Features / Music

Jesse Kanda turns out another video winner for brain-melting producer Arca.. 24 year-old, Venezuelan-born, London-residing music producer/mixing engineer Arca’s forthcoming full length studio release, Xen, comes out tomorrow, a year on from Arca’s stunning mixtape &&&, and EP Stretch 2. Prior to its release, he’s just put out a video for title track Now You Know, directed/created by Jesse Kanda.  Given Kanda’s work for Arca so far has been mostly confronting, his video for Now You Know, seems a lot more tame in comparison, but hugely captivating, all the same. Dalston-based, Japanese born video artist Jesse Kanda has been friends with Arca for ten years (they met on the internet at age 14) and is currently touring the UK with Arca, providing visuals for all of his shows, is behind the camera for the track’s video. Kanda has collaborated with Arca previously on a video for Arca’s track Thievery, and on a film project called Trauma (which played at the Museum of Modern Art) where the two

Loston returns with another stellar rework, this time for London Grammar.. WA-based producer Loston continues a stellar run of remix/reworks with the follow up to his original tune a few months back (Drown), this time taking to London Grammar's Strong with his signature brand of dark yet uplifting soundscapes. With the track premiering on Ear Milk last night, London Grammer (themselves just announcing a return to Australia next year as part of the Perth International Arts Festival) and Loston are a perfect match, both dabbling in an emotive brand of music that tugs at the heartstrings, although the beatmaker does apply just the right amount of oomph to toughen things up a bit. It's also available as a free download from Loston's FACEBOOK.

AKA SHENANIGANS: The Movie.. A couple of months back Dune Rats went around the country for a bunch of shows celebrating their latest single Superman, from their debut album released earlier this year (buy HERE). Part of that tour saw them go on a jaunt to the south west of our neck of the woods with the good lads at Hooch, and the video below documents those times. And times they most definitely were. Before the end of the year you can catch them at the Festival Of The Sun Festival alongside the likes of Violent Soho and The Jezabels (details HERE), before they join the ever-on-point St Jerome's Laneway Festval in February next year (details HERE). In the meantime please enjoy the very approprately titled Dune Rats South West Rampage Tour video. I could try and summise what you're about to see, but if you've ever been to a Dunies show, or watched a Dunies video clip, you know what you're in for:

A sublime collection of beats from the Melbourne producer.. We've been feverishly anticipating Thrupence's Lessons Mixtape 4 since he dropped his first tune with Future Classic last August in Don't You Mind. And he hasn't disappointed. I could lazily apply an Avalanches-esque descriptor to his sound (and I just did), but there's also a lot more to it that makes Thrupence one of the most interesting and unique producers in a very busy Australian scene. You can stream Lessons below, or buy it for the paltry sum of $7 via Thrupence's BANDCAMP. Money well spent:

The seven-piece we'd like you to meet.. You may have heard of a groovin' new band gaining prominence around the gig circuit lately. Koi Child are a seven-piece jazz-fusion project hailing from our own port town of Fremantle. Emerging from a collaboration between nu-jazz band Kashikoi and hip-hop trio Child's Play, they've been busy readying a single for your ears set to launch on Monday via Rolling Stone [update - this is now live, and it's an absolute killer - listen HERE]. Landing their second gig together opening for homegrown psych-rock outfit Tame Impala earlier in the year and co-headlining youth festival Norfolk Lanes last fortnight, Koi Child have gone from strength to strength. They're about to head into the studio over the summer to record with none other than local-turned-international legend Kevin Parker.You can catch them playing the James Squire stage at the Beaufort street Festival next Saturday. For now, we'll leave you with tunes from their constituent part, Child's Pl

We continue our look at the rise - and demise - of Sydney punk icons Radio Birdman.

"I’m proud that we can still get out there and pull crowds and do a national tour and stuff."

Nick Diener runs us through The Swellers' final days.

How The Black Seeds breathed new life into their band.

Creating a film in tribute to another can be a pretty dicey affair, but Chris Moss explains why 'Spirit Of Akasha' works.

Little May don't mind the all-girl band title, just as long as you respect them.