Flames are filling up our ears…

Happy Friday party people! Alright, it’s not ideal circumstances right now in most of Aus and there’s not a whole lot of ‘party people’ about (and if there are, well, they better be partying over Zoom), but lets face it, we made it to the end of the week, and that’s cause for some sort of celebration.

We personally recommend taking a break from the overwhelming despair of social media, instead engaging in some auditory self-care as you lose yourself to the frequencies. It’s escapism at its finest, and today’s batch of Homegrown Fire will have you falling into Wonderland faster than well, literally anything at this point, since lockdown life is bloody slow as.

Anyway, five fire tracks by local artists, coming right up! Check it below.

The Oogars – ‘Rapids’

Psychedelic rock outfit The Oogars cast spells of unspeakable allure on ‘Rapids’ the all-female four piece drawing from a vivid sonic pallette of euphoria and synergy. The devilish slow burn sees the Northern NSW/Bundjalung crew entrance you into the depths, exploring the notion of utter surrender and the freedom it affords, hazy synths and guitars setting a hypnotic backdrop that’s both invigorating and anxiety-inducing.

It’s a wishing well of textures, yet the band end it in just the perfect way, sending their creation off with a totally badass guitar solo at 4:34 that’s unabashedly wild. It’s almost like they’re trying to hurtle you to a Nirvana of sorts, one flowing with otherworldly mysticism.

Beso Palma ft. Gia Vorne – ‘Without Measure’

Sydney/Eora rising stars Beso Palma and Gia Vorne help you bop, pop and groove your way out of whatever worries may plague your spirit in ‘Without Measure,’ filling us with gorgeous thrills as they celebrate the purity of loving and being loved.

The sonic textures sees Beso remind us that he’s totally rangeless as producer, crafting an ode to the intricacy of 90s R&B through a lens of pink-pastels. Funkadelic keys and percussion sit square in the pocket with a braggadocios steeze, tempered with a certain tenderness just perfect for Gia’s utterances. Speaking of which, there just isn’t any way to do justice to her tone; it’s injected with this fiery elixir with an otherworldly range to much. It’s a lightening rod of soul, one Beso perfectly compliments with his own suave offerings.

It’s perhaps the most healing listen you’ll have all week; one that’ll feel soothe your being beyond all measure.

Big Skeez – ‘No Trace’

Rhythmic powerhouse Big Skeez is a trove of reflection on his solo debut ‘No Trace,’ the Western Sydney/Eora MC digging deep on the inner tug of war when a former flame attempts to force their way back into your life.

The three-minute offering sees Skeez glimmer with the lovely intricacies of Afroswing, his alternations between lyrical onslaughts and melodic breeziness swirling with the surrounding sonics like a wave of lush tropics. It’s almost confronting in how smooth the overall creation is, every layer and piece of ornamentation charged with just the right amount of resonance. It clocks a pretty steady 113BPM as well, giving you just enough time to lose a piece of yourself to its vibrance; a piece only to be found with each and every replay of it.

GRAZER – ‘Without You’

Melbourne/Naarm dream-walkers GRAZER take a blissful polaroid of love and adoration in ‘Without You,’ the A-side of their latest double single immersing itself in the purity of connection and its inevitable finality.

Featuring the ethereal vocal blessings of both GRAZER members Mollie and Matt, the track unfurls with a surrealist like quality, sunset-infused vocals echoing amongst the tender textures of instrumentation. There’s also some really intricate guitar work embedded throughout, just quiet to keep attention on the duo but still glimmering like sun rays on lake.

It’s hopeful, melancholic and utterly revitalising, get entranced before its too late (hint: it’ll never be too late).

Kase Avila & Jade Kenji – ‘What’s Up’

Kase Avila and Jade Kenji are a constellation of heart and art on ‘What’s Up,’ the lead single from their collab EP Maroyaka filled to the brim with a concoction of genre, culture and identity. Picking up where GOATs Dilla and Mary J left off, the pair get wavy as hell with the new release, Kase crafting an old school hip hop beat infused with rich Japanese influences, all of which singer Jade floats upon like butter.

The pair trade offerings almost like they’re jamming after a sold out show in three in the morning, Kase’s haze of boom-bap and new-jack swing prompting Jade to respond in this crazy organic fashion; so much so that her transition from singing to rapping is beyond seamless, free-flowing with total liberation as manages to stay totally in the pocket.

It’s hard to pick where she shines most, her melodic breeziness and rhythmic intensity a step above whatever you’d consider ‘top tier.’ From the genius intricacy of the instrumentation to the lush euphoria of the vocals, it’s everything you could want from the two artists; finding the perfect blend of both swank and stank.