striking collision of slick blues and uplifting retro hues, virtuosic guitarist Robbie Bostock is today releasing his new single via the jubilant instrumental journey that is Cryptic Love. Showcasing Robbie’s burgeoning craftsmanship and dazzling delivery, Cryptic Love also offers a glimpse into the Gold Coast artist’s upcoming EP Explorations, due out on Friday May 12, with local fans able to catch Robbie live in action across a number of shows this May at one of Australia’s largest free music festivals: Blues on Broadbeach.
Busting out slinky basslines, sizzling guitarwork and soaring 80s undertones, Cryptic Love is an oscillating declaration of blues and Robbie’s love for the likes of Phil Emmanuel, Jeff Beck, Mark Knopfler and Hank Marvin, while ultimately also allowing the instrumentals to glimmer and shine. Self-produced, mixed and mastered by Robbie himself, Cryptic Love is a creamy and buoyant delight for guitar fans and beyond – and, as Robbieexplains, it’s equally a family affair, “For the single Cryptic Love I wanted to write a piece that incorporated a blues sounding verse but with a big uplifting chorus, with a bit of an 80’s flavour as well. Originally it was going to have vocals on it but my Strat guitar insisted on doing the singing! My sister Rachel Bostock also contributed a killer electric violin solo on it too!”.
Like a jet engine taking off into the atmosphere, Cryptic Love firmly opens the door for what’s to come on Robbie’s forthcoming EP Explorations. A wall-to-wall musical guitar journey, with Robbie helming the entire EP’s creation, alongside co-writing on final track Fading Off The Earth with his brother Brendan Bostock, Explorations truly lives up to its inquisitive moniker. Erupting with the toe-tappin’ Bostock Boogie, Explorations flits from blues and lush retro flavours (Cryptic Love) to hazy undulations (The New Rivals), surf-soaked doo-wop (Seashells), classic rock fare (In Guitar We Trust) and crystalline sonic fire and ice (Fading Off The Earth). With additional violins on the EP provided by sister Rachel, as seen today on Cryptic Love, Explorations is a overall a fascinating expedition, led firmly by Robbie and his trusty Stratocaster. “I do love to sing as well, but for me sometimes the music and my guitar can say everything I need the song to say without putting pen to paper,” shares Robbie of the ultimate decision to present Explorations as an entirely instrumental outing. “I decided to keep the EP all instrumental; I wanted the whole EP to be like an intriguing movie and take people on a journey”. Private stream Explorations.
Discovering music at a very early age, Robbie started playing the guitar when he was age 7, going on to form a band with his siblings, including Rachel on violin, Brendan on drums, and sister Sara Bostock on bass. With genres ranging from country to Irish, blues, heavy rock and more, the Bostocks performed into adulthood at pubs, clubs, festivals, weddings and parties, with their father’s work van transformed into an honorary tour bus for the siblings on weekends. But from competing with sister Rachel for the best solo on the night to Robbie himself branching out as a solo artist, Robbie has since gone on to turn heads across the industry, including performing with some of the greats from Tommy Emmanuel to Normie Rowe and the late Stevie Wright, as well as past appearances at Blues On Broadbeach and The Gympie Music Muster. Releasing a collaboration album with his mentor and long-time friend, the late Phil Emmanuel, via 2013’s Chariots Of Fire, Robbie also took home Instrumental Single Of The Year at the Australian Song Writing Awards in 2019 for his track The New Rivals. And as an accomplished session guitarist, Robbie has also recently contributed to a range of successful releases, including Amber Lawrence’s Living For The Highlights, which hit #1 on the ARIA Top 50 Chart.
Returning once again to Blues On Broadbeach in his home town in 2023, fans on the Gold Coast this May will be able to witness some of Robbie’s brand new musical creations live in action, with multiple performances across the festival locked in following the release of Explorations on May 12. And, as Robbie concludes, these shows are set to showcase his incredible guitarwork as well as vocals, originals, covers and beyond. “My shows at Blues On Broadbeach will be half singing and half instrumental, I do like to sing as well,” shares Robbie of his upcoming performances. “I’ll play my own stuff as well as some classics. 10 years ago, I released a collaboration album at the festival with Phil Emmanuel, so I will also play some songs from that album in honour of Phil’s legacy.”
Cryptic Love is out today, Monday April 17.
Explorations is due out Friday May 12.
Stream CRYPTIC LOVE
Private stream EXPLORATIONS
ROBBIE BOSTOCK – UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
BLUES ON BROADBEACH
TUE 9 MAY | OASIS SHOPPING CENTRE, GOLD COAST
FRI 19 MAY | THE LUCKY SQUIRE, GOLD COAST
SAT 20 MAY| SAGE RESTAURANT
SUN 21 MAY | SAGE RESTAURANT
Info available at https://bluesonbroadbeach.com/
Listen: CRYPTIC LOVE