Gone are the days of sun bleached festivals, open air events and gigs with crowds huddled around one measly fan whilst condensation drips down the windows.Winter has let herself in and set up camp for the next few months, prompting us mere humans to find ways to not let the bitterness get the better of us. So if tacky sweaters and expensive heating systems don’t cut it for you, here’s a list of certified bangers, mosh anthems and dance floor boogies to keep you nice and warm all season long.
As we bitch and moan over the appearance of frost on our lawns, we need something to melt the bitterness. So here’s 8 songs to get you sweaty this winter!
Hermitude (feat. Mataya and Young Tapz) – The Buzz
Fresh off the recently released album Dark Night Sweet Light comes The Buzz, an impressive debut complete with Hermitude’s signature trap meets hip hop sound. The single starts with clean, entrancing beats and hazy vocals before building up to a tightly coiled rhythm and unleashing a euphoric wall of sound. If the thick bass drops and throbbing keyboard synths of this track don’t get you dripping with sweat I don’t know what will.
Nina Las Vegas x Swick – Birthday
Triple J Mix Up presenter Nina Las Vegas has once again joined forces with Melbourne’s DJ Swick to drop their latest collaborative EP Cool Sports. The three-track release showcases the best of hard-hitting experimental dance music with touches of video game inspired sound effects in a way that can only be described as straight fire (cue use of multiple fire emojis). Birthday combines warped vocals and rapid trap beats to create an anthem worthy of club plays all over Australia.
Better Half – Reasons to Leave
It’s not all about EDM though, with Better Half proving the world of alternative rock can just as easily get your heart rate rising. Reasons to Leave is a gripping track that reaches into the depths of a struggling relationship, drenched in fuzzy riffs, sincere vocals and a melancholy honesty. The Melbourne two-piece embody a rawness and angst that is often hard to convey in other genres, sharing similarities with the likes of Citizen and Balance and Composure, whilst still carving their place in the scene as a new band.
Neon Indian – Annie
American producer Alan Palomo, aka Neon Indian, has a way of creating light through music that is sure to brighten any chilly winter’s day. Annie is filled to the brim with bubblegum electronica, smoothly transitioning from sweet as candy bops to a funkier almost futuristic series of synths. As the artist’s first new song in two years, Annie is crisp and inviting, humble in its production and perfect for reminiscing over summer loves.
Jinja Safari – Find My Way
If you find yourself suffering from festival withdrawals during the colder months, then this one’s for you. The masters of tropical indie pop Jinja Safari are back with their first new single in two years, and it’s sure to get you dancing! Inspired by travels abroad and the band’s signature Indian-afro stylings, Find My Way is pure joy condensed into three and a half minutes. Think bold gang vocals, a layered range of weird and wacky instruments and a high energy chorus that soars to the skies.
Last Dinosaurs – Evie
Last Dinosaurs burst into Australia’s music industry with a memorable guitar-pop sound on their first album In a Million Years in 2012. Flash forward a few years and they’re back with a brand spanking new album and another upbeat, feel good, road trip worthy tune titled Evie. Similar to Jinja Safari, the Brisbane outfit are known for creating light-hearted indie dance anthems – and this is no different. Evie features waves of beachy riffs with light synths to get you moving and shaking, or at least put a smile on your face.
Art vs. Science – In This Together
Arguably the most commercially appealing of this list, In This Together is a straightforward, no nonsense dance track suitable for any occasion, whether it be house parties or working a sweat up in the gym. Incorporating loud techno elements and repetitive snares, this song is like a slap in the face awakening all your senses (but without the pain and confusion).
Golden Features (feat. Thelma Plum) – No One
Golden Features’ murky house takes centre stage again with brand new track No One, off his forthcoming XXIV EP. Whether it’s the filthy deep bass the producer does best or Thelma Plum’s sultry singing, there’s no denying this is one song that draws you in, in the most hypnotic of ways. Set to be a favourite in underground club scenes, is constantly pulsing and radiates an understated heat from its simplicity and strong bass line.
