GEORGIA MAQ ANNOUNCES LIVE AT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE EP PLUS SHARES REGINA SPEKTOR COVER 'SAMSON'

Georgia Maq has today announced the release of her upcoming Live At Sydney Opera House EP, a collection of songs lifted from her recent appearance at Vivid LIVE out on December 2. With the news comes Georgia’s arresting cover of ‘Samson’. 

~LISTEN TO 'SAMSON' HERE~

Performed in the intimate Utzon Room, Live At Sydney Opera House is a capsule of Georgia's own original songs reimagined as a stripped-back, piano and strings-led performance, including Pleaser’s ‘Big Embarrassing Heart’ and the stand-alone release ‘Cold Summer’, alongside her entrancing cover of Regina Specktor’s ‘Samson’.

A song of personal significance, Georgia reveals “Samson is a very important song to me, being a greek woman with a moustache and hairy arms I was always bullied in school about being different, but then I heard Samson and it completely changed my perspective of my body. I started playing that song when I was 15 and it always brought me back to my power.”

The powerhouse vocalist delivered a spellbound performance overlooking harbour-side views with audience members entranced by Georgia’s every breath, tears moving to every note. "This performance affirmed what I’ve always known about Georgia Maq," says Lucy Smith of Mornings on triple j of the night. "She’s one of this country’s star vocalists and consistently working hard to evolve her sound and approach. You could have heard a pin drop during this set. A selection of songs considered with grace, musicality, and intimacy. Maq knew the gravity of this moment, and the room was captivated by her presence and voice."

Georgia explains, "I love how live versions of songs are different to the recording and the authenticity of a live performance, so I wanted to share that. With the pandemic, it’s hard to go out and see live music so I wanted to bring that intimate experience to the listener at home. These performances were special to me because I had my beautiful step mum Rebecca Mason on the piano, as well as my ride-or-die string duo, Lucy Rash and Lucy Waldron, all of whom I am very lucky to call friends.”

Live At Sydney Opera House EP marks Georgia’s solo debut in the live show arena, where previously Camp Cope headlined the Sydney Opera House in 2019. With the upcoming release, Georgia will unveil two previously unreleased tracks in ‘Neighbour’ and ‘Living Alone’ - stay tuned for Live At Sydney Opera House EP out on December 2nd and more from Georgia Maq coming soon.

Photo by Jess Gleeson & Artwork by Sebastian White

As the leader of Naarm / Melbourne’s DIY punk trio Camp Cope, singer and guitarist Georgia Maq became something of a local hero, calling out music industry sexism over fearsome indie rock salvos while garnering widespread international acclaim. The band’s second album, How to Socialise and Make Friends (2018), was described by Pitchfork as “a mix of folk-rock intimacy, punk incision, and loud emo catharsis,” and featured heavily on year-end best-of lists around the world. In late 2019, Maq surprised everyone by releasing her solo debut, Pleaser, a refreshingly bright and catchy missive of electro-pop tunes about heartbreak and love. Describing the album as “Paul Westerberg meets Robyn”, Maq drew on her punk energy and love of pop artists like Carly Rae Jepsen, Lorde, and Cardi B to craft an immaculate collection of synth pop bangers.

ELIZABETH SHARES NEW SINGLE 'IF YOU DIED' + VIDEO + HOT PINK VINYL RE-PRESS

Beloved patron saint of sad girls Elizabeth today shares the final instalment of her Suite of Singles, the lush pop song ‘If You Died’, co-written and produced by Oscar Dawson (Holy Holy) and mixed by Konstantin Kersting (Tones and I). The accompanying video, also released today, was filmed and directed by Nick Mckk and forms the final chapter to the three-part visual narrative. ‘If You Died’ is out everywhere today through Our Golden Friend/AntiFragile Music.

~ WATCH / LISTEN TO 'IF YOU DIED' HERE ~

Elizabeth is bringing her Suite of Singles to life at A Night With Elizabeth for ALWAYS LIVE, bringing together some of Naarm/Melbourne’s most wonderful artists, DJs, creatives and tastemakers including June Jones and Soju Gang for a night of love and wonder at the Thornbury Theatre on Saturday 29 October. Tickets and more information here.

Today also sees the release of Elizabeth's beloved debut album The Wonderful World of Nature on a repress of Hot Pink vinyl. You can purchase the record at A Night With Elizabeth or pre-order on bandcamp here.

‘If You Died’ is a decidedly anti- resentment pop song arguing for the power of love as a feeling far stronger than hate. There is precarity woven deeply into its emotional relief, “If you died now / I wouldn’t have said goodbye” she sings, the tension of knowing that saying goodbye to someone forever could be your only path to healing always bubbling under the surface. Elizabeth shares, “I wrote ‘If You Died’ with Oscar Dawson from Holy Holy in the wild first year of the pandemic. I was in a frantic haze of trying to process many endings; feeling gratitude for hard things being over, but also grief that always comes with change.” Musically it’s as formally inventive as it is emotionally rich, finding Dawson tinting Elizabeth’s vocals with auto-tune and transforming them into a wordless hook throughout the song. 

Video by Nick McKk

The video for ‘If You Died’ shows Elizabeth and her doppelgänger, who first met on screen during ‘Sweet Connection’, coming together in a lush greenhouse, mirroring each other's movements as a metaphor for the shadow self. “I loved dancing around to it in a beautiful greenhouse for the video! Joy.” Elizabeth shares. The videos were created by acclaimed director Nick Mckk (Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever), a friend-turned-collaborator who brings Elizabeth’s Suite of Singles to life through a central visual narrative that connects the music to the movement across the three releases.

Elizabeth’s Suite of Singles are three interconnected singles and accompanying visuals that expand and complicate her richly alluring world, and the perfect introduction to the Elizabeth of 2022. In ‘Happier Now’ she was searching for steady ground after immense heartbreak; ‘Sweet Connection’ saw her step into a world of short, intense relationships, musing on the tapestry they form of what, and who, you really want; And ‘If You Died’, an ode to choosing love over hatred, acceptance that peace can sometimes only follow a deep pain.

As restrained as she is creative, Elizabeth surprised BIGSOUND goers with a much-hyped rare performance in the Valley, and the Suite has seen support from triple j, Unearthed, NOTION, NME, Earmilk, Double J, rage, MTV Australia and FBi Radio, and included in Best Music Lists on Music Feeds and The Music, among others.

Meanjin/Brisbane by way of Naarm/Melbourne pop singer Elizabeth captures the reckless thrill of romance like no other. On her debut album The Wonderful World of Nature (2019), she stepped away from a messy divorce like a world-weary heroine pulling herself from the wreckage of a car crash: broken glass shining like glitter, bloodstains smearing like blush. It was a pop record out of time - glamorous and tragic, ultra modern and undeniably timeless, a queer answer to nihilistic, powerfully feminine pop heroes like Lana Del Rey and Lorde. The record saw widespread acclaim from The Saturday Paper, The Fader, Wonderland, frankie, Pilerats, The Music and Tone Deaf among others and was included in Album of the Year lists across The Guardian, The Saturday Paper and the Herald Sun.

Tickets to A Night With Elizabeth are on sale now HERE.

JESS CORNELIUS ANNOUNCES SYDNEY HEADLINE SHOW NOVEMBER 18TH AT THE HOUSE OF MUSIC & BOOZE

Today Jess Cornelius announces her first Sydney headline show in several years on Friday, November 18th at the House of Music & Booze. This show will act as a precursor to her show in Melbourne on Saturday, November 19th at the Night Cat.

~TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW HERE~

These shows will see Jess' triumphant return to Australia for the first time since the release of her album Distance, which came out in 2020 in the full swing of the pandemic. Distance Received glowing reviews from the likes of Pitchfork, MOJO, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Line of Best Fit, NPR and WXPN in the US, and was album of week on 3RRR, Double J and more in Australia.

Having recently toured the US with Australian pals King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Jess is excitingly returning to Australia with the long awaited opportunity to perform songs off Distance, with a full band that includes Mikal Cronin on bass and backing vocals. Jess will also be performing songs off her new upcoming record soon to be released.

Jess Cornelius first began writing the songs that would comprise Distance after moving from Melbourne to Los Angeles. At the time, she was excited to start fresh after several years as the primary songwriter in the band Teeth and Tongue. But the distance she addresses over the album is hardly a geographical one. Instead, Distance finds a deft songwriter analysing the space between society’s expectations for her and her own dreams; between a past she is ready to let go of and a future she could have hardly imagined. 

Now based in LA, Jess Cornelius was born and raised in New Zealand before moving to Melbourne, Australia, where she released three critically acclaimed albums as Teeth & Tongue, receiving nominations for the Australian Music Prize and a J-Award in 2016. She has performed the world over playing alongside Courtney Barnett, Ty Segall, King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizard and Paul Kelly as well as at Meredith Music Festival, Laneway Festival, Falls Festival, SXSW and CMJ.

Tickets are on sale now HERE.

FULL LINEUP ANNOUNCED FOR 'A NIGHT WITH ELIZABETH' AT THORNBURY THEATRE OCTOBER 29th FOR ALWAYS LIVE

Join Elizabeth and her handpicked lineup of indie darlings for a spellbinding night at The Thornbury Theatre on Saturday October 29th as part of ALWAYS LIVE. Today sees the full lineup for 'A Night With Elizabeth' announced. A glittering mini festival that will bring together some of Naarm's most wonderful artists, DJ's, creatives and makers as Elizabeth makes her return to the Melbourne stage. 

~BUY TICKETS HERE~

Beneath the sparkling lights of the stage Elizabeth will play alongside beloved duo Pillow Pro, the ever vibrant Franko Gonzo, Grazer, Hunny Machete and local pop icon June Jones. Guiding us into the depths of the night will be (DJ) LONER and Soju Gang whose energetic mixes will set the scene for a dance party for the ages. 

The dance floor will be hemmed in by art displays and creatives stalls, the Thornbury Theatre transformed into a haven for the jewels of Naarm's indie pop and dance scene. Curated by Elizabeth herself the night will feature a treasure trove of art, clothes, ceramics and jewellery from the likes of Mercy Studio, Catholic Guilt, Vague Clay and Swop.

Immortalise the night forever with a new tattoo under the theatre lights from Jimmy Ragg and Third Eye Tattoo whose custom Elizabeth flash sheet will be one for the ages. Local faves Horni Nails will be providing press on nails between songs so you can leave the theatre in the early hours of the morning looking better than ever.

Elizabeth will be premiering an exclusive movie directed by Nick McKk, the journey of her suite of songs. This will be in amongst over-arching visuals from long-time collaborator Xanthe Dobbie and Carla Zimbler whose visual artworks will be setting the scene for the night.

A Night With Elizabeth runs as part of ALWAYS LIVE, a new state-wide celebration of contemporary live music supported by the Victorian government through Visit Victoria.

This year sees Elizabeth return to the stage, bringing a swish of neon taffeta and a glimmering sultry honesty through the release of her Suite of Songs. The three, interconnected singles and accompanying visuals expand and complicate her richly alluring world, serving as the perfect introduction to the Elizabeth of 2022. The first single from the Suite 'Happier Now' was added to FBi Radio, MTV Australia and rage, received airplay on triple j, Unearthed, Double J, RRR and 4ZZZ, with NME Australia, Notion, The Music, Music Feeds and more all singing its praises. The second single 'Sweet Connection' is out now. The lyrical motifs of her debut album The Wonderful World of Nature (2019) are recast in neon on the Suite, their old prismatic glow replaced by a dangerous, alluring coolness. Unlike Elizabeth’s protagonists past, though, the main character in the Suite of Singles is marked by her defiance and resilience; her refusal to backslide as she’s pulled into an ex-partner’s web, her determination to figure out what it is she wants from another person.

Elizabeth captures the reckless thrill of romance like no other. On The Wonderful World of Nature, she stepped away from a messy divorce like a world-weary heroine pulling herself from the wreckage of a car crash: broken glass shining like glitter, bloodstains smearing like blush. Contrasting lush dreampop haze with visceral, disarmingly truthful lyricism, it was a pop record out of time - glamorous and tragic, ultra modern and undeniably timeless, a queer answer to nihilistic, powerfully feminine pop heroes like Lana Del Rey and Lorde. Capturing hearts and minds of media and fans across the globe, the record saw widespread acclaim from The Saturday Paper, FADER, Wonderland, frankie, Pilerats, The Music and Tone Deaf, amongst others, and was included in Album of the Year lists across The Guardian, The Saturday Paper and the Herald Sun.

Tickets to A Night With Elizabeth are on sale now HERE.

ZAC DENTON ALBUM 'LOVE, LUST, LOST' OUT NOW

Beloved and prolific songwriter Zac Denton's posthumous album Love, Lust, Lost  is out today Friday August 26th in Australia via Spunk Records/Osbourne Again.

~ STREAM / DOWNLOAD 'LOVE, LUST, LOST' HERE ~

Love, Lust, Lost is a 15 track compilation of previously unreleased recordings by Australian musician Zac Denton. Released posthumously, this collection of demos, album outtakes, and live recordings, show the breadth and depth of Zac’s song writing. The album will be released as a limited edition gatefold double LP with Zac's first album Hobby Farm Braeside on Zac's birthday August 26th.

First single Ciggie Whinge in many ways exemplifies the songwriting of Zac Denton; an ear-worm melody, an almost train of thought vocal and a perfectly fitting chord progression. This demo, propelled by a keyboard drum machine and recorded for what would have become Ciggie Witch’s 4th album, sees Zac appreciating where he finds himself. He’s not just thankful for his place in the world he’s made for himself, he’s hopeful for an impending summer in a new house with a new love. What makes this song heartbreakingly bittersweet is that it was a summer that was to be marred by the pain and sadness for the friends and family of Zac, after his passing in October 2018.
 

Zac didn’t just release a lot of albums, he played and recorded much more music, some of which will never see release. Love, Lust, Lost sees the release of songs and fragments left behind by Zac at his passing. ‘Ciggie Whinge’, ‘Six Weeks’, and ‘Pay You Back with Love’ are demos for what would have been the next Ciggie Witch album. Early demos of what became Ciggie Witch songs ‘Walking the Tracks’ and ‘Look of Pain’ let us sit with a younger Zac, while he adjusts to adulthood. Many more of these songs are harder to place. There is a guitar line from a future The Ocean Party song here and a demo for what may have been a future Pregnancy song there. Other fragments in the form of instrumental demos show just how much emotion he could put into a simple guitar line.

Most people will never release an album, let alone multiple. Zac Denton - as a member of The Ocean Party, Ciggie Witch, Hobby Farm, Pregnancy, No Local, and Cool Sounds - released nearly twenty, all before the age of 24, when he tragically and unexpectedly passed away.

At the age of 18, Zac moved to Melbourne from the regional New South Wales town of Wagga Wagga to join his brother as the drummer, and later guitarist, for The Ocean Party. Zac began writing for the band straight away, but with such a large output was quick to start another band - Ciggie Witch - to write, record and play with, in-between The Ocean Party’s recording and touring schedule.

A couple of years after moving to Melbourne, Zac befriended the members of a new band: Cool Sounds. After moving in with the band’s lead singer, Dainis Lacey, he was asked to join Cool Sounds, recording on their album Dance Moves.

Around this time Dainis and other members of Cool Sounds were involved in the recording of what could be considered Zac’s first solo album: Hobby Farm’s Braeside. Zac’s love of the songwriting of David McComb and The Triffids shines through on Braeside, with Robert McComb even playing violin on many of the album’s country-tinged tracks.

It was not only the softer side of 70’s and 80’s Australian underground music that had an influence on Zac’s songwriting. His next project - the post-punk-infused Pregnancy - saw Zac out front on the mic sharing vocals with his good friend Ashley Bundang.

If someone was to scan the record sleeves of Zac’s releases they would see a small list of names come up again and again. Liam ‘Snowy’ Halliwell would be on every one of them in one form or another. No Local, featuring Zac on Drums and Snowy out front, was to be one of Zac’s final projects.

So many unanswered questions arise when listening to the songs compiled for Love, Lust, Lost, but what it gives friends and fans is a chance to reflect on just how lucky we were to ever have Zac Denton in this world.
 

Love, Lust, Lost and Zac's first solo album, Hobby Farm Braeside, is available as a limited edition Gatefold double LP through Spunk Records/Osborne Again (AUS/NZ), Emotional Respose (US) and Lost and Lonesome (EU) from the 26th of August (Zac's Birthday).

Listen to 'Love, Lust, Lost' HERE.

JESS CORNELIUS ANNOUNCES MELBOURNE HEADLINE SHOW FOR ALWAYS LIVE NOVEMBER 19TH @ THE NIGHT CAT + DEBUT OF PROJECT WITH MIKAL CRONIN 'CRONELIUS'

Today Jess Cornelius announces her only Australian headline show for 2022 on Saturday November 19th at the Night Cat in Melbourne as part of ALWAYS LIVE. Jess will also be debuting a brand new project formed by herself & Mikal Cronin called CRONELIUS, who will be playing on the night alongside special guest Sunbeam Sound Machine. ALWAYS LIVE is a new state-wide celebration of contemporary live music supported by the Victorian Government through Visit Victoria. 

~TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW HERE~

Returning to Australia for the first time since the release of her album Distance, which came out in 2020 in the full swing of the pandemic, Jess Cornelius will be playing at The Night Cat in Fitzroy. Distance Received glowing reviews from the likes of Pitchfork, MOJO, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Line of Best Fit, NPR and WXPN in the US, and was album of week on 3RRR, Double J and more in Australia.

Having recently toured the US with Australian pals King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizard, Jess is excitingly returning to Australia with the long awaited opportunity to perform songs off Distance, with a full band that includes Mikal Cronin on bass and backing vocals. Jess will also be performing songs off her new upcoming record soon to be released.

Making their live debut, CRONELIUS which formed when Jess & Mikal met while Jess was supporting Ty Segall on his Californian tour in September 2021 (Mikal is part of Ty’s Freedom Band). They began writing the songs for CRONELIUS shortly after that, based on some Ottessa Moshfegh short stories that Jess was reading at the time. It’s entirely collaborative, and these songs have never been performed live before, and this show will host CRONELIUS’ live debut. 

Jess Cornelius first began writing the songs that would comprise Distance after moving from Melbourne to Los Angeles. At the time, she was excited to start fresh after several years as the primary songwriter in the band Teeth and Tongue. But the distance she addresses over the album is hardly a geographical one. Instead, Distance finds a deft songwriter analysing the space between society’s expectations for her and her own dreams; between a past she is ready to let go of and a future she could have hardly imagined. 

Now based in LA, Jess Cornelius was born and raised in New Zealand before moving to Melbourne, Australia, where she released three critically acclaimed albums as Teeth & Tongue, receiving nominations for the Australian Music Prize and a J-Award in 2016. She has performed the world over playing alongside Courtney Barnett, Ty Segall, King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizard and Paul Kelly as well as at Meredith Music Festival, Laneway Festival, Falls Festival, SXSW and CMJ.

Joining Jess on stage is Mikal Cronin, an American songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist from Los Angeles. Since 2011 he has released 4 full-length albums under his own name, including three on Merge Records, and many EPs and singles, as well as contributing to various other projects and collaborations including King Tuff, Ty Segall,  OSees, Shannon and the Clams. He is a long time member of Ty Segall’s band, currently the Freedom Band. 

Tickets are on sale now HERE.

Poster by Carl Breitkreuz

ELIZABETH ANNOUNCES 'A NIGHT WITH ELIZABETH' AT THORNBURY THEATRE OCTOBER 29th FOR ALWAYS LIVE

Join Elizabeth for a night of love and wonder at The Thornbury Theatre on Saturday October 29th as part of ALWAYS LIVE. 'A Night With Elizabeth' will see Elizabeth make her return to Melbourne stages and the premiere of her three Suite of Singles music video films, projected in full for the first time ever. Part One 'Happier Now' and Part Two 'Sweet Connection' of the video suite are out now. The Night will also feature and bring together some of Naarm's most wonderful artists, DJ's, creatives and makers which in turn, will make for an incredibly special event.

~BUY TICKETS HERE~

Hemmed in by art displays and creatives stalls, the Thornbury Theatre will be transformed into a haven for the jewels of Naarm's indie pop and dance scene. Beneath the glittering lights of the stage Elizabeth will play alongside beloved duo Pillow Pro, the ever vibrant Franko Gonzo and local pop icon June Jones. Guiding us into the depths of the night will be (DJ) LONER and Soju Gang whose energetic mixes will set the scene for a dance party for the ages.
 

The night will run as part of ALWAYS LIVE, a new state-wide celebration of contemporary live music supported by the Victorian government through Visit Victoria.

This year sees Elizabeth return to the stage, bringing a swish of neon taffeta and a glimmering sultry honesty through the release of her Suite of Songs. The three, interconnected singles and accompanying visuals expand and complicate her richly alluring world, serving as the perfect introduction to the Elizabeth of 2022. The first single from the Suite 'Happier Now' was added to FBi Radio, MTV Australia and rage, received airplay on triple j, Unearthed, Double J, RRR and 4ZZZ, with NME Australia, Notion, The Music, Music Feeds and more all singing its praises. The second single 'Sweet Connection' is out now. The lyrical motifs of her debut album The Wonderful World of Nature (2019) are recast in neon on the Suite, their old prismatic glow replaced by a dangerous, alluring coolness. Unlike Elizabeth’s protagonists past, though, the main character in the Suite of Singles is marked by her defiance and resilience; her refusal to backslide as she’s pulled into an ex-partner’s web, her determination to figure out what it is she wants from another person.

Photo by Nick McKk & Poster by Sebi White

Elizabeth captures the reckless thrill of romance like no other. On The Wonderful World of Nature, she stepped away from a messy divorce like a world-weary heroine pulling herself from the wreckage of a car crash: broken glass shining like glitter, bloodstains smearing like blush. Contrasting lush dreampop haze with visceral, disarmingly truthful lyricism, it was a pop record out of time - glamorous and tragic, ultra modern and undeniably timeless, a queer answer to nihilistic, powerfully feminine pop heroes like Lana Del Rey and Lorde. Capturing hearts and minds of media and fans across the globe, the record saw widespread acclaim from The Saturday Paper, FADER, Wonderland, frankie, Pilerats, The Music and Tone Deaf, amongst others, and was included in Album of the Year lists across The Guardian, The Saturday Paper and the Herald Sun.

Tickets to A Night With Elizabeth are on sale now HERE.

ENOLA SHARES NEW SINGLE 'STRANGE COMFORT' + MUSIC VIDEO + ANNOUNCES SINGLE LAUNCH SHOWS + PLAYING BIGSOUND

Naarm/Melbourne-based post-punk artist ENOLA (they/them) today releases a powerful and urgent new single bursting with punk-vitality ‘Strange Comfort’, accompanied by a visceral video directed by Triana Hernandez (Gordi, Romero, RVG). ENOLA is taking ‘Strange Comfort’ on the road with headline shows announced in Eora/Sydney and Naarm/Melbourne, plus showcasing at Meanjin/Brisbane’s BIGSOUND.

~LISTEN/WATCH 'STRANGE COMFORT' HERE~

Taking cues from the no-wave sounds of Joy Division and Suicide’s Alan Vega, the post-punk of IDLES and Fontaines DC underpinned by a background in electronic music production, ENOLA infuses hard hitting tracks with a stinging vulnerability, applying the salve to the self-inflicted wound. ‘Strange Comfort’ is bursting with punk vitality, driven by fuzzy guitars and brusque vocals, motioning forward along a knife’s edge.
 

Centered around the resounding line, “there’s a strange comfort in us all going through the same,” it evokes an urgency of time running out. ENOLA shares of the track, “There is a comfort in knowing that suffering can be a universal experience. We are alone, yet together in our aloneness.”

Making music is where ENOLA puts their joy, their pain; where they can expose emotions and be served by them, not destroyed. "Whatever it is, I want to do it honestly. I don't want to hide. You can't connect when you're not willing to be ugly and sweaty, I try to let go of any of that," they share.

On the video, director Triana Hernandez shares, “This video is inspired by various visceral memories from Ruby's teenage years. Rather than recreating the specific moments, we wanted it to feel like a dream state with snippets that tip toe around those memories. I reckon it was more important for us to focus on the feel of those flashbacks - feelings that oscillate between dark and soft, unhinged and light - and everything all at once with a strong lust for life vibe.”

Singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist ENOLA launched into Naarm/Melbourne's music scene with their debut self-titled EP (2019), released via local champions of the underground Burning Rose, which saw airplay and praise from the likes of triple j, RRR, PBS, RTR, FBi Radio, CVLT Nation, Happy and Deafen County. Live, ENOLA is an enigmatic and captivating performer, holding their audiences close. They have performed alongside some of the so-called-Australia’s most groundbreaking artists this year including RVG, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Divide and Dissolve.

Listen to 'Strange Comfort' HERE now.

Photo by Jason Morey & Artwork by Sebi White

ELIZABETH SHARES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO 'SWEET CONNECTION'

Beloved patron saint of sad girls Elizabeth today shares her new single ‘Sweet Connection’, the second instalment of her three-part Suite of Singles, released through Our Golden Friend/AntiFragile Music. ‘Sweet Connection’ was co-written and produced by Alice Ivy with accompanying visuals directed by Nick McKk. 

~ LISTEN/WATCH 'SWEET CONNECTION' HERE ~

Where the Suite’s opener ‘Happier Now’ was all about finding steady ground after heartbreak, ‘Sweet Connection’ steps into a world of how a series of short, intense relationships can be a window to the next chapter. Having always alluded to sex and sexuality in her music, ‘Sweet Connection’ is her most overtly so; Elizabeth refers to is as her “sexiest song so far.” She adds, “Sweet Connection is about the thrill of being with new people, finding out what lays beyond what you already know. This song is fun, it’s staying up all night with someone beautiful, it’s the electricity of not knowing what’s coming next.”

‘Sweet Connection’ was co-written and produced by Alice Ivy, who previously remixed Elizabeth’s 2019 single ‘parties’. Together they created a sticky-sweet, late night track that can soothe the most tender of hearts. On the collaboration, Alice Ivy shares, “Working with Elizabeth was a dream, Sweet Connection is the perfect wholesome little pop banga! I had so much fun experimenting with different sounds on this one. Liz has the most angelic voice, and she's such an incredible songwriter. It was an honour to share the studio space with her."

The accompanying visuals for ‘Sweet Connection’ shows a doppelgänger of Elizabeth’s auditioning for people to be her lover; an analogy for the shadow self and finding yourself through meeting other people. The visuals were created by acclaimed director Nick Mckk (Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever), a friend-turned-collaborator who brings Elizabeth’s suite of singles to life through a visual narrative that spans the three songs. On the video Nick Mckk shares, “Liz and I loved the idea of creating a 'Sweet Connection' many times over. By creating a makeshift audition room, we could really hone in on the performative subtleties of characters given the same lines and cues."

Elizabeth’s Suite of Singles are three, interconnected singles and accompanying visuals that expand and complicate her richly alluring world, serving as the perfect introduction to the Elizabeth of 2022. The first single from the Suite 'Happier Now' was added to FBi Radio, MTV Australia and rage, received airplay on triple j, Unearthed, Double J, RRR and 4ZZZ, with NME Australia, Notion, The Music, Music Feeds and more all singing its praises. The lyrical motifs of her debut album The Wonderful World of Nature (2019) are recast in neon on the Suite, their old prismatic glow replaced by a dangerous, alluring coolness. Unlike Elizabeth’s protagonists past, though, the main character in the Suite of Singles is marked by her defiance and resilience; her refusal to backslide as she’s pulled into an ex-partner’s web, her determination to figure out what it is she wants from another person.

Elizabeth captures the reckless thrill of romance like no other. On The Wonderful World of Nature, she stepped away from a messy divorce like a world-weary heroine pulling herself from the wreckage of a car crash: broken glass shining like glitter, bloodstains smearing like blush. Contrasting lush dreampop haze with visceral, disarmingly truthful lyricism, it was a pop record out of time - glamorous and tragic, ultra modern and undeniably timeless, a queer answer to nihilistic, powerfully feminine pop heroes like Lana Del Rey and Lorde. Capturing hearts and minds of media and fans across the globe, the record saw widespread acclaim from The Saturday Paper, FADER, Wonderland, frankie, Pilerats, The Music and Tone Deaf, amongst others, and was included in Album of the Year lists across The Guardian, The Saturday Paper and the Herald Sun.

ZAC DENTON SHARES NEW SINGLE 'CIGGIE WHINGE'

Today sees the release of 'Ciggie Whinge' the first track off of beloved prolific songwriter Zac Denton's posthumous album Love, Lust, Lost  to be released on August 26.

~ LISTEN TO 'CIGGIE WHINGE' HERE ~

Ciggie Whinge in many ways exemplifies the songwriting of Zac Denton; an ear-worm melody, an almost train of thought vocal and a perfectly fitting chord progression. This demo, propelled by a keyboard drum machine and recorded for what would have become Ciggie Witch’s 4th album, sees Zac appreciating where he finds himself. He’s not just thankful for his place in the world he’s made for himself, he’s hopeful for an impending summer in a new house with a new love. What makes this song heartbreakingly bittersweet is that it was a summer that was to be marred by the pain and sadness for the friends and family of Zac, after his passing in October 2018.

Love, Lust, Lost is a 15 track compilation of previously unreleased recordings by Australian musician Zac Denton. Released posthumously, this collection of; demos, album outtakes, and live recordings, show the breadth and depth of Zac’s song writing. The album will be released as a limited edition gatefold double LP with Zac's first album Hobby Farm Braeside on Zac's birthday August 26th.

Zac didn’t just release a lot of albums, he played and recorded much more music, some of which will never see release. Love, Lust, Lost sees the release of songs and fragments left behind by Zac at his passing. ‘Ciggie Whinge’, ‘Six Weeks’, and ‘Pay You Back with Love’ are demos for what would have been the next Ciggie Witch album. Early demos of what became Ciggie Witch songs ‘Walking the Tracks’ and ‘Look of Pain’ let us sit with a younger Zac, while he adjusts to adulthood. Many more of these songs are harder to place. There is a guitar line from a future The Ocean Party song here and a demo for what may have been a future Pregnancy song there. Other fragments in the form of instrumental demos show just how much emotion he could put into a simple guitar line.

Most people will never release an album, let alone multiple. Zac Denton - as a member of The Ocean Party, Ciggie Witch, Hobby Farm, Pregnancy, No Local, and Cool Sounds - released nearly twenty, all before the age of 24, when he tragically and unexpectedly passed away.

At the age of 18, Zac moved to Melbourne from the regional New South Wales town of Wagga Wagga to join his brother as the drummer, and later guitarist, for The Ocean Party. Zac began writing for the band straight away, but with such a large output was quick to start another band - Ciggie Witch - to write, record and play with, in-between The Ocean Party’s recording and touring schedule.

A couple of years after moving to Melbourne, Zac befriended the members of a new band: Cool Sounds. After moving in with the band’s lead singer, Dainis Lacey, he was asked to join Cool Sounds, recording on their album Dance Moves.

Around this time Dainis and other members of Cool Sounds were involved in the recording of what could be considered Zac’s first solo album: Hobby Farm’s Braeside. Zac’s love of the songwriting of David McComb and The Triffids shines through on Braeside, with Robert McComb even playing violin on many of the album’s country-tinged tracks.

It was not only the softer side of 70’s and 80’s Australian underground music that had an influence on Zac’s songwriting. His next project - the post-punk-infused Pregnancy - saw Zac out front on the mic sharing vocals with his good friend Ashley Bundang.

If someone was to scan the record sleeves of Zac’s releases they would see a small list of names come up again and again. Liam ‘Snowy’ Halliwell would be on every one of them in one form or another. No Local, featuring Zac on Drums and Snowy out front, was to be one of Zac’s final projects.

So many unanswered questions arise when listening to the songs compiled for Love, Lust, Lost, but what it gives friends and fans is a chance to reflect on just how lucky we were to ever have Zac Denton in this world.
 

Love, Lust, Lost and Zac's first solo album, Hobby Farm Braeside, will be available as a limited edition Gatefold double LP through Spunk Records/Osborne Again (AUS/NZ), Emotional Respose (US) and Lost and Lonesome (EU) from the 26th of August (Zac's Birthday).

You can listen to 'Ciggie Whinge' and pre-save the album HERE.