November 22 - Noteworthy New Releases
Our favourite releases of the week.
Georgia Oatley – ‘Time Passes Murmur’
Now this is a vibe. Georgia Oatley’s ‘Time Passes Murmur’ is a brooding, low-key synth belter that reminds me of Fever Ray, Kaledia and the like.
Set against a backdrop of menacing synths and electronic flourishes, there’s a darkness to the song that’s offset by Oatley’s lush harmonies weaving in and out of the thrilling instrumentation.
Taken from the creative’s upcoming seven-track album A Pastoral, ‘Time Passes Murmer’ was written, recorded and produced by Oatley and acts as a mesmerising introduction to what she’s all about.
Natasha Bianca – ‘WHATRUWAITING4’
Rising R&B superstar Natasha Bianca dropped her debut EP SHE back in October. A vibrant and energetic collection of trap-infused R&B joints celebrating female empowerment and femininity, the EP has spawned the singles ‘BOUNCE’, ‘BOYS CLUB’ and ‘FLEX’, but for mine, ‘WHATRUWAITING4’ is the standout track.
Bianca, who’s possessed with a dynamite voice, purrs over the energetic yet sparse beat. Singing about “living in the moment” and '“chasing the sunlight,” the three-minute tune is all about making the most of your opportunities and living in the now, something Bianca is certainly achieving.
Streaming Bianca’s EP SHE here.
Destinezia – ‘Slow’
Recorded and mixed by Daniel Heath and mastered by Jordan Power, ‘Slow’ is the indie meets shoegaze latest from quartet Destinezia.
There’s a real summer feel to this one, with the hazy riffs and charming vocals combing for some tasty ear candy.
‘Slow’ is the type of song you need to hear live, which is why you should grab a ticket to see them support Surf Trash at Lion Arts Factory next week. Tickets are available here.
LOLA – ‘Love It Or Leave It’
It’s hard to avoid LOLA’s raucous brand of hookladen punk rock. For most millennial fans of the genre, the true test of a good song is whether it belongs on the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtrack and this four-piece could have slid effortlessly onto the generation-defining list of songs.
On ‘Love It And Leave It’, LOLA have packed blissful nostalgia, unrelenting energy and more hooks than a bait shop into three minutes of punchy pop-punk. Fun and blisteringly loud, the band’s immense sound is as catchy as it is infectious. Complemented by their endearingly casual performance style, it’s difficult to find anyone who won’t be hearing this track and telling their mates.
Divebar Youth – ‘Rinse, Wash, Repeat’
DIVEBAR YOUTH’s much anticipated EP petrichor is finally out, and it’s one release we’ve had on repeat in The Note offices.
Described by DIVEBAR YOUTH, aka Vinnie Barbaro, as “a collection of songs that are dear to me and I feel capture so many moments in my life that have defined who I am,” petrichor is an audio head trip through multiple genres that’s both eclectic and cohesive.
Album closer ‘up’ is a change of pace from the rest of the album and personal favourite. Just over two minutes long, the song is a soft guitar balled with DIVEBAR YOUTH’s barely audible vocals whispering over his melodic finger-picking, bringing the EP to a reflective close.
