February 14 - Noteworthy New Releases
Our favourite releases of the week.
The Dainty Morsels – ‘it Tastes Of Iron’
There’s something special about listening to an act like The Dainty Morsels. A quartet by definition, their sound is far larger than they seem, and their intricately-woven melodies sit in your head for ages afterwards – specifically their latest effort, ‘It Tastes Of Iron’.
Straddling the line between blues and folk, the single hazily dips into each genre at a moment’s notice, arresting the listener with some immersively-Australian vocals. With this latest track, The Dainty Morsels have not only cemented their status as one of the city’s bright acts, but set themselves up for a truly amazing 2025.
Sounds like: The early-morning soundtrack to last drinks at your local.
By Tyler Jenke
Emerauld - ‘In The First Place’
The Adelaide music scene is chock full of amazing emerging artists, with Emerauld one of The Note’s favourites. Five years after the release of her first original tune at 14, Emerauld’s latest single, ‘In the First Place’, is another powerful dose of indie joy.
Inspired by her high school graduation, the single encapsulates the feeling of venturing into the unknown. Emerauld’s soaring vocals are accompanied by a vibrant guitar lick, with ‘In the First Place’ reminiscent of the early 00s indie scene (in the best possible way).
The track is another example of Emerauld's tremendous talent and why she earned a triple j Unearthed High spotlight and an Australian Idol golden ticket.
Sounds like: A celebration.
By Tobias Handke
Placement – ‘Inertia/Heavy Lids’
Post-punk ensemble Placement have been bubbling under the surface of the Australian music scene for several years. They’ve spent most of the last 18 months touring the country and honing their live show. But now, the Adelaide five-piece are ready to unleash their debut album in 2025, teasing fans with its ripping first single, ‘Inertia/Heavy Lids’.
What follows is three minutes of ’90s alt-rock, driven forward by a stuttering guitar lick and vocalist Malia Wearn’s melodic poetry, which highlights how so many of us sleepwalk through our lives. The sax freakout that arrives mid-song takes ‘Inertia/Heavy Lids’ to another level of awesomeness, too.
Sounds like: The soundtrack to your favourite dive bar.
By Tobias Handke
The Genevieves – ‘Dreaming, Speaking’
A band that’s grown into its eccentricities to create a sound entirely its own, The Genevieves arrive on their debut EP, Dog Dreams. Take the record’s second track, ‘Dreaming, Speaking’ – all frenzied noise that foams at the mouth, disconcerted thoughts and dissonance. Atonal melodies zig-zag around shards of spoken word, the interchanging vocalists dissecting the identity of someone they admire: “I want to know how you act / Dreaming, speaking / Eyes closed you fade to me.” The lull in pace at halftime disintegrates into a cacophony of chaos and feedback before a sharp left turn takes the track back to its tangled knot of noise. An indelible, off-kilter earworm worthy of heavy repetition.
Sounds like: A cold shower.
By Zara Richards
PINES – ‘Golden’ (Ft. Amber Elle)
Electronic act PINES are on a heater at the moment. 2024 saw the duo release their sophomore album, Life As We Know It, and perform to packed crowds in intimate venues across the States.
The lad’s first release for 2025 is the good-time vibe, ‘Golden’. Taken from PINES’ upcoming EP, Sun (out April 15), this is an effervescent splash of warm house beats and pulsating bass. ‘Golden’ also features the dulcet tones of Amber Elle, whose soaring vocals help PINES knock this one out of the park.
Catch PINES at the Adelaide leg of Laneway Festival this Saturday, February 15 before they embark on their American tour.
Sounds like: The golden hour.
By Tobias Handke
SHODASHI – ‘KGP’
As a debut single that doubles as an early contender for Jammiest Track of 2025, ‘KGP’ shows off the many compartments of SHODASHI’s songwriting toolkit. This psych-adjacent romp has it all: dynamic tempo changes, a gloriously unhinged saxophone melody and a galloping drumbeat. Sure, the song is missing any semblance of the human voice, but not once across the six-minute runtime does a vocal track feel necessary. The landscape the band paints without words is immense. To us, it’s all apricot-orange sunsets, horse chases and saloon doors that swing open to reveal the four silhouettes that make up SHODASHI. However, they’re here, in our fraught 21st century, bursting from obscurity with grooves strong enough to make a marble bust dance.
Sounds like: A clear stream (of consciousness).
By Jack Paech
TOWNHOUSE – ‘BAD LOVE’
Emerging garage rock trio TOWNHOUSE are gearing up for the release of their hotly anticipated second EP. But before unveiling the record to the world, the lads have given us a taste via new single, ‘BAD LOVE’. The first thing that strikes us about the band’s latest head-nodder is Daniel Heath’s vocals. Despite being a young adult, there’s a world-weary edge to his raw delivery, which immediately captivates your attention. Backed by fellow bandmembers Matthew Burgess and Cooper Smith, the three-piece’s ‘BAD LOVE’ is a hazy tale of heartbreak driven by melodic guitar riffs and impactful tempo changes.
Sounds like: Storytime in the front bar.
By Tobias Handke
