Active since the early 2000s, Christchurch-born purveyor of genre-bending soul hip-hop Ladi6 started out in all-girl crew Sheelahroc, but quickly made a name for herself with her sophisticated combination of sultry vocals, razor sharp beats and cosmic synths.
After a long silence, Ladi6 has shared “Royal Blue,” taken from the highly anticipated Royal Blue 3000 EP. This electronic-tinged yet soulful track is an interesting take on dancehall grooves with a twist.
On the EP, producers Parks and Brandon Haru have managed to expand on Ladi6’s sound by pairing minimalist atmospheric beats with warm, heartfelt vocals. The result sounds fresh and new despite its clear nods to early funk and hip-hop.
Made up of twins Vuli and Moody and childhood friend Klue, Sydney trio True Vibenation blend hip-hop with everything from future beats to dancehall to trap music and even a touch of pop. The band’s second album ON was named ‘Album of the Week’ by Triple J and they hit the touring circuit hard, selling out their Sydney launch and playing to packed venues across Australia.
With hundreds of shows under their belt, True Vibenation have developed a strong following thanks to their unique combination of infectious hooks and razor sharp raps with roaring live horns and genre-bending electronic beats.
After scoring a string of massive hits across Europe as Whigfield in the 90s, Danish pop star Sannie Carlson is back in the spotlight but under her real name this time. Her first single as Sannie is a brilliant electro tune called “How Long”, released on dance label Armada.
Calling on superb chords, mesmerizing string play and a lovely vocal to hit the spot, Sannie brings things back to the dance florr with this new single, which also features remixes from the likes of Alex Neri & GG Canu, ATFC, and Grant Nelson in addition to the original mix.
Brisbane’s own Kite String Tangle has just shared exciting new single “The Prize”, the second taster for his forthcoming debut album, which is scheduled to drop on July 14. “The Prize” is an energetic slice of euphoric electronica with pulsing electro beats, spacious synths and emotionally charged guest vocals courtesy of Bridgette Amofah of Rudimental.
Talking about this new song, TKST explains that it “explores the dynamic between two lovers who can feel the spark getting dimmer and are powerless to change it. […] Bridgette’s vocal added the intensity that I always strive for in my tracks.”
During the writing & recording of his debut album, TKST began experimenting with live instruments including drums, strings and horns. He partnered up with Bridgette Amofah and Montgomery on two of the album’s tracks to add extra flavour and provide contrast to his own vocals which dominate the record.
L.A.-based alternative duo Powers recently premiered “Heavy”, a new track taken off their upcoming debut album, Alpha, which is due out later this year on Republic Records. With its late 70’s New York bass line and deliciously retro string arrangements, “Heavy” is a bittersweet number about the struggle of relationships and how toxic they can sometimes be. It’s a “battle between logic and desire” says vocalist Crista Ru, who co-founded Powers with co-vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Mike Del Rio back in 2014.
For Powers, bringing songs to life means tapping into their own eclectic backgrounds from playing in underground punk bands in New York City to co-writing for the likes of Kylie Minogue and Selena Gomez. Citing the cut-and-paste art of Robert Rauschenberg and Terry Gilliam among their longtime influences, they’ve taken a collage-like approach to constructing crystalline pop.
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