Urthboy – Smokey’s Haunt

17 07 2012

Urthboy has announced his much anticipated fourth album will be titled Smokey’s Haunt and is set for release on October 12. The bold first single, Naïve Bravado featuring Daniel Merriweather, has seen some heavy support at radio and was named iTunes Single Of The Week—raking in over 30,000 downloads in under a week, and quickly spiking to #1 most added (all indie) track at radio.

Although Hermitude and Count Bounce have been exclusive producers of all previous Urthboy material, Smokey’s Haunt is the first album where they’ve co-produced the entire album. The chemistry between all parties was electric, resulting in an invigorated sound and fresh spirit. Apart from putting the finishing touches on his new album, Urthboy has also signed a global publishing deal with the legendary Alberts Music. The Naïve Bravado Tour kicks off late August, where he will be joined by long-time collaborators Elgusto (Hermitude) and Jane Tyrrell for what promises to be an electrifying live show.

The tour’s main support is The Last Kinection—one of the true voices of Indigenous Australian hip hop. They will be joined on selected dates by triple j favourites Yung Warriors, Brisbane’s rising star Rainman and more. See listing below for full details. Tickets are on sale now.

Urthboy – Naïve Bravado Tour
Thurs Aug 30 – Katoomba with Sky’High / Masta One
Fri Aug 31 – Melbourne with Yung Warriors / Rainman
Fri Sept 07 – Adelaide with The Last Kinection / Koolta
Sat Sept 08 – Perth with The Last Kinection / Slackjaw
Fri Sept 14 – Byron Bay with The Last Kinection / Rainman
Sat Sept 15 – Brisbane with The Last Kinection / Rainman
Fri Sept 21 – Sydney with The Last Kinection / Yung Warriors
Sat Sept 22 – Newcastle Fat As Butter Festival

Urthboy  ||  Purchase Naïve Bravado  ||  Tour Tickets


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : Alberts, allaussie hip hop exclusive, Elefant Traks

Urthboy – Naïve Bravado feat. Daniel Merriweather

31 05 2012

Teaming up with incredible Daniel Merriweather, Urthboy sidesteps peers while exhibiting his trademark sharp flow, songwriting talents and that knack for well-crafted hooks. The concept of Naïve Bravado is like a lamb with a lion’s heart; a broken down car needing a jump start. It’s not a false courage if it leads you out of the mess.

Anchored in running bass lines, ominous horns and monstrous percussive drums—all concocted by the brilliant collaborative production of Count Bounce and Hermitude. Urthboy has kept a frenetic pace since the release of the AIR award-winning, ARIA and AMP nominated Spitshine (2009); with 2011’s Future Shade album from The Herd; and bringing the house down with his rendition of Stagger Lee at Straight To You, triple j’s Nick Cave Tribute concerts.

Naïve Bravado is out now. Taken from Urthboy’s new album, out October 2012. 

Purchase  ||  Twitter  ||  Facebook


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : allaussie hip hop exclusive, Elefant Tracks

Rainman – Bigger Pictures

9 04 2012

Mention Rainman amongst the initiated and the respect attributed to his name is palpable. Recognised nationally as one of Queensland’s finest, Rainman’s list of collaborations, support slots and guest appearances reads like a who’s who of Australian hip hop.

Rainman is poised to drop his second album Bigger Pictures, in stores Friday 4 May through Obese distribution. The album sees Sammsonite (The Optimen) return for the lion’s share of the production but also features some of Australia’s finest beat – smiths including the APRA and AIR Award winning, ARIA nominated Count Bounce (TZU/Urthboy), DJ Bonez, Mangohig (Sietta), Chasm (Astronomy Class), Cam Bluff (Spit Syndicate/The Tongue/Vegas Aces) and Calski. Guest MCs on the record include Muph, Tommy Illfigga, Yuin Huzami (The Coalition Crew), and many more, while Laneous (Laneous & The Family Yah) and Kel on Earth (Bankrupt Billionaires) lend soulful vocals across the album.

Tracklist:
01. Welcome (Intro) Production: Cam Bluff
02. Can’t See You (Feat. Laneous) Production: by Chasm
03. A 1000 Words (Feat. Muph) Production: Rainman & Sammsonite
04. WTF (Feat. Kel on Earth & Yuin Huzami) Production: Sammsonite & Rainman
05. Duck Face (Feat. Kel on Earth) Production: Rainman & Sammsonite
06. Muse Sick (Feat. Laneous) Production: Sammsonite
07. Big Night (Feat. Tommy Illfigga) Production: Rainman & Sammsonite
08. The Valley Production: Rainman & Sammsonite, Cuts: DJ Butcher
09. Everything Ain’t (Feat. Leah Carr) Production: Chasm, Cuts: DJ Butcher
10. Count Blessings Production: Count Bounce
11. The Buzz (Feat. pear) Production: Cam Bluff
12. Darlin’ (Feat. Calski) Production: Calski
13. Move! (Feat. Seven & 4TH) Production: Calski
14. Too Much (Feat. Youka) Production: Mangohig
15. The Bigger Picture Cuts & Production: DJ Bonez

Rainman is also proud to release the brand new film clip for the single The Valley. An ode to Brisbane’s notorious night spot of the same name, the tune and clip were inspired by and filmed amongst the grit and circumstance found in abundance on any seedy inner-city nighttime adventure. In Rainman’s own words: ‘It’s a pretty jaded and sarcastic portrait of the epicentre of Brisbane’s nightlife that is Fortitude Valley. It’s a place I definitely have a love/hate relationship with, having had some of the best times in my life there, along with the worst – and a whole heap in between.’

The release also comes with the announcement that Rainman has officially become a newly minted member of the Born Fresh Records family, joining label mates and album co-conspirators including producer Cam Bluff and MC’s Tommy Illfigga, Yuin Huzami, Seven, Mr Hill and more. The Valley follows on the success of recently released first single Darlin’ which was received strongly across the country; receiving triple j airplay, FBI Radio (Sydney) rotation and widespread praise for what critics are calling a “classic slice of hip-hop” (Sherlock Ohms.org).

Catch Rainman launching the clip at the following dates:
Calski (feat. Rainman) supporting Joelistics (TZU) and Diafrix for the ‘Running to Shine’ Tour:
Thursday April 12 Beach Hotel Byron Bay 18+ Free Show
Friday April 13 Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane 18+
Saturday April 14 Sol Bar, Maroochydore 18+

Calski (feat. Rainman) supporting Dialectrix for the ‘New Generation’ Tour:
Friday April 27 The Annandale, Sydney 18+ with Ellesquire
Saturday April 28 Great Northern, Newcastle 18+ with Ellesquire
Thursday May 3, Juicy, Brisbane 18+

Twitter  ||  Soundcloud  ||  Facebook  || Unearthed


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : allaussie hip hop exclusive, Born Fresh

Rainman Announces ‘Darlin’ & National Launch Dates

12 03 2012

Mention Rainman amongst the initiated and the respect attributed to his name is palatable. Recognised nationally as one of Queensland’s finest, Rainman’s list of collaborations, support slots and guest appearances reads like a who’s who of local hip hop.

Rainman is poised to drop his second album Bigger Pictures, in stores Friday 4 May through Obese Distribution. The album sees Sammsonite return for the lion’s share of the production but also features some of Australia’s finest beat – smiths including the APRA and AIR Award winning, ARIA nominated Count Bounce, DJ Bonez, Mangohig (Sietta), Chasm, Cam Bluff and Calski. Guest MCs on the record include Muph, Tommy Illfigga, Yuin Huzami and many more, while Laneous (Laneous & The Family Yah) and Kel on Earth (Bankrupt Billionaires) lend soulful vocals across the album.

The first official single off Bigger Pictures is Darlin’. Featuring and produced by Calski, the track was available as a free download at the end of last year limited to one hundred fans only but will now be available on iTunes from Fri 23 March. 

Rainman deliberately wanted Darlin’ to set the scene for the new album. In his own words: “Darlin’ is a love song. An ode to lady hip hop, a soul drenched Australian take on Common’s ‘I Used to Love H.E.R’ classic – with a twist. The initial demo of the beat from_Calski inspired me to flip the hip hop-as-lover idea from Common and put a fresh take on it. I didn’t want to just leave it at that though. I’ve been pretty interested in how passionate we all are about hip hop, those of us that grew up with it as kids, and how even for those of us as white kids from Australia, from all that distance away from hip hop’s origins, literally_and culturally, can still feel this whole-hearted connection and even a sense of ownership_of this music. I wanted to try get into the character of what hip hop – the lady – might have to say back to those of us that call her out. I figured she had to be a bit pissed off and wouldn’t be afraid to say it”.

It’s this lyric writing approach – taking songs to that next level of depth – that sets Rainman apart and sees him attract high praise from peers and fans alike. He paints bigger pictures. To launch Darlin’, Rainman will be touring nationally with Calski supporting Joelistics and Diafrix on the Running To Shine National Tour. 

Catch them at the following dates:
Saturday 17 March – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
tickets via: http://www.cornerhotel.com
Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 March – The Hills Are Alive Festival VIC
tickets via: http://www.thehillsarealive.com.au
Thursday 29 March – Prince of Wales, Bunbury
tickets via: http://www.heatseeker.com.au, http://www.oztix.com.au
Friday 30 March – Bar 120, Hillarys
tickets via: http://www.heatseeker.com.au, http://www.oztix.com.au
Saturday 31 March – Hyde Park Hotel, Perth
tickets via: http://www.heatseeker.com.au, http://www.oztix.com.au
Sunday 1 April – Norfolk Basement, Fremantle
tickets via: http://www.heatseeker.com.au, http://www.oztix.com.au
Thursday 5 April – The Gov, Adelaide
tickets via: http://www.thegov.com.au, http://www.venuetix.com.au
Sunday 8 APril – Republic Bar, Hobart
tickets via: http://www.republicbar.com.au, http://www.moshtix.com.au
Thursday 12 April – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay - Free show
Friday 13 April – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane
tickets via: http://www.oztix.com.au
Saturday 14 April – Sol Bar, Maroochydore
tickets via: http://www.oztix.com.au

Twitter  ||  Facebook  ||  Soundcloud


Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : allaussie hip hop exclusive, Obese Distribution

Joelistics – The Shining EP

4 03 2012

Following on from Joelistics’ debut from 2011, Voyager, is his electro mutant 7 track remix EP featuring new single The Shining. The Shining picks up where Joelistics left off, forging ahead and pushing his sound further outside the realms of hip hop, into a land of pulsing electro and lush electronica.

He hasn’t abandoned the backstory though, with remixes plunging the EP back into hip hop. The charisma and adventurousness of one of our best lyricists shines through in this reimagined format. Lending their remix touch to Joelistic’s material include TZU band-mate Count Bounce, Monkey Marc, Indie dance outfit Rufus, electronic hip hop producers Damn Mroda, Ishu and more.

Voyager was a real quiet achiever in 2011, with songs such as Glorious Feeling and Days only just missing out on the Hottest 100 and having a strong impact on radio and the live scene. The Shining EP is a digital release which dropped Feb 24,. with a limited edition CD available at shows and through Elefant Traks webstore.

Tickets are now on sale for the Running To Shine National Tour featuring Diafrix and Joelistics. You can purchase tickets  and find out more information on that here.

Purchase  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter  ||  Website


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : allaussie hip hop exclusive, Elefant Tracks

Joelistics & Diafrix – Running To Shine National Tour + New Singles

6 02 2012

Illusive, Elefant Traks, SHM and Premier Artists are proud to present the Running To Shine National Tour, combining the dynamic pair of Diafrix and Joelistics, two of Australia’s most eclectic hip-hop forces. Spanning fourteen dates across the country this coming March and April, two of 2011’s breakout acts will grace the stage in a rare joint collaboration tour that kickstarts exciting campaigns for both artists.

Both acts are also excited to announce brand new singles for 2012 – Diafrix with Running It and Joelistics with The Shining. Melbourne duo Diafrix had a bumper 2011, including the release of their biggest single yet with the Daniel Merriweather assisted Simple Man (garnering high rotation on Triple J, Nova and Austereo’s Hot 30), scoring the national support slots for Bruno Mars and Tinie Tempah, accepting an invitation to perform at the UK’s legendary Glastonbury Festival, successfully touring Europe and beginning work on their sophomore album with acclaimed producer Styalz Fuego (360, Aston Shuffle).

Now in 2012, Diafrix kickstart the year with their brand new single Running It, a mellow, catchy creeper that takes in as many indie rock influences as it does from its obvious drum’n’-bass beat pattern. It is a taste of what’s to come from Diafrix’s incredibly eclectic upcoming LP, due for release in mid 2012. Running It hits iTunes on March 9th through Illusive Sounds. After releasing his debut album in 2011, Joelistics returns with the new single The Shining—pushing his sound further outside the realms of hip hop, into a land of pulsing, anthemic electro and lush electronica.

The single will be released on The Shining EP—and will also feature remixes from the likes of Ishu, Rüfüs, Damn Moroda, Count Bounce and Monkey Marc, of tracks off Joelistics’s critically acclaimed debut, Voyager. The Shining EP will be released digitally and as a limited CD edition, and is out February 24 on Elefant Traks.

Tour Dates
Friday 9 March – The Annandale, Sydney
Saturday 10 March – Great Northern, Newcastle
Sunday 11 March – Transit Bar, Canberra
Saturday 17 March – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 March – The Hills Are Alive Festival,VIC
Thursday 29 March – Prince of Wales, Bunbury
Friday 30 March – Bar 120, Hillarys
Saturday 31 March – Hyde Park Hotel, Perth
Sunday 1 April – Norfolk Basement, Fremantle
Thursday 5 April – The Gov, Adelaide
Sunday 8 APril – Republic Bar, Hobart
Thursday 12 April – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay - Free show
Friday 13 April – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane
Saturday 14 April – Sol Bar, Maroochydore

Joelistics  ||  Twitter  ||  Facebook 


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : allaussie hip hop exclusive, Elefant Tracks

Rainman – Darlin’ feat. Calski

24 01 2012

Billed as ‘a watershed in local hip hop’, Rainman (Ray Bourne) has attracted some hefty praise since releasing his debut album Fire in the Belly. Rainman has been hailed as ‘Queensland’s best kept secret’ with ‘an eloquence for song-writing rarely seen in hip hop’. Descriptions of Rainman’s music are consistently praiseworthy.

Rainman has appeared as a feature artist on the triple j Hip Hop Show and in Stealth Magazine/CD. His music was selected for the Rhythm and Poetry DVD – a documentary detailing the evolution of local hip hop.  Rainman has toured Australia’s major cities and regularly performs locally in Brisbane. He has played alongside Grandmaster Flash, Ice Cube, Z-Trip & Soup (Jurassic 5), Jungle Brothers, The Herd, Hilltop Hoods, Michael Franti, Urthboy, Muph n Plutonic and TZU. Alongside regular live collaborators The Coalition Crew, Rainman has also played festivals like Big Day Out, Livid, Woodford Folk Festival and Sounds of Spring.

Rainman is now finishing off his next album with some of hip hop’s finest producers including Chasm, Count Bounce, DJ Bonez & Sammsonite (The Optimen). Due for release in the first half of 2012. You can check out the second track to be leaked from the album above Darlin’ feat. Calski. You can also download the full track from his triple j unearthed page below.  You can also check out the 1st single leaked from the upcoming Rainman album Can’t See You Feat. Laneous - Production by Chasm.

Triple J Unearthed  ||  Twitter  ||  Facebook


Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : allaussie hip hop exclusive

Sietta – No Longer Hurt: Official Video Clip

26 10 2011

Be prepared to be impressed by the fiery electronic soul of Darwin duo Sietta, made up of producer/instrumentalist James Mangohig and vocalist Caiti Baker. Their début album The Seventh Passenger is turning heads in all the right directions. 

Both experienced musical childhoods: Caiti travelled throughout Australia to blues and folk festivals with her blues musician father, absorbing dog-eared record collections stocked with Etta James, Memphis Minni and Aretha Franklin; while James sat on wooden church pews with gospel music soaring around him. Caiti spent her entire teenage years recording herself on her dad’s 8 track digital recorder, learning to sing by building harmonies over hip hop tracks; James learnt the bass, performing in numerous bands before honing his skills as a producer. The influence of soulful, spiritual music, helped shaped them: their upbringings bookended by a chance meeting in Brisbane in the mid 2000′s, and the uncanny fact that they were both born in the same Adelaide hospital.

Their first official release was a remix for TZU’s Computer Love remix album, coming off the back of James’ role as bass player in the live band. This was followed up with The Come Back Easy Play EP, a collection of 4 songs developed in the studio with Count Bounce (Ash Grunwald, Urthboy).


Brand new film clip for the track ‘No Longer Hurt’ liffted from Sietta’s LP – ‘The Seventh Passenger’. 

Over the course of 18 months Sietta cut their teeth on the road, supporting the live soul of Lowrider to the bass heavy electronics of Mark Pritchard, as well as festivals, showcases and headline shows across Australia. They began to establish themselves as an act that shines brightly alongside live bands or in an electronic setting. In 2010 Sietta began work on their debut album with an inspired set of ideas leading Caiti’s powerful vocals and James’ deep swinging electronic/hip hop production. Once again, Count Bounce (APRA and AIR Award winning, ARIA nominated) was brought in to record and assist with production. The sheer strength and texture of Caiti’s voice could easily be taken down a pop path, but Sietta felt at home in the depths of menacing electronic bass and drums, where beauty doesn’t mean picture-perfect; and lightness is never as illuminating as it is in blinding darkness. It’s in the refreshed imagining of dubstep and blues, hip hop and electronic soul that Sietta tackle themes of empowerment, love, hurt and mental health.

Elefant Traks had always remained within earshot of Sietta’s activities, signing the duo in 2011 after falling in love with the sound they’d created. That sound is ambitious electronic soul drenched in blues and hip hop, a striking record with no peer in Australian music.

Welcome to Sietta’s The Seventh Passenger.

Twitter  ||  Elefant Traks  ||  Purchase


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : allaussie hip hop exclusive, Elefant Tracks

Sietta – The Seventh Passenger (Out Now)

25 07 2011

Be prepared to be impressed by the fiery electronic soul of Darwin duo Sietta, and their debut album The Seventh Passenger. With a voice influenced by the rugged blues of Etta James and Memphis Minni, Caiti Baker’s powerful presence and themes of empowerment, love and hurt leave an unforgettable mark on the listener.

In another time she may have gone down an R&B/pop path – such is her rich soaring delivery. Thankfully, Sietta didn’t dumb down; embracing a grittier direction, coated in a disarmingly alluring voice. As Kahlil Gibran said: ‘Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart’. Crucial to what makes Sietta special is producer James Mangohig’s street-smart bass and drums, a reimagined electronic sound heavily influenced by hip hop. You have to be a real music lover to bring together indie sensibilities and dubstep aesthetics, rhythm & blues and industrial sounds into a soul joint. Only then to strip it all back to an acoustic jam revealing a universal appeal that floors even the most guarded listener. The Seventh Passenger was co-produced and mixed by APRA and AIR Award winning producer Count Bounce (Sparkadia, Urthboy, Ash Grunwald).

Sietta are hitting the road supporting The Herd on their Future Shade Tour kicking off next month. Dates are listed at www.elefanttraks.com

Twitter  ||  Elefant Traks  ||  Purchase Sietta – The Seventh Passenger


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : Elefant Tracks, Inertia

Urthboy and Group 120 – Letters From Jamshed (The Key Of Sea)

2 02 2011

Taken from The Key of Sea – a compilation of collaborations between Australian and migrant/refugee Australian artists. Artists such as Sarah Blasko, The Cat Empire and Tim Rogers team up with artists like Diafrix, Ajak Kwai and Nadia Omar and the results are quite amazing. Urthboy wrote this song, along with Count Bounce in between tours, workshops for kids in Indonesia and a regional under-age tour in NSW.

“The lyrics in this song are often direct quotes from his letters so it’s accurate to say that Jamshed is my co-songwriter on this – and it’s very much his and Polly’s song. Of course the other collaborators on this song are more than deserving of some shine too. Count Bounce is an incredible interpreter of sentiment through his melodies and arrangements – possibly my closest musical companion. Our good friend Mark Pearl provided the lush backing vocals in the chorus and the Group 120 boys came through with great energy. We were led to understand they were something of a choir; they understood we wanted a handful of rappers dropping verses – the result is somewhere in between and I thank them all. I look forward to hearing their music in the future.” – Urthboy

Go here for more information.
Go to here for the story and lyrics behind this song.


Letters From Jamshed – Urthboy and Group 120


Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : allaussie hip hop exclusive, Elefant Tracks

« Previous Entries


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 550 other followers