Unisounds, the annual celebration of the best music Australia’s tertiary students have to offer, is back in 2019 and bigger than ever. Following two rounds of judging, a shortlist of 26 emerging artists (spanning genres as diverse as rock, folk, trap, and psych) has been whittled down to six.
Having supported past winners such as Jones The Cat and 2018 winner BODIE (formerly Mr. Sauce), Unisounds provides a crucial leg up in the industry for new artists.
The inaugural SLAM! will see 2019’s six Unisounds finalists take to the stage at Marrickville’s Vic on the Park Hotel. Don’t miss out!
The six finalists will all be performing at the inaugural SLAM! event, which will be taking place at the Vic On The Park in Marrickville on Thursday October 3rd. They’ll also be in the running for the $100,000 prize package, which includes a recording deal with Dine Alone Records and heaps more.
To help you prep for the big day, we’ve got the lowdown on your six finalists.
Grace Aberhart
Newcastle singer-songwriter Grace Aberhart plays fuzzily nostalgic, teen movie-esque alt-rock with a soulful spin. The 19-year old has already received triple j airplay with her tracks Famous and Next To Me.
Demi Mitchell
Fellow University of Newcastle dweller Demi Mitchell plays swirling, introspective indie folk, calling to mind her contemporaries such as Aldous Harding and Lucy Dacus.
The Tin Knees
Wollongong band The Tin Knees morph pop, psychedelia and comedy in a similar vein to cult Aussie exports Alex Cameron and Kirin J Callinan. According to the band, they make music to “make you cry, laugh and sometimes dance”.
They also wrote a song about Winfield Blues.
Muka Vhatti
Perth rapper Muka Vhatti brings a very different flavour to the proceedings, combining a rapid-fire flow with icy trap beats. Having already collaborated with triple j Unearthed High winner Arno Faranji, he is certainly an artist on the rise.
Cooks & Bakers
Cooks & Bakers seem to be Newcastle’s answer to Ocean Alley, albeit with a heavier classic rock influence and some bonus shredding thrown in for good measure.
Check out their latest tune Wax below.
Vallee
Rounding out the lineup, Victoria University’s own Vallee provide an unabashed throwback to the upbeat, energetic era of late 00’s indie, bringing to mind bands like Foals or The Wombats.
SLAM! will take place on Thursday October 3rd at the Vic on the Park in Marrickville. More details on the event can be found here.
