MAMMAL SHARE EXPLOSIVE NEW SINGLE + VIDEO KEANU REEVES
Narrm neo punk/funk warriors Mammal target misinformation in scintillating fashion, with their explosive new single Keanu Reeves officially out in the world today, and also marking the band’s first new material since 2022. Fittingly accompanied by a music video inspired by one of the actual Keanu Reeves’ most iconic cinematic moments, the brand new Mammal outing will also be witnessed taking full, ferocious flight this December, with a special single launch show taking place on Friday December 22 at The Evelyn Hotel as part of the reinstatement of the traditional Mammal Christmas Party.
Named for the Internet’s Boyfriend while also laden with the trademark Mammal spitfire stylings, Keanu Reeves finds the Melbourne quartet embracing spacious frustration and brutal neo-scream in musically muscular fashion. Drawing sonic inspiration from the equally powerful likes of Rage Against the Machine, Jimi Hendrix, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Public Enemy, Metallica and Clutch, Keanu Reeves also brought Mammaltogether with the multi-platinum awarded Jimi “The Island” Maroudas (The Avalanches, Tim Rogers, The Living End) on producing duties, as well as engineering by Tyson Fish and mixing by long-time Mammal collaborator Forrester Savell (Karnivool, Helmet, Sunk Loto). Full of riotous beats, elasticated basslines and the voracious vocal delivery of frontman Ezekiel Ox, Keanu Reeves is a lyrically pop culture-laden powerhouse beating with a timely thematic core, as Ox elaborates, “We started writing for our new album, and Pete [Williamson] and Zane [Rosanoski] came up with the original Keanu Reeves song. I flew down for a couple of days of drinking, smoking and freestyle, and the song came out. It’s about misinformation, and the need for humans to be able to agree on an objective reality to survive. It’s grim out there at the moment, Orwellian. But in the end, some things are real. We name check Tracy Chapman in the song too, which is exciting.”
Continuing their music video hallmark of live performances, the accompanying clip for Keanu Reeves draws irreverent yet powerful inspiration from a bona fide 90s action movie classic, Mammal-style. With long-time friend and creative collaborator Dean J Miller shooting and editing, the end result for the Keanu Reeves music video proves that humour and hard-hitting thematics can truly go hand in hand, with the end result also featuring a local Narrm coastal setting to backdrop the memorable clip. “Mammal always performs live in our clips,” shares Ox. “The dancing is important to our culture and mission, so we set up at a local Narrm beach for the live stuff. The clip is a tongue-in-cheek recreation of the original Point Break, which of course starred Keanu Reeves alongside the late Patrick Swayze. Expect chase scenes, tuxedos and ex-Presidents of the USA galore. The concept? Have fun and make something entertaining, it’s not rocket surgery.”
Since forming and releasing their debut self-titled EP in 2006, Mammal have toured relentlessly while also crafting a formidable reputation for their animated live performances, timeless sonic creations and authentic, working-class political activism that has garnered the quartet an ever-growing cult-like status across the globe. Revered as a “must see” rock’n’roll juggernaut, Mammal’s back catalogue includes their striking singles Smash The Pinata, The Majority, Hell Yeah! and Think, with their touring history also spanning headline shows in London, Perth, Auckland, Brisbane and everywhere in between, as well as supports with some of the heavy scene’s towering giants, including Kiss, Avenged Sevenfold, Sebastian Bach, Cog, Grinspoon, Spiderbait and Shihad to name a mere few. A band who also walk the walk alongside their musical calls-to-action, Mammal have also previously volunteered their live services, raising much-needed funds for various charities, supporting Interchange, the Refugee Action Collective and Fitzroy Legal Service over the years.
Now primed to release their sophomore studio album The Penny Drop in 2024, the long-awaited follow up to the band’s debut full length The Majority in 2008, Mammal are ready once again to fly their commanding flag for meaningful rock’n’roll with a newfound and dynamic vigour. And, as Ox concludes, Mammal are entirely locked and loaded to light the fire loudly and proudly once more, with Keanu Reeves gifting the perfect kindling to close out 2023, and leading into an unforgettable 2024 from the band. “We feel ready and raring to go,” says Ox. “We say what we want, how we want and play loud and proud. We believe that at its best, rock and roll is a form of rebellion. Punters know when they come to the show that we give shit, about the music, about them. About their schools and unis, their hospitals and parks, their housing situation. Their favourite bands. We always punch up, and we aren’t pulling the ladder up behind us.”
Keanu Reeves is out today, Wednesday November 15.
The Penny Drop is set for release in 2024.
MAMMAL – TOUR DATES;
FRI 22 DEC | THE EVELYN HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from www.mammal.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
BOO SEEKA SHARES NEW SINGLE COME WITH ME ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT SET FOR RELEASE JANUARY 19 + NATIONAL TOUR FOR FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024
Come and lose yourself in the breathless new chapter of Boo Seeka, aka the hypnotic project driven by Australian singer-songwriter Ben “Boo” Gumbleton, with the talented artist today announcing a brand new album, MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT, set for release on Friday 19 January; and an extensive tour to follow in February and March next year.
Heralding a brand new album chapter last week with a fresh new single Come With Me, Boo Seeka served up a lustrous twinkle of smooth beats, summery electronics and compelling vocals. Also adding a calm yet powerful addition to the burgeoning Boo Seeka legacy, Come With Me effortlessly ignites an exciting sonic rebirth for Boo Seeka following the release of his sophomore album Between The Head & The Heart in 2022, with album #3, MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT, set to open the floodgates into the essence of the Boo Seeka creative psyche in 2024 – and the album’s accompanying tour is also set to offer equal moments of immersion, escapism and otherworldly bliss in a way only Boo Seeka can facilitate. Starting out on Friday 16 February in Maroochydore in Queensland, the MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT album tour will make its way to Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Rye, Belgrave, Adelaide, Hobart, Margaret River, Bunbury, Fremantle, Mackay and Townsville, before concluding on Saturday 23 March at Gilligans in Cairns.
An artist presale is now live using the code MIDNIGHT and general public tickets go on sale at 9am AEDT on Tuesday 31 October from https://www.booseeka.com/
Spurred by his pursuit to find and provoke clarity and happiness via music, Boo Seeka consistently builds his immersive sonic worlds around eclectic and invigorating foundations, with his freshly announced upcoming album set to expand further into unbridled territory, as Gumbletonexplains, “MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT means a new chapter has been written for me personally, and I can’t wait to go share it with people who want to be part of it. I’m not saying we are reinventing the wheel here, but I don’t think anyone can say we sound exactly like any other artist, which is what I think any creative person should strive for. Each album (and each track to be honest) will change, and we are not going to put ourselves in a box for the years to come. What sounds good to us in that moment is what we write and record!”
Set to christen MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT across the country in 2024, fans can also expect moments of pure, exhilarating Boo Seeka magic next February and March, with the seasoned performer ready to return to the space that has simultaneously anchored and grown the Boo Seeka journey to date: performing live on stage alongside bandmate Jay Bainbridge. “Touring and playing live, I think, has always, and will always be, the biggest part and growth for Boo,” shares Gumbleton, “for two reasons: some people meditate, do yoga, surf etc. to feel grounded and reset. For us, it’s playing live. When we are off the road, we both get quite anxious and some anxiety, to be honest. So the more touring, the better. We always want to get better at our craft every time we go out on the road so that hopefully people can expect a better show than the last. It always makes us happy when we hear people tell us that this is their 10th, 15th etc. time seeing us, as it makes us feel like we always put on a good show. If someone comes for the first time, we just hope they become one of those people.”
Unforgettably emerging onto the Australian music landscape via the astral debut single Kingdom Leader back in 2015 and a debut album Never Too Soon in 2017, Boo Seeka continues to create and cultivate triumphs, witnessed most recently via the hotly-anticipated second full-length album Between The Head & The Heart in 2022, and a collab with acclaimed Aussie artist Hayden James on the track Free, also culminating in Boo Seekaappearing with James onstage at the iconic Coachella Festival in California last year. With millions of streams across his catalogue, Never Too Soon peaking at #8 on the ARIA Charts, three certified gold tracks and countless live performances under the Boo Seeka belt, including appearances at Splendour In The Grass and Beyond The Valley, three sold out headline runs and supporting the likes of Hayden James, MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT is set to add yet another dazzling high point in the Boo Seeka journey; and it will be truly something to savour for both Boo Seeka and fans across Australia, as he concludes, “Every show brings a new experience, and that is another reason we love being on the road. As an artist, I hate normality because it’s not inspiring to us. Because of this, we seriously look forward to each show ahead and look forward to what it will bring.”MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT is set for release Friday 19 January.
Tickets to the MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT album tour go on sale at 9am AEDT on Tuesday 31 October from https://www.booseeka.com/
MIDNIGHT HIGHLIGHT ALBUM TOUR
FRI 16 FEB 24 | SOLBAR, MAROOCHYDORE QLD | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 17 FEB 24 | THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE QLD | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
FRI 23 FEB 24 | METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY NSW | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.ticketek.com.au | 1300 364 001 | All Ticketek Outlets
SAT 24 FEB 24 | KING STREET BANDROOM, NEWCASTLE NSW | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SUN 25 FEB 24 | MIAMI MARKETTA LANEWAY, GOLD COAST QLD | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 1 MAR 24 | CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 02 MAR 24 | HABA, RYE VIC | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SUN 03 MAR 24 | SOOKI LOUNGE, BELGRAVE VIC | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 08 MAR 24 | LION ARTS FACTORY, ADELAIDE SA | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SAT 09 MAR 24 | UNI BAR, HOBART TAS | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 15 MAR 24 | THE RIVER, MARGARET RIVER WA | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 16 MAR 24 | FROTH CRAFT BUNBREWERY, BUNBURY WA | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.humanitix.com.au | +61 2 7202 6035 | All Humanitix Outlets
SUN 17 MAR 24 | FREO.SOCIAL, FREMANTLE WA | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
THU 21 MAR 24 | SEABREEZE HOTEL, MACKAY QLD | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 22 MAR 24 | OTHERWISE BAR, TOWNSVILLE QLD | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SAT 23 MAR 24 | GILLIGANS, CAIRNS QLD | 18+
Tickets available soon from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
CHISEKO SHARES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘OUTSIDE’
A polished blend of abundant grooves and effortless flow, Perth dynamo CHISEKO impresses with a brand new beam of euphoria via his new single Outside. An alternative dance-fuelled paradise, Outside also arrives today armed with a music video drenched in vivid chromatics and CHISEKO himself drawing you deeper into his creative universe.
A slick, suave and confident array of warmth, charisma and grooves, Outside finds CHISEKO fusing elements of hip hop, rap and house into his own addictive style, with diverse nods to the likes of Kaytranada, Azealia Banks, Tentendo, Aluna, Disclosure, Isenburg and The Streets percolating alongside CHISEKO’s glossy flow. Crafted to capture the feeling of exhilaration on a night out as the world passes you by in an intoxicating blur, Outside began life over a year ago before finding its final form, billowing with a moody and arresting breeze as CHISEKO elaborates, “Outside is about the euphoria and rush of being on a night out and everything seeming to fly by in a blur. As we were making the track I was listening to a lot of house music. This definitely influenced most of my creative decisions. Abraham Tilbury, who produced the track, has a very unique and quirky sound which I really love. Him and I usually get into the studio and vibe out until we develop a form which has a lot of character. The rest of the process involves chiselling away at this form until we have a well thought out and detailed idea. Sometimes it takes a few hours, sometimes it takes a few months. Andi, my resident DJ/producer, was also involved and added his own flair to the drums and bass in the second half of the song.”
With equal passions and talent for multiple art forms, including graphic design and architecture, CHISEKO’s dexterous creativity comes to life via Outside’s accompanying music video. Featuring CHISEKO, vivid colour washes and a concise narrative threaded throughout, Outside saw the multi-faceted artist team up alongside videographer Lachy Ross, as well as Evie Oldham and Liam Grace, to capture the mellow yet powerful energy of the overarching track, as CHISEKO explains, “Lachy Ross and I conceptualised the clip together. I sent him a mood board of all of the ideas I wanted to include on the project so that we could tie together a consistent narrative largely based around colour and clothing. The concept is fairly simple and self-explanatory, I’m quite literally ‘outside’. I think the lighting, colour grading and graphics are what really stand out here. Lachy helped to capture the mood of the track by filming at the right time of day and enhancing the colours to make them really pop out.”
Born in Zimbabwe, CHISEKO’s journey has spanned living in London, Leeds and Switzerland, before moving with his family to Australia in 2008. With a lifelong love for visual art, music and adventure, CHISEKO’s childhood and more recent travels frequently influence his creative output, as did some of his earliest musical memories weaving between people’s legs in the living room as they danced at his parents’ house parties in London. Developing his sonic palette after receiving a Ministry of Sound CD in the mail and a copy of Lethal Bizzle’s Pow! single from his dad, CHISEKO also deepened his musical appetite listening to Jay Z and early 90s rap and R&B in his parents’ car, gospel at church services, and watching classic movies with his mother, including Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. But it wasn’t until the age of 13 that CHISEKO would inadvertently ignite his artistic journey, stemming from darker origins but ultimately guiding him to his true calling, as he reveals, “I didn’t start rapping until I was 13 at my high school talent show in Perth. I largely started doing it because I was getting bullied in school and wanted to be seen, to stand out. Hip hop gave me an identity where there were only two black kids in the whole school and skin colour was something I was constantly bullied about. It was funny seeing the energy shift around me after the talent show. I went from being uncool to everyone knowing me and nicknaming me Biggie”.
Now in command of multiple hit singles, including his ground-breaking debut Juice, the sensual Westside Story, and unforgettable collaborations with fellow Perth artists Your Girl Pho and Adrian Dzvuke, CHISEKO’s clever lyricism bolstered by introspective themes and dazzling delivery is no longer a best-kept-secret. From his acclaimed appearance at BIGSOUND earlier this year to snapping up airplay at triple j for his recent silky single Bank Account, to a host of shows at SXSW last week, CHISEKO is thriving well and truly into 2023 and beyond; as CHISEKO concludes, “At a CHISEKO show, expect high Octane dance parties with an eclectic mix of music curated for and by those with an inclination to groove, with a hip hop flavour sprinkled in between. And Outside is also the second single from my debut EP! So that’s something to be excited about too.”
Outside is out today, Friday October 27.
CHISEKO – UPCOMING TOUR DATES
FRI 17 NOV | WAMFEST, MUSEUM STREET BRIDGE, PERTH, WA
MON 20 NOV | LEAVERS FESTIVAL, YALLINGUP WA