With the launching of our Australia-wide (and now NZ) Needle in the Hay competition, over the next few weeks we’ll be bringing you our favourite artists from each state in the country. Last week we attacked Western Australia and today we’re flying over to the far border for a closer look at Victoria.
Many fans deem Melbourne to be the beating heart of Australian music, and there’s a grounding in that belief. Victoria’s output is consistently good, and there’s no fear of rule-breaking once you get this far south. The state has never been dominated by just one scene, a testament to the hardy creativity which seems to be bred into the locals.
We’re looking all over Australia to give one artist the chance to press their record to vinyl. Here are 5 artists from Victoria we’re digging.
Sophie Grophy
Think Lady Leshur and Princess Nokia, Sophie Grophy is new to the scene but her voice is loud and her message louder. The Melbourne MC has been bouncing between Sydney and her hometown delivering flow of the highest calibre.
I first saw her at a local warehouse party and have been keeping tabs ever since, sassy and filled with a performative essence that’s hard to match. Watch this space, Grophy is aiming big.
Ainslie Wills
The Ainslie Wills sound is filled with a distinctive lilt that has you aching for more. Most notably taking the female vocal on #1 Dads smash hit So Soldier, Wills’ music is swathed in romanticism and curiosity, seemingly soft spoken, she is a force to be reckoned with and with a number of projects tucked away in pockets all over Australia, she’s hardly slowing down.
The vocalist and her band have played with line-ups including Dean Lewis and Jack Ladder, taking the Aussie name to new heights. Her track Running Second is vulnerable and tender, reaching to the heart of struggle to feel adequate and achieving the seemingly impossible. She’s a Melbourne girl doing the nation proud.
Woodes
We featured her track picks of 2016 a while back, but Woodes is still kicking around Victoria making some of the sweetest tunes we ever did hear. She smashed SXSW alongside greats Alex Lahey, Middle Kids and Cam Avery and she’s now back with new music and a tour.
Taking on Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, it’s sure to be a killer. She’s recently released a song alongside Kilter and is pocketing a few hot tracks to take with her on the road.
OK Sure
OK Sure is a testament to exactly how hard women are killing it in electronic music. Mixing tracks from artists including Sophie Lowe and Porsches, OK Sure blew us all away when she took out the triple j remix comp in 2015 and has been killing it ever since.
With a gig at Gasometer Hotel in Collingwood on June 1st it’s the perfect time for anyone in Melbourne to check it out. The event is called Ladies to The Front and celebrates women in electronic music and production.
Banger after banger, OK Sure… more like Definitely Yes, this girl is anything but complacent.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Need we say more? King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are one of those acts that just make you feel safe and secure in the knowledge that creativity and originality are not dead. Swirling effortlessly between the most progressive sonic combinations and instrumentals, this Melbourne band has developed a cult following like no other.
Their shows are phenomenal and anyone lucky enough to have been present at even one will testify as to how transformative their presence is. The Gizz are pushing the boundaries of production, promising to release an exorbitant four records in 2017 alone.
They are eccentric and visionary, a true asset to Australian music.
Needle In The Hay is a vinyl competition targeting the next generation of exciting musical talent across Australia. Find out all the details here.
