TALENT ON TAP // NEW MUSIC FOR MARCH
BROUGHT TO YOU BY BURLEIGH BREWING CO.
Words by Emily Halloran
From moody alt-rock to high-energy electronic beats, this month’s lineup is stacked with standout releases that deserve a spot on your playlist.
From nostalgic country ballads, to hard-hitting metal, brooding alt-rock and a bunch of danceable tracks across different genres, this is what’s new from the best of the Gold Coast’s emerging and established artists.
Here’s what’s making noise this month…
MARCH SPOTLIGHT
FEATURED ALBUM: WET SEASON – HERE NOW, GONE THERE
Moody, raw, and enthralling – that’s Wet Season with their second album Here Now, Gone There. The four-piece band spent two years crafting the 10-track album, and from the moment you press play, you’re greeted with a melodiously grungy and polished track that follows song after song.
Here Now, Gone There is dressed alt-rock, featuring bursts of 90s rock and a bit of drawn out sonic, and takes listeners on a brooding emotional journey of tension and release, seamlessly balancing haunting melodies and noisy guitars. Wet Season says the album was written purely from an emotional response to the diffraction and angst felt throughout the world, exploring the chaos and clarity of modern existence.
Wet Season are a four-piece alt-rock band who formed in 2020 from “common love for noisy guitars and obscure music” and released their first single in 2021. The following year they released their debut album, Moderator. Their latest album is a refreshing listen, all-engrossing and beautifully mastered. We adored the album so much, we’ve streamed it in its entirety twice. Our must-hear tracks? Easy Collect, Tolerate, Cascade, and Recall.
NEW ALBUMS
MITCH KING LIGHTS A FIRE WITH NEW TRACK
Multi-instrumentalist and folk-rock storyteller Mitch King delivers Keep the Flame, a fourth single from his anticipated 2025 album. Mitch says, “Keep the Flame explores the mindset needed to stay resilient during tough times. What feels painful now could serve a greater purpose.” The track is a fusion of southern blues meets folk. It’s a smooth, easy and uplifting release – adding a soft touch to Mitch’s recent tracks from the upcoming album such as Big Bright Moon (folk-rock), Clear as Mud (folk meets alternative-indie) and Gliding Through The Sea (dancey-blues).
A MUSICAL LOVE LETTER TO THE GOLD COAST
Life Is A Myth, aka Liam Kirk, pays homage to the Gold Coast with his latest album, Hinterland Haze. The seven-track album features titles of the region including Burleigh Breeze, Rainbow Bay and Hinterland Haze. The summer-soaked and feel-good songs were “written for everyone who loves the Gold Coast,” says Liam. An ever-evolving journey, the album originally started out as a project of Life Is A Myth’s 6th EP, and ended up evolving into an album. The album is a City of Gold Coast-funded project and was recorded at Selve Studios on Yugambeh Country. If you’re keen to hear the album in person, Life Is A Myth is on tour and performing a bunch of shows at venues across the Gold Coast over the next two months.
BRI & SI RELEASE EP
Electronic duo Bri & Si – a project of Gold Coast producers Brian and Simon – have dropped an EP, A Hundred Voices. The EP is the pair’s debut after releasing four singles since forming in 2018, and features title track A Hundred Voices, two uniquely sounding remixes of the song, and The Block. The EP is a 20-minute energetic deep-house-electronic composition. Fun fact – Bri & Si have performed over 115 live shows in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and internationally in Thailand and Vietnam.
NEW RELEASES
A PLAYFUL NEW SINGLE FROM ALANAH STONE
Alanah Stone’s fresh track DECLINE delivers a fun mix of Afro-beats and bouncy pop with playful and infectious melodies. The song explores the journey of venturing into a new relationship and how that, at times, can be tolling. Produced by Gold Coast Music Awards 2024 Producer of the Year, Mattymadeit, DECLINE channels confidence and fun through catchy beats and smooth rhythms to create a perfect dance.
SON JR DROPS ANOTHER LOVED-UP RELEASE
Son Jr (aka. Monte Pawa) follows up his debut single with another strong and heartfelt reggae release, Oh My Love. The song is reflective of his real-life romance of how he met his husband: a Māori man and a Torres Strait Islander man who fell madly in love. It’s lovingly fun and catchy with storytelling lyrics. We can see this one being sung back by a crowd.
NEW SOUNDING METAL BY HEAD 1ST
Such is Life is the new track by local heavy act, Head 1st. The song is true sounding to the band’s high energy metal with electrifying hooks and relentless drums and guitar, but this one brings a slightly fresh sound with the addition of vocals by Candice Dianna. It’s power, punchy, melodic rock hit with lyrics centred on facing challenges and overcoming them to emerge stronger. To celebrate the release, which was recorded and mixed at Core Studios on the Gold Coast by Nik Carpenter, Head 1st have also dropped a very gothic music video featuring a castle and all.
ALLAN CASWELL GETS NOSTALGIC WITH NEW MUSIC
Allan Caswell shows us that age is no factor when it comes to wonderful new music. The renowned country artist shares a new release Won’t Get The 80s Back, a nod to what was a golden period for the singer-songwriter and how life has changed over the decades. The new track was produced and cowritten with international award-winning country artist and recording artist, Lindsay Waddington.
Four decades ago, in the 1980s, Allan won the first 5 of his 8 Golden Guitars, became an international hit as a songwriter with On The Inside, and made several writing trips to Nashville. Allan says “when you get to my career stage you get to be self-indulgent”, commenting on how he’s producing new music to mark milestones. His previous new single Honey All I Need Is You was released to celebrate his 15th wedding anniversary, while Won’t Get The 80s Back celebrates his 73rd birthday. Allan’s tipped us off that he’s releasing a new album, called A Really Long Goodbye, expected to be dropped later this year.
Happy birthday Allan, you rockstar!
ONE TO WATCH: THE CAPTIVE EAST
Gold Coast four-piece The Captive East have arrived with a hard-hitting debut with single, Desert Cowboy. The track rides through a 5-minute evolving sound journey – starting strong with gritty, punchy melodies, following through with steady rhythms, and then transitioning into moody guitars riffs, which then changes up the tone at the 3.5-minute mark, rounding out with a rift-y guitar ending. The Captive East have made a strong entrance, and we look forward to hearing more from them.
TAYLAH LITTLE IS IN OUR DREAMS
Gold Coast newcomer Taylah Little has released a stunning single Exists In Dreams. With soulful lyrics, roaring vocals, and gorgeous melodies, the song is a pop ballad that captures the magic of falling in love – an all encapsulating rush. It’s heartfelt and catchy, and we can’t wait to see what else Taylah produces.
A HORROR ROCK ESCAPADE
Aussie surf rockers VLADS have dropped a new release, Just Let It Go. With layered sound and delivering a punchy release in the chorus, the track also features a blend of eerie horror film sounds. Just Let It Go is about letting loose, with the punchy upbeat rock encouraging the listener to both feel and think, “Is this what I feel like if I’m turning into a monster?”
BIRDS ARE FAKE – JUST TOMATOES
Birds Are Fake returns with their third release, Just Tomatoes – a raw, punchy track that comments on modern society’s disturbing indifference to global suffering. The song contrasts real-world tragedies with the trivial distractions of internet culture. With its catchy rhythm and hard-hitting lyrics, the track melds sharp social commentary with infectious energy, making it as thought-provoking as it is danceable.
STREAM THE TALENT ON TAP PLAYLIST NOW!
The Gold Coast Music Network’s Talent On Tap is brought to you by Burleigh Brewing.
ARE YOU A GOLD COAST ARTIST WITH NEW MUSIC ON THE HORIZON? WE WANT TO HEAR IT!
If you’ve released new music or have something due for release in March, April or May, shoot us the details for the chance to be considered for the next ‘Talent On Tap’ column. Email our new music guru Emily Halloran on newmusic@gcmusicnetwork.com.au with a link to the song (Spotify preferred), an artist press shot and a few words/media release about the track or album being released.