The Madhouse #8 – 29.06.2017
The Madhouse aims to focus on a select group of musicians, bands and acts who dwell in the underground. Showcasing genres such as psychedelica, shoegaze, noise-rock, electronica, lo-fi and alt-pop, this is a portal for new, underground music from the world beyond.
Hemm – Dearest Friend
Not since FKA twigs’ debut album have I heard such pulsating, full body electronic music as encompassing as Hemm’s Dearest Friend. Fine tuned electro pop with Grimes-style vocal and production elements, woven through, this single is much more than that simple description. This duo produce electronic music that rewards headphone listeners and ends in a purely rewarding and psychedelic adventure. Hemm exude authenticity and conviction on Dearest Friend–something so difficult to achieve.
Great Outdoors – Keep Your Focus
As reported a few weeks back, Great Outdoors is Melbourne’s latest and greatest in raw, Australian rock music. On their latest, Keep Your Focus, the three-piece attune their guitars to extreme and embrace the noise and fuzz. With the ethos of post-punk and the ’80s style pop sensibilities to boot, Great Outdoors’ Keep Your Focus is a rock tune to sink your teeth into. This oddity condenses current societal pressures into a three-word mantra. Sing along, because Great Outdoors will be brandishing the stage with this tune soon enough.
L.A. Mood – Two Hearts
Let’s not get too caught up on it–L.A. Mood is Dave Mundie’s solo moniker, better known for drumming work in Courtney Barnett’s band. You’d think that would be an all encompassing full time gig, but Mundie has found the time, passionate and obscurity to record under his own project. Two Hearts is the best yacht-rock Australia has right now. It’s so catchy. It’s clever slacker-rock, but doesn’t rests on its laurels. It’s simply amazing how music this breezy can be so good–eat your heart out, the Beach Boys. It’s all about setting the L.A. mood after all…
Rat & Co. – Soldiers (feat. Liahona)
It’s been some time between drinks for Melbourne’s premier ambient three-piece, Rat & Co. Soldiers, featuring the work of Liahona, offers us another pure electric glimpse into their new record, ‘Third Law’, which is due out later this year. Rat & Co create painstakingly deep and marvelously textured electronic music. The beat, arpeggiated, ambles underneath Liahona’s breathy vocals–giving Rat & Co.’s music that pop edge. Liahona brings across a somewhat haunting element to the fray, but Rat & Co. continue to never shine away from the dystopian ambience they deliver.
