It’s so close we can taste it: Listen Out is on the horizon and approaching very quickly!

It’s just a few weeks until the event is embarking on yet another national run, and we’re too keen for yet another stellar mixed bill being announced for 2016. Perth’s tickets have sold out, while all other cities are following closely behind – get yours now or bathe in the unavoidable FOMO later. In anticipation of Listen Out, we’ve counted down eight tracks which we can’t wait to see live – and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for them to be played. Get stuck in below, and grab your tickets here:

TRAVIS SCOTT ‘PICK UP THE PHONE’ (FT. YOUNG THUG & QUAVO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZDinQ92OZQ

When Travis Scott was named as a late inclusion to the Listen Out lineup, you could almost feel the number of contemporary rap fans growing their braids and tearing their jeans in anticipation. Ever since ‘Antidote’ became every clubs staple from Los Angeles to Sydney, Scott has been unstoppable and will continue his winning streak with an album Birds In The Trap McKnight to be released this month. The beat for ‘Pick Up The Phone’ is an absolute belter, both zesty and menacing and the perfect backdrop for the animated, over-exaggerated styles of La Flame, Thugger and Quavo. Start practising those ad-libs!

STORMZY ‘KNOW ME FROM’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxbzujA69DA

While it might have been Skepta’s ‘Shutdown’ that ignited the latest international wave of interest in grime music, it’s Stormzy who has been hailed as one of the genre’s most promising young talent. At just 23 years of age, his rhymes excel far beyond his years as he spits with assertiveness and precision over UK bass backdrops. This was all on show when he tore apart Manning House for OutsideIn festival last year, with particularly high levels of chaos ensuing when he dropped ‘Know Me From’. With a larger stage and more room to maneuver in his Adidas tracksuit, we can only assume that Stormzy will bring heightened energy to Listen Out.

ASAP FERG ‘NEW LEVEL’ (FT. FUTURE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srns7NiO278

ASAP Ferg is a seasoned Australian veteran at this point. While he first arrived Down Under to share the stage with ASAP Rocky, he’s since embarked on multiple headline tours of his own since 2014, as well as festival appearances like Groovin The Moo. It’s no wonder that his live show has become so popular: His debut album Trap Lord is filled with abrasive trap anthems that are meant for mosh pits, and repetitive hooks that are meant to be yelled back with unashamed gusto. The likes of ‘Work’ and ‘Dump Dump’ have wreaked havoc when performed live by Ferg, and it’s a similar story for ‘New Level’ – the lead single from his sophomore effort Always Strive And Prosper. Prepare to yell, a lot.

BAAUER ‘KUNG FU’ (FT. FUTURE, PUSHA T)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi1JReD_6FQ

Baauer refused to let his career be defined by the ‘Harlem Shake’ phenomenon, and it seems like he’s succeeded with flying colours, because he’s collaborating with Future & Pusha T in 2016. ‘Kung Fu’ has proven itself to be one of the year’s best crossover bangers, with Baauer’s production hovering ominously below Pusha’s snarling lines about cooking cocaine, selling cocaine, and just general cocaine appreciation. Meanwhile, Freebandz ambassador Future drawls his way through the hook, making ‘Kung Fu’ a star-studded affair that’s begging to be played at Listen Out. P.S. Don’t do cocaine.

JOY ‘MARVIN’S ROOM’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ3_8ke_eOg

Having already warmed up the pipes with a performance at Curve Ball, JOY will perform at Listen Out off the back of another single titled ‘Like Home’ which again shows her preference for greyscale electronica and moody, mesmerising vocals. Still, we can’t go past her version of ‘Marvin’s Room’ – Drake’s melodramatic emo-rap classic complete with voice messages and deep wells of self-doubt. JOY’s rendition is refreshing, turning the track on its head with a female perspective and retaining all of the original’s nocturnal qualities.

COSMO’S MIDNIGHT ‘WALK WITH ME’ (FT. KUCKA)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLXJzKdIlXE

We are pretty sure it’s impossible to be sad while listening to ‘Walk With Me’. Our suspicions grew even stronger when the track received a video starring huskies, scooters, an inflatable pool, matching tracksuits and choreographed dancing. This just feels like sun-soaked, carefree dancefloor action, and is bound to get the Listen Out audiences responding with passionate enthusiasm.

ANDERSON.PAAK & THE FREE NATIONALS ‘THE WATERS’ (FT. BJ THE CHICAGO KID)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2R2ticmolk

When Anderson.Paak toured Australia in late 2015 for One Day Only festival, we had no idea what to expect – we just knew that he’d been tapped by the legendary Dr. Dre for a handful of tracks on his Straight Outta Compton project. When he hit the stage with a full band in tow, the performance was nothing short of explosive. Since then, Paak & The Free Nationals have been consistently hailed as one of the West Coast’s most exciting talents, blending soulful instrumentation with bursts of rap and melody. ‘The Waters’ is one of our favourite tracks, and prepare for a high-energy affair when they take the stage. In fact, we’re flagging this to be the festival’s highlight set.

YUNG LEAN ‘HIGHWAY PATROL’ (FT. BLADEE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWcBtHdPSKk

Notorious Swedish weirdo Yung Lean has been subverting hip-hop stereotypes for awhile, and carved his own niche subculture in the process – uniting the most left-field in both electronica and rap with his signature sound in the process. His delivery might be a little too unorthodox for many to appreciate, but the power of the instrumentals is undeniable – take ‘Highway Patrol’ as an example. Brooding synths and Southern-inspired drums make for a hazy mix, and one that’ll have the sad boys and sad girls swaying at Listen Out in Air Max and bucket hats.