WAKE IN FRIGHT – CAN’T TELL LOVE

Happy release day, Wake in Fright! Touch Hands Pack Sting is the ten-track work of art that arrived from the Adelaide outfit early this morning, and we’ve already managed to play the LP through twice. Recorded inside Belair’s Church of the Holy Innocents last year, the album is a cathartic, grounded and authentic body of that work that has you hooked from its opening track ‘Can’t Tell Love’-- a four-minute love song of sorts that hits right in the gut. No words can explain exactly what this track does to your brain and body. The entanglement of folky percussion, nostalgic strings and heart-wrenching yet hope-filled lyrics move the mind into a hazy state. It’s euphoric yet earnest, a song that envelopes you into a warm world that’s not ours but feels very familiar. What a treat we get to start our Friday like this. Listen to 'Can't Tell Love' here.

HOME COURT — ‘MANDUNGUS BEETLE’

‘Mandungus Beetle’ from Home Court’s latest EP, Weltschmerz, is a demonstration in how the band is a “five piece making noise on Kaurna Land.” The grunge-infested, 5-minute shy song is something worth playing on full blast. Brooding and bulky, thick and fast, ‘Mandungus Beetle’ feels like discovering Nirvana’s ‘Heart Shaped Box’ as a pre-teen and knowing your world will never be the same again. A life-altering experience, but in Adelaide’s noise-rock, post-punk vernacular. Give this track a crack if you want to revisit that Nirvana moment in time.

Listen to 'Mandungus Beetle' here.

JAMIE LENA – ‘DISSOLVE’

Jamie Lena is quickly becoming an artist we find on repeat and her latest track ‘Dissolve’ is one reason why. Beginning with some art pop-adjacent percussion, this short and sweet track is infused with a jazzy, bossa-nova-esque vibe that makes your body sway involuntarily. Pair this infectious beat with Lena’s dreamy falsetto sound and introspective lyrics and you have a hit. A hip bop or two won’t go amiss on a Friday arvo. Press play and coast smoothly into the weekend with the track playing over and over again in your head. Need inspiration for some groovy moves? Watch the accompanying music video below, filmed by Grace Hartley! Catch Jamie at The Exeter on February 3.

Listen to 'Dissolve' here.

ALRIGHT PSYCHO – ‘IMAGINARY’

Psych rock sounds good on Alright Psycho. A trippier take on their no-holds-barred style of rock ‘n’ roll, the five-piece has crafted a catchy three-minute track that could induce astral projection. We’re not complaining, and we’re sure you won’t either. The bones ‘Imaginary’ still has the rough-round-the-edges grit and grunge we love about Alright Psycho, but it's filled with a fun, funk-laden noise that’s addictive. The band have listed ‘uncontrollable toe-tapping’ and ‘head-bobbing’ as possible side effects of playing this song and it’s clear to see why. Expand your mind and enjoy the ride, give ‘Imaginary’ a spin this weekend. Or, better yet, see it in the flesh when they take to the Grace Emily for what is sure to be an out-of-body experience gig at the Grace Emily.  Tickets here. Listen to 'Imaginary' here.

BIG SLOE – ‘FENCESITTER’

It’s been a long year without new Big Sloe music, so when the outfit dropped ‘Fence Sitter’ at the tail end of 2023 it felt like Christmas came early. Hard to define, easy to love, the sub-five-minute song is a layered dive into the endless pools of talent this five-piece possesses. The beauty of this song is that it keeps you guessing. There’s some folk and some jazz, a good measure of noise-rock and an undefinable rawness to ‘Fence Sitter’ that makes your bones tingle, if that’s even possible. It’s the first sound of their forthcoming, a strong start we’re sure the rest of the tracks will meet. Keen to see Big Sloe live? There’s a sweet backyard party being hosted this weekend to celebrate their second, unreleased single ‘Car Seat’. Details here. 
Listen to 'Fence Sitter' here.