In no particular order

'Hallucinating' – Romanie

Now several years into their Romanie project, singer-songwriter Romanie Assez releases an indie-pop daydream with their latest single ‘Hallucinating’. Where her previous single of the year, ‘Anthony’, sat comfortably in the singer’s familiar folky guitar and bright pop vocals, ‘Hallucinating’ takes on a heartier voice and punchy instrumentation. Still singing with her familiar whimsey, the Melbourne based, Belgian born artist contemplates how time slips away for those stuck watching it pass by: “lucid dreamer, isn’t it strange how we got to sleep, and we wake up in the future”.

'BURY ME' – Late 90s

For their first track of 2023, WA’s Late 90s put up ‘Bury Me’, the metalcore track perfect for a session of hair flipping. Steve Loreck’s lamenting vocals soar in this love letter to bands like Parkway Drive and Deftones, and proves he has perfectly melded with the troup since his 2019 addition. And after three years without gigs, the Late 90s has clearly rekindled their love for music.

'The Streets Don't Lie' – The Sothern River Band

Southern River Band’s ‘The Streets Don’t Lie’ is a riffed-out blast full of larrikin swagger, featuring cheeky halftime breakdowns, and a Neil Young–like guitar riff. Recorded in the band’s hometown, the track unpacks the bumpy futures of rowdy school mates: “I know a bloke counting all the days, got more fingers than teeth/ He punched on with his uncles once, while they were laying his father’s wreath”. The boys have set a new bar on the modern rock ‘n’ roll playing field.

'Sunday' – Loser

April marked the completion of Loser’s steady release of their EP Stadium Dreams on a Bedroom Budget. Standout track, ‘Sunday’, is 90s punk rock at its finest. The duo’s rhythmically contrasting vocal lines through the chorus offers some solid hooks to the song that elevate its sonic lament. And they have no trouble showing off epic guitar solos akin to classic rock structures.

'Heated' – Alannah Chapman

Another Perth local and leader in the West Coast alt RnB neo-soul scene, Alannah Chapman’s single, ‘Hearted’, is a delectable jazz infused pop song featuring smooth saxophone and complex indie flourishes. The title track on Chapman’s EP of the same name, ‘Heated’ shows her whimsically blurring musical roles in the song. Backing vocals come forward to lay a measured beat with rhythmic lyrics—“And it all gets a little bit blury”—while the rhythm section steps back to let the cheeky snare add spice the texture. The result is boundary pushing RnB track for everyone to enjoy.

'Prince Charming' – Mungmung

An Eora-based multidisciplinary artist, Mungmung’s regular fusion of hip-hop, soul and pop shine in this single, ‘Prince Charming’ for their upcoming album Boujee Bby. Tyrone Gosche on drums pulls the beat back with teasing fills while Tauese Tofa’s keys caress the texture of the track with flairs of soul and gospel. The combination is effortless and sweetly compliments Mungmung’s thoughtful raps in her spoken word style. The dreamy RnB melody hits hard as it dives into the moment romantic feelings just click in: “I’m in it for this life time/ and we’ll find each other in the next".

'Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love' – Kara Jackson

Why Does The Earth by Kara Jackson is a genre bending LP unlike any other and their feature track of the same name is no exception. The 23-year-old Chicago native’s—and former Youth Poet Laureate—use of ethereal keys and slop slide guitar guides the listener through her frustrated meditation of relationships that have taken her for granted. And with her elongated notes in her lower register, Jackson mesmerises the listener as she acutely pins down the sonically feeling of exploring the depths of emotional dread.

'My City' – Sanchém (ft. Nerve)

Since claiming the 2017 Queensland Poetry Festival’s Oodgeroo Noonuccal Prize, Sachém has produced dozens of tracks. In his latest single ‘My City’, featruring Nerve, the multi-talented storyteller pays homage to a kinetic fusion of Indigenous front-line pop and African pop. Though here he replaces the horn-rich slow jam from his 2021 Part of the Picture, with a foundation of electric pop that showcases his silky spoken word. 

'Lady Zombies' – Sam Windley

Sam Windley’s single ‘Lady Zombies’ channels her love of Sydney’s city into a festering horror love letter. The Central Coast artist is best known for her nature storytelling and folk-acoustic guitar sound. In this track, Windley haunts the city she loves with delicate vocal riffs, bubbly percussive pops, and a dissonant upright piano. It’s RnB indie-pop with a zombie bite umph.

'Begin Again' – Jessie Ware

This first song for Jessie Ware’s EP That! Feels Good! is a modern homage to 1950s bossa jazz that radiates with longing for a post-COVID world. Inspired by her time spent in South America, Ware sings of the desire for human contact and communion; the search for intimacy comes to a head in the verse-chorus transition where Ware & backing vocalists sing sensual descending lines: “Give me something good that’s even better than it seems”. With beautiful production by James Ford and horns by KOKOROKO, this single flags a dreamy EP that must be heard.

Listen to the full playlist on Spotify: