Melbourne is home to some of Australia’s most diverse creatives. One of them is Jasmyne Middleton.
Jasmyne Middleton is a woman with extreme expressionism and arresting vocals. This past year saw her release a trio of debut singles, with her latest being Separation Altitude: a dreamy acoustic track, glittering in romanticism.
Middleton took a moment to detail her favourite new artists to also debut their music this year. Articulately and with the flair of a well-listened musician, she gives you eight new artists to discover below.
Sophia Brown
Get Me Back opens with the dreamiest synth and the crispest drum track you ever did hear, setting the scene for a grooving, sophisticated break-up track. Sophia Brown is a strong presence in the live music scene: this experience can be heard in the control and musicality of her stunning vocal performance.
Sophia’s songwriting style conveys a maturity and competence that is rare in a debut but which makes this song a joy to listen to.
Domenic Carrubba
Look, I might be a bit biased considering that Domenic is a good friend who featured on and produced my latest single, but believe me when I say that he belongs on your radar. As a quadruple threat – versatile guitarist, dynamic singer, songwriter, and producer – Domenic has gone from strength to strength since his debut single Good Love was released in March.
He’s released five funk and soul-infused tracks this year and looks set to keep releasing bangers into 2021. Please enjoy my favourite song of his:
Bianca Ivorie
I met Bianca at an APRA-AMCOS Meet the Locals event before the plague hit, she struck me as driven and focused and, afterwards, I was blown away by the creativity and originality of the work-in-progress songs she’d shared on her socials. Spicy Deluxe is the embodiment of those qualities: it’s a quirky pop banger that is so refreshingly unique with its sharp production and clever songwriting and arranging.
Bianca’s vocals are stellar; smooth, warm, and many-layered in the best way. I’m really looking forward to checking out her next move.
Her Shadow Crown
Her Shadow Crown consists of Lida and Alex and they write songs that would fit perfectly into a Sofia Coppola movie. Lida’s breathy, gentle vocals and Alex’s tasteful production and gorgeous guitar-playing create a nostalgic, melancholy landscape I’d honestly like to live in. It’s not all just aesthetic though, as their lyrics have an ethereal, poetic quality, and the structure and arrangement of their tracks provide a sense of surety and purpose.
Listen to Sunday Blue and see what I mean:
Michelangelo
Michelangelo released his debut track Self in February and quickly cemented himself as a rapper who knew how to say what he had to say in intelligent, thoughtful ways. His beats get under your skin, functioning the way they need to in order to anchor the track but also incorporating interesting electronic elements that keep the ear engaged.
Michelangelo’s music asks the hard questions but also makes you feel seen.
Kee’ahn
Better Things was released in May and we are all better for it. The track goes from restrained drum, bass, and guitar instrumentation that digs into that beautiful 6/8 ballad feel before building into a lush, layered sound that reflects the intensity of the vocal performance.
Kee’ahn is a voice that I’m keen to hear more of in 2021.
Honest Dan
Another DIY fella on this list, Honest Dan writes, records, produces, and mixes his own tunes and debuted with date night in February. I’m a big fan of the retro sounds in his production, as well as the playfulness of his arrangements: see look down, in which there are claps that you’d think would help orient you to the time, but which Dan very well knows only serves to confuse the listener when the time signature is 5/8.
I highly recommend checking out his Insta for excellent live-stream performances and puns that include his name.
Audrey Mae
Audrey Mae takes her stage name from her grandmother, which I think is the most lovely thing! She debuted earlier this year with Jeffrey, showing a flair for melodrama, dark soundscapes, and varied vocal techniques and tone colours. Her songs are genuinely interesting to listen to and I’m looking forward to hearing what she releases next.
Enjoy Jasmyne Middleton’s latest single Separation Altitude below:
