NEDR SHARES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO STOOD HERE TOO
Poignant, soothing and irresistibly engaging, the new single Stood Here Too from Sydney troubadour NedR blends folk, soul, jazz and beyond via a fresh and emotive sonic brush. Like a warm hug of glistening intimacy, the accompanying music video for Stood Here Too, also out today, perfectly complements the emotional heartstrings on firm display throughout the track.
Boasting the warmth of John Mayer and Bon Iver with a salient Aussie twist, Stood Here Too solidifies NedR’s artistic tapestry that he has been steadily cultivating since the release of his first EP Something To Say in 2019. Co-written with Dominik Dale and brought to life following Ned winning the Fender’s Players Plus competition, the end result of Stood Here Too is equally polished and poignant, harnessing a bittersweet memory with overarching hope, as Ned elaborates, “Stood Here Too was inspired by a mate who was in the midst of packing up her late grandfather’s house. It talks about the memories that are attached to said place and the hope of seeing him again someday. I wrote this song with Dominik Dale who wrote and made the first initial demo with me and also mastered the final track. Through winning the Fender Players Plus competition, in collaboration with Studios 301, I got to work with Jesse Deskovic who recorded and mixed the track. And my drummer Matthew Ferguson who really enhanced the groove of this song.”
Also teaming up with Hustle Media’s Pat Taylor for Stood Here Too’s accompanying music video, the beguiling clip showcases Ned bathed in a warm, solitary spotlight, serenely reflecting the track’s lyrical spirit and calmly inviting you into Ned’s effortlessly charismatic creative universe. “I wanted the visuals to be very simple for this track,” shares Ned of the Stood Here Too music video. “My videographer Pat really wanted to focus in on the image of the sun which is the main illustration throughout the song which was represented by the single spotlight featured in the video. Our aim was to show a time of reflection that we go through when a loved one passes. A time to be by yourself and process your loss.”
A raw and honest storyteller capable of weaving vivid melodies and passionate narratives with intimate ease, Ned’s vast sonic scope, traversing everything from jazz to soul, alternative, RnB and folk, has seen him rapidly turn heads in a short space of time. Creatively enamoured by the soothing musical stylings of Matt Corby, Tom Misch, Ben Abraham and John Mayer, when Ned isn’t flexing his creative muscles, he can be found working as a maintenance man at a local school, playing sport or knocking back a few coffees; all of which inevitably lead to talking about or playing music.
Stood Here Too is ultimately presenting not just the first new music of a new year, but also signposting an exciting new chapter, as Ned concludes, “It feels like a huge weight off my chest to finally release Stood Here Too. This song has been ready for a year now, and I’m excited to show everyone because I feel like I’ve finally found my sound with this track.”
Stood Here Too is out today, Monday January 23.
DAHLIA RAY SHARES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘BONFIRE’
Evoking endless summer days and bubbling warmth, the new single Bonfire out today from singer-songwriter Dahlia Ray blends buoyant indie pop with 90s sentimentality. Driven by optimism and demure effervescence, Bonfire is also accompanied by a nostalgic music video, complete with a key childhood staple: the humble trampoline.
Billowing with soft textures, creamy vocals and propulsive beats, Bonfire is a raw bundle of gloss and confessional lyricism, with Dahlia Ray equally drawing to mind the likes of Amy Shark mixed with soft flourishes from her current musical crushes Sia and Portishead. Teaming up with Michael Paynter and Michael Delorenzis at MSquared Productions, as well as her uni pal from JMC Academy, Johnny Grant, to ultimately bring Bonfire to life, Dahlia Ray also drew on a deeply personal memory to heighten the track’s rose-coloured sonic soul, as she explains, “Bonfire is about being optimistic about the future. It’s also about my mum’s best friend, Jan, who was a friend that became family. Jan is the oldest survivor of cystic fibrosis in Australian history. Her funeral was a big party because she outlived all expectations of her and fought right through until she was 65. Her attitude is something that has inspired us all and inspired this song.”
Fittingly accompanying the bouncy nostalgia lying in wait on Bonfire, the track’s accompanying music video saw Dahlia Ray team up with Aria Award-winning photographer, stylist and videographer She Is Aphrodite, conjuring a sparse yet sharp aesthetic that perfectly echoes Bonfire’s playful charm. “The concept was that I’d be having as much fun as possible while having memory flashbacks which we just used stock films for,” explains Dahlia Ray of the Bonfire music video. “I came up with the stock film idea but that’s definitely all I did. She Is Aphrodite came up with the idea of me jumping up and down on the trampoline. We used her neighbour’s back yard, so nice of him, lol. But yes, She Is Aphrodite is definitely the brains behind this clip.”
A self-confessed geek obsessed with chess as well as sharing and creating good times in a live setting, Dahlia Ray has been steadily weaving sonic magic over the years, culminating in this stunning new addition to kick off the new year. And while the release of Bonfire has been a long time in the making, the track is a seamless extension to Dahlia Ray’s ever-growing repertoire and her ultimate passion for her craft. “I love that music unites people by the shared experience of the songwriter. I’ve sung since I can remember and so it’s always been my only real outlet.”
Bonfire is out today, Friday January 20.
PIERCE BROTHERS TEAM UP WITH TASH SULTANA FOR NEW SINGLE ‘HIGH AND UNSTEADY’
Indie-folk staples of the Australian music scene Pierce Brothers have teamed up with platinum award winning, producer, engineer, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tash Sultana to write and record their new single High and Unsteady. An energetic folk track that permeates waves of clean electric guitar tones alongside the upbeat tempo we’ve come to expect from a PBs tune. Accompanying the new single is an equally impressive animated music video joining 35mm analogue and digital footage, directed and edited by Patrick Pierce himself.
A bouncing summer single, High and Unsteady’s upbeat tempo is underscored by a much darker tone that explores the nature of the emotional pain associated with addiction and its strain on a relationship. Recorded and produced at Tash Sultana’s Melbourne studio, High and Unsteadypossesses both the energetic charm of a Pierce Brothers’ single, with the unmistakable rhythm that accompanies Sultana’s electric guitar riffs. “I really enjoyed working with the guys.” says Tash, “We’ve been working together for years on the road, so I had a great idea on how to capture their sound.” With additional engineering by Richard Stolz and Jan Skubiszewski, and mixed by renowned producer and mixer Dann Hume (Tones and I, Tash Sultana, Matt Corby), High and Unsteady is the first collab between Tash Sultana and Pierce Brothers.
Having started out busking on Bourke St together back in the beginning of their careers, the brothers and Tash have been friends for over a decade now, touring all over the planet together. It was halfway through 2021 when Tash had the idea to explore a collaboration, opting to produce the track themselves. “We’ve loved everything that Tash has done over the years, and when they had the idea to collaborate, we jumped at the opportunity!” says Jack. “Pat and I put together the bones of the track so when we got into Tash’s studio we had a base from which to create and explore new sounds. Tash is one of the most talented producers we’ve had the pleasure of working with, they brought so many new sounds to mix that we would never have even thought of. I didn’t know what a mellotron was before that day!”
The monumental music video was a labour of love for one of the brothers Patrick Pierce who had had a clear vision of the concept since its inception. “About 12 months ago I found a video featuring this rare Japanese film camera from the 90s. It has 16 separate frames across two rows on it, and was used for things like shooting a golf swing. I was searching for about 8 months before I could find one and start testing it out.” Says Pat. On top of the unique filming style, the editing process was done entirely in-house over a painstaking summer of carefully rotoscoped images. “Easily the biggest hurdle in this music video was the edit. I had to develop, scan, separate and animate over 3,000 individual images. It took months, and I’m certain that the response from the general public will be “huh… nice filter.” That said, I’ve had this idea for ages now, so I’m really happy I’m finally getting it out of my head and onto a screen.”
High and Unsteady marks the end of a run of collaboration tracks for the Pierce Brothers, who plan on getting started on their next record in 2023. With an Australian, South African, and European tour on the cards for 2023, Pierce Brothers show no sign of slowing down.
High and Unsteady by Pierce Brothers and Tash Sultana is out today, January 20 via Ditto
Listen & Watch High and Unsteady – HERE
HIGH & UNSTEADY SINGLE TOUR
SAT FEB 4 – MUSIC IN THE VINES, MACARTHUR, VIC
https://events.ticketbooth.com.au/event/miv2022
SAT FEB 11 – HELLO SUNSHINE FESTIVAL, SCORESBY, VIC
https://hellosunshinefest.com.au/tickets/
SAT FEB 25 – TUMBAFEST, TUMBARUMBA, NSW
FRI MAR 10 – CAMBRIDGE WAREHOUSE, NEWCASTLE, NSW JUST ANNOUNCED
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/ba077afa-e0a1-45b0-a317-807370514bac
SAT MAR 11 – LIGHTHOUSE FESTIVAL, CENTRAL COAST, NSW
https://lighthousefest.com.au/shop/
FRI MAR 24 – MARLO HOTEL, MARLO, VIC JUST ANNOUNCED
https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/pierce-brothers-marlo-hotel/148664
SAT MAY 27 – TROPIC SOUNDS, TOWNSVILLE, QLD
https://nafa-tsv.com.au/special/tropic-sounds-2023
WED JUL 5 – BIG RED BASH , BIRDSVILLE, QLD
https://bigredbash.com.au/buy-2023-tickets/
SAT AUG 19 – MUNDI MUNDI BASH, BROKEN HILL, NSW
https://mundimundi.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/4ab390db-c553-4486-bec2-2391046bf496