February was an exciting month for collaborations in Australian hip-hop and R&B. Both tracks from regular collaborators and newly formed musical partnerships sprinkled the release roster last month, once more proving that our local artists are ever-championing Australian music from within. Whilst collaborations were particularly strong across the last month, we were just as excited to see releases from local, independent and rising talents—with some artists choosing the month of Feb to launch their highly anticipated debut singles. To keep up you up to date, we’ve complied all the best releases from the last month for your listening pleasure.
1. “WYA", Maina Doe, King Ivy, IJALE
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Under Melbourne-based record label VALVE SOUNDS, Maina Doe, King Ivy and IJALE teamed up to drop their silky smooth new single, “WYA”. The track opens with Brisbane based artist King Ivy’s honeyed vocals, followed by the dreamy, recognisable voice of Maina Doe. Then enters IJALE with his distinct lyrical cadence, adding his alternative, melodic-rap flair into the mix for the closing verse. This attractively constructed single is an effortless listen backed with polished, rhythmic instrumentation—produced by none other than IJALE himself.
2. "COMMA'S", ONEFOUR ft. CG
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The wait is over for ONEFOUR fans across the globe who’ve been eagerly awaiting the group’s next drop since their last single “Cruise Control”. Their newest track, “COMMA’S”, offers a strong entrance into the year and seemingly suggests that this is only the beginning of ONEFOUR’s return to the release roster for 2023. Enlisting long-time collaborating artist CG as the single’s feature, “COMMA’S” is filled with energetic flows and also welcomes back member Lekks, who’s been on a three-year hiatus from the group’s activities. Never ones to disappoint, ONEFOUR continues to signal their strength as one of Australia’s frontrunners for drill, rap and hip-hop music.
3. “NASA", 1300
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Effortlessly redefining the electronic-pop, alt hip-hop landscape, Korean-Australian crew 1300 are forever transcending the boundaries of genre-binding, monolingual music. Off the back of their January hit single “Steve Jobs” featuring fellow Sydney- based artist Kwame, 1300 are back with their latest EP, <3. As they continue to hybridise their Korean-Australian backgrounds, the group’s latest five-track project features a skilfully curated blend of upbeat tempos, rhythmic lyricism, and fast paced production. One our favourtie tracks from the project, “NASA”, is layered with electronic sounds that have been accentuated by rapid and infectious K-Pop beats—demonstrating the inherent versatility of the 1300 boys and why they have piqued an interest in so many of their listeners.
4. "ONLY YOU", Mason Dane
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Coming out of a standout 2022, Newcastle’s Mason Dane dropped his first single of 2023, “ONLY YOU”. The track was released on Valentine’s Day and saw Dane lyrically tap into a more romantic side, accompanied by layers of strong, mellifluous, R&B-rap vocals. Alongside the trap-like 808s, the production of this single builds on steady keys inflection and synth bass for the instrumentals. With this release already amassing over 50k streams on Spotify, there’s no doubt that Dane is being rewarded for his consistency across the last year, and he shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
5. "Ribena", Kye
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Dropping her first song of 2023, KYE graces her professional catalogue with the tasteful release of her new single “Ribena”—an ode to her love affair with the blackcurrant drink….and the gushing feelings of first falling for your crush. Across KYE’s discography, she continues to experiment with Pop and R&B sounds—something that shines through in the production of this track. As she commingles her boppy, upbeat instrumentals with melodic, catchy hooks, KYE is set to be heard across the country with this track, and we predict the replay value of “Ribena” to remain at a steady high.
6. “NEVA THAT”, MALi JO$E, Kobie Dee, JCAL
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This month saw MALi JO$E team up with Kobie Dee and JCAL for the release of their new single, “NEVA THAT”. The effortless wordplay shared between MALi and Kobie’s verses throughout this song feels like they’ve been rapping together for years, despite this being the pair’s first time collaborating. Cleverly lyricised in the opening verse of the track, these artists are “making music for hip-hop,” which is exactly the energy captured in this single. Complimentary to the energetic lyricism and catchy vocal prowess, multi-faceted producer JCAL skilfully textures the production of “NEVA THAT” with trap-like sounds and deep bass instrumentation.
7. “maryjane”, KHYA
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Sweet, soft and sultry is what comes to mind when indulging in Latinx artist KHYA’s debut single ‘maryjane’. The track is layered in decadent bass instrumentals, reminiscent of classic 90s R&B sounds, which appears to be forming the basis of KHYA’s artistic flair. Drawing on her sensual, stripped back vocals, KHYA hypnotises her listeners by creating webs of silky melodies and through her delicate lyrical cadence. For those who have stayed tapped into Melbourne’s music scene, KHYA has been a familiar face for many years. Often captivating her audience with uniquely curated performances and transcendent set lists, officially dropping music has been a long time coming for KHYA. With a cult-like fanbase already in formation, it’s looking like a promising trajectory for KHYA, with this release cementing her status as one of our local talents to watch.
8. “Mi Nuh Like”, Gold Fang
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From the jump Gold Fang bursts into his latest single ‘Mi Nuh Like’ with uncompromising confidence, taking on an alternate approach to his usual dancehall sound. When it comes to his undeniably unique flow, Gold Fang has been moving towards a grittier sound, and the energy we’re seeing from him is exciting and unrestrained. The Trinidad and Tobago-born star has always been able to rap on instinct, with the foundations of his early career built largely on freestyle performance. Never missing a beat when it comes to inserting his roots in his music, “Mi Nuh Like” is a track that continues to affirm Gold Fang as one of our most versatile local talents.
9. “Dividends”, MorningMaxwell, Yung Shōgun
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MorningMaxwell and Yung Shogūn stepped into the month of February with their new double-single “Dividends” and “Feel Dat”. The unconventionality of both artists pairs effortlessly on this release, and fits right into their upbeat approach to creating music. Both singles sit somewhere within the electronic, alternative hip-hop and experimental space, adding to MorningMaxwell’s strong catalogue of music that features a plethora of diverse artistry. With a strong lyrical performance by the talented Yung Shogūn, it’s evident he’s fast becoming one of Melbourne’s most recognisable MCs and is steadily carving out his own unique sound. The flavours of this release are stirring in nature and is the perfect addition to media and radio rotations across the country.
