Music News

Just in time to cure the winter blues, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and R3HAB team up to put a spin on a classic with their rework of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” The three all-star producers infuse the original’s singsong melodies with a deep, groovy bassline and percussive synths during the chorus, complementing the dance-friendly vibes with distorted vocals. This is not the childhood tune of your memories; the “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” makes for a merry and adult-friendly version of the old favorite. Although the continuing global pandemic has many of us celebrating differently (and distantly) this year, R3HAB and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike wanted to bring their listeners a little bit of winter joy.

“It’s always a good time working with Dimitri & Mike, and we’re excited to share our version of this classic record with everyone. We want this to be a gift to our listeners and a reminder that winter is a season for happiness and togetherness. Be generous and good to each other, and remember good things are ahead.” – R3HAB

“It’s always fun getting in the studio with R3HAB. We have a great synergy and know each other’s strengths, so the ideas always flow naturally. After a tough year, we hope we can spread some positivity over winter and give something back to the people that continue to support us.” – Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike

Dutch/Moroccan DJ and producer Fadi El Ghoul, better known as R3HAB, has been trailblazing his way through dance music for the better part of the last decade. From his breakthrough hit remix of Afrojack, Pitbull and Ne-Yo‘s “Give Me Everything” to his dance anthems, such as “All Around The World (La La La)” and “Lullaby,” which have collectively amassed over 600M streams, to his collaborations with the likes of ZAYN, Andy Grammer, Sofia Carson, Timmy Trumpet and more, R3HAB has proven to be one of the most talented and forward-thinking artists in the game. He partnered with Spotify and GATTÜSO to create the first-ever official “mint” single release. In 2016 he founded his label CYB3RPVNK, which passed one billion streams on its catalog within the first two years since its inception. R3HAB himself continues to evolve and diversify his sound by working with a variety of artists around the globe, experimenting with everything from hip-hop to pop through his collaborations. With his combination of innate artistry and innovative attitude, R3HAB is continuing his journey. Keep an eye out for what’s next!

Since their debut in 2007, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike have been making waves with hits like “The Hum,” “Higher Place” in collaboration with Neo, and “Hey Baby” with Diplo, all of which went Platinum and spent record amounts of time on the Billboard Dance chart. Further flexing their prowess, the brothers teamed up with Hans Zimmer for a rework of “Dead Men Tell No Tales” from the 5th installment of Pirates of the Caribbean. Then teamed up with David Guetta and Kiiara on “Complicated,” which has almost 150 million streams on Spotify and over 80 million Youtube views, and released one of the biggest songs of the summer 2019 “Instagram,” which also featured David Guetta, Afro Bros, Daddy Yankee and Natti Natasha. Pairing these chart-topping accomplishments with a packed tour schedule that has included Tomorrowland, EXIT festival, Creamfields, EDC Las Vegas, and more, the world has fallen in love with the duo’s high-energy performances and dynamic style. Always evolving with the times, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike are certainly ones to watch.

THE VIOLET WHISPERS is the brainchild of a rising Sydney Based Non-Binary musician, Nikhil Murthy. Their explosive singles HEAVEN KNOWS & ROADS IN PARIS have been met with wide acclaim & accolades both in nationally & internationally notable outlets such as Amnplify, Good Intent, Happy Mag, Mystic Sons, Eternity Network, The Partae, Hysteria Mag, The Band Next Door on 2ser, The Bridge on FBI Radio, Alyx Plays Punk, Peripheral Noise on Three D Radio 93.7fm), Music for The Misfits & The Backbeat Podcast.

Their intimate & delightful new single FLOATING is a change of pace from the raucous & exuberant sounds of past singles. The fragility & vulnerability in Nikhil’s voice as it soars over folk-laden acoustic guitars, tranquil pianos, subtle electronic soundscapes, soulful grooves & psychedelic guitar flourishes builds to an emotionally climax that we have not been privileged to hear until now.

”This is me at my most honest & raw. This song acts as a diary of a time in my life when I felt so emotionally, physically & spiritually removed from the core of myself that I felt absolutely disillusioned by the world I existed in. Sometimes we need to turn to our loved ones to nurture us back to health & to simply remind us that we are worthy of all the wonderful things in this life.”

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The dynamic collaboration of KLP and Stace Cadet this morning took to triple j’s Like A Version to cover Sia’s 2004 ballad ‘Breathe Me’. 

The pair manage to add some dance moments to the ballad whilst maintaining the emotion of the classic anthem with Stace Cadet acknowledging “Breathe Me was the first time I was emotionally educated through a song.”

Whilst in the studio the duo also delivered a lively performance of their 2020 hit ‘Energy‘ which has cracked over 12 million streams and was nominated for Best Dance Release at this week’s ARIA Awards.

KLP summed up the experience saying “This year has been both weird and wonderful so to be able to come together with friends and cry happy/sad tears on the dance floor together was a pretty special experience.”

STREAM ‘ENERGY’ HERE

After a year delving into new sonic worlds of combining positive house grooves with the most unique corners of contemporary hip-hop, Young Franco has now unveiled his biggest weapon yet via ‘Fallin’ Apart’ which sees him collaborate with Miami rap mogul Denzel Curry and rising name Pell.

Welcoming the track in is it’s infectious sample of the great Steve Monite’s ‘Things Fall Apart’.  Franco carves the sample brilliantly into his sonic palette, fusing it with infectious house drums, creating the bed for the track that is as easy to dance to as it is to strut to. Then enters Denzel Curry. Tenacious, hungry, witty and dominant are descriptions of Denzel Curry we’ve come to know and love and he channels that classic energy directly. Moulding perfectly with the Young Franco’s sound, it’s as expected a match made in heaven.  Holding down the back end of the track is New Orleans bred, Jackson based Pell. A name to watch out for, Pell brings a unique energy to the track with his infectious flow gliding brilliantly atop the tracks ringing synths.

Denzel Curry is an artist with career highlight after highlight. Rising through hip-hop’s Soundcloud era underground with prolific collective Raider Klan, Curry quickly made a name for himself as one of the most unique voices in a new generation of internet inspired rap. From his viral 2015 hit ‘Ultimate’, to a pair of critically acclaimed projects ‘TA13OO’ and ‘Zuu’ Denzel Curry has one of the globes biggest rap names.  Most recently he wowed Australian audiences with his Triple J Like A Version of Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Bulls on Parade’ placing at 5th in Triple J’s Hottest 100 in 2019.

Denzel Curry only adds to the flames that Young Franco and Pell have already created off the back of two collaborative singles. The earlier of the two, ‘Juice’, released in early 2020 created career highlights for both artists. It spent 9 weeks perched at the #1 position in Spotify’s  flagship indie playlist Front Left, BBC Radio 1 Spins from Annie Mac and Molly King, as well as featuring as Zane Lowe’s ‘Next Wave’ artist on Beats1. Young Franco has also recently joined an elite crop of songwriters, with his track ‘Miss You’ featuring Maribelle receiving gold accreditation in Australia.

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SUPPORT FOR ‘GIRLS’ FT. DOOLIE

“Impressive from start to finish, this one is a total winner.”
– Purple Sneakers (AUS)

Added to Spotify playlists New Music Friday (AU/NZ + IND), New Dance Beats and The Local List

Following on from their critically praised single ‘Tremble’ featuring the incomparable LÂLKA, Melbourne-based producer duo Chores have returned with their new single ‘Girls’ featuring Brisbane-based pop artist DOOLIE.

The track is an exquisitely produced dance-floor filler, opening with DOOLIE’s enticing vocals as they meld with slow-building soundscapes and delicate hi-hats. The choruses explode with euphoria as uplifting synths and thumping bass lines envelop the track. The song briefly pulls back into a delicate bridge full of breathtaking harmonies, before ending with a triumphant final chorus.

Chores talk about the process behind ‘Girls’:

“Working with an artist like DOOLIE was a dream come true for us, someone who is so authentic and has a distinct image and brand was awesome. We revised the track a few times, but a singer of her prowess meant it was easy to get the results required. Once again, the whole concept was created during lockdown, so we weren’t able to get in the studio together but managed to make it work remotely through collaborative working from home efforts.”

Previous releases have been widely embraced by Spotify and radio stations triple j, triple j Unearthed, FBi, 4ZZZ, RTR FM, The Edge and George FM (NZ). They’ve also seen support from online tastemakers Pilerats, Acid Stag, Stoney Roads, Purple Sneakers and Surviving the Golden Age (USA). The duo have also won several awards, including ‘Best Electronic Act’ at the 2018 New Zealand Music Awards and ‘Breakthrough Artist’ at the Georgies in 2017.

Chores have spent years honing their craft, DJing and performing as a full band at New Zealand festivals Rhythm and Vines, Northern Bass, Bay Dreams and Deep Hard N Funky, as well as supporting dance music luminaires Basement Jaxx, What So Not, Duke Dumont, Peking Duk, The Chainsmokers and A-Trak.

In the coming weeks, Chores will reveal an accompanying music video for ‘Girls’ ft. DOOLIE.

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PRAISE FOR ‘MASSIVE CHECKS’

“It’s another masterclass in unhinged, eccentric punk.”
– Hysteria Magazine (AUS)

SUPPORT FOR ‘THIN SKIN’

“A song that moulds together swaying guitar melodies with rather quite enchanting vocals, deep with this emotional brightness that captures the group’s drive to share these meaningful bursts of indie-pop.”
– Pilerats (AUS)

Brisbane-based indie-pop group Sunflower have just unveiled tour dates and their anthemic new single ‘Thin Skin’ – produced and mixed by bassist Sam Woods at the band’s Brisbane-based home studios.

Continuing on their path to inspire hope and meaning in this confusing world, ‘Thin Skin’ is a sanguine side-step from their previous feel-good singles and offers an unseen vulnerability to their empowering song writing. The illuminating warmth of the grand piano enveloped by an intrinsic blend of rock and orchestra marks this a significant point of sonic development for the band.

Co-vocalist / co-songwriter Kahlia Ferguson describes the motivation behind ‘Thin Skin’:

“Thin Skin” is about accepting that life is going to deal you difficult cards sometimes, and letting go of anything that doesn’t add value to your life is one way you can beat the darkness. You can be your own worst enemy if you let the difficulties of life tear away at you. We only get one life, might as well learn to love it.”

To coincide with the release, the band will play at Crafted Beer & Cider Festival on the Gold Coast, Lords Mayor’s Christmas Carols in Brisbane (televised on Channel 9), The Northern, Byron Bay and Mountain Goat Valley Crawl, Brisbane. This continues on from recent performances at Yonder Festival in Imbil, Valley Fiesta, Brisbane and a sold-out headlining show at Black Bear Lodge.

Previous singles ‘Better Days’ and ‘Get Yourself Together’ were widely embraced by the likes of triple j, triple j Unearthed, Amazing Radio (UK) and a slew of community radio stations. The tracks also received support from blogs Atwood Magazine (USA), Classic Rock Magazine (UK), The Music, Beat Magazine, and TV outlets MTV and ABC’s Rage.

In the coming weeks Sunflower will reveal an accompanying music video for ‘Thin Skin’.

UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS

SAT 21 NOV | VALLEY FIESTA, BRISBANE QLD
THU 26 NOV | YONDER FESTIVAL, BRISBANE QLD
SAT 28 NOV | CRAFTED BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL, GOLD COAST QLD
SAT 5 DEC | LORDS MAYOR’S CHRISTMAS CAROLS, BRISBANE QLD
FRI 11 DEC | THE NORTHERN, BYRON BAY NSW
Supporting Pacific Avenue
SAT 6 FEB | MOUNTAIN GOAT VALLEY CRAWL, BRISBANE QLD

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PRAISE FOR ‘PRESSURE’

“It’s an album that seems to capture the broadness of SCABZ’ sound; the pub-punk of acts like Bad//Dreems, the pop of The Divinyls and Stevie Nicks, the mania of acts like Royal Headache all coming together with a deeper emphasis for lyricism that separates SCABZ from the pack.”
– Pilerats (AUS)

“[‘Guess Who?’] is further evidence that SCABZ are Australia’s unwavering punk heroes.”
– Life Without Andy (AUS)

Lead single ‘Guess Who?’ premiered on triple j’s Home & Hosed

Focus track ‘Just At The Pub (Gossin’ With The Gals)’ added to Spotify playlist ‘New Punk Tracks’

Where are you currently based?

Sydney, Australia

How did you first start playing music?

I first started recording rap demos of all my high school friends. People would find out that I did this and basically try to get me to record their shit too. I started sampling all the CDs I had at the time and building drum tracks and mixing with instrumental intros of songs. (like the “Horses” intro instrumental part over drum beats i’d make lol) It was really a guise to try and get my shit done too until i met a better producer.

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?

Apart from being universally shitty, the silver lining for Covid shutting down gigs and venues is that we’ve had the time and capacity to get into the studio and create music. I don’t think people realise how much actual effort and energy gigging and being constantly out takes from you. With restrictions we’ve had the energy to stay in the studio and make music. Even the times when we are  not in the studio just thinking about the project and pushing it, doing all the other things that go along with pushing an artist project. You never really have that when your focus is taken up by other things 24/ 7. We’ve basically thrown ourselves into creating. We’ve finished this EP and have the structure for the next one set out.

Your new EP ‘Big Mood’ will be out November 27, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

It’s us taking the energy of the 90s/2000s hip hop and R&b and making the stuff that feels good to us. It’s a nostalgic nod but an ever evolving thing too. As music makers first we really just wanted to make stuff that resonates and give us a good feeling. A ”big mood”. 

How did you go about writing Big Mood?

St Christoph is the producer half who drives the production and beats, and we both go in together and build the rest. We look at this project as an outlet not only for us but for our growing little STCXSH community featuring other artists, songwriters and creatives. So it’s a collaborative effort. I don’t need to rap and sing every hook and verse. If we think something might sound good with another voice or texture we lean into that from our network. As i said leaning into that 90s/2000s energy we just wanted songs to stand alone and be a mood in itself. Which all turns into the “Big Mood” as a collection. 

Topic wise were drawing from real life. If that’s a relationship it’s definitely something we’ve been through. If that’s talking about sitting on the sidelines waiting for a chance to do our thing that’s real. That’s been us our whole career even before this project. If you listen to the songs that just us and our personality dialed to 11. For example with our song WFT I think I had to rewrite the verses on that a few times because it got too real. I couldn’t listen to the song without taking me to a dark place so I had to change a whole chunk of it. As a writer it’s good therapy.

Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?

St Christoph handles all the production in house. He’s really driving this sonically. He’s constantly putting together beat packs and then we both go in and see what resonates for both of us. See what beats move us and where we can take it. If we can catch a vibe on a song well chase it down a rabbit hole and see where we end up. Collaboration wise we’ve been leaning on our network. On this EP we’ve got a featured collab with Jade Alice but the collabs go deeper with contributors ranging from  Voli K, to Maddy Rowe and True Vibenation. 

We recorded, mixed and mastered all of this at our home at Studios 301. Mixing wise we’ve used St Christoph, Stefan Du Randt (Boomchild, Rissa) and Simon Cohen for some additional vocal production and mixing (Justin Beiber, Startley,  Illy) Mastering we’ve got both the legend Leon Zervos and Ben Feggans on the finishing touches.

How did you approach the recording/production process?

What programs/equipment did you use?

What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of Big Mood?

I think the most rewarding part is creating an extended body of work and being able to package that up. Not just focusing on one track and waiting to see if that hits before you roll into the next. Our label Be Rich have really given us the freedom to do that. That way we can basically be true to each song without trying to make them “everything in one” and force them to be something else. It’s like “hey were making a long form project” not just trying to ram everything into one song. It gives each song a chance to breathe. We’re here for the long run, not just a few singles.

The challenging part for me has been keeping up with everyone’s expectations (and mainly my own). I find it really intimidating sometimes if a hook and a super dope beat are there already there and people have high hopes for what’s coming next. (My parts lol) For instance Casual and WTF already had hooks on them before I started writing. I think everyone even wanted WTF to be a single without my verses even on it!!! So I’m like settle the fuck down guys. No pressure or anything lol

What do you like to do away from music?

Talk a whole bunch of shit, throw “shaade” at people, online shop for bargains and eat food with friends. We’ve both engineered our lives around music and the industry 24/7 so the “away from music” is a hard one. I think it’s to try and spend time with friends and fam and get grounded as much as possible.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Right now I’m listening to a whole bunch of old school garage music, some afrobeat and some old school hip hop shit. Some THEY., Jorja Smith, Tyler The Creator and some Drake. I’ve just started bumping Kanye – My Dark Twisted Fantasy again on the 10 year anniversary of it’s release.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

After we drop BIG MOOD. I think we’re gonna get back into EP mode and try to finish the next and add some new songs so it’s a cohesive body of work. I’m already convinced that we have the songs (all finished in my head) but I have to convince everyone else. It’s gonna be more of evolving our sound and pushing the boundaries. We’ve got a whole new bunch of collaborators lined up. It’s really us leaning more into our community and making music with people we love and respect. This year was about building a solid foundation for us. Next year is about pushing those boundaries even more while doubling down on just making good songs.

Outside of STCXSH, we’ve been collaborating on projects for nearly 10 years together now, so I think we find common ground in making music that we want rather than appeasing certain people. I Feel we’re both positioned as underdogs no matter how long we’ve been doing this or whatever the project so we just want to make good music we love. I’m not sure how that goes down sometimes but it makes my soul happy.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

If you watch our videos or are following on IG you know we aren’t shy about eating hahah. I think I associate sharing a meal with someone as a form of endearment and love. If you like someone you eat with them! Burgers, fast food and hangs is the vibe. It’s a tradition that when our team is around we do burgers, shakes  and hangs. Usually uber eats to wherever we are or the studio. The Newmarket Hotel/ Manhattan Super Bowl is our local hang near the studio. We’re also hanging out to get to Peanut Butter Bar in Leichhardt as well with the crew. We got offered a year’s supply of tacos from El Sol Mexican in Cronulla so we gotta hit that soon too. Philly Up food truck is a big mood we’ve frequented as well.

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The first single from ANTY’s debut album, ‘Rudeboy’ is out now and pre-orders are live . You can check it out on your favourite streaming platform here: https://ditto.fm/one-step-beyond-two-back

You can investigate the most excellent vinyl pre-order packs at Artist First here: https://artistfirst.com.au/collections/anty

Rolling Stone Australia on One Step Forward (Two Back) – “Anty is almost paradoxically at his best, providing a message of hope as he performs the track, gearing fans up for one of the most concentrated releases of his entire career.”

“This is reggae hip hop and it’s out of control,” Anty sings, two minutes into Rudeboy, his debut album.

A sound only briefly alluded to in his previous works, Rudeboy is boldly unique from start to finish. Drawing from the innovative reggae sounds of Jamaican producer Mikey Dread to the stream of consciousness poetry of The Streets, Mike Skinner, Rudeboy wouldn’t be out of place in a dive bar or a dance hall.

Having travelled the world, released four full-length albums and played countless major festivals fronting The Bennies. Anty has used the break of 2020 to hone his craft and deliver an unbelievably accomplished debut solo LP.

Lyrically, the album is positively party and just what the world needs in 2020. No regrets and living in the moment. “Rules are rules, they are meant to be broken,” he sings on Officer, in what is an apt description to his mash up approach to music making.

At 16 tracks in total, and almost as many genres, Rudeboy is out December 11th on Melbourne label Disdain Records.

Anty
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Today, Melbourne rock band Terra drop a video for their new single Frenemies. 

Frenemies, the new single from Terra, is a culmination of experiences musically and personally the band have gone through the past few years with the result being without doubt their catchiest and strongest song the band have written to date. Frenemies combines up-tempo rock with mature dynamics while allowing Cassie’s vocals to shine through like never before.

“The essence of Frenemies lies in the feeling of being betrayed by someone you trust, and let close to you. It unearths all the rage and pain that we sometimes bury to save face. Frenemies is the clear message that you’ve hurt me and I’m not going to pretend I’m okay with it anymore” – TERRA

Rounding out a breakthrough year, Sydney duo St. Christoph & Shaade are set to release their debut EP titled Big Mood on Friday 27th November 2020. Oozing with class over groovy melodies and smooth vocals, the Big Mood EP consists of 5 tracks including previously released beachside boppers California, Callin’ and Casual supported by global tastemakers including, BBC Radio 1, Triple J, This Song Is Sick, Bristol Funk and more.  

The focal track WTF featuring Melbourne electro-pop songstress / producer Jade Alice is the moody, throwback hip hop tune that bolsters the sun-flecked, good-time vibes of the beginning of the collection; adding soul and their trademark funk to a relatable message. So What follows and concludes the EP with a unique flow and classic St Christoph & Shaade panache.

St. Christoph & Shaade – Big Mood will be available on all streaming platforms worldwide on Friday 27th November 2020. 

Biography:

Evolving beyond the neighbourhood cool kids into connoisseurs of funk, throwback hip hop and new jack swing, Sydney duo St. Christoph + Shaade prove that their penchant for the soulful is exactly what the world needs right now.

With support from audiences and industry including the notorious tastemakers of Triple J, St. Christoph + Shaade’s blend of groovy melodies and smooth vocals, constructed with panache and production prowess will have you dancing all the way to your nearest white sand beach lined with palm trees and seaside bars. 

Combining the elements of à la mode creatives Anderson.Paak and Thundercat, with instantly recognisable influences from genre innovators De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, the duo are steadily growing their influence, sharing their sun-flecked good-vibes nationally and internationally. 

With an incoming collection of tunes making up the duo’s debut EP, set for release in November 2020, the sky is truly the limit for St. Christoph + Shaade. 

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