Continuing its recent trend of bringing sounds from bygone decades into the present, esteemed label Chapter Music is today announcing the forthcoming release of Turn My Dial – The M Squared Recordings and more, 1981-84 – a reissue of tracks from Meanjin/Brisbane-born teenage-pop prodigies Tangled Shoelaces. Charting the group’s recorded work over a three-year period, this compilation showcases not only the group’s undeniable knack for song-craft, but also eerily prognosticates sounds that would come to shape Australia’s music scene in the ensuing decades.
Words: James Frostick & Gregor Kompar Artist image: Ellen Fairbairn
Naarm/Melbourne prog-synth individualist Gregor is today releasing his anticipated sophomore album Destiny through esteemed institution Chapter Music. To celebrate, Gregor is taking us through the record via a track-by-track breakdown, shedding insight into his headspace and how the album – an adventure into anomalous otherworldly soundscapes and an inquiry into the humanity that underpins it – came to be.
Words: James Frostick Artist image: Ellen Fairbairn
Naarm/Melbourne-based prog-pop maestro Gregor inches closer to the November release of their sophomore LP Destiny, today dropping a brand-new single from the record called ‘Senseless’. Complex and multifaceted, ‘Senseless’ is a lavish tapestry of colour and sound – a layered piece that not only shows off some formidable compositional chops, but also deftly counterbalances sentiments surrounding indulgence and repeated mistakes.
Words: James Frostick and Nicole Thibault Band image: Jamie Wdziekonski
Today Naarm/Melbourne-based dream-pop outfit Thibault releases its brand-new LP Or Not Thibault via esteemed label Chapter Music. Comprised of Nicole Thibault of Minimum Chips fame and members of current-gen groups such as Parsnip, Traffik Island and The Ocean Party, Thibault revels in lush and considered sounds – music that inspires a kind of beatific calm. Nicole has kindly shared insight into the record, including the thoughts that shaped and inspired it.
Chloe Alison Escott – one half of Tasmanian noise-punk duo The Native Cats – will be releasing a new solo record in October via Chapter Music. Stars Under Contract is an album of pared-back piano and voice compositions – twin foundations supporting a collection of reflective thoughts and musings. We’re thrilled to be premiering the video for the album’s new single ‘I Know the Soul By Its Presence in Others’ – a delicate piece showcasing the tenderness and subtle majesty evident on the record at large.
On Friday July 3, storied label Chapter Music will be releasing Midnight Meditations, a compilation album featuring downbeat and ambient compositions contributed by a stellar collection of musicians. Today we have the privilege of premiering the record’s lead track, which comes from improvisational duo Yirinda. ‘Nhaya’ is a suitably meditative composition that blends glittering electronica with Aboriginal language and storytelling.
Esther Edquist of Superstar fame has remerged back on the scene with news of a new EP under her Sweet Whirl guise. Ahead of the May release of the six-song effort Love Songs & Poetry, Esther has gifted our ears the delicate and velvety single ‘Strange News’. The gorgeous folky track is saturated with a rosy-cheeked dreaminess, inspired by near-romances and missed chances. Continue reading Listen: SWEET WHIRL – ‘STRANGE NEWS’→
Dub-meets-R’n’B foursome Honey 2 Honey has released ‘Tone of Voice’ – the first taste of its forthcoming 12” release. The track is a meditative bop that wields sonic subtleties with pinpoint accuracy – creating a glossy mix out of a limited musical palette that is infused with rich texture and detail.
Brisbane’s The Goon Sax return with the first taste of their upcoming second album We’re Not Talking. Lead single ‘She Knows’ finds the band in an isolated headspace, looking for answers to questions that inevitably arise as one passes into adulthood.
Beacheshave long been one of Australia’s best psych outfits. For more than a decade the band has been responsible for some incredible records – veritable masterclass demonstrations of sound and concept combining to create cohesive and engaging work. Earlier this year, Beaches released a mammoth double album, Second of Spring, through the esteemed Chapter Music label, once again proving that they remain at the top of the Aus-psych pile.
The band is about to hit the road to tour the album around the country, with stops along the east coast taking place through late October and November. Ahead of these shows, Weirdo Wasteland sent a through questions through to the band to get a better sense of the work involved in the album’s creation and the thematic subtext weaved throughout.
Weirdo Wasteland is an Australian-based music blog that examines musical endeavour from the cultural fringe. The site regularly features reviews and interviews from the underground scenes from Australia and New Zealand. Weirdo Wasteland acknowledges the original custodians of the land upon which it operates. Sovereignty has never been ceded. To get in touch, contact: weirdowasteland (at) gmail.com
Weirdo Wasteland 