Words by Amar Gera February 25, 2022

BOY SODA image via Dexter Lola / Boo Seeka image via Ned Kelly / Yeloboi Tommy image via Navsrevenge //

The fire keeps on coming…

Well, we’re almost a quarter of the way into 2022 now, and the fire local tracks keep on coming. So much so that we’ve decided to go beyond our usual five tracks for seven. It’s Homegrown Fire season here in the LWA office, and we’re absolutely lapping it up folks. Dig in.

Boo Seeka (Sydney/Eora) – ‘Finish What You Started’

Electro heartthrob Boo Seeka is full of groove and thrill in his latest offering ‘Finish What You Started’, the Aussie festival mainstay continuing to serve emotive ballads with the production chops to match.

The track sees the ‘Never Enough’ singer surrounded by ember-like synths, leaning into his falsetto throughout its entirety as he sings about staying focused on the things we love in times of hardship, a sentiment no doubt we’ve all come to learn the last couple of years. It’s definitely on the more vibrant edge of Boo’s discography however, the euphoric production maximising in resonance and colour with every beat, combining together for an explosion of feeling.

It’s another quality offering from the musical one-stop shop, another reminder of the consistency of the Boo Seeka discography.

BOY SODA (Sydney/Eora) – ‘BIG’

Legend in the making BOY SODA continues to cement himself as one of the leading voices for Sydney R&B and hip hop in latest release ‘BIG’, the inner-west based muso again proving that whether it be soulful crooning or hard-hitting bars, he can do it all.

The track sees the songwriter/producer continue with anthemic sentiments he touched on in his last single ‘WELCOME TO THE GLOW UP’, the prolific rhymer singing about keeping perspective amongst the chaos of everyday life. His vocals alternate from high octane to slow and sweet throughout the tune’s journey, but through it all he maintain’s a distinct charisma that’s signature of the BOY SODA project. Special shoutout to that music video as well, frequent collaborator Bailey Watts helping to craft a full cinematic experience in the middle of a field throughout the three-and-a-half minute runtime.

It seems the sky is the limit for the young OG, and he’s getting more magnetic with each and every release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knpRaJo2dSk

Jas. (Melbourne/Naarm) – ‘Care Too Much’

Jas. pens a stirring love letter to herself in ‘Care Too Much’, the acoustic songbird crafting a cathartic ballad accepting of her faults and optimistic for the future.

The track sees the ‘Drive’ singer double down on her folk-inclinations, breezy acoustics backing her soprano vocals with ease. There’s definitely a real feeling of spring-awakening rife throughout the three-minute runtime as well, arpeggiated chords juxtaposed with organic-sounding drums creating a tangible atmosphere of rejuvenation. But make no mistake, the lyrics and their delivery are the real stars of this number, the staccato uttereance of lines like ‘You’re telling me something I already know” alive with flavour and innovation.

A track that’ll put a spring in your step this Friday morning, we’re prescribing it for a bit of medicinal healing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUNjZXJn7vQ

Yeloboi Tommy (Sydney/Eora) – ‘HEARTBREAK’

Yeloboi Tommy comes through with plenty of fire and attitude in his latest offering ‘Heartbreak’, the rising star continuing to carve out a distinct corner of the hip hop landscape spheres with his unique brands of trap and R&B.

The track sees Tommy switch between melodic and rhythmic precision, the concurrent kicks beneath him prompting fast-paced alternations between slow and steady to fast and methodical vocalisations. As the title suggests, Tommy is getting extra vulnerable in this cut, singing and rapping about lost loves and the sense of hurt such an event entails. On the visuals local filmmaker Navs Revenge bodies it once again, curating a cinematic visualiser that captures the explosive nature of the sonics.

Definitely another fire offering from the young OG. Get a taste of ‘HEARTBREAK’ below.

Jewel Owusu (Boorloo/Perth) – ‘Ur Not My Friend’ ft. Mali Jo$e & Namesake

Jewel Owusu crafts a bedroom pop anthem that puts you at ease in ‘Ur Not My Friend’ ft. Mali Jo$e & Namesake, the half Filipino and Ghanaian singer-songwriter curating a ballad full of stardust and empowerment.

The slow-burn utilises airy guitar lines and minimal drums beneath Jewel’s catchy vocals, which utilise the full enormity of her range through an easy-going lens. Feature artists Mali Jo$e and Namesake bring plenty of hype to the track as well, hard-hitting hip hop verses finding the perfect synchronicity with the track while adding an extra sense of grit to the overall creation.

Long story short, if Animal Crossing was looking for it’s next theme song, Jewel Owusu’s ‘Ur Not My Friend’ would be the only option. Thank us later: