Homegrown Fire: Five Local Artists We’re Bumping On Repeat
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Music
Words by Amar Gera June 2, 2021

Hein Cooper & Yorke Picture by Jess Gleeson // 

Bumping it all night…

Happy Wednesday friends! Hope we’re all going well on this lovely day. We’re starting to run out of things to write here so we’re gonna cut the small talk and get right to it. Five fire tracks by local artists coming right up!

Check it below.

Hein Cooper – ‘Higher’

Illawarra singer-songwriter Hein Cooper crafts an ode to love and companionship in ‘Higher,’ jamming out a folky bop that lifts you ever-higher and further into the sunset. Singing about the power of partnership to sustain you through the tough times, the ‘Pretend’ singer totally engulfs you in his unshakeable faith in his significant other; a faith that no matter what comes their way, Hein and his love will face it together.

The track’s instrumentation matches the purity of its lyrical content, with golden acoustic guitars plucked and strummed to their heart’s content. The warm pianos and folky harmonies really add to the immersion as well, transporting you to a totally ethereal landscape like that of the music video.

Some pretty damn wholesome listening for your Wednesday morning, it’ll no doubt help you get through the mid-week slump. Check it below.

Yorke – ‘Window Shopping’

Byron Bay pop-starlet Yorke twirls with disco elixir in ‘Window Shopping,’ putting a catchy spin on the desire to make a kick ass first impression whilst staying true to her uniqueness and individuality. The tune continues the tone of transparency that’s defined her recent releases, the silky-smooth vocals communicating her vulnerability through delicious raspy lower tones and euphoric fluttering in the upper.

The accompanying instrumentation is just as refined as the lyrical delivery, the pumping bass line and gentle guitars propelling the tune forth as the ‘Gravity’ singer reminds you that this is a tune made for the dance-floor; a vivid tapestry of alt-pop sweetness.

Definitely a track that’s almost as effortless to get hooked on as its overall delivery, it’s a pretty solid offering for your Wednesday morning. Check it below.

The Terrys – ‘Cost The Peace’

Gerringong five piece The Terrys are keeping up their air of larrikin euphoria in ‘Cost The Peace,’ building upon their formula of fun-loving guitars and rowdy vocals as they craft another road-trip ready tune. The track is somehow more surfy and carefree than their last release ‘Our Paradise,’ the glittery instrumentation storming and washing over us like a perfect arvo wave; one that’ll carry you away from all responsibilities toward youthful wonder.

Starting with uplifting guitar riffs that transport you to a garage jam sesh with palm trees swaying overhead, the five-piece waste no time in letting you know that they’re just as fiery as ever, Fichy’s raw vocals storming in as he roars the soulful verses and grungy chorus. There’s also a cool breakdown around 1:10, the coastal menaces playing with mood and texture as they launch into the second verse; roaring like an early 2000s Commodore that gives less than zero fucks.

A track that’ll make a sick addition to any road trip playlist, it’s definitely one to bump on repeat. Check it below.

Isabelle Manfredi – ‘Jealousy’

Beginning her new chapter on a tone of groovy determination, former Preatures frontwoman Isabella Manfredi is charging out the gates with addictive honeycomb in ‘Jealousy’. The tune sees the industry delight turn feelings of betrayal and anger into musical empowerment, funkadelic basslines and floor-to-the-floor drums providing an energetic backing for her electric power-vocals.

Singing about a shitty ex and their failed attempts to bring her down, the singer-songwriter affirms that she’s just as powerful by herself as she was when fronting The Preatures, the tune as a whole striking this rich embodiment of early 2010s sugar pop with a ravenous 2021 twist; a concoction she seems to be more than comfortable with on the tune.

A pretty promising first solo offering, we’re definitely keen to hear more. Check it below.

JËVA – ‘Possibility’

Sydney-based singer-songwriter JËVA is an espresso martini of emotion in ‘Possibility,’ the tenor vocalist mourning unrequited love and what could’ve been in an exuberant display of pop and R&B. The track sees his vocals are charged with an unrelenting feeling as he digs deep into his past, unearthing waves of heartbreak as he recounts his confessing his feelings for a high school friend.

But he manages to pepper euphoria throughout the power ballad, imbuing the sonics of the tune with a heartfelt aura in transcendent synths and bombastic drums; baring his soul on lyrics like ‘There’s been too many sad endings/ Unrequited’s all I’ve ever known/ Don’t know how much further I can go.’

Definitely a track that gives you a taste of the ecstasy-like highs of young love along with the devastating lows of loneliness, it’s absolutely perfect to make you feel five different types of heartache. Check it below.

Editors Pick