Homegrown Fire: Five Local Artists We’re Bumping On Repeat
Too hot.
Music
Words by Amar Gera April 22, 2021

Can someone PLEASE call the fire department…

How are we all going lovely people? The weather is properly beautiful this Thursday morning, cutting through the winter chills for a spritely breath of fresh euphoria. We’re feeling it all, but not as much as we’re feeling these homegrown tracks by local artists, all blazing with so much fire that we might’ve copped a burn or two while bumping them on repeat last night. But alas, it was totally worth it (as always).

Check it below.

Plastic Face – ‘Back2Tokyo’

Sydney electro duo Plastic Face invert your brain and rip out the stem in their lusciously dark tune ‘Back2Tokyo,’ the self-proclaimed “DMT elves” riveting you into entrancingly-psychedelic ecstasy. Making use of gentle kicks beneath hazy chords that glitter and shine with a minimalist aura, the veterans of the underground use their unique brands of electronica and pop to find the nuance and sensitivity in falling back into one’s habits; the conflict within oneself when going back to a situation that may not be best for them.

The jabby synths flicker with a brilliantly-refined focus as well, adding a layer of ethereality as the duo flesh out the notion of existential conflict and seek to capture an accurate representation of it that glows and shines like a fluorescent gem. A tune that’ll put you at serene ease while prompting you to check yourself and what you’re doing with your life, we can’t recommend it enough. Check it below.

ILUKA ft. Lime Cordiale – ‘Mess’

Sydney delight ILUKA delivers lush thrills and sparks the spirit in her latest tune ‘Mess,’ replicating the immersive enchantment of her extensive catalogue for an uplifting anthem that inspires and eases the heart. Singing about the harsh innocence and fire of youth, the Blue Mountains born talent crafts an ode to days gone by thats beautifully nostalgic and honest; not at all romanticising it, but rather just painting a totally true portrayal of youth in all of its wonderful chaos. The track sees ILUKA make use of everything from magenta keys to sultry guitars and pounding drums, all of which organically extend and bloom for a collage of vivid instrumentation. Of course the transportive songwriting and vocals help to tie it all together, the canvas of creation resulting in a hypnotic bop that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you await each phrase and utterance.

The Lime Cordiale boys add some glitzy bravado as well of course, with Lewis’ punchy vocals tinged with an extra sensitivity and sweetness that contrasts swimmingly with ILUKA’s respective blend of fierceness and vulnerability. We also gotta mention that mesmerising music video as well, capturing the electricity of the tune in total spades. Needless to say, we’re hooked. And you will be too. Check it below.

MALi JO$E – ‘Portals’

Perth rhymer MALi JO$E gives you his full and unfiltered self in his latest gunshot ‘Portals’, taking the mic and future into his own hands as he raps about his perception of normal and the reality of his daily grind. The tune sees the lyrical wizard get manic over a moody beat that makes great use of pastel synths and colourful ornamentation, along with a totally immersive vocal loop that has just the right amount of distortion (shoutouts to the legend OJC43). It’s a solid sonic backing, one MALi more than stands toe-to-toe with, spitting wickedly precise bars that listen like wave of melodic euphoria, which is beautifully amplified by that transfixing hook.

It’s a badass track in which every piece and nuance of the puzzle feels completely alive and multi-dimensional, and it’s definitely a tune you need to bump on your next nighttime drive through a crowded cityscape. Get a taste below.

Kota Banks & Ninajirachi – ‘Kissing U’

Kota Banks and Ninajirachi (AKA the Aussie music scene’s favourite BFFs) serenade and cover us in lush cotton candy in ‘Kissing U,’ the final piece of the True North puzzle cutting through all barriers we may be carrying and leaving us all warm and fuzzy inside. The tune sees them dial back the complex production and soul-shaking attitude of previous True North offerings like ‘Secretive’ and ‘Slytherin,’ with musical prodigy Ninajirachi instead opting for sultry synths and steady drums that listen like a bubblegum-infused web of sonics. And with some super heartfelt vocals from Queen Kota to tie it all together, the progressive pop duo come through with a tender tune that works amazingly as both a ballad and dance ready-bop; vivid in complexion and totally soul-healing in composition.

Long story short, if they were remaking How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days and needed an official song, we’d legit riot if it was anything but ‘Kissing U’. Hell, we’d back the pair to score the whole damn movie, with tracks like ‘Kissing U’ proving that whether it be love, euphoria, or just straight up cuteness, the pair can create and capture whatever they desire (as both a duo and individual artists) and there’s seriously no stopping them. Get a whiff of what we’ve been bumping during our love-inspired crises below.

Mazy – ‘You Got Me’

Marrickville trio Mazy drape robes of psychedelic silk around you in their latest single ‘You Got Me,’ slamming you with an alluring blend of brit pop edginess mixed with California-daydreaming. The trio jam out their rockiest tune yet, with pounding guitars and bombastic synths that are indie beyond all cuffed jeans as they melt your brain three times over (once for good luck of course). All members are firing on all cylinders as well, with singer Ben Tierney’s vocals perfectly complimented by the varied levels of production that listen like they’ve been put through a grunge converter, analogue’d to the max as the trio dream a vivid, slightly haze-obscured fantasy that gets more alluring with each and every listen.

Singing about the feelings of unrequited love one has after the collapse of a relationship, the trio dial in on the pain within heartbreak and dial it up an absolute fucktonne, scoring the life of a lost soul in all of its intensity and hurt. Check it below. 

Editors Pick