What Have Our Indie Artists Been Up To?

ON THE ROAD...

Emerging Melbourne MC REMi has announced his first official run of national shows. The rapper also has a new mixtape available. More.

Another local hip hop artist is heading out on tour. Dialectrix will play a number of headlining gigs throughout August. Read on.

Gold Coast hard rockers Electric Horse will play four shows around Oz very soon. Joining them on the tour will be Melbourne outfit Jericco. Details.

Fans of Brissy band The Belligerents will be chuffed to know the guys are heading out on the road. They'll be promoting their new EP, which is out soon. More.

EYE ON THE CHARTS...

Sheppard have reclaimed the top spot in the top twenty of AIR's singles/EP charts for independent labels with independent distribution chart. The indie kids EP Sheppard (independent/MGM) pushed Gurrumul's live version of his track Bayini (Skinnyfish/MGM) featuring Delta Goodrem & Musicians Of The Sydney Symphony down to second.

There were also two debuts in the same chart this week. Local DJ Nick Skitz made an entry with his Akon collab Natural Born Hustla (LNG Music/Xelon). Indie buzz duo Jagwar Ma also entered in at nineteen with their track Man I Need (Future Class/independent).

The Cat Empire again held onto the top spot in in the top 20 albums released on independent labels through independent distribution chart with their Steal The Light (Two Shoes/Inertia) effort. 90s rockers Baby Animals continued their revival - This Is Not The End (Social Family Records/independent) remained at number two.

There were also a bunch of debuts album wise this week. Owen Campbell's The Pilgrim (Independent/MGM) scored the number five placing, with art rock outfit The Red Paintings in at number nine with The Revolution Is Never Coming (Independent/MGM). Mat McHugh's Live At Random Hall (Die! Boredom Records/MGM) rounded out the top ten, while the deluxe edition of Ball Park Music's Museum (Stop Start/Inertia) entered at seventeen.

OTHER RELEASE NEWS...

Sydney DIY pop geniuses The Cannanes have a brand new album coming out over the next few weeks. Howling At All Hours is their first release in over a decade. More.

We're currently streaming the new release from Brisbane songstress Seja. All Our Wires is beautiful collection songs and a great return from the artist after her 2010 debut. Listen.

Another track has been released by the always intriuging Kirin J Callinan. This time, he's teamed up with his dad for the song Victoria M. Details.

Electro-classical fused outfit I'lls have dropped their newest EP. You can get your ears around the six-track A Warm Reception here.

SIGN THE DOTTED LINE...

Congrats to duo Big Scary on their deal with US label Barsuk Records. Their upcoming sophomore LP Not Art will now get an American release in September. Read on.

TIDBITS...

Melbourne rapper Mantra appeared on the latest ep of The Lulu Review, revealing his love of rhyming began when he was in Grade Two at school. Check out the rest of the exclusive here.

The Smith Street Band's multi-faceted frontman Wil Wagner performed a very special set of theMusic Sessions for us - in the rain. He still nailed it. Watch.