Pop

The Rebelles

One of the things I love best about the Melbourne music scene is there are certain bands you look at and think yup, only in Melbourne would you see that. The Rebelles are one of those groups. 15 singers that sound like a classic all girl 60s group with a punk attitude and wearing matching outfits, tell me where else you gonna see that? Backed with a rocking four piece band, the Rebelles are truly a gem that everyone can find someone they enjoy. One of the many singers Kitty Rebelle took time to talk Spector, outfits and the awesomeness of girl groups.

Munster: The Rebelles are a pretty unique band, kinda an only in Melbourne band, how did it all come about?

Kitty: it was about ten years ago. Bob D Rebelle and Rhonda Rebelle who are two of our cofounders and creative brains behind the band got together and had this idea of an onstage representation of Phil Spectors Wall of sound and part of that is aving a huge vocal presence. We ave layered and lush harmonies. That’s where its came from and we/ve gotten together over time people ave come and gone but we/ve always had that girl group sound.

Munster: Its an amazing sound is it 15 singers in the band?

Kitty: yes but we also ave bench as well you can imagine getting people to gigs is a logistical thing. We ave 15 singers at anyone gig and a four piece band as well.

Munster: when recruiting a new member what do you look for, I take singing isn/t the only requirement?

Kitty: we do a lot of harmonies so vocal range is important but also personality is big part of the band as we bring girl group rebellion to the stage and you got ave personality a bit of fun gotta shake your hips. That’s part of what we look for in a new Rebelle when we/re on the hunt.

Munster: What process went into recording the LP you made last year?

Kitty: we recorded at Sound Park studio with Idge, would like to give him a big shout out as he played a great role in dealing with all the logistics. We record in section usually the band goes first so we ave a guide then we/ll get the singers in. Sometimes we/ll go in with a big group or go in sections. We believe bigger is better I guess we keep adding more to the band we had guest musos from the Ska Vendors and a few extra guitars and Rhonda playing organ and had more friends in the studio. Idge turned round during the recording and said “gosh the more we add to this the better it sounds” so we really took that to heat.

Munster: the band you ave on stage is made up of blokes was that intentional for balance?

Kitty: Yeah we ave had women in the band as well we had Stick Rebelle on drums and we had two blokes on drums we had Thumper of ex Bitter Sweet Kicks fame and we now ave Bam Bam. Its not by design but it has worked out great quite visually. The boys always look amazing in their sharp suits provides a nice bit of balance but we want that girl band sound on the vocals hence the girl singers.

Munster: you mentioned the Spector girl band sound which comes through but I also hear a touch of the Ramones and the Cramps.

Kitty: Yep absolutely. We love that punk energy so you know theres that beautiful harmonic sound fo the girl groups that we/ve talked about but we also love that rocky garage edge and with punk energy. Our new single 1 2 3 4 GO is a huge nod to the Ramones you can hear the influence in that in lyrics and sound.

Munster: So what process would go into a Rebelles song?

Kitty: its quite a collaborative process. People get together for a jam and work on a sound there liking. Some might workshop lyrics or a feel for the song, it is very collaborative, some might just add a line or two its is a very cohesive process that goes into making all these tracks.

Munster: so when it comes to the singers I like the fact theres no star, so is it kinda an all in effort or are there times when someone might sit out or take a backseat role?

Kitty: we never ave solos we do work very much as a group and being apart of that is the blend. You listen to all these girl group records and you hear these beautiful vocal blend in together and part of trying to recapture that on stage is always being very conscious of your fellow singers. And making sure your tones blend in and being conscious when your section has a lead or your backing. So we do a lot of that manually and it means being sensitive to what other band members are doing. It’s a really nice part of singing together.

Munster: Aside from the Rebelles what else ave you do musically?

Kitty: well my background I ave done some gospel singing, in the past I did musicals at school. Musically our influences in the Rebelles are really common and exploring trying to bring an edge and modernizes from our influence and ad a Melbourne edge. For example Spanish Fitzroy takes a lot of parts we like about Fitzroy with a garage taste into the modern Melbourne setting.

Munster: With so many members is it hard arranging gigs or studio time?

Kitty: not really its all worked out magically. Its one of the wonderful things bout this band. In smaller bands ive heard of conflict amounts band members but with us theres none of that here its all worked very nice.

Munster: the video for 1 2 3 4 GO was a great tour guide of Melbourne how did that come about?

Kitty: Yeah that was a classic example of the great collaborative process. It’s a bit of a story that plays out of a bunch of us trying to find our gig. We went out with a bunch of cameras and went to a bunch of different locations. I went to Luna Park that day we kinda snuck in and stood in front of the rides. It’s a great mini tour of Melbourne and it ends with us meeting at the same place for a gig.

Munster: With the costumes do you ave a standard designer you use?

Kitty: we come up with a design we/d like to see and we/ve been helped out by a few designers who make the costume to order. The visual element is a big part of what we do. The red and black the jet black hair and river of black eyeliner and red lipstick it’s a big part of what we bring to the stage and we/ve had a lot of great designers brining that to the stage.

Munster: What does the rest of the year hold?

Kitty: Bigger and better gigs aiming for a Christmas gig. You can find gigs at www. rebelles.com.au

Winabago club at the Sk Kilda RSL is our next gig on the 19^th June, and arvo gig

We would like to do some festivals and we are made for a big stage we wanna do bigger and better.

Munster: And favorite Fall LP if there is one?

Kitty: sorry can/t help. What would you recommend to start?

Munster: Code Selfish is good start.

The Rebelles launch their new double A side single 1-2-3-4 Go! / Spanish Fitzroy at the Winnebago Lounge, upstairs of St Kilda RSL on Sunday 19th June. Free entry.

June 9, 2016 0 comment

Film Music Gigs Featured Uncategorized Pop Rock

VIDEO PREMIERE: Fragile Animals – ‘Signals’

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We are stoked to premiere the killer new film clip ‘Signals’ from Sunshine Coast’s Fragile Animals!

‘Signals’ is the debut single from the band and we are really digging it. This is the perfect Indie-Rock jam for summertime!

The single will be released tomorrow via iTunes (just in time for Valentines Day!)

Catch them live in Brissy this weekend at Ric’s Bar with Lumens.

Keep an eye on these guys as they will be releasing their debut EP later in 2017!

February 13, 2017 0 comment

Music Electronica/Dance Pop

ENERATE TO RELEASE ‘INTERACTIVE VISUAL ALBUM’ ALONGSIDE NEW SINGLE ‘TRANSIT LOUNGE’

written by Emily Cheung

In a first for Australia, and quite possibly the world, colourful Sydney indie video poppers Enerate, have today announced they will be releasing their anticipated debut full-length as an interactive visual album – an app containing interactive music videos for each and every song. Titled Good Times Airlines and featuring recent single Half Asleep, the interactive album will be available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The music will be available on all the usual platforms, but there is no doubt the most immersive and exciting way to consume this album is through the Enerate app. Out on November 16, the album and app release coinsides with the release of their new single Transit Lounge.

Transit Lounge is the perfect name for this track; the most accurate title for the midway between moving on and dwelling on hard times. Everything feels softer here – synths aren’t razor sharp where they might normally be, and the percussion is driving, determined, but understated. Subtlety is key, and Enerate are masters of it. There’s a taste of synth-pop auteurs Ou Est Le Swimming Pool and Alpine, but the resounding effect of Transit Lounge is entirely unique. Speaking about the inspiration behind the track, singer and synth Therese Watson says, “It’s about the want and the willingness to go and do something new, but you know it kind of frightens you, you know that you’re a bit inhibited. But, you understand those feelings and you just kind of go for it anyway.”

The clip for Transit Lounge is appropriately transient. The viewer follows a young boy who begins his journey in a light-filled airport and continues through a number of different worlds; a city street, a prehistoric land, indetermined time and space. It’s simple, but meditative and effective. In the app, the viewer chooses where the boy explores – again, a modest touch, but one that works perfectly alongside the song. Describing the video, lead singer and producer Josh Graham reflects, “We see this young boy walk through an airport terminal, and this is his reality. While the viewer watches him, they can swipe left or right, and take him into different worlds. These are his dream worlds. It’s like we can see inside his daydream, imagining who and where he wants to be in his future. This ties into the ‘Be who/what you want to be, just go for it’ messaging of the song. The worlds get pretty surreal at some points too.”

Enerate’s debut album Good Times Airlines is an extremely considered release, absolutely soaked in fun and interactivity. The app and all the videos it encompasses were directed and masterminded by Josh Graham. Their previous single Half Asleep shines amongst Transit Lounge and the sparkling Unstoppable. Each song has a video, and each video has an integrated interactive feature, whether it be a game, or another way to personalise the content. As Josh explains, “Art is becoming more multidisciplinary, and music is becoming more visual. The album is as much video as it is music. This is not a marketing tool for the album – this is the album! We wanted to make a physical release, that you can touch, feel, effect.. that was multi sensory and completely digital… we tried to one-up Beyonce haha! She did a video album, so we thought ‘let’s do an interactive video album’!”

Enerate is made up of Josh Graham, Therese Watson, Matt Niciak and Ben Fitzpatrick.

New single Transit Lounge and debut LP and interactive Enerate App Good Times Airlines will be available on November 16.

Stream: TRANSIT LOUNGE Watch: App Teaser Watch: TRANSIT LOUNGE

November 8, 2017 0 comment

Music News Electronica/Dance Pop RnB

Hansaa: “Primavera”

written by Emily Cheung

Following his massively successful debut single Need To Know featuring vocals from heavyweight Oliver Tank, Aussie born, LA-raised Hansaa is back with an elusive new single Primavera, produced alongside LA duo soso (30 Seconds To Mars, Anna Lunoe) and featuring the irresistible vocals of Peruvian, LA-based RnB star A.CHAL, out October 13.

2017 has been Hansaa’s year. The man behind it all, Vinay Matta, is on a roll; his debut single Need To Know has had over 100,000 streams on Spotify in the past two months – and all the right ears are listening.

Primavera occupies the space between hip hop, RnB and electronic music; Drake-like vocal melodies are spun effortlessly by A.CHAL atop a smokey arrangement, propelled by clever bass lines that bounce throughout and seamlessly cool production. Piano samples add a soft, organic element to the track, and maybe the piano is a surprising addition – but fans of Hansaa will know by now to expect the unexpected, particularly after the jaw-dropping guitar solo that tore through Need To Know. Vinay is pretty stoked with the new track, as he explains the meaning behind it, “Primavera translates to Springtime. In a nutshell, the song is about trying to rekindle the memories of a past relationship, yet coming to the conclusion that unfortunately, no flame is going to spark.”

Hansaa has a proven ear for the extraordinary, with this feature from vocalist A.CHAL further demonstrating his skill at curating the perfect track. Vinay is a huge fan of A.CHAL’s work, as he reflects on the first time he heard the artist’s work, “I was hanging out with a girl I used to date in freshman year, and she was showing me A.CHAL’s debut album Gazi – and it caught my ear straight away. soso and myself ended up emailing his management the instrumental and he was vibing…A.CHAL is an artist that intertwines the hypnotic and the mysterious elements of songwriting, and takes you into a dream-sequence of a person reflecting on their past in a corrupt city.”

With an impressive haul of killer tunes sitting pretty in their back pocket, Hansaa and soso have recently been in the studio, teaming up with US indie rock buzz band Foreign Air. Splitting his time between Australia and adopted homeland Los Angeles, Vinay enthuses, “I’ve been spending a lot of time in Sydney with my dad and my sister, and in the studio. I’m just ready to release more dope music.”

Primavera is out October 13.

Stream: PRIMAVERA ft. (A.CHAL)

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October 17, 2017 0 comment

Film Music Gigs News Featured Drama Pop Rock

JUST ABOUT DONE – Peacemaker

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Melbourne Punk band Just About Done have unleashed their brand new music video for single ‘Peacemaker’.

They will also be playing a run of shows with Columbus on their national tour that starts later this month.

Check out ‘Peacemaker’ below and be sure to get to a show in your area!

TOUR DATES

November 24^th – Workers Club, Melbourne, VIC

W/ Columbus (Australian Tour)

Tickets available at www.oztix.com.au | 18+ only

December 6^th – Stay Gold, Melbourne, VIC

W/ The Wonder Years (US) + Boston Manor (UK)

Tickets available at www.eventbrite.com.au | 18+ only

December 7^th – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane, QLD

W/ Columbus (Australian Tour)

Tickets available at www.oztix.com.au | 18+ only

December 8^th – The Chippo Hotel, Sydney, NSW

W/ Columbus (Australian Tour)

Tickets available at www.oztix.com.au | 18+ only

November 9, 2018 0 comment

Music Interviews Featured Pop Rock

Real Friends

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We recently caught up with Kyle from Real Friends to discuss their upcoming Australian tour dates with Columbus and Harbours.

You guys have been touring pretty hard this year. How have the shows been so far?

Shows have been very sick. Our headlining US tour this year was my favorite tour to date. We hadn’t properly headlined in the US since 2014. The tour exceeded our expectations. It was rewarding to say the least. Very excited for what’s to come for other tours this year.

How are you feeling about your upcoming Australian tour dates?

Honestly Australia is my favorite place to play overseas. We have always had a blast there. We are so stoked to come back. It’s been two years since we were there. Very stoked!

How have fans received the new album in a live atmosphere over the past year?

I think music is a little different than it was a few years back with people really getting to know songs. There’s so many bands out there! We found some people not listening to our album for almost a year after it’s release date. Now the album has been out for over a year and we are feeling the new songs are up to par in a live setting with all the others. Our newer song Mess is my favorite one to play live. It gets the best reaction.

Tell us about your favourite parts of touring Australia?

The fans of course! They’re great. Australia has always supported us so hard. I remember sending online merch orders to Australia in 2012. It seemed so out of the questions to ever go there then. Fast forward five years later and here we are. And the vegetarian food is awesome in Australia. That helps. We love Lord Of The Fries!!!

What can fans expect from your live show?

We really try to make our live shows as casual as possible. We want it to feel like we’re all hanging out. Without the fans there, well there wouldn’t be a show. We’re all on the same level. It’s all about letting go of any troubles and having a good time at our shows.

What is next for Real Friends following your upcoming tour?

We have been writing a ton for a new album. That’s our main focus for the year. We’re also doing Uk and Europe with Neck Deep and As It Is.

Tell us about some of the challenges of international touring?

The plane rides are always tough. The flight to Australia is always the worst, yet so worth it. It’s pretty much two days in Airports and on a plane. It’s also typically hard to find good food vegetarian food overseas. We don’t run into that in Australia though.

You recently announced that it has been 4 years since the release of ‘Put Yourself Back Together’. How does it feel to reflect on the past 4 years as a band?

It amazes me everyday. I’m not sure this will all ever feel normal. It’s crazy to think where we have been over the post four years because of our songs. Music is crazy, man.

Thanks so much for your time! Anything that you would like to add finally?

Just a big thank you to all of our fans. We are nothing without you. Keep telling your friends about us!

The Real Friends Australian tour kicks off on July 27th at The Brightside, Brisbane.

July 10, 2017 0 comment

Music Gigs News Jazz Folk Pop Rock

YOWO MUSIC ANNOUNCES ALBUM WORK LIKE THAT OUT NOVEMBER 23 + NEW SINGLE BUILT FOR BOYS + LAUNCH SHOW AT EVELYN HOTEL ON NOVEMBER 25

written by Emily Cheung

YoWo Music, the Melbourne-based contemporary music program for girls and gender non-conforming youth in high school, has today announced their debut album entitled Work Like That, set for release on November 23. Produced with support from Creative Victoria and Australia Council, Work Like That is a strong, heartfelt collection of songs from Melbourne’s brightest young female and GNC musicians. Work Like That is preceded by new single Built For Boys, a warm exploration of identity, out November 9. The YoWo Music performers will be celebrating the album release with an all-ages launch show at Melbourne’s iconic Evelyn Hotel on November 25.

Through guidance and mentorship from professional musicians, current YoWo Music participants and alumni teamed up to create Work Like That, a nine-track collection of diverse and skillful songwriting and performing from these young musos. Artistic directors of YoWo Music, Lena Douglas and Claire Cross, both agree that this is a pretty special release, as Lena describes, “These are all original songs written and played by teenagers – and despite us not setting a theme for the album, all the tracks seem to have something in common; they all say something about navigating relationships and trying to find your place in the world.” From Self Love, which describes accepting one’s complexities as a person, to Suck It Up, about navigating selfishness within a ‘dysfunctional’ teenage relationship, these songs each speak honestly about feelings that most people have felt before. Work Like That demonstrates an affection for and exploration of a number of different genres – from pop, rock, jazz, and folk. The process of creating the album from start to finish was a unique learning curve for the participants, as YoWo participant Isabella Munoz says, “This would be the first time that I’ve done something as important as this. Being able to be a musician and release an album with an amazing group of people, both those who I’ve known for a while and those who I’ve met briefly, is such a privilege. I’m so happy to be involved and to share a part of our creations.”

On top of current artist mentors Francesca Gonzales (Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird) and Maggie Rigby (The Maes), the YoWo team expanded greatly this semester, as Work Like That was written and recorded over a six-month period – it was all hands on deck, as Claire explains, “We are so lucky to have an incredible team that has worked on this album. Emah Fox worked closely with our bands and mentors in pre-production sessions to really develop the songs for recording. Once we were in the studio, Emah continued to produce, with Anna Laverty taking on the role as producer/engineer. Anna has also done an amazing job mixing the album for us too. We have a really lovely relationship with the team at Rolling Stock Studio (Myles Mumford, Jem Savage and Tom Strode), which is where we recorded this album as well as our first YoWo EP in 2016. Myles has brilliantly mastered the album for us. We also had Hannah Reaney onboard for all of the recording sessions, being a general legend and studio assistant. It was pretty exciting to see, at one point, about 4 female studio engineers in the same room at the same time! Having so many female role models in the same room was a fundamental aspect of this project, and I think the album and confidence of our participants has benefited hugely from this positive influence.”

Lead single Built For Boys, out November 9 and written by YoWo alumni Lily Harnath, is evocative of the DIY styling and pop songwriting of Alvvays and Japanese Breakfast, boasting driving guitar and percussion, and sweet, clever lyricism. With a heady vibe and undeniable chorus hook, Built For Boys feels like a track you’d Shazam while driving along to triple j. Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, Lily says, “My song is about one of my friends trying to find her identity, but I also think it relates to most people’s search for where and how they belong in the world.” Built For Boys is accompanied by a beautiful clip, directed and filmed by Billy Crombie, which gives a deeper insight into the creative process behind Work Like That.

The YoWo team will celebrate the release of Work Like That with an all-ages performance at Evelyn Hotel in Melbourne on November 25, giving audiences a chance to catch tracks from the new album live for the first time. Pumped for the gig, and with many successful YoWo performances under her belt, Lena gives a taste of what to expect from the show, “Watching the YoWo gigs are some of the most heartwarming experiences I’ve ever had. It’s incredibly inspiring to see young people putting themselves out there and going beyond their comfort zone, and makes you want to do the same! Some of these kids are writing super catchy tasty pop songs – their skills might just surprise you!”

Work Like That is out November 23. Built For Boys is out November 9.

To apply to take part in the program, visit www.yowomusic.com

This project is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Work Like That track listing

Built for Boys(Lily Harnath)
Half The Time(Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck)
Self Love(Isabella Muñoz)
Christine(Pearl Harnath)
Mr Nobody(Genevieve Boardman)
In The Morning(Indigo King)
Suck It Up(Lily Ward)
I’ll Hold On(Lucinda Moje-O’Brien)
Your Mind(Bridget O’Meara)

YOWO MUSIC WORK LIKE THAT LAUNCH SHOW

SUN 25TH NOV | THE EVELYN HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC | 2PM DOORS | ALL AGES

Tickets available from https://evelynhotel.oztix.com.au/?Event=94707

Stream single: BUILT FOR BOYS Watch: BUILT FOR BOYS

Pre-order: WORK LIKE THAT

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November 9, 2018 0 comment

Music Gigs Electronica/Dance Pop RnB

CROOKED COLOURS ANNOUNCE LANGATA NATIONAL TOUR

written by Emily Cheung

After wowing audiences with two new tracks from the highly anticipated sophomore album Langata at the tail-end of 2018, Crooked Colours have announced that they will be bringing their unique brand of electronic dance music to audiences all around the country throughout April and May 2019, before heading overseas for a run of exclusive dates in June. Fresh from closing out stages across the country for St. Jeromes Laneway Festival, the group will be joining the party at renowned Aussie festival Groovin’ The Moo, before embarking on their biggest headline shows to date. Groovin’ will see the band moving through regional towns Wayville, Maitland, Canberra, Bendigo, Townsville and Bunbury, while the headline tour will hit metro venues Unibar in Hobart, Metropolis in Fremantle, The Tivoli in Brisbane, Coolangatta Hotel on the Gold Coast, Enmore Theatre in Sydney, and wrapping up at the iconic Forum Theatre in Melbourne on May 25. Joining Crooked Colours on the headline dates will be fellow triple j faves Nyxen and Kayex.

Crooked Colours, consisting of members Philip Slabber, Leon De Baughn and Liam Merrett-Park, burst onto the scene in 2013 with breakout singles Come Down, Capricious and Another Way, earning three consecutive #1’s on Hype Machine and gaining a solid fanbase around the world. The result of a patient approach from an act determined to create a timeless debut, their album Vera released in 2017 demonstrated diverse and layered productions from a breed proving themselves as one of Australia’s hottest rising acts in electronic music today. Hit singles Flow, I Hope You Get It and Come Back To You were been picked up by radio stations and press around the world such as Radio 1, Eins Live, triple j, Majestic Casual to name a few. To date, the band has had over 50 million streams on their debut accompanied by award winning music videos for all previously released singles.

With new tracks from the trio I’ll Be There and Do It Like You gaining rapid momentum towards the end of 2018 and into 2019, the mysterious second LP from Crooked Colours, entitled Langata, is expected to drop just before they hit the road for what will be their biggest Australian tour ever. Thrilled about the upcoming dates, Crooked Colours’ Philip enthuses, “We’re so excited about our upcoming headline shows – we get to curate the night, design the lighting and visuals, and play a full length set with music. We always play tracks stretching from our first ever release Come Down, through our debut album Vera, and now we’ll also be showcasing brand new music from our forthcoming album Langata.”

After taking Australia by storm with their ambitious and impressive new live show, Crooked Colours will be heading overseas to perform at some of the hottest festivals in the world, including Bonaroo and Firefly festivals, plus more. Crooked Colours have established themselves as one of the hottest rising acts with the debut Vera. Now they are on track to become one of our biggest electronic exports with this superb sophomore release.

CROOKED COLOURS LANGATA NATIONAL TOUR

Presented by Falcona, Select Music, Sweat It Out and triple j
FRI 26 APR | GROOVIN THE MOO, WAYVILLE SA | 16+