Keeping us going…

Well, it’s definitely a pretty uncertain time for the nation right now. I’m not sure what to keep writing in these little opening paragraphs. Shit is well and truly cooked right about now, and none of us expected to still be dealing with this craziness in July. But all we can do is put our heads down and push through, so that’s exactly what we’ll do. All while listening some sick tracks by homegrown artists of course.

You know the drill. Five local artists we’re bumping on repeat coming right up.

Jodi – ‘Bl!nk’

Jodi bubbles with indie pop elixir in ‘bl!nk,’ the Sydney/Eora singer-songwriter sitting in the pocket of groove and thrill with total magnetism. The dance-inducing tune sees the delight link up with with local producer Alistair Hayes for a melodic firefly that revels in honeycomb textures, fuzzy guitar lines and distorted vocals laid bare over rainbow synths. It also draws from the palettes of red-wine jazz and cabaret, subtle keys and claps burning like musical embers of sensuality.

The hook sees her bring it all together, sticking it to a former flame as she belts ‘Cause I’m playing for keeps for you’ under a thin veil of distortion, the eventual ‘Sometimes I blink/ and I’m your baby’ rounding it all off with fun-loving energy that’s refined, elegant, and most of all, empowered.

Jerome Blaze – ‘Wholeheartedly’

Sydney/Eora maestro Jerome Blazè is a light of heavenly purity on ‘Wholeheartedly,’ throwing it back to the gospel greats of the 60s and 70s for a momentous ballad that transcends and uplifts. Surrounded by staggered piano chords and stardust-immersed strings, the ‘Colour of the Water’ singer goes back and forth between singing, preaching and spurring on the accompanying instrumentation, almost as if he was Jacob Collier’s Sydney counterpart.

The instrumental break at around 2:30 has to be mentioned as well, the unexpected and slightly jarring silence put into glorious perspective by the reemeerging vocals of Blazè, Ivy-Jane Browne and Jofi, bringing a whole new meaning to the universal truism of once being lost, but now found.

For a sonic spell written about not committing to the present, it’s kind of ironic how grounding it is, wholeheartedly drawing you into the present moment to make the most of the world and the people around you.

Madison Daniel – ‘Mental’

Mornington Peninsula singer-songwriter Madison Daniel gives a sardonic portrayal of inner turmoil in ‘Mental,’ weaving a shimmering web of confession and realisation as she digs deep on the fundamental layers of her psyche.

The track sees her engage in some SOPHIE-esque production with gritty production textures, reinforced by warbling vocal effects as the Byron-based muso follows her every creative inclination, the sonic gem taking every twist and turn as she constantly keeps you on your toes.

It’s all embodied in the hook ‘I’m a little bit mental’ which is wildly uninhibited and exuberant, frantic synths brewing with each utterance of the lyric. Her repetition of ‘Call me crazy if you want to die’ is completely twisted and haunting as well (but in the best way), giving a voice to those hidden parts in us that live by no rules and give no fucks.

Mild Minds & Frameworks – ‘No Skin’

Mild Minds and Frameworks are filling their respective sonic cauldrons with cosmic elixirs in ‘No Skin,’ the Melbourne-born and British producers crafting a potion of melodic bliss. Decorated with glittery drums and gentle synths, the two producers build upon each others strengths with total synchronicity, meshing as if they’ve been creating together since the dawn of time.

Mild Minds’ vocals are absolutely sublime on the track as well, his emotive falsetto oozing with spirit as he engages in a tender call and response with the piercing adlibs and harmonies.

Written about those Wild Wild West types always passing through and having no skin in the game, the pair curate an auditory soundtrack to a life on the run, an existence without ties to one’s former self. Except, this river of sound runs to every stream and ravine, infused with an almost medicinal resonance.

Jalmar – ‘Mijo Rico’

Melbourne/Naarm rapper Jalmar burns with bodacious flare in ‘Mijo Rico,’ his debut single simmering with the pastels of hip hop, reggaeton and enough zest to turn every empty space into an off chops dance battle.

Hot off his signing to Niche Productions, the young OG spits flames atop vibrant piano riffs and fast paced percussion, Latin trumpets propelling the tune into overdrive as he strikes a balance between suave and spine-tingling. The lyrical onslaught he goes on at 1:10 is scarily hard as well, so much so it’s kind of wild he doesn’t trip over his words with his magazine of rhythmic bullets.

And to tie it all together is that genius video which plays like the main cast from the 90s classic Boyz in the Hood got stuck in a Spaghetti Western directed by Quentin Tarantino. The juxtaposition of aesthetic influence and sonic singularity transcends for a straight heater that goes all the way in, all the while setting itself apart from the vast majority of hip hop music videos out there right now.