Australian Music You Should Know

Hometown: Perth

Genre: Electronic, hip-hop, remixes

Ta-ku isn't one to stick to a single sound. One of the most prolific producers making music right now, Ta-ku jumps from Dilla-esque beats to electronic heartbreak, but what's most impressive is his constant remix work. Despite how constant his output is, it all feels crisp and polished, never sloppy or half-assed. He's been steadily building credibility as one of the top producers from Australia, and he may be next in line to catch a big break

Hometown: From a small village in Australia, now based in Los Angeles

Genre: Melodic folk

RY X's Berlin EP was the first release on Dumont Dumont, the new label of Magnus Bohman, one of the founders of Imperial Recordings (José González’ original label from Sweden), and what a debut release it was. RY X has such a stunning, striking voice that the choice of gentle, acoustic accompaniment is perfect for him. There is very little to distract from the lyrics and vocals, which drop almost to a whisper before billowing up again to glorious falsetto peaks. This L.A. based Australian, now releasing music on a Swedish-based label, is an exciting prospect indeed.

Buy the Berlin EP here.

Hometown: Sydney

Genre: Downtempo R&B fusion

The latest in the new wave of R&B, Movement has the falsetto vocals and velvety smooth backdrop, but they've also got some of the best songwriting of R&B in 2013 with "Us," a lush, sexy little number that's been building up a solid buzz around the Australian trio. More like this and Movement could be on their way to a strong 2014 debut.

Hometown: Perth

Genre: Psychedelic indie rock

With Beatles-esque melodies and psychedelic tendencies, Tame Impala has become one of the most successful indie rock bands to come out of Australia in the past years. Their most recent album, 2012's Londerism, is their best yet. Trippy and catchy, like a more accessible Animal Collective, their music sounds timeless despite its experimental nature.

Up until recently, the band wasn't well known outside of Australia and still needed to take side jobs to make ends meet. Lead singer Kevin Parker told Faster Louder: "Some bands can sell out massive shows in Australia and then if they leave Australian shores no one’s heard of them. Some people tour around a lot, or you know they don’t tour much, or not many people go to their gigs, but for some reason they sell lots of merch. They sell lots of merch in India, just random things like that seems to be what happens. And I don’t even know how we fit in, but we’re doing alright, we don’t have extra jobs really anymore. We did there for a while, between Innerspeaker and Lonerism a few of us had to get jobs because we weren't touring, and we had to get money, you know."

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Hometown: Sydney

Genre: Big-beat electronic

Flume is a big deal in Australia. In fact, in his home country his new album topped Justin Bieber in sales. It makes sense—Flume is an electronic artist, but he makes music with a pop mentality, sprinkling in vocals over hard-hitting drums and catchy elements that pop from his high-voltage backdrops. His self-titled debut is out now, and the deluxe edition features a hip-hop mixtape with rappers like Ghostface Killah, Freddie Gibbs, and Killer Mike rapping over his production.

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Hometown: Melbourne

Genre: Acoustically driven folk/pop

In the wrong hands, acoustic folk can be nearly unlistenable, so dripping with overly-produced, saccharin sentiments that it borders on diabetic. However, Melbourne-native Vance Joy creates music with the properties of a well-balanced cocktail, always managing to cut off the sweetness of his concoctions with his own, measured dose of reality. His talent draws comparisons to Beirut or The Tallest Man on Earth, fellow singer-songwriters who also walk the thin line between the maudlin and the sober. The literal, quirky adventure tale that he constructs with his video for "Riptide" should serve as a satisfactory primer for all those looking to acquaint themselves with Joy's work.

Hometown: Brisbane

Genre: Ambient folk/pop

Vancouver Sleep Clinic is the latest young Australian talent on the P&P radar, recently wowing us with "Collapse," a beautiful and incredibly well produced song that is delicate without ever being bland, and emotional without ever becoming overwrought. What's especially impressive is that Tim Bettinson, the person behind Vancouver Sleep Clinic, is only 17-years-old.

He has only two songs on his Soundcloud, but an EP is on the way, and if he continues to realise his rich potential as he has done thus far, you'll be hearing a lot more about this guy in 2014.

Hometown: Melbourne

Genre: Ambient, melodic pop

Australian producer/singer/multi-instrumentalist Marc Zito makes downtempo pop music, but keeps things interesting through his multi-layered production, which mixes soft guitar melodies with electronic flourishes, especially on breakout track "Twisted." More recent track "Cadence" is simpler, production-wise, but no less impressive, with a mid-section which proves that Zito can write an instantly memorable melody.

Hometown: Melbourne

Genre: R&B-tinged pop

Martha Brown aka Banoffee will immediately remind you of other sultry, electro-crooners like Jessie Ware or SBTRKT who have risen onto the scene in recent years, combining the numbed, electronic foundation of today's R&B with the balearic beats of old. Bridging this generational divide is Banoffee, linking the two eras together with sensual nudges and coy tugs at your heartstrings. Signed to Two Bright Lakes, Banoffee is the label's strongest offering to date, updating one of R&B's strongest eras for modern audiences to enjoy.

Hometown: Melbourne

Genre: Electronically flavored R&B

There's a lot of experimental, electronically leaning R&B right now, but Oscar Key Sung is injecting modern electro-R&B with a dose of energy and clarity. While most producer/singers favor one skill, Oscar has proven himself accomplished in both realms. His music is layered and restless, bright and full of sharp intention, like some kind unlikely blend of The Weeknd, Jai Paul, and How to Dress Well.

Hometown: Melbourne

Genre: Bluesy rock/alternative/post punk

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have been around since the early '80s and you can hear it in Nick's weathered, sometimes punishing voice. The band has managed to stay relevant over the years, but they've done so without sacrificing their own style to fit the changing times. Instead, Nick Cave stands with Tom Waits as eternally cool without even having to try. The band's more recent material is more blues and folk-tinged with a classic singer/songwriter feel to it, but there's still a touch of the loose cannon post punk of the group's earlier years.

Hometown: Brisbane

Genre: Rootsy pop with electronic elements

The night is a mystifying, mesmerizing thing for any artist to try and distill in their work, but with songs like "Mirrors" and "Pontoon," that appears to be exactly what singer-songwriter Emma Louise is trying to do. Her vocal work is elegant and cautious, a well-choreographed ballet that moves to the same emotional rhythms of her intricate, meditative melodies. The backing work is a strobelight of staccato chirps and rumbling 808s that we've been conditioned to from artists like Ryan Hemsworth and Chrome Sparks. It'll overpower you, but never overwhelm.

Hometown: Woolloomooloo

Genre: Rock with a dramatic flair

In the same way that Mac DeMarco or Majical Cloudz hits you with an unexpected type of force, so too does Kirin J. Callinan, the New South Wales native, who delivers a hard swell of vocal bass that his skinny, somewhat unassuming, frame doesn't initially suggest. However, after a first listen "Landslide," the raw power of Callinan's cavernous pipes—coupled with lyricism that often, purposefully, trips over its own feet—stops striking you off-balance. Callinan's soul is deep and complicated, and his voice is just the big, powerful tool that he has to use to rip it open and show it to the world. There are countless comparisons you could make to him—from Wild Beasts to Depeche Mode to Nine Inch Nails—but if there's one thing that those names all have in common, it's that they all make for extremely good company.

Hometown: Melbourne

Genre: Dance-friendly indie pop

Alongside recent stars Tame Impala, Cut Copy are one of Australia's most popular recent exports, with their extremely dance friendly debut album, Bright Like Neon Love, leading the band to tour across the world, and even support Daft Punk on their 2007 Australian tour. This year, Cut Copy released their fourth album Free Your Mind, a nostalgic, but still fun record. If you want solid, melodic indie-pop with a funky backbone, you can look to any of Cut Copy's albums for your fix.   

Hometown: Blue Mountains

Genre: Psychedelic

With their newly-released album Dream Cave, hippie-harmonizers Cloud Control continue to wear in the psychedelic textures already gaining play from fellow Aussies like Tame Impala. More importantly, Dream Cave evidences a noticeable evolution from the decidedly lighter and more easily digestible fare of their debut effort, Bliss Release. How exactly does the group achieve this transformation? By submerging their guitars and vocals deep under waves of sonic layering, alternatively conflicting and concordant. The technique doesn't drench their tracks and weigh them down, instead, they're made even more far-away and far-out.

Hometown: Sydney

Genre: Catchy, summery indie pop rock

If you're picturing Australia as a carefree, beach-filled continent of fun in the sun, Set Sail might be the music you're imagining. With big hooks and bright, reverberating guitars, Set Sail captures a warm spirit perfect to soundtrack the summer or escape the winter.

Hometown: Castlemaine

Genre: Bluesy indie rock with tribal vibes

The resemblance to the Black Keys is strong with D.D Dumbo, but only if America's favorite garage-rock, blues duo had made the same sort of psychedelic, lo-fi journey that Dumbo and, say, a band like the Black Lips made at one point or another in their careers. Indeed, Dumbo's "Tropical Oceans" will certainly remind you of a handful of twisted, more experimental jams from the Keys, but a track like "Veni Vedi Vici" from the Black Lips may be its closest, Stateside cousin.

In any case, D.D Dumbo establishes himself as a blues technician with "Tropical Oceans," showcasing his willingness to tinker with the genre in ways completely uncommon, but entirely welcome.

Hometown: Perth

Genre: From folk to gentle electronic

With "Slacks," St. South will perhaps strike you as a slightly puckered-up version of Norah Jones or Suzanne Vega, not quite matching the smoky appeal of their voice with hers alone, instead combining it with her pulsing, playful backing melody. Meanwhile, "Regal Wash," softens St. South up even more, as she becomes vulnerable to us without coming off as dainty or incapable. Indeed, the Fremantle singer-songwriter is clearly well off in her own right, her place in the world just comes with a too-big heart with which to speak loudly, evidenced by her every whisper and cracked vocal. However, if there's one lesson that St. South teaches us with her music, it's that you don't always have to yell to be heard.

Hometown: Sydney

Genre: Psych-tinged rock and electronic

Jagwar Ma mix elements of indie rock and electronic production, wrapping all their music in a psychedlia-tinged fuzz that gives it a certain timeless feel. Whatever different elements Jono Ma and Gabriel Winterfield bring to their songs, there is always a chunky bassline and propulsive beat underpinning proceedings, and they have also proven themselves to be masterful remixers, recently turning Angel Haze's "Echelon" into a stomping, unstoppable, ominous beast.

Hometown: Sydney

Genre: Electronica

Anyone struck by vocally-powered electronica like Disclosure's "White Noise," should have no trouble getting down to vocalist Elizabeth Rose's track, "The Good Life." The two are musical kin, both offering a brand of spritely electronic candy that bubbles and fizzes on your palate like Pop Rocks. Elizabeth Rose injects her vocal talents into the mix, adding a sense of power onto the track that the backbeat can't create on its own, allowing her music to flourish as something more than just a Robyn or La Roux lookalike.

Check out her EP Crystallise, and get ready for her forthcoming Elizabeth Rose EP in January.

Hometown: Melbourne

Genre: Jazzy neo-soul with a little hip-hop

The opening chords of "Nakamarra" are two sure steps; a calm annoucement from the neo-soul quartet, Hiatus Kaiyote, that the group is simply here to play. Your job? To sit back and listen. When she isn't using her voice as a sort of rhythmic exclamation point, lead singer Nai Palm works at maintaining this mood, preferring to lull the listener into a feeling of security instead of beating them over the head with basslines and brass as other, bigger-sound soul groups are wont to do. Hiatus Kaiyote is no such act, instead suitable for Sunday mornings spent in bed, or low-light, sit-down cafes. There's a special sort of intimacy translated through their work, and with the band's first effort, Tawk Tomahawk, released this year, now is a better time than ever to discover it.

Hometown: Perth

Genre: Sparkling electronic pop

Empire of the Sun, somewhat like MGMT, set the bar very high for themselves by coming to most of the world's attention with a couple of extremely memorable, catchy songs. For the Australian duo of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore, those songs were "We Are The People" and "Walking on a Dream," but these came as part of a solid enough album that the band avoided one (or two) hit wonder status. The duo recently released their sophomore effort Ice on the Dune and it's as big, bold, and colorful as you'd expect from a band who wear bright masks and strange headgear in all their press pictures.

Hometown: Melbourne

Genre: Electronic

Since their critically-acclaimed debut album, Since I Left You, was released in 2000, the Australian plunderphonics outfit The Avalanches have kept a fairly low profile on the music scene, and while whispers of their still-to-be-named second album cropped up in 2005, any proper release date has yet to be announced for the long-anticipated follow-up. However, those unacquainted with the group shouldn't be discouraged by their dormancy. Instead, take advantage of the extended grace period to properly appreciate their seminal masterpiece, an overflowing collage of cut and paste manipulation that—13 years later—still manages to sound remarkably new.

In the years since, the group has only released one other song to their audience, the demo track, "A Cowboy Overflow of the Heart" which suggested a direction for the group completely different than the explosive, bursting soundscapes we visited with "Frontier Psychiatrist" or "Since I Left You." Instead, with "Cowboy Overflow," the Avalanches cautiously explore new territory, pawing their way through a meandering, hazy vision composed of lazy-day plinking and plunking and spoken word poetry with David Berman. Whether persuading you through this sustained, hypnotic purr, or the triumphant force of their earlier work, the group remains essential for anyone looking to dive into Australian electronic.

Hometown: Melbourne
Genre: Soulful electronica 

One of the most impressive things about Chet Faker is his beard his choice of collaborators. He's worked with fellow Australian's Flume (on a whole EP), Ta-Ku, and pop duo Say Lou Lou, always managing to mould his music to fit with who he's working with, while still ensuring that his a richly textured sound runs through everything he's involved in. Across Chet Faker's catalogue of restrained, beautiful electronica there is something for almost anyone to enjoy, and it's this versatility that is one of his strongest suits.

Hometown: Grew up in Sydney, lives in London 

Genre: Pop, R&B

George Maple has said that she's long been influenced by the underground dance music coming out of her new home town London, and although that might not be the first thing to come to mind when thinking of her woozy, warm pop, those influences do manifest themselves in interesting ways. Most recently Maple collaborated with Kwes and Kilo Kish on "Gripp," and the thought of potentially more work with Kwes in the future is an exciting possibility.