Meet Sydney’s hottest up-and-coming musicians
The stages may be dwindling but the new stars are shining brightly. Catch these pop, rock and electronic prodigies before they go supernova – and get the bragging rights for all time
Sydney may be a city at the end of the Earth, with a precocious little sister constantly claiming to be cooler, but she has always produced global trend-setting musicians. So when the foundations for these artists – the stages on which they first develop their sounds – start to erode, what happens? Perhaps local DJ and producer Nina Las Vegas said it best in front of thousands of Sydneysiders at the Keep Sydney Open rally on February 21: “In the last five to ten years, Australia has cemented itself as a major player in the electronic music scene. The demise of the nightlife culture will affect this… You can’t expect Olympic swimmers to win gold without pools, right?”
There’s a heck of a lot of talent in this fine city – from local stalwarts to up-and- comers. We scoured Sydney to showcase some of that talent. Because live music is a little like Tinker Bell – the more you believe in it, the stronger it becomes.
01 ALBA
While it can be hard to pinpoint a particular Sydney sound, Alba – Sam Weston and Thomas McAlister – must be pretty near the bullseye. Since their debut 12’’ Knokke / Law received remix treatment from Detroit natives Rick Wade and Jimmy Edgar, the house duo been busy returning the favour for some of our local talents like Oscar Key Sung, Roland Tings, BV and Elizabeth Rose.
02 BV
Formerly known as Black Vanilla, this three-piece have left dancefloors across Sydney shaking since their formation in 2011. Consisting of Lavurn Lee, Marcus Whale and Jarred Beeler, BV present a hybrid of club-ready beats and forward-thinking lyrics. While they sound excellent through a set of headphones, they’re best experienced live: the boys are incredible dancers.
03 COSMO’S MIDNIGHT
These twins have been creating some of the city’s best electronic music since charging up through the blogosphere in 2013. Their J-Poptinged sound has made it into remixes for the likes of Porter Robinson and AlunaGeorge and their Moments EP was a delicious wrapping for the earworm single ‘Walk with Me’, with guest vocals from Perth’s Kucka.
04 DRO CAREY
Dro Carey – the musical alias of Eugene Ward (who also, if you still follow, goes by Tuff Sherm) – is a pioneer producer and composer in the Sydney club scene. In this incarnation he threads influences from grime, hip hop and techno to craft his sets, sound and style. His latest EP Club Injury Handbook, released on London’s Greco-Roman label, is complex but banger-heavy. Hear
him at drocar.bandcamp.com.
05 ELIZABETH ROSE
This pocket rocket beatmaker has been firing on all cylinders since releasing her long-awaited debut album, Intra. Her lyrics are empowering and compassionate with tightly produced and catchy-AF beats behind them. Is this a recipe for a future pop powerhouse? We think so. See her at the Newport Arms, 2 Kalinya St, Newport 2106. Sun Apr 10. Free.
06 GIDEON
While you might know Gideon Bensen from the Preatures, the sound he’s peddling in solo mode is grittier and more intimate. The well respected Sydney musician has released a four-track debut EP, Cold Cold Heart, and its sound is a hybrid of punk, new wave and soul. Calling on his talented connections, like producer Tony Buchen and vocalist Megan Washington, Gideon’s record proves he’s a musical force in his own right.
Hear him at soundcloud.com/gideonbensen.
07 GORDI
Canowindra-born, Sydney-based 22-year- old singer-songwriter Gordi brings soul to her songwriting and sass to her live performances. While she releases her folktronica music on her own imprint Hey Alfafa domestically, Gordi recently signed with US indie label Jagjaguwar (home to Bon Iver, Dinosaur Jr and Unknown Mortal Orchestra). Hear her at soundcloud.
com/gordi-music.
08 JOY
This over-achieving 17 year old has been racking up Soundcloud and Spotify spins in the hundreds of thousands since scoring a spot on the bills of both Laneway and Field Day festivals through Triple J Unearthed. Her entirely self-produced EP Ode is a mixed bag of slinky electronic beats fronted by delicate vocals. Hear her at soundcloud.com/joy-aus.
09 LITTLE MAY
This folk outfit – made up of Liz Drummond, Hannah Field and Annie Hamilton – have been bringing their haunting harmonies to stages across Sydney since forming in 2012. Their songwriting sensibilities and intimate performance style have graced some of the country’s biggest festivals. Debut EP For the Company dropped late last year, and we’ve had it on high rotation since. See them at the Metro Theatre, 624 George St, Sydney 2000. $26.41. Fri May 6.
10 THE LULU RAES
A live show favourite, Eddie, Taras, Marcus and Tom have been gigging around Sydney for just over two years. They channel Britpop vibes, deploying catchy chord progressions. Keep your eyes out for fans at their gigs wearing the boys’ much loved merch item – the Lulu Raes legionnaire cap. They’re no slouches when it comes to dressing up on stage and delivering hilarious banter. See them at Newtown Social Club, 387 King St, Newtown 2042. $18. Fri Apr 8.
11 MANSIONAIR
Mansionair (Jack Froggatt, Lachlan Bostock and Alex Nicholls) have been on a rise since dropping their single ‘Hold Me Down’ in 2014. That track grabbed the attention of Chvrches, who helped the band release their first EP. The Sydney synth trio has played Laneway and Splendour in the Grass. See them at the Newport Arms, 2 Kalinya St, Newport 2106. Free. Sun Apr 17.
12 MONTAIGNE
Jessica Cerro aka Montaigne (a name she borrows from the French renaissance philosopher) leapt into the limelight after taking out the 2013 Triple J Unearthed High competition. The alt-pop chanteuse channels the soaring vocals and quirky styles of Bjork, St Vincent and Florence Welch. When she’s not songwriting you’ll find Cerro whipping up colourful, vegan meals for her health-focused Instagram. Hear her at www.
montaignemusic.com.au.
13 MUT0
Sydney electronic music insiders are punting on Miles Davidson as the Next Big Thing. He has endorsements from Flume and Odesza, for starters. He released his first single on Of Leisure, a new label that also throws parties and has its own ‘recreation’ club. Muto’s original tracks and remixes have crafty string arrangements and sunny melodies – perhaps a by-product of his Northern Beaches upbringing.
14 NICOLE MILLAR
This Shire girl was flung to the forefront of the Australian music scene after lending her vocals to Peking Duk’s Hottest 100 topper ‘High’, as well as tracks from Golden Features and Cosmo’s Midnight. Following this, Ms Millar took a year out to write her own material. The result is a collection of R’n’B-tinted electronic beats with fierce lyrics and toe-tapping soundscapes. See her at Plan B, 55-53 Liverpool St, Sydney 2000. $13.90. Fri Apr 29.
15 PALMS
Not to be confused with the Los Angeles band of the same name, Palms are Sydney indie rockers Al Grigg, Tom Wallace, Dion Ford and Brendan Walsh. Grigg and Wallace were once in a band called Red Riders, and frontman Grigg is still part of punk band Straight Arrows (it’s a close-knit community here in Sydney). If you haven’t seen them at one of their many local shows, you may have also heard them in DJ mode. Palms recently released their second album Crazy Rack through Ivy League Records; 12 tracks of warm, fuzzy beachside tunes and top-down, hands-in-the-air rock anthems.
16 SAMPA THE GREAT
Zambian-born, Sydneybased beat maker and lyrical poet Sampa the Great burst onto the scene last year with her powerful album The Great
Mixtape. Her live sets showcase her free-flowing style, while producer Godriguez provides slices and loops of soul and hip hop to complement her intense, empowering lyrics.
17 VALLIS ALPS
After a killer 2015 – during which they released their self-titled EP and locked in a spot on the Hottest 100 – and kicking off 2016 with a storming show at SXSW, dream pop duo Vallis Alps are a sure bet when it comes to acts that will only get bigger by the day. Interestingly the Canberra-bred duo released all the stems from their album to the public in order to create transparency in the music-making process.