QUEENCY SHARES NEW SINGLE PURPLE DIAMONDS DEBUT EP PURPLE DIAMONDS SET FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 24
Perth-based singer-songwriter Queency, aka Quentin Thony, is back bustling with bold, suave and sinfully smooth retro pop tinged with modernity, with a brand new single Purple Diamonds officially out today. A delectable sneak peek into Queency’s impending new EP of the same name set to drop on Thursday November 24, Purple Diamonds is pure sonic joy that’ll bubble the soul and bewitch the ears with polished and effortless ease.
Following on from Queency’s previous 2022 single Forbidden Fruit, Purple Diamonds is an unapologetic ode to 80s pop, with nods to the opulent essence of Prince, alongside hues of Whitney Houston and a sprinkle of Michael Jackson evident throughout the infectious track. Written entirely by Queency and workshopped with producer Mason Velios and Robbie Chambers, Purple Diamonds was initially recorded live with Queency’s band at the time, before a new arrangement was conjured by Ethan French. Resulting in an effervescent retro pop jam that also oozes with modern wiles, Purple Diamonds also ultimately took some personal inspiration from Queency’s own life to achieve the sensual and buoyant end result, as Queency explains, “Purple Diamonds is a metaphor for what you have most precious to give to someone you find irresistibly attractive. You know, when they’re just your type and the chemistry is right, you just wanna give that person purple diamonds all night! This song is about feeling so in tune with your partner that you’re ready to truly express yourself in the intimacy you have built and may even fall if you keep entertaining this situation. It’s about being vulnerable yet insatiable! Look, let’s stop sugar coating: it’s a booty song! And surprise, surprise, I wrote it as I was falling in love with my partner, so he’s definitely inspired it. It’s a shameless synth heavy and vocally stacked retro pop track modernised to 21st Century’s flavours. It’s definitely an ode to 80s pop, but I wanted it to be seasoned to the taste of today! And I like it extra spicy – so we turned the heat all the way up!”.
Also teaming up with Tristan Sturmer from Sumo Studios for the overarching Purple Diamonds EP, as well as producers Brian Kruger (AKA Kruger James) and Ethan French, mixing by Brian Kruger and mastering by Adrian Sardi, the ultimate EP broadens the lustier, lush musical flair witnessed on the brand new title track, with the EP expanding out to embrace recurring themes of relationships of all kinds, and navigating each unique and individual connection. From the swooning and smooth as hell crooning of opening track, and previously released single, Forbidden Fruit to bubbling jaunt (I Wished On A Star), hot and spicy soul (Too Late) and heart-rending retro ballads (When Daddy Left), Purple Diamonds is not only as polished and colourfully engaging as its glistening namesake; the EP ultimately also showcases gripping intimacy and optimism, as well as significant catharsis for Queency himself. “The recurring theme throughout the EP is relationships,” reveals Queency of the upcoming EP. “Whether in love, lust, friendship, family, or even solitude, navigating relationships with others and the relationship you have with yourself, is not always straightforward. Writing these songs was my way of reaching catharsis in times of anger, sadness, grief, hope and joy. I’m one of these people who live their emotions intensely and sometimes the only way to process them is to turn these emotions into something productive and tangible. That’s what I’ve done with this EP.”
A self-proclaimed “stage whore”, Queency’s live performance alongside his delectable and increasingly signature take on funky, soulful pop and modern R&B has seen the charismatic singer-songwriter draw comparisons to the likes of Ari Lennox, Daniel Caesar, Erykah Badu and Charlie Puth throughout his career. An artist inherently focused on crafting memorable melodies and punchy hooks, Queency’s wit, honeyed multi-octave vocals and dynamic dance moves has also seen him increasingly turn ears and heads, with a nomination in 2021 for a Western Australian Music Award alongside an ever-growing abundance of sonic material. First discovering his musical obsession with gusto at the age of five hearing the Spice Girls on the radio, while also singing along to Stevie Wonder as a child, it would be Prince and Whitney Houston, Queency’s ultimate biggest musical influences, that cemented the Réunion Island born artist’s eventual creative pathway. Already generating buzz with a string of singles, and live performances seared into the minds of fans in Western Australia, the Queency story is truly only just unfolding, with the slick, sleek and sexy debut EP Purple Diamonds ready to dazzle and catapult Queency to even greater heights in late 2022.
For now, fans can salivate over the impending EP’s title track, with Purple Diamonds firmly flaunting Queency’s relatability, technicality and showmanship in one extremely sleek package. “Purple Diamonds is my precious baby, so I’m genuinely overjoyed to finally be able to put it out in the world,” Queency concludes of his brand new single finally releasing into the world today. “And I’m excited AF to release the EP soon. This EP is my very first body of work and I’ve poured my soul, sweat and tears in it, so I cannot wait to put it out there!”.
Purple Diamonds is out today, Thursday October 27.
The Purple Diamonds EP is out Thursday November 24.
JACK PANTHER SHARES NEW SINGLE ‘WEEKEND AT BERNIES’
Tāmaki Makaurau-based queer artist Jack Panther has unveiled his latest single, with Weekend At Bernies arriving as an equally quirky and anthemic piece of summery pop. The first taste of new music from Jack since the release of his why don’t you come over? EP back in June, Weekend At Bernies sees him leaning heavily into refreshingly honest territory, while harnessing influences from energetic pop names such as Remi Wolf, Dora Jar, and Omar Apollo.
Beginning life during a visit to friends in Wellington, Jack met up with producer Tarn PK for an impromptu writing session. Before long, the pair gelled creatively, with the demo of the track being crafted in just a matter of hours. The result is a track that looks at some of the harsh realities that occur during relationships, but ruminates upon the topic in a way that the enigmatic pop stylings of Jack Panther can.
“Weekend At Bernies is a fun, playful track about the panic moment when a relationship is fizzling out,” he explains. “It all sort of just poured out of me, something I never set out to write about. As Tarn and I were writing it I began to realise that in order to grow with people sometimes you’ve got to have the conversations you don’t want to have. The chorus bursts out with a dilemma begging, ‘How are we going to address this? Are we going to address this?’ with the lyrics ‘How you gonna break it down for me?’. However, the tangy, sweet vocals lie perfectly with the quirky, bright production suggesting that if we’re as bad as each perhaps in some twisted way we belong together.”
Mixed by Nathan Phillips (Remi Wolf, Omar Apollo, spill tab, Jean Dawson) and mastered by Hector Vega (Doja Cat, Justin Bieber), Weekend At Bernies sits alongside Jack Panther’s already-strong discography as a powerful example of his slick songwriting skills, and his inimitable pop sensibilities. “Having Nathan Phillips on to mix is huge, he works with some of the biggest alt-pop artists around, making some of the strongest new-wave alt-pop coming through,” he explains. “Honestly I’m really really excited to have Weekend At Bernies out. It’s a song still so fresh to me and probably my strongest track to date. It’s a relief but more importantly I feel so ready to have this track out. Writing this felt like a breakthrough, the chorus just poured out of me so organically, I think we ended up using parts of my very first vocal take.”
With a three-date New Zealand tour scheduled to take place with his full band throughout November and December, Jack Panther is looking to close out 2022 at the top of his game, before launching into dazzling new heights next year. Having just wrapped up a writing trip to Melbourne, Sydney and London, he’s eagerly looking forward to what next year holds in terms of both new experiences, new surroundings, and most importantly, new music.
Weekend At Bernies is out today, October 28.
GEORGIA FIELDS SHARES NEW SINGLE ‘IN MY BLOOD’ + NEW ALBUM ‘HIRAETH’ DUE OUT NOVEMBER 17
Throbbing with an alluring undercurrent of hypnotic textures, the brand new track In My Blood from Naarm/ Melbourne art-pop alchemist Georgia Fields is a meditation on the wine-dark waters that lie between desire and compulsion. A corroded synth line flickers like a detuned radio, cutting Georgia’s singular grace with an unsettling sense of menace. Pulsing with warm and wondrous undulations, the tension throughout In My Blood’s intricate – yet ultimately restrained – production builds steadily towards a beautiful, almost joyous sense of release. Georgia’s distinctive vocal brings to mind the piercing, understated clarity of Metals-era Feist, and the shoulders-back power-stance of Sharon van Etten.
Officially dropping today, In My Blood is the fifth and final single from Georgia’s third full-length album Hiraeth, due Thursday November 17. Pronounced “hee-raith”, the album takes its title from a Welsh word with no direct translation, referring to a profound longing for a home you can’t return to as it no longer exists, a sense of nostalgia or grief for the lost places of your past. Fans can also catch Hiraeth live, with Georgia set to tour the album nationally – kicking off with a hometown show on Saturday November 19 at Brunswick Ballroom in Melbourne, before traversing Daylesford, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Creswick, and then finishing up in regional Victoria at Theatre Royal in Castlemaine on Sunday December 18. Tickets are on sale now.
In My Blood arrives hot on the heels of Georgia’s previously released singles: Tigress, Persuasion, and Holding My Hands Out – each track offering a unique insight into the forthcoming album’s bold melodics, visceral arrangements, and intimate yet assured vocal delivery. In My Blood invites the listener into a world of sonic beauty, while also grappling with themes of addiction, trauma and recovery. Conceived against the backdrop of Melbourne’s claustrophobic lockdowns and the collective anxiety of the global pandemic, Georgia elaborates: “I wrote In My Blood during the 2020 lockdowns. A few months prior to the pandemic, I had been diagnosed with acute postnatal depression and anxiety which saw me struggle to leave the house. Trapped in my own home like a lost sparrow in a shopping mall, I returned to some, let’s say, not-so-healthy coping strategies. Drinking too much. Eating too little. Wanting to numb some sensations and make others painfully loud. I started to question these old habits. Is it nature? Is it nurture? Am I broken? Maybe it’s in my blood.”
Produced by Josh Barber, who has previously worked with the likes of Gotye and Gretta Ray, In My Blood is a riveting and raw journey, gloriously nuanced, showcasing Georgia’s razor-sharp songwriting craft as well as the symbiotic creative partnership between the pair, which spans the broader album. “Collaborating with Josh was a dream, because he brings a huge breadth of skills to the table. He’s a world-class drummer, a highly creative multi-instrumentalist, and a meticulous sound nerd. And like me, Josh has an appreciation for kooky sounds. We built the sonic world for In My Blood around the glitchy synth loop, incorporating live drums played with soft mallets, as well as a rusty old nylon string guitar, programmed beats, and a Juno HS60”, Georgia explains.
From stories of motherhood, infidelity, and death to rapturous anthems of healing and home – at its core, Hiraeth is an ode to the many languages of longing. Album opener Find Your Way Back depicts a childhood characterised by constant moving, where a sense of belonging is perpetually out of reach. Georgia’s percussive “shk-shk-shk” vocal loop was a demo placeholder intended to mimic a tambourine, but when Josh came on board to produce, he convinced Georgia that it should remain. This collaborative and experimental crafting of sounds became a signature palette of the album.
Persuasion follows with its smouldering, soulful slow-burn and Wilco-inspired fuzz guitar. Strident synth flourishes further elevate the warm, rich, and rock-solid rhythm section. The band provides a sense of gravity, anchoring Georgia’ insouciant sense of mischief as she sings – with tongue planted firmly in cheek – “I’m looking at him but I’m thinking of you”. Georgia’s vocal consistently steals the show, sashaying from a smokey, velveteen purr to a powerfully commanding wail. “I have plenty of songs about getting my heart broken, but I’ve done my fair share of misbehaving”, the singer-songwriter explains. “I wanted to write an anti-hero pop song.”
Thanks to funding support from Australia Council for the Arts, Hiraeth was recorded over a 6-month period in Josh’s own studio – a 1930s converted church at the back of his rural property in Mollongghip, Victoria. Georgia and Josh performed almost all the instrumentation across the album, with Jules Pascoe (Jazz Party; Husky) contributing bass guitar, and the Andromeda String Quartet making an appearance on three tracks. “Because we were working out of Josh’s workspace rather than hiring an external studio, we had daily access to his entire cache of drum sets and percussion.” That playful approach to crafting sounds and layering rhythms can be heard right across Hiraeth – from Persuasion’s odd-ball castanets to the ghostly terracotta garden pots on Holding My Hands Out. Otherworldly, immersive, and lush, Holding My Hands Out explores the primal desire we all have to be held. In Georgia’ own words: “it’s about reaching your hands out for comfort but grasping at shadows.”
Shadow and light, blood and water, are recurring motifs. Water to Water details Georgia’ experience of miscarriage with astonishing candour, inspired by Mizuko Kuyo – a Japanese Buddhist ceremony to mourn deceased foetuses. How A Girl Becomes A Puddle is an evocative vignette of relationship breakdown, bristling with tin-pan percussion and gritty saxophones. When To Leave The Party is a love letter to a lost friend, rippling with an emphatic beat and wistful woodwind. Album closer I Saw It Coming depicts the mesmerising nature of grief. Here, Georgia describes heartbreak “like a car crash in slow motion”. Simultaneously horrified and enthralled by the impending anguish, she sings: “I couldn’t tear my eyes away, I didn’t want to miss the display”.
While many of Hiraeth’s songs peer unflinchingly into darker pockets of the psyche, there is also humour and light. Write it on the Sky is a glistening, neon-lit anthem. Tigress is a fierce-hearted love song, with punchy drum-pad samples that evoke more than a hint of buoyant 90s nostalgia. An album to heal a broken heart, inspire new beginnings and ignite joy, Hiraeth is laden with light and shade. It’s been a labour of love that extends beyond the uncertainty of the past few years, as Georgia shares: “Hiraeth feels like a homecoming. These songs have been in my head and heart since the pandemic began, some even earlier. I spent a long time dreaming of this album and realising the sound with my incredible producer Josh… I listened to a vinyl test pressing last week and I had goosebumps – my whole body was zinging! But strangely, I also felt very grounded at the same time. I just get this sense that Hiraeth is arriving at exactly the right time. And I’m ready.”
A true artist in every sense of the word, Georgia Fields first emerged onto the local music scene in 2007 with her debut EP Drama on the High Seas of Emotion, before solidifying her reputation as one of Melbourne’s most beloved singer-songwriters with the arrival of her debut 2010 self-titled album. Landing Album Of The Week for both ABC Radio National and Beat Magazine, plus an appearance on SBS’ Rockwiz and the Queenscliff Music Festival main stage, Georgia went on to release her critically-acclaimed album Astral Debris in 2016, shortly after her first daughter was born. In 2017, she revealed a retrospective EP Afloat, Adrift, recorded live with the Andromeda String Quartet, and in 2020, after the birth of her son, Georgia launched Mother Lode: an online community for musicians who are mothers.
With performances spanning Melbourne Recital Centre, ACMI, State Library Victoria, Melbourne Fashion Week, Festival of Voices Tasmania, Brisbane Powerhouse, National Gallery of Victoria and Mullum Music Festival, Georgia’s chameleonic live prowess must be seen to be believed. Her captivating solo show sees the sonic shapeshifter move deftly between electric guitar to vintage keyboards and textural live looping, “painting entire worlds with her tunes” (Frankie Magazine). Georgia equally enamours when joined by her four-piece band of multi-instrumentalists. And on Saturday November 19, fans can catch Georgia and her stunning new album live – with some special surprises – as Georgia reveals: “For Melbourne, I’ll have my full band! It’s a matinee at the Brunswick Ballroom, which means parents can bring their kids. For the other dates on the tour, I’m reimagining the album songs in solo mode – switching it up between guitar, keyboard and live loops”.
In My Blood is out today, Wednesday October 19.
Hiraeth is set for release on Thursday November 17.
GEORGIA FIELDS – UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
SAT 19 NOV | BRUNSWICK BALLROOM, MELBOURNE VIC | ALL AGES
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SUN 20 NOV | DAYLESFORD HOTEL, DAYLESFORD VIC | ALL AGES
Tickets available from daylesfordhotel.com.au
THU 24 NOV | LAZYBONES, SYDNEY NSW | 18+
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SUN 27 NOV | IT’S STILL A SECRET, BRISBANE QLD | 18+
Tickets available from tickets.oztix.com.au
SUN 11 DEC | WHEATSHEAF HOTEL, ADELAIDE SA | 18+
Tickets available from tickets.oztix.com.au
SAT 17 DEC | ODESSA WINE BAR, CRESWICK VIC | 18+
Free show | info via www.facebook.com
SUN 18 DEC | THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE VIC | ALL AGES
Free show | info via www.facebook.com
HIRAETH TRACKLIST
- Find Your Way Back
- Persuasion
- Holding My Hands Out
- When To Leave The Party
- Water to Water
- In My Blood
- Tigress
- Write It On The Sky
- How A Girl Becomes A Puddle
- I Saw it Coming