this time last year, i posted a list of my favourite australian bands and that seemed to garner some interest around the blogosphere. over the last twelve months, i’ve been increasingly bombarded with lists and ‘best of’s and resolved that if i were to embark on such a collection again, i shouldn’t (and frankly couldn’t) list anyone in a specific order (i.e. ranging from the great to ‘not-quite-so-great’). with that in mind, here’s my ramshackle, in-no-particular-order list of current favourite australian bands. the list is restricted to those artists that have released music in 2006.
GOTYE (photo – top left)
mp3: heart’s a mess
mp3: coming back (faux pas remix)
gotye is solo artist wally de backer, and – in the shape of ‘like drawing blood’ – gave us one of the most original and diverse australian albums of the year. even as the hype fades on the album, word has already started to build on wally’s other long-term project, the basics. their retro-inspired album ‘stand out / fit in’ drops early next year,
gotye.com, murdochspace.com/gotye, murdochspace.com/the3basics
FAUX PAS
mp3: for the trees
gotye’s friend / flatmate / creative collaborator is tim shiel, who followed 2005’s glorious e.p. ‘faux feels’ with the excellent short album ‘entropy begins at home’, blending a impressive cocktail of what he terms “exotica vs folktronica vs timbaland vs sampledelica”.
iamfauxpas.com
MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS
mp3: the devil within (the presets mix) [via sandwich club]
‘raised by wolves’ was one of the australian highlights of 2005, and this years ’45 and rising’ and ‘secrets of the universe’ (with its attendant presets remix) delivered on the promise. both singles were released through cut copy’s uk imprint cutters, alongside K.I.M (see below).
MUSCLES
mp3: popular music [zipped album]
muscles’ ‘one inch badge pin’ has been driven through the ears of anyone who has tuned into fbi over the last few months, by default ending up as one of the most highly rotated tracks of the year. not unsuprising given that the track itself follows the template expertly crafted by the presets in 2005. such a comparison however does muscles a disservice as the rest of his output weaves its way through electro, tech, booty and trance, all dashed with muscles’ chili vocal sauce.
musclesmusic.com
TRIOSK
mp3: visions iv
generally referred to by me as “the finest drummer in australia today”, laurence pike is the cornerstone of two great australian bands – pivot and triosk. pivot’s ‘make me love you’ was one of the best albums of 2005, and this year triosk dropped their album ‘the headlight serenade’ on the leaf label, a set of often challenging forays into abstract electronica and experimental jazz. this year, laurence released a 9-minute drum solo on a 10″ through monika, entitled ‘drums for fun and fitness’, and his next release will be a new project entitled roam the hello clouds, with am album ‘near misses’ on ~scape.
TEENAGER
stream at murdochspace.com/teenagerband
teenager’s debut album has just dropped – whilst the lead single ‘pony’ could have easily have been one of ed banger’s most lauded releases of the year, the rest of the album takes us into alternative territories that also recall early mute or factory records releases. teenager mainstay nick littlemore was (is?) one half of p’nau – who did such things such as win aria awards and collaborate with kid creole and the coconuts. teenager feels like nick’s running and screaming in the opposire direction, and it’s all the better for it.
BANG GANG
mp3: gus da hoodrat’s butt fuck disco [podcast mix]
over the past two years, ajax from bang gang (also to be found on fbi) has swept aside the bloated, aging and banal faces of australian dance music in the annual inthemix public dj poll – a strong entry in 2005, leaping to no.1 in 2006. and for once, being crowned king does actually go hand-in-hand with being both innovative and hilarious. the rest of the bang gang crew shouldn’t be overlooked – their club nights, podcasts and newly minted 12-inch series all demand invesitgation. the above mix from gus da hoodrat features modeselektor, mr flash, edu-k, klaxons, boyz noize, para one and, of course, new kids on the block.
K.I.M.
mp3: by the time they reach you (bagraiders mix) [via palmsoutsounds]
k.i.m. is the achronistic psuedonym for kim moyes, one half of the presets, now kicking out on his own with a set of electro bangers. a temporary japan-only release in 2006 ‘system breakdown’ precedes a finished release for the rest of us in 2007.
MACROMANTICS
mp3: madlymantics
romy hoffman is one of the few female mcs in australia to have broken through in recent years – her appearance only highlights how male-dominated the australian hip hop scene truly is. while much of the australian scene falls into what has been described as “barbeque hip hop”, romy forges a path that deviates far from the obvious. citing lydia lunch and patti smith as influences, her 2006 australian album ‘moments in movement’ has been picked up by kill rock stars for a january release stateside.
teenagersintokyo
mp3: end it tonight
following their fat planet post last month, feedback on these gals has been impressive. they’ve augmented their line-up with a new drummer (with very large hands apparently) and will be supporting cansei de ser sexy in sydney on january 2nd.
BUMBLEBEEZ (photo – top right)
mp3: black dirt [via fluokids]
i first saw chris colonna and his sister pia on stage at the sydney entertainment centre supporting radiohead. this would be like putting your favourite small time indie band on stage as support to the rolling stones – a frankly impossible task that wouldn’t cut if for anyone. the gig was an unholy mess, which of course only makes you want them more. since 2004’s e.p. compilation ‘printz’ and a declaration from nme that he was “the coolest white guy alive”, chris returns in 2006 with his first ‘proper’ album, the first single ‘black dirt’ is currently occupying a spot on the the bbc’s uk r&b chart alongside pussycat dolls and busta rhymes. so continues the gloriously fucked up story of the bumblebeez.
and there’s more – had time allowed, i’d be adding more to the list such as THE VALENTINOS, YOUNG & RESTLESS, THE KNIFE MACHINE, COMETS, ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI and many other artists that i’ve forgotten. all should be googled, all should be loved.
check fbi’s monthly beforecast podcast for exclusive tunes from new and emerging hot aussie talent – this month featuring tracks from K.I.M., VANDETTAS, TEENAGERSINTOKYO, ASTRONOMY CLASS and SOFT TIGERS. the next podcast set of exclusives and mixes will land in early january.