Magnetic, Majestic: Active Child
Upon hearing Active Child’s debut album, You are All I See, listeners have immediately detected something distinctly spiritual behind the harp and choir-skilled falsetto vocals. While the sound is arguably more heavenly than say, Joanna Newsom’s sound, there is a noticeable air of presage and remorse. “Sometimes I’m scared to admit it,” the man behind … Read more
Husky Hits Home
triple j’s Unearthed has produced quite the monumental music pool. Some artists flounder and defect. Others, however, really come into the fore. When HUSKY won the triple j Unearthed award they didn’t brag or preen, they were grateful. “It’s helped us in a big way,” lead-man Husky Gawenda attests. “It’s difficult to get your music … Read more
Masters of the House
After years of deejaying (live and on radio), remixing, making mixes and releasing a debut album, THE ASTON SHUFFLE have timed their recent independent status well. With a strong following and a solid reputation it makes sense that the local duo would experience a surge of motivation to write. This is perhaps why, only months … Read more
Planting Seeds
Unless you are Canadian many of you may not have heard HEY ROSETTA! before, yet they have been receiving high acclaim in their part of the world, winning awards and being short-listed recently for the prestigious Polaris award (alongside heavyweights like Arcade Fire and Austra). Much like The Jezabels (whom Hey Rosetta! will be supporting … Read more
Digital Dudes
Ismail “Isi” Tüfekçi of established electro Hamburgers, Digitalism, doesn’t mind if you don’t like their new album, I Love You Dude. “You know, what I think we did is, we took our songs a little bit further,” Isi starts, in his winsome German accent. “And it’s really good that people have different opinions. First of … Read more
Time Traveller
CW Stoneking speaks just the way he sings, in a disjointed yet understandable speech, somewhat like Louis Armstrong, and with as equally a wonderfully husky strength. He’s not putting it on for stage presence. Stoneking’s albums may contain characters like King Hokum because when Stoneking writes a song, “a story emerges.” But what you hear, … Read more
A New Spark
Following the success of a debut album Sparkadia frontman, Alex Burnett, didn’t know that all of his band members would leave. And while he clearly appreciated their work it seems he took the exodus in stride when he says “because with the second record [The Great Impression] the other guys wanted to do different things … Read more
Q and A with Montpelier
Montpelier have recently released the lovely Peter Gabriel-like single Last Boat, which is about vocalist Greg Chiapello’s coming to terms with living with OCD as a teenager. The guys have a lot more planned for the year though and I have interviewed Greg to get the scoop-y juice. Also, clicks for the coffee mention! I … Read more
Q and A with Abbe May
Western Australia’s Abbe May is quite the rock goddess! 2 albums and 2 EPs into her career, she has already garnered a lot of attention nationally and internationally. Abbe shares a slice of her musical life. A Has Been: People have described your music as sexual blues. Do you agree? Abbe May: Its certainly a … Read more
Sounds of Silence
Big Scary’s Tom Iansek didn’t grow up around a lot of music. This is a curious shift from the norm, where musicians confidently express that their parents were creative impresarios, nurturing them to become the next Patti Smith or Mick Jagger. Iansek modestly shares, “I remember a patch of Enya and a bit of Mozart … Read more
