We’re on the lookout for the best talent from across Australia and New Zealand for our Needle In The Hay vinyl competition. Today our search takes us to Tasmania.
At the moment, Happy Mag is scoping out some of the best talents on offer in both Australia and New Zealand as part of our Needle In The Hay competition, giving one band the chance to press their music to vinyl. So far we’ve been all over, which means it’s time to hit Tasmania.
Today we’re sharing 5 artists that have sparked our interest, showcasing the best that the land under the land down under has to offer. Ranging from indie psych-pop to grime hip-hop, Tasmania is a scene that you need to keep your eyes on.
Chase City
The alternative-dance band with a ’90s UK garage flavour, Chase City are a household name in Tasmania now creating fans on the other side of the world. The five-piece have a throbbing energy about them, combining heavy synths and catchy vocals into music you’ll want to hook to your veins.
The band has recently made waves on the Australian scene, opening at Falls Festival in Marion Bay and supporting Gang of Youths. They’ve also looked to bring something new to their sound with Northeast Party House’s Malcolm Besley, lending his hand in helping produce their most recent single Liberty.
Maddy Jane
The singer from small-island town of Bruny Island has finally emerged as one of Australia’s most exciting young talents at just 22 years of age. Her debut album Not All Bad Or Good has been a soaring success with its confrontational lyrics to soundtrack your shitty relationship or family issues.
Maddy Jane has already supported the likes of Harry Styles on his 2017 Australian tour, showcasing the heights to which the indie-rock sensation can reach. Now a regular on triple j, the talented songwriter is bringing her determined small-town energy to a national scale.
Wombat
A grime MC coming all the way from the depths of Tassie has proved to be one of the Australian hip-hop scene’s fastest rising stars. Sam Phillips, going by the name of Wombat, has been described as a lyrical genius with an explosively fierce flow. His most recent single Adrenaline saw him link up British rapper Devlin, proving that description correct.
The MC has performed all around the country with some of Aussie hip-hop royalty, including the likes of Nerve, Chillinit, and Triple One. One of the most skilled bar-spitters in the country, Wombat wants to build an empire in Tasmania.
The Tinderboxers
The Tinderboxers are a young indie-rock band from Hobart with certain psych-pop influences. Their music provides a chronicle of 21st century Australian adolescence, with themes of hopeless romanticism and reflections on ageing all prominently featured through a unique lens.
The band has already shared the stage with Lime Cordiale and fellow Tassie legend Luca Brasi, while they were one of the lucky acts to have already toured in 2020 before we were struck with this pandemic. They took their debut EP Something Strange on tour around the country, an EP that’s jammed full of mesmerising hooks and lyrical narratives to warm your heart.
Kat Edwards
This Canberra-born, Hobart-raised singer/songwriter has been busking, writing, and recording since 2013 with her down-tempo pop sound and vulnerable vocals seeing her emerge as an artist to keep your eye on. Back in 2017 she released her debut EP Sunk, but was quiet on the new music front until last year when she dropped hypnotic singles Good Girl and Don’t Call Me, both of which received airplay on triple j.
Kat Edwards’ ability to produce special moments within her sound has been noticed by the likes of Stella Donnelly, Alex The Astronaut, and Montaigne, who have all enlisted her musical talents to open for their respective shows in the past. Kat is set to tour with Luca Brasi later this year, as she looks set to unload her musical talents to the whole nation.
Find out more about the Needle In The Hay vinyl competition here.
