Danika Nayna

Trentemøller

HØLLER AT TRENTEMØLLER

Denmark is home to the happiest population in the world, its capital has the highest quality of living, and its history notes Vikings and the invention of childhood religion: Lego. It’s no surprise that the over-achieving little Scandinavian country also harbours a most spectacularly talented musician and electronic producer, Anders TRENTEMØLLER. That’s Un-ders Trent-e-mow-la. Mow, as in ‘mow the lawn, you lazy sonofabitch’. Or TRENTEMOOOOWLAAAA to be completely correct.

Trentemøller, abovementioned super-human and lovely man, spoke to BMA and gave us the scoop on his future album and on the ‘real’ Denmark. I knew they were hiding something. Tourism Denmark will not be happy.

First things first though, “No, I’m not descended from Vikings. I don’t think so anyway. But from seeing people walking around at night, there could possibly still be Vikings here,” he says from his home in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen. “Actually, what’s really interesting about being the happiest people – I don’t know if that’s true. We are a rich country and have a good health system but if you take a walk down the street, people are really grumpy! People are very reserved here. And if you listen to Scandinavian musicians, their music is often quite melancholic.” I bet ‘90s group Aqua is a touchy subject for the Danes.

Trentemøller does his region proud with obscure creativity and ‘melancholic’ music, but he definitely doesn’t seem to be in the cranky and introverted category of Scandinavian personality. His music can be beautifully dark and theatrical, and he loves to combine electronic and real instruments, making his seven-piece live shows most impressive. He says when he’s writing, it always begins in the most organic way.

“I don’t have anything against pop music, it’s just important that my music is honest and true, not just something easy to play on the radio. I mostly write the music first on an old piano then I transfer it to the computer and I play a lot of the instruments myself. When you’re just looking at a computer monitor, it’s sometimes a bit dangerous. You can’t trust what you’re seeing. But writing on the piano, you can trust what you hear.”

And what does TRENTEMOOOOWLAAAR want for Christmas? “Peace in the world,” he says, and spending time with his family. “Because I’m travelling so much around the world and I see my family rarely, so that is the most important thing – just to go and chill out with my parents.”

Oh, stop it! Nice, selfless men really do exist, ladies. In Denmark. But he says he’ll hopefully be dropping a new album next year, and would love to come back to Australia to tour it. In the meantime, check out his Remixed / Reworked album, which he says was “just about working artist to artist. I remixed them, they remixed me, and there were no people from the record label involved.” No doubt it’ll blow your mind, as he always does.

Trentemøller’s Remixed / Reworked album is out now through all good record stores.

The Last Kinection

The Last Kinection have launched themselves into a prime position on the hip-hop music scene with this, their second album. It’s a magnificent follow on from their first which didn’t get as much attention – the reason might be in now proudly having an independent label under their urban belts, giving their songs about respect for culture and fighting hate some lovely, high-quality production.

The trio have been sending out their messages now for five years. It’s so nice to see them absolutely nailing this album and getting what they deserve – a place alongside the stars of Australian hip-hop, many of whom feature throughout Next of Kin like Ozi Batla, Omar Musa and Lotek (and wow, what amazing breaks you’ll find on that track). They combine high-class hip-hop and Naomi Wenitong’s sweet voice with traditional language and a didge for a traditional spin on modern, often digital sounds. Check out Yawar-Gu for a brilliant example of what happens when didgeridoo and traditional language meld with breaks. Goosebumps!

Now, “you’ve gotta fight, for your right, to live in a country where everyone gets along” doesn’t have the familiar ring to it, but the message is a good one, a clear one, and one that I wish we saw more often in the powerful realm of music. Their passionate protest and calls for unity, with an incredible talent for cross-cultural instruments, make this an Australian hip-hop album that speaks powerful words to a younger generation.

Friendly Yen

If you cruised Canberra’s nightspots a few years back, you may remember Friendly Yen; once upon a time when they called the ACT stage their hood. These days the quartet of lovely man talent are topping bills at Melbourne’s live venues and have evidently created an impressive little debut album from their new home. 

Yes, little, as in the band has chosen just seven of the best written by Jeff and made a collection that showcases their indecisiveness. Why should they pick between reggae, rock, pop, folk or ballads? No complaints – they’re bloody good at all of them.

A kind of maturity has perhaps crept in with the years of love, work, friendships and travels.  A maturity which is quickly cancelled out by the film clip to the first single released off the album, The Colour. Go to their MySpace to see exactly what I mean. Brace yourself.

Friendly Yen are known for having a charisma and well-produced stage presence, which has translated so well onto… uh… whatever CDs are made of.

The musicianship is faultless. Jeff’s voice is ranged and experienced. Julian Abraham’s guitar can be plainly powerful, complex with riffs, or taken back for an easy reggae strum.  The odd keyboard or violin creeps in amongst the otherwise tried and tested formula of drums, bass, guitar and vocals. And an ARIA award-winning producer polished the release.  What more could you ask for? This first release is refined and just plain enjoyable. Onya, FY.

Hannah Gillespie

Canberra girl Hannah Gillespie is just one of those artists; disgustingly talented across songwriting, guitar playing, singing and just being a lovely, rounded, down-to-earth musician. We see and hear the amazing talent hiding away in our city as often as we make the effort to catch a local live band on a weekend, but only sometimes there are those special people that make you say ‘this one’s going places’.

Her second album All the Dirt takes Hannah back to her folk and country roots, or ‘campfire’ music if you want a pretty blatant image of where the album will take you; a bonfire on a country property with happy, simple people enjoying the organic sounds and setting. In other words, Hannah will make you feel warm and in good company. Bliss. Produced by The Posies’ Ken Stringfellow (obviously lovingly), and with a swag of emotions poured into the 11 tracks of heart-strumming tales, you’ll start off dancing and smiling about then end up just sitting with your head too close to the speaker listening to Hannah tell you her tales of happiness, woe, heartbreak, family and journey.

It’s strangely refreshing to hear the simplicity of a good voice being backed by some solid piano and that old three-chord strum of an acoustic, and that’s exactly what Hannah has shown us. That music can still be about an inner journey of the artist’s soul while the uncomplicated instruments resound in support of the storyteller.

The Drums

SURFING THE WAVES OF SUCCESS

Unless you’re a BMA reading granny (good on you, Nan), you were not yet born when lindy hop and rockabilly made its appearance. Lucky for us, the summery sounds of the retro beach and accompanying hipster fashion has made a swinging comeback.

THE DRUMS hadn’t even released an EP when Let’s Go Surfing took over Australian radios. In fact, everything they did after packing up their rural American lives and headed for the Big Apple came way too easily.

After talking to guitarist and founding member Jacob Graham, my ideas of them being a Beach Boys reincarnation, donning short-shorts and playing bon-fire parties on the beach were quashed. The truth is that they’re lovely and intelligent musicians who are disgustingly talented at everything they touch and have a clever idea of what people might like. These creative types… it’s so unfair.

“Jon and I both had never played a guitar before. Never even touched one until we started this band and started recording songs and decided that we wanted to kind of just randomly, for fun, make a guitar record,” says Jacob, after telling of their unfavourable past as a failed electro-pop band called Goat Explosion. Hmmm.

On that note, you don’t have to listen too intently to work out The Drums’ music is a simple two or three chords with some whistles chucked in. The catchiness is just inescapable.

So get the song Let’s Go Surfing into your head right now. What do you think of? Beaches? Sun? Cruising down the boulevard with the top down on your sweet jeep with a couple of surfboards in the back? I put that vision to Jacob and was surprised to find out he’s never waxed a board in his life.

“It’s so strange because a lot of people think we sound really surfy,” Jacob says, to which I kindly point out that he sings multiple songs about or featuring surfing.

“Yes, you can’t really blame them! With that record specifically we were very caught up in the idea of Americana and old movies and girl groups from the ‘50s; that idealised vision of the glory days of America.”

So no, they don’t go surfing. In fact, Jacob grew up on a farm and met son of a pastor Jonathan on bible camp, where they both discovered they were equally weird 11-year-olds who liked to collect old synthesisers and listen to Kraftwerk. They decided then and there that they would be bestest friends forever, and fair enough too because I don’t think a single other 11- year-old on the planet could find anything in common with those two. Cute.

They’ll be bringing the summer sun to Groovin’ the Moo and I suggest you bask in their warmth and hold on to that California dream.

The Drums will be bringing the groove to Groovin The Moo on Sunday May 8. Tickets are through Moshtix, for $99.90 + BF.

Danika Nayna's Top 10 Albums of 2010

10. The National – High Violet [4AD]

Other than being my boyfriend’s favourite album this year, the other major reason it made it into my top ten is because Matt Berninger’s dark, baritone voice was the only thing that could get me to sleep during a violent bout of alcohol poisoning after the inthemix50 awards. I believe it (and a bottle of lucozade) saved my life.

9. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty [Def Jam]

Originally one half of Outkast, Big Boi says this is like his “Luke Skywalker becoming a jedi persona, gettin’ out on the good foot.” He makes no sense, has a totally ‘90s sound and everyone can appreciate a little P-Funk recovery.

8. The Roots feat. John Legend – Wake Up! [Sony]

An album mostly of soul, funk and hip-hop covers of songs about social awareness, engagement and consciousness from the ‘60s and ‘70s, inspired by the election of Obama. Only The Roots can make politics this cool.

7. The Holidays – Post Paradise [Liberation]

What a great year for Aussie indie kids. Bands like The Holidays revived my love for cutesy rock. I’m a sucker for a bit of steel drum. It reminds me of Disney.

6. Yeasayer – Odd Blood [Secretly Canadian]

This kind of interesting pop is what the world needs to know about. Odd Blood was written when Yeasayer experimented with LSD in New Zealand. Take note, Justin Bieber.

5. Booka Shade – More! [Get Physical Records]

Donut was a problem, but so many wonderful tracks that you didn’t get to hear on the radio are hidden away on this album. It pains me that Booka fans may have been turned off by the first single.

4. Vampire Weekend – Contra [XL Recordings]

Contra takes you to a delightful, tropical place no matter where you play it or how annoyed you are at the time, like the musical equivalent of a Hawaiian shirt.

3. Mark Ronson – Record Collection [Sony]

Ronson brought back weird tracks of ‘80s synth, the Brit-rap, pop humour and Boy George. It has been on repeat in my car for three months now.

2. Itch-e & Scratch-e – Hooray for Everything [Ministry of Sound]

Dear Paul Mac and Andy Rantzen, I love you. I love that you’ll never let go of the rave cave and I love that you’ve hardly changed your sound or attitude in almost 20 years. Who needs sobriety, right? Love from Danika.

1. Trentemøller – Into the Great Wide Yonder [In My Room]

A genius, completely bizarre and experimental album. A return to his old self, really. The whole experience is lovely… in a ‘taking hallucinogens in a dark room with fluffy surroundings’ kind of way.

Trentemøller - Into the Great Wide Yonder [Into My Room]

The Dutchman has produced a soundtrack for some sort of psychedelic wander through a musical landscape, taking us from the smallest of beats laid with orchestra to heavy guitars painted with haunting vocals, and just a couple of big beats for turning the hell up. The music is so genius and organic in its composition that it could be a concept album, sometimes melodramatic, sometimes minimalist. He begins with interesting simplicity with steel guitars and dreamy vocals through the first few tracks, before a cracking club tune with violins called Shades of Marble and a peak at Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!! which steers the album into the industrial before smoothing back into the sweet, soft pianos and whispering singers. 

Step Into the Great Wide Yonder departs massively from Trentemøller’s first album. The genius bugger fooled us, which is fine, because you become surprised every time the track number ticks over. Every sound plays a part to incite certain feelings which can be rather sinister, such as Marie Fisker’s vocal appearance in Sycamore Feeling, or playful, like with Neverglade. You could easily sit back and just enjoy the beauty in the background, but I recommend closing your eyes and listening intently. It’s the only way you can really break down all the remarkable sounds hidden behind one another and truly comprehend what you’re hearing. This album is completely bizarre, amazing in every way, and you will fall in love at many points.

Itch-e and Scratch-e - Hooray for Everything!!! [Hustle]

This CD is the best thing to happen to my collection all year. You may remember this lovechild of Paul Mac and Andy Rantzen called Itch-E and Scratch-E from festival line-ups and extreme games compilations of the mid to late ‘90s. They had moderate success back then, namely for their recognisable club anthem Sweetness and Light. Now, after ten years, they’re back. And thank the gods. Their traditional techno sounds flecked with a musical sense of humour are more than welcome in these days of dance music where it is often pushed too hard or taken too seriously. This latest release, Hooray for Everything!!! is, at times, a step back to the good ol’ days of smiley faces and laser reaching. Just like their live show, the album glitters with high energy throughout, jumping back and forth between the technically delightful, deep and dark, and just plain happy. It kicks off with a fast-paced remix of Scribe’s Fresh. Suddenly electronic voices are conversing with you and you’re taken to a 1997 rave cave before brilliantly layered house prompts you back into your kitchen, where you dance inappropriately and your housemates find you trying to re-enact your drunken club moves while cooking the Sunday roast. Let that be a warning to you. The album is flaunted with Paul and Andy’s sense of fun – clearly apparent in track names like Found it on the Dancefloor and some controversial but hilarious vocals. It’s true what they say; experience counts for everything.

Pendulum

Prior to 2002, PENDULUM’s Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen were totally anti-rave. They were a bunch of metal loving Perth boys with a passion for surfing and skating. Now, together with DJ Paul Harding, they’re one of the world’s most loved and respected drum ‘n’ bass bands.

As is the life of the travelling star, Gareth calls from Croatia at midnight. We get into some Pendulum 101, beginning with how he was diverted from his dreams of being a rock god by the fastpaced broken beat when rocking up to a rave with bandmate Rob. “We definitely weren’t down with the glowy sticks, rapper hats and baggy jeans. But when drum ‘n’ bass turned dark, there was something about the heavy energy of it. It hits you in the face the same way metal does.”

Pendulum’s first album, Hold Your Colour, soared with every type of music lover, coaxing a new generation into dnb fever. Tracks like Slam and Fasten Your Seatbelt still strike a fond chord deep within even the most fake tanned pop lover in the mainstream clubs, where before it was only our seedy underground joints where one could find such wonderful off-beats.

“I think we did bring drum ‘n’ bass into the general public – in recent years anyway,” Gareth says, agreeing with my fan girl comment that their album was a ‘breakthrough masterpiece.’ “I guess we were the first kind of drum ‘n’ bass and mainstream crossover.”

Then there was their second album, In Silico. Many wagged their fingers in disapproval at the introduction of more vocals and a focus on electric guitar. But despite fans freaking out about the rock influx to the previously friendly sound we were used to on Hold Your Colour, the album went platinum a month ago. Gareth says the rock influence was a huge part of their first album as well; it’s just that listeners didn’t notice.

“It wasn’t completely new. On Hold Your Colour, we’ve got John and Drew from Karnivool playing. People think it’s hilarious that we suddenly did this album, In Silico, and we started putting white male vocals in there and guitars. Yet the second tune we ever made had them singing in it. That was Spiral.”

Gareth’s defences soon come down as we delve a little deeper into what should have been a musical progression, but was a step backwards for Pendulum personally, and a bitter taste of what it’s like to suddenly make it big internationally and simultaneously try to keep everyone happy.

“We were feeling like we had to continue doing things the way we were. We really wanted to make an electronic album that was influenced by completely different shit. We agree that the album was a bit of a ‘propane nightmare’ to say the least but the album went platinum and Hold Your Colour hasn’t done that. But as far as we’re concerned, we got a little bit lost along the way. At least it did what we wanted it to do!”

So it brought in the cash. I wonder whether they make up references to their own music in conversations with each other, because that ‘propane nightmare’ comment sounded a little too practiced. And it wasn’t the only one…

“It was definitely self-inflicted second album syndrome. We call it ‘In Silicitis’ – where you have a massive identity crisis and you worry that you’re on an iceberg between two continents,” Gareth says, explaining their dislike for the album as if it’s a disease.

“One of the continents is dnb and the other is rock, and you worry that your music won’t be heard by either continent because you’re too far in the middle. But it turns out that we managed to draw both closer to us. We ended up with a bigger dance audience than we had before and a rock audience that we didn’t even have before!”

I kindly point out that Gareth’s accent is also stuck between two continents after seven years in the UK to which he replies, “when we do TV and radio in the UK they’re like ‘it’s good to hear you guys haven’t lost your Aussie accent,’ and whenever we come home we get called Pommy bastards!”

It’s obvious Pendulum miss their sunburned land, apparent in their insanely cool remix of the ABC news theme; which you will not hear on their new album, Immersion. What you will get is an LP that’s gone number one already in the UK and NZ, and is sitting pretty here in the number three spot.

“Immersion’s the best parts of our first two albums, really. We wanted to go electronic again, but we didn’t want to turn our backs on the manifestation of the rock elements as well,” says Gareth, explaining the theory of album number three. “We’ve taken to extremes in both areas. The rock elements are quite heavy and the electronic elements are back to our roots. It’s everything we really liked from our first two albums.”

Pendulum are coming our way soon for our big end of uni piss up, Stonefest. They’ll be bringing their setup of five hectic band members including a new drummer called Kevin Sawker (YouTube him and be amazed) which means every one of you kittens or, as Gareth has named you, ‘future public servants’ will get to experience the euphoric energy that is Pendulum live.

“It’s going to be a hell of a show. Performing with us is quite a physical thing so when we come off stage we feel like we’ve been beaten up. That’s what we’re aiming for,” Gareth says.

As a dancer in front of a Pendulum show, you too can feel what it’s like to be beaten up. And it’s well worth it.

Catch Pendulum live at Stonefest, held at the University of Canberra on Saturday October 30. For ticket details, check out www.stonefest.com.au.

Ennio Marchetto

Remember those paper dolls that you used to cut out and dress up in 2D clothing that folded over its shoulders? Ever fantasised about how awesome it would be if yourclothes were like that? Maybe it was just me… and this guy from Italy, Ennio Marchetto. He’s a star-imitating, rubber faced funny man who has found a niche in wearing costumes made of paper. And it is belly-laugh brilliant.

Ennio goes through 50 characters in a one hour show, from Lady Gaga to Dolly Parton, the Mona Lisa, Boy George and even the Queen of England. He transforms between them with a flick of a tab on his costume, et voila! He was once Snow White, now Ozzie Osbourne.

“Each costume is normally one huge piece of paper. That ensures it's nice and light for me to work with,” Ennio says. “Before a show, the costume has to be absolutely perfect. The smallest tear can damage an entire transformation. There have been lots of disasters. Costumes torn, strings snapped, but the show goes on.”

Ennio was obsessed with Disney as a child. He loved the two-dimensional characters on the screen. But he first came across such stellar origami talent as a child when he made a white dress out of paper and impersonated Marylin Monroe in front of his family.

“To be a kid in Venice is not easy because there are no big spaces to play. But the beauty of the city and the atmosphere of the carnivale significantly developed my creativity,” Ennio recalls of a time before video games overtook inventive vision, like childhood cross-dressing. 

“When I realised that the costume was so unique and my face was just wanting for them, and the costumes were so stylised and so brilliant that everyone at the start of my career loved them, I continued to develop them.”

The ‘living cartoon’ really was a sensation for Ennio right from the start. He has taken his paper characters around the world (over 70 countries in fact), causing a sensation that has won him the prestigious Golden Lion Award at the Venetian Entertainment Festival and the Golden Mosquito Award for comedy. But there was a certain country didn’t find his parodies so funny.

“I’ve met lots of the people in my show; Boy George, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, The Osbournes even The Queen of England. They all loved the show and took it in good humour. [But] I was in France once and the audience didn't even smile. I shouted at them in French and told them they had not one bone of irony in their bodies. Haha!” 

Ennio Marchetto plays at the Canberra Theatre on June 17. Tickets through Canberra Ticketing.

Booka Shade- More! [Physical]

Every techno purist in town is probably still arguing the electronic pop invasion that was Booka Shade’s Donut, the only single released off this album so far. But god dammit you need to listen to the rest of this album. More! is above and beyond any other dance release I’ve heard this year.

Don’t get all antsy-pantsy when I tell you this, but there are a few vocal guests and collabs on the playlist. Luckily, they’ve added only a twist of their unique sound to the melodies and atmospheres that are undeniably Booka Shade (like track six, Divine, where Booka made French electro group Yello go progressive. Ha!). This is not one of those collaborative bombs where ‘guests’ perform an unsubtle takeover.

Arno’s comments on the album say it best: “The album takes you through every stage of the night out; the excitement before you go out, the party, the late, late night, a bit of paranoia...” I wish this magazine was like one of those birthday cards where, when you open it, More! would start playing obtrusively in your face (I’m working on it, Dan Dans - Ed.). Words can’t fully express the multi-layered perfection. So this’ll have to do: BUY BUY BUY!

Rock The Ballet

When one thinks of ballet, one imagines a high cultured event featuring prima ballerinas in pink tutus pretending to be ducks and fit boys’ bums in tights. But coming our way soon is a somewhat edgier, modernistic version of every prissy little girl’s dream industry, brought to us by a highly decorated principal dancer, director and choreographer named Rasta Thomas and his Bad Boys of Dance.

Rock the Ballet is a highly acclaimed show which is about as similar to the traditional style of ballet as Baryshnikov’s package is to vegemite toast. In fact, Rasta – a young man who began his career because Daddy thought enrolment in ballet would be an apt punishment for being a little brat to his martial arts teacher – is adamant in going no where near that old, highly strung scene and has created his own version called ‘pop-ballet’. Love a good rebel story that ends with a dramatic dance.

“The view of ballet is the same now as it was when I started… boring! That’s one of the reasons I created Rock the Ballet and Bad Boys of Dance. Ballet has been losing a bit of appeal, almost classed as ‘aging’ with the younger generations and most people in the industry are doing nothing to change that,” rebellious Rasta says.

“Pop-Ballet is a seamless blend of solid, classical ballet technique, jazz, contemporary, hip hop and musical theatre. It showcases the versatile dancers of today while taking dance to the next level. Hopefully it will influence dancers, choreographers and directors to think outside the box when it comes to creating for their public.”

Rock the Ballet? Featuring the Bad Boys of Dance? Such things are not just what your music teacher would have named your end of year seven school production in an attempt to make theatre more interesting. The rock factor is indeed an integral part of the show, with pliés and pas de bourrées set to a soundtrack of U2, Michael Jackson, Prince, Queen and more. Rasta, who’s a hip, young 29 year old by the way (just in case my jesting really did inspire some sort of suppressed past experience), has created a two-act, monster dance performance that crosses all the boundaries of age and genre.

“A normal ballet experience is usually set to classical music, with mostly girls and a few guys and it showcases just ballet technique. Rock the Ballet is set to rock and pop music, is mostly guys, no tights, set against an awesome backdrop of video-projected scenery.”

Did he say just say NO TIGHTS?! Oh well. A show that makes most ballet traditionalists wag their fingers in disapproval - and a mostly male cast raunching-out in ‘first position’ to Prince - almost makes up for the loss of oogling at flexed cheeks.

Rock The Ballet plays at the Canberra Theatre Centre June 11 and 12. Check out www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au for details and tickets.

Klute

Tom Withers has not only carried on a musical career since the ‘80s, he’s done it in a tricky, cross-genre motion. He was but a youngen with punk band The Stupids before he fell in love with lasers in 1994, turning him into the drum ‘n’ bass producer we know and love him as today, KLUTE. He’s now onto his sixth double-disc album Music for Prophet, which is “another Klute extravaganza with one CD of DnB and another of techno and breaks,” released on his own label Commercial Suicide. And you’ll have a chance to see him at All Our Friends on Saturday June 5.

Hours could’ve been spent listening to his prophet-like views on a changing music scene, but my nine minute phone card limit has other ideas. So we bitch about what kids are into these days – dubstep – for a couple of minutes before a quick delve into how the global financial crisis plus a conservative government equals a better clubbing culture, of course.

“I’m not overly fond of dubstep. I was more a fan of garage and two step,” Tom says, and I agree excitedly. “To me, dubstep’s a bit sort of mongy and straight. I like a bit of sex to the beat. It’s kind of like funeral music, really.”

Don’t take offense, dubsteppers. He has an uncompromising love for high-energy beats. His origins are as a punk rock drummer, before good old fashioned ego clashes sent The Stupids sideways.

“Punk rock was the first sort of musical revolution for me,” Tom says as he recalls his days as Tom Stupid. “I went on a long musical journey through metal, then indie music, and eventually wound up checking out crossover indie-rave sort of stuff, like the Happy Mondays. That was the next musical revolution in my life, when rave was kicking off in the early ‘90s.”

Tom has seen clubbing culture go in and out of fashion, and he reckons it’s about to surge once again. “Up until that point it was still kind of based on disco ideals, but then rave completely blew the lid on that and just pulled people together,” Tom says with a ‘back in the day’ fondness to his voice. Note: try and use the words ‘disco ideals’ more often.

“I think it’s almost gone full circle. We’re back to the clubs mostly, which is this kind of disco mentality of exclusivity and VIP. But with these so-called recessions going on, and we’ve got this conservative government again, maybe there’ll be a sense of rebellion again. First and foremost this music comes from the hearts and minds of how people are feeling about it and then the music is affected as a result, so I’m looking forward to some exciting new music as a reaction to the hard times we’re going through at the moment.”

Thank you, Professor Klute, you give us all the brightest of hope for bigger and better all-nighters to come.

Catch Klute at the All Our Friends Festival, held at the UC Refectory on Saturday June 5. Tickets through Qjump.

Friendly Fires

Somewhere in a quiet little town called St Albans, a half hour south of London, Inspector Morse investigated the case of the missing pebble stone and the National Rose Society called their weekly meeting. All the while a group of three boys – Ed Macfarlane, Edd Gibson and Jack Savidge – sat very, very bored. They decided to form FRIENDLY FIRES, purely out of an unwillingness to succumb to small-town blues.

“We tried to kind of make it with the band before we went to university, so we were trying to get things going when we were about 17 and taking it pretty seriously,” singer Ed Macfarlane says with a charmingly erudite English accent. “But then we all went to college as sort of a back up plan, in a way of stopping getting a proper job anyway. I did English literature and I haven’t got a fucking clue what it would’ve entitled me to for a job!”

You’ve heard Friendly Fires’ dance-influenced rock all over the radio this year, born of their self-titled album impressively recorded one instrument at a time through a laptop in Gibson’s garage. Their first single was laid down in just three minutes, revealing a knack for pulling together a helluva catchy tune. Yet they never to stick to a particular formula for writing music, making each track one of a kind. Hard to believe they began as a post-punk band.

“After that we thought we wanted to make concise pop music rather than these meandering seven minutes songs that we’d been up to before,” says Macfarlane. “So we’d just take the best bit of that and use it as the chorus. You don’t have to have this huge build up to it; you just get the hooks out there. Then we got into dance music more when we went to university and wanted that to be reflected in our music.”

Their most well-known single Paris invaded request shows across the country and became the dedication song for many lovers. I ask Macfarlane how it felt to know he was a part of sexual interactions all over Australia. “I’ve never really thought about it actually!” He warmed up to the idea though, saying “when we write music it’s a pretty selfish thing because, first and foremost, you just want to do what sounds good to your ears and then it gets spat out to the wide world. It’s amazing when people get any kind of connection from it. It’s like sharing an intimacy with total strangers, someone that you’re never ever going to meet. Yeah, we’re in your bedroom looking over your shoulder.” Make sure you lock your door next time you’re having ‘special time.’

Friendly Fires are a part of the awesome Good Vibrations lineup, held at Sydney’s Centennial Park on Saturday February 13. Tickets can be purchased through Moshtix.

Deadmau5 - For Lack of a Better Name [Mau5trap Recordings]

Dallas Frasca - Not For Love or Money

The first time I came across Frasca's ballsy songwriting and deep, husky voice was when she toured with Xavier Rudd earlier this year. Her live performance and EP was raw and tough; exactly what you'd expect from the daughter of a truck driver from Wangaratta. Not for Love or Money still has a fire in the belly, with storytelling lyrics of long roads, hardship and a whole lotta telling people off backed by roughed-up slide guitars and menacing beats. The only problem is the over-production that takes away from that dusty, unrefined feeling that gives her style such beautiful character. But if that's all we have to complain about it ain't all that bad!

Basement Jaxx - Scars

If you're looking for the perfect album to soundtrack your spring this, my friends, is it. Scars is the fifth album from UK outfit Basement Jaxx and after a few ambitious attempts at branching out from their signature sound, it's good to see a return to their form that saw them tear up the charts in the late '90s. Scars is a revisit to their fun ol' selves; back in the days of Romeo and Red Alert, when brightly coloured cabaret ruled their film clips and cute, catchy loops with layered synths and distinct vocals shaped their music. A massive effort went into perfecting this album with two years of studio time and a 12-strong crew of stupidly famous guests including Santigold, Sam Sparro and Kelis. Hell, even Yoko Ono makes an appearance on a novel little hippy track entitled Day of the Sunflowers (We March On). This album showcases the band's fascinating and upbeat personality, finally appearing in their music again where it had been sorely missed over the past few years. Well done Basement Jaxx, good to have you back.

Spruce Lee

Not too unlike the accidents that spawn any superhero, DJ, producer and self-proclaimed Steven Segal fanatic SPRUCE LEE was created as a result of a drinking mishap when Mr Lee walked into a spruce tree in the dark at a mate’s 21st a few years ago. Of course, at the time, and under the influence, the hilarity of spruce tree rhyming with Bruce Lee was too much, giving birth to the master we know now. “It was also better than my current DJ name at the time: Mi Goreng,” Spruce feels. Glad we sorted that out.

These days, when he’s not running into trees or powering through Steven Segal marathons, the Modular superman can be heard over the FBI airwaves in Sydney, on a radio program with the rest of the Ro Sham Bo crew. By night, he’s a dance music trendsetter, making it his ambition to educate and excite clubbers with Future Jack. “My taste is really eclectic,” Spruce reveals. “One day I’ll be listening to some weird record I found in a pawn shop, the next day it’s west coast g-funk and the next – deep house.”

Spruce Lee had humble beginnings as a violinist in school bands from the age of six. It didn’t take long for the Sydneysider to move from classical strings to new jack swing, taking his musical prowess to production. “Ever since I was in high school and got my first crappy computer I’ve been into production. I used to stay up late in my room in high school recording weird songs with any instruments I had at hand,” Spruce recalls, explaining where his eclectic taste and interest in production began. “DJing kind of came in when I was about 19, when Sleater Brockman and I decided we needed music at our house parties that wasn’t Radiohead or Jeff Buckley.”

Since then, Spruce Lee’s music has found him signed to dance music heavyweight label Modular. The past year, however, has been a less thrilling journey for Spruce, confining him to his “little box of a studio” to bust out those amazing remixes he’s become so loved for and to work on his debut club EP. “I’m really excited about it, it’s almost complete. So you guys in Canberra will be the first to hear some of it in a set!” Spruce says of what he’s been cooking up in his little box. “As far as remixes are concerned, I’ve just finished official remixes for Orgasmic, Bag Raiders and Act Yo Age and I’m working on a remix for Paper Route Gangsters from the States.”

Spruce Lee’s Canberra show will be rife with killer originals and shiny new remixes. No overplayed, old hat tracks here. “Requests always drive me up the wall. If you want to go see a DJ who does requests, go to an RSL and put two bucks in the jukebox”, Spruce warns. “I’m sure now, with saying this, people are going to do requests just to shit me.” We wouldn’t want to make a liar out of him now, would we?

Spruce Lee makes his triumphant return to Canberra at Trinity Bar on Friday August 14. Supports include Shunji, Staky, RyFy and Cheese. Free entry!

Bertie Blackman Secrets and Lies

Five years on from her first album, Bertie Blackman has finally managed to break the mainstream market and fill our airwaves with this modernised new album. Still showcasing her signature voice and song writing beautifully, the album is less quirky than her previous work, with an element of pop complimenting Bertie's folk style. There are plenty of catchy sing-alongs and an inclusion of electronic elements such as in Thump, yet you'll still find a small presence of cool kooky tunes like My White Owl. She's stepped out with an album that should please old and new fans and transfer easily to live performances, although those who have followed her career may slightly grieve for odd little Bertie's forgotten style.

Jesse Rose What Do You Do If You Don't

The bearded German has deservedly been dubbed around the dance music traps as the Next Big Thing, making his debut with this fresh collection of fidget house featuring some well-matched and interesting collaborations. It begins with the airplay hogging hit featuring Hot Chip, Forget My Name, before jumping sideways into a track that features what could be a sample from a New Orleans blues band and then slipping into clubland with a smooth run of electro-infused tracks. Jesse Rose applies German precision with his arrangements of house, pop and electro, keeping a signature Berlin influence flowing nicely throughout the album. It’s cheeky, it’s fun, it’s original and you’ll love it.

Hilltop Hoods

“Balls to that!” I said. “There’s no way you’re going to get me on the phone to one of the biggest hip-hop acts in the country, especially with some dude who calls himself Pressure.” I took some convincing. Being the Advertising Executive of this fine publication we call BMA Magazine and having never conducted a phone interview before, the thought of kick-starting my five minute journalism career with the Hilltop Hoods was, in my mind, nothing short of life threatening.

Feeling a little shaky and like my heart was about to slingshot through my throat, I set myself up on the floor of a room bearing nothing but a lonely drum kit and awaited the phone call. A young, female representative of a publicity group burst onto the line. She asked if I knew whether he preferred to be called “MacPressure” or “M.C. Pressure.” Feeling a little better about my knowledge of the hip-hop universe, and wishing dearly that I’d told her to call him MacPressure, I crossed my legs and tapped the bass drum until the intensity of my fear was completely crushed by the magnificently pleasant man that picked up the other end of the line.

Pressure informed me that he was currently reclining at his home in Adelaide, after spending a weekend off with the always pleasurable company of your friend and mine, beer. “We finished the album last Wednesday, so we’ve only really had the weekend off,” he says. “It’s been a little bit crazy. We’ve been working on it solidly for the last 18 months and even a little bit more than that. It’s only come to head in the last month. Glad to have a bit of time!”

The album Pressure refers to is their brand spanker State of the Art. After The Hard Road smashed through the mainstream world, debuting at number one on the ARIA charts and bagged all sorts of pointy awards, the Hoods cemented their place in a scene that Australian hip-hop had been knocking on the door of for too long. Now feeling comfortable with their fanbase and (surely) knowing that everything they touch turns to gold, the trio have taken a somewhat more serious direction.

“It draws elements from The Calling and The Hard Road with a little bit from The Hard Road Restrung,” he says. “It’s probably a little bit harder. It wasn’t one of those things that we deliberately tried to do. We just went track by track and the album turned out that way, with all the songs that made the cut fitting together. Hopefully you can find some sort of continuance from the last album if you’re a fan of our music. Nothing’s changed so much that you won’t recognise our signature sound. It’s just our next journey, really.”

It’s been ten years since Pressure, Suffa and DJ Debri released their first EP; a long time to spend working with the same two people, so it’s understandable if times aren’t always filled with tender man-love. When asked if they always agree on what to write about and put on the album I’m met with a resounding “No!”. Pressure fills me in, saying “when you’re working with two other people, everyone has a difference of opinion, which is a good thing at the end of the day and a lot of songs got cut from the album because one of us didn’t like it. We’ve always had a policy that we only ever put material on our album that all three of us were really feeling. You have the occasional disagreement, but at the end of the day we’re all really good friends. It doesn’t come to blows!”

One of the most interesting and mature tracks on the album is She’s So Ugly. It relates to the group’s feelings about the industry they so demandingly reign over, pointing out the frustrations the Hoods face as producers with such issues in the back end of the industry as copyright and sampling restrictions. I ask Pressure what pisses them off about the scene.
“I guess it’s like anywhere. You’re in something for long enough and you build up a sort of grudge against it,” he says. “I guess we’re kind of getting a bitterness off our chest about all the bullshit and politics that goes on in the hip-hop industry and a bit in the music industry overall. You’ve got to put up with a bit of shit!” That said, Pressure is quick to point out his adoration for the quality of hip-hop in Australia. “I think we’ve got a fantastic industry over in Australia at the moment. It’s gone from strength to strength over the past five years and there’s plenty a good artist out there making music. I think Australian hip-hop’s in the best place ever.”

Quite proud of myself for finally getting Pressure to swear, twice, I shifted sitting positions, causing the drum kit I mentioned earlier to become my worst enemy. I’d managed to wedge myself between the bass and snare drums. Sabotage! The awkward dilemma I found myself in could go one of two ways; either I reef out my legs, making the kit come crashing down, or I get a cramp. Time to wrap this baby up.

The tour was the final subject on my lips. “We’re putting together a different show,” Pressure said. “We’re trying to find new ways to do old stuff.” I took more of a shot into a barrel of fish rather than a wild stab in the dark, asking if they’re sick of performing The Nosebleed Section. “If we don’t do it in our shows we get ‘dude! Pleeeaaase play The Nosebleed Section!,’ so you have to play the old tracks. People come to see the material they know and love.” I guess that means you can expect the Hilltop Hoods to be cracking out a lot of your favourites along with their new material on the tour. Win.

Hilltop Hoods with special guests Classified and Briggs will play the ANU Bar on Tuesday August 4. Tickets through Ticketek. Make sure to get in early, this promises to be huge!