On our radar this week –a stacked lineup of emerging artists putting in the hours and making it count.
There’s a certain kind of chaos to digging through emerging artists — half the time it’s one track, no bio, and a Bandcamp link that may or may not load. But that’s also where the good stuff lives.
This week’s New Music Radar pulls together a mix of artists from Australia, across the ditch and beyond, all carving out their own lane without waiting for permission. Different sounds, different scenes, same energy – figuring it out in real time.
Here’s what’s been on rotation.
One-Eared Boy
One-Eared Boy Orphan Train Riders lands somewhere between Nick Cave and Beck, with a thread of Daniel Johnston-style fragility running through it.
It pulls from the real-life story of the Orphan Train Riders – over 250,000 children relocated across the US between 1853 and 1929 – and leans into themes of displacement, grief and survival, but don’t let the subject matter sway you – sonically, it moves between indie rock and folk, in all the right ways.
sosure
Meanjin-based queer indie folk with a soft shoegaze edge. There’s a lo-fi feel without actually being lo-fi – hazy guitars, intimate vocals, and production that solidly holds up. Latest track ‘so steep’ has that slightly blurred, late-night energy. One of the standouts this week.
KOEI
Sydney-based and fully self-built in. KOEI is building an entire visual and creative world around his music. Using warm guitars, synth-heavy layers and soft, immersive vocals, his scribble-style visual identity, that is born from a trip to Japan – ties everything together nicely. ‘Grape Juice’ is a short but sweet entry point.
Awkward Convos
An Inner West project from Joshua Dickinson, Awkward Convos blends alt-pop with a slightly scrappy, synth-driven rock edge. The latest track A Moment In Time leans into that balance.
It’s still a solo project for now, but a full band is on the way – along with a pretty serious backlog of unreleased material.
VAN RAVEN
Tasmanian-based, Dutch-born alt-rock with a darker edge. VAN RAVEN’s contralto voice cuts through immediately – low, textured and hard to ignore. Latest track ‘Where Did All The Humans G’o leans heavy, both musically and emotionally.
Self-produced, slightly rough around the edges in the best way.
George Crump
Brighton-based indie pop with a polished, synth-forward feel. Working with female and non-binary vocalists, Crump’s sound sits somewhere between MUNA and Sigrid — upbeat guitars, 80s-style synths, and hooks that stick. ‘Butterflies’ is a clean entry into his upcoming EP.
Keyon Harris
On the hip-hop side, Keyon Harris has been quietly building a catalogue on Bandcamp. Latest track ‘All or Nothin’ keeps things direct – no overthinking, just sharp delivery and steady output.
