Tag: Australia

Milan Ring Releases New Single ‘Leo’

Celebrated Eora/Sydney R&B musician, producer and engineer MILAN RING shares her new single ‘Leo’, the latest to be lifted from her love-struck forthcoming second studio album, Mangos, due out May 10 via Astral People Recordings.

Cut from the lust-colored first half of the record, the glittery disco-funk of ‘Leo’ saunters in with co-production from polyrhythmic trio OYOBI, lithely fusing hip hop and R&B influences with accents of Milan’s ever-expressive guitar playing in a way that only she can. Chanting ‘You bring out the Leo in me’, ‘Leo’ represents the highpoint of Mangos’ infatuation, signaling the astrological alignment of compatibility and honoring an appreciation for someone who really, truly sees you.

Playful and inquisitive, Milan Ring’s Mangos is the epitome of radiant summer, oozing endless possibilities and a profound sense of lightness as she flirts across genres from alt-pop to electronica whilst also staying true to her R&B roots. A hopeless romantic, Milan Ring asks us to surrender to love on Mangos, inviting us inward as she embarks on a journey of love that is universal yet individually complex. Through her lyrics, experimental mixing, multiple string arrangements and voice memos recorded by close friends, she outlines the stages of a relationship across one year, likening the journey to the inevitable change in seasons, reminding us that nothing stays still forever.

Threading together previous singles ‘Mangos’, ‘Quicksand’ and ‘Photograph’, ‘Leo’ arrives as the fullest and most distilled expression of her beguiling talents to date. Between them, the singles have already garnered praise and support from the likes of COLORS, NME, The Guardian, CRACK Magazine, Wonderland Magazine, ACCLAIM, Northern Transmissions, AUD$ and many more, alongside rotation adds from Double J, FBi Radio, 2SER and extensive airplay across BBC Radio 1’s Future Artists with Jack Saunders, Future Sounds with Clara Amfo, Chillest Show with Sian Eleri, BBC 6Music, triple j and community radio stations around Australia.

Listen to ‘Leo’ below…

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Milan Ring Releases New Single, ‘Quicksand’

Fresh from supporting Griff on her only Australian headline show at Sydney’s Metro Theatre earlier this month, celebrated and widely beloved Eora/Sydney R&B artist, musician, producer, engineer and music video director MILAN RING shares her latest single ‘Quicksand’, out now via Astral People Recordings.

Hallmarking her emergence into a playful and inquisitive new era, ‘Quicksand’ also acts as a tether to Milan’s previous incarnation, finding her addressing and reflecting on her younger self. With stacks of soulful, autotuned harmonies, shimmering, celestial-toned synth arps, a dusty beat and accents of Milan’s ever-nimble guitar work, she touches on past struggles of breaking through glass ceilings and imposter syndrome to presently wanting to be held in love by someone, “but also the polarity that ultimately you need to hold yourself,” she explains. ‘Quicksand’ is the sound of gracefully sinking into the compassion and the care that comes from accepting your own capacity to contain multitudes, sometimes harmonious, other times in contradiction, but always yourself.

Of the track, Milan elaborates: “Quicksand is about accepting yourself as you are and allowing love in. Having the safety and grounding of a love that allows you to take risks, go forward and break through the limitations and barriers that the world places on us, and that we internalise. The metaphor is that even when you appear to be climbing, the ladder is simultaneously sinking without that solid foundation”.

‘Quicksand’ follows up the previously released ‘Mangos’, a balmy and love-struck single that marked Milan’s return to new solo music since the release of her acclaimed 2021 debut LP I’m Feeling Hopeful. Co-produced by 18YOMAN, ‘Mangos’ landed as the fullest and most distilled expression of Milan Ring’s beguiling talents to date, seeing the multi-faceted artist weaving the Guzheng into her songwriting for the first time in a purposeful nod to her Chinese heritage. A homage to a summer love affair, crackling with humidity and longing, oozing a weightless, hazy giddiness, ‘Mangos’ earned praise and support from the likes of BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, COLORS, NME, ACCLAIM, Wonderland Magazine, Northern Transmissions and many more, alongside rotation adds in Australia from Double J, FBi Radio, 2SER and airplay across triple j and community radio stations around the country.

Check out the video for ‘Quicksand’ below…

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DIY outfit VACATIONS share album ‘No Place Like Home’ + ‘Over You’ video

Two-time platinum-selling Australian band VACATIONS release their long-awaited new album, ‘No Place Like Home’. The record follows an intense period of transformation for the lead singer Campbell Burns, who was diagnosed with Pure OCD (or “Pure O”), a subtype of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder marked by intrusive, unwanted, and uncontrollable thoughts. His experiences learning to live with this while touring the world informed the record, which also engages in nuanced discussions around personal growth and sexuality.

The band tapped Georgia Maq, formerly of the band Camp Cope, for their last official music video for the album release single, ‘Over You’. The band explains, “I thought it would be really fun to lean into this idea of ‘Over You’ as an exploration of self-obsession. The high peaks and low valleys of ego just make for a funnier visual story, I think. We’d saved a silly goofy video until last. I’d originally planned for Campbell to be in the role of protagonist and therapist, but circumstances meant none of us would be in the same city at the same time to work with the director, Jax Anderson, and their wonderful team. To our rescue came Australian darling Georgia Maq, of Camp Cope fame. We were so lucky to have them involved, and their charisma really brought a sensuality and hilarity that was needed.”

Following 2020’s ‘Forever In Bloom’ album, ‘No Place Like Home’ finds the Newcastle, Aus DIY outfit comprised of Burns and bandmates Jake Johnson, Nate Delizzotti, and Joseph Van Lier, expanding their trademark melodic indie rock to new sonic horizons. The first Vacations record to be produced by Campbell Burns and an outside producer, John Velasquez (Zella Day, Broods), it comprises ten shimmering tracks brimming with indie-pop hooks and just a touch of bittersweet sensitivity.

“I had this loose concept of ‘No Place Like Home’ being an Americana-influenced album,” Campbell says of the album’s sonic inspirations. “I wanted to incorporate more pianos, acoustic guitars, Nashville tuning, and country-inspired lap steel, but then also bringing in drum machines and synths and finding a mix between the two.”

The album features singles, ‘Terms & Conditions,’ ‘Midwest,’ ‘Close Quarters,’ and the buzzy radio single, ‘Next Exit,’ which has over 15 million streams.

Formed in 2016, Vacations’ feverishly expanding fanbase has seen the band play host to multiple sold-out UK tours in 2023, including a rapturous headline at The Garage and a slot at All Points East supporting The Strokes.

Vacations have lots to celebrate with the new release. They were picked by Pandora as one of their ten artists to watch for 2024, their single, ‘Telephones,’ was certified platinum in the United States in December, marking their second platinum track stateside (the other is ‘Young’). Recently, the quartet has made their debut TV performance on CBS Saturday Morning.

Vacations’ new album ‘No Place Like Home’ is out now, released today 12th January via Nettwerk. Have a listen to the set below…

Must Listens: Slow Motion, No Place Like Home, Over You

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Alt-pop artist merci, mercy shares third EP, ‘Like An Orchid.’

Alt-pop artist MERCI, MERCY shares her third EP, ‘Like An Orchid’, out now via Liberation Records. With this new body of work she delivers sparkling alt-pop anthems with heart, including recent releases ‘Shovel’, ‘Lonely & Horny’ and ‘Silver Lining’, along with unreleased cuts ‘If You Had Any Friends’ and ‘Mouldy’.

The songs bounce around merci’s thoughts on big topics including the ups and downs of relationships, struggles with addiction and anxiety, and everything in between. With support from BBC Radio 1 on Jack Saunders’ Future Artists show and Mollie King’s Future Pop show, on all of her material to date, merci, mercy has never been afraid of exploring emotional vulnerabilities. Navigating mental health issues and overcoming personal hurdles surrounding anxiety and growing up in relationships, she has poured newly gained insights and perspective into ‘Like An Orchid’.

“My new EP Like An Orchid is the roller coaster of emotions you have during your first relationship and how extreme they can feel especially when you are someone who has anxiety. This EP will take you on a journey of my inner demons while also showing you into my heart a little bit. The songs in Like an Orchid are a family in terms of the lyrics but distant relatives in terms of the way they sound. Each story has its own sound.” – merci, mercy.

WATCH THE ‘IF YOU HAD ANY FRIENDS’ LYRIC VIDEO

‘Like An Orchid’ saw merci, mercy once again work with her longtime collaborator and friend, producer Chris Collins (‘Lonely & Horny’ and ‘Mouldy’) along with fellow Sydney-based songwriter and producer Robby De Sa (‘Silver Lining’ and ‘If You Had Any Friends’) and the one and only Matthew ‘Murph’ Murphy of The Wombats (‘Shovel’).

With over 24 million streams to her name thanks to the success of her first two EP releases: no thank you, no thanks (2020) and is it me, or is it you? (2022), the demand for new music from merci, mercy has grown in a consistent and organic way.

Widespread support via renowned outlets including triple j, Beats 1 and Zane Lowe, BBC Radio 1, Paper Magazine, NME, Clash Magazine, Flaunt and more, has positioned merci, mercy as part of a new vanguard of fresh Australian pop artists who have the potential to establish themselves as a long-standing presence internationally.

Extensive radio support throughout the UK and Europe, as well as continued global editorial playlist support across DSPs (she was one of the first global ambassadors of Spotify’s RADAR series and recently featured on the cover of Apple Music’s Superbloom playlist), has ensured merci, mercy’s front-of-mind status on the radars of industry and a fast-growing fanbase alike.

‘Like An Orchid’ is the next chapter in what has become one of Australian pop music’s most exciting and intriguing stories. Her dynamism was present from the jump but here, merci, mercy holds her space with a rejuvenated sense of self-awareness and ultimate happiness. A moment of blooming we can all wish to experience.

Listen to ‘Like and Orchid’ below…

Must Listens: Lonely & Horny, Silver Lining, Mouldy

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Song of the Day: Moments – Caitlin Min Fa

Inspired by a composite of pop / ballad styles, CAITLIN MIN FA‘s latest single, ‘Moments’ is a celebration of her five year anniversary with her partner Ryan, reflecting on and appreciating all the incredible moments and memories they shared in this crazy world. Funnily enough, two days after the song came out … they got engaged!!

Produced by Melbourne’s ARIA award winner Rob Amoruso, the track has the energy of Jojo, and elements of H.E.R. With the infusion of both Pop and urban R&B, ‘Moments’ is not only romantic, but intertwining visual story telling within the lyrics, and also providing three and a half minutes of pure escapism.

Officially ready to be added to your playlist, it’s a song that belongs on radio with it’s bold energy that contrasts a playful and vulnerable attitude simultaneously. Have a listen below…

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