Adelaide’s best new music
We’ve rounded up Adelaide’s best new music for November, including Maybe Hugo, Parvyn and War Room.
Avalon Kane – ‘If I Could’
Avalon Kane’s latest album Solace is experimental. Avalon shares via Instagram that this is the first of two albums that they’ve been working on over the past two years – which has been an emotional but rewarding experience. CityMag’s top pick is ‘If I Could’ and Avalon told Instagram that this song “was always going to stay simple” as Avalon wants every note and chord to “be heard, felt and understood”.
Ed Temple – ‘Pink Velvet’
The title track on Ed Temple’s recently released EP, Pink Velvet, verges into nu-disco territory. The song is built up layer upon layer, with a kick drum soon joined by arpeggiated synth chords, strings, horns and a funky bass line. “The title track, Pink Velvet is as smooth as velvet and as playful as pink,” says Ed Temple. “Harking back to the glory age of musical sounds heard at iconic places like Paradise Garage and The Loft, but with modern production and arp synth line sand solos filling verses.” Ed Temple is an Adelaide-based producer, DJ and musician who is inspired by the sounds of disco, post-disco, house and techno. If you get a chance to watch Ed Temple live with his TEMPLE MAGIC ORCHESTRA band – a reference to the Japanese electronica legends – it promises to be quite something. Each show features drum machines and synths accompanied by a string trio and a full horn section.
Georgia Oatley – ‘Time Passes Murmur’
This CityMag reporter felt as though he was going on a jungle adventure listening to Adelaide’s newest electronic musician Georgia Oatley’s first single ‘Time Passes Murmur’. The track mixes synths and a drum machine with Georgia Oatley’s hypnotic vocals, which jump between headphones thanks to a clever mixing technique. The lyrics are difficult to make out, adding to the slightly ominous feeling of the song. As Georgia explains, ‘Time Passes Murmur’ is “a slow-burning, hypnotic track, weaving through trip-hop and ambient electronica”. “Textured grooves pull the listener into a hall of mirrors, with lyrics reflecting upon the liquidity of time and the echoes of memory,” she says. Georgia Oatley will release her debut album, A Pastoral, on February 10, 2025, followed by a launch event at the Lab on February 15 with support act My Cherie.
Gere – ‘Drive!’
When we first listened to Gere’s new album Heaven Hill, we were taken back to 2018 listening to A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships by The 1975 for the first time. The techno sounds mixed with impressive vocals and heartbreaking lyrics led us to this conclusion, and we really can’t get enough. This is the first new music from Gere, after his band Paradise Club announced they’re going on a hiatus last month (and released EP Just a Little More alongside it to say good bye). CityMag’s top album pick was ‘Drive!’ and the catchy chorus had us singing the lyrics: “we could’ve had it all / but you left me stranded” all day long. Not that mad though.
Maybe Hugo – ‘888’
After the considerable success of his single ‘Like B4’ earlier this year, Maybe Hugo (a.k.a. Hugo Dahlen-Flight) has returned with his newest release, ‘888’. The indie pop track features a disco-infused bassline, synths, rollicking drums and a standout harmonised guitar solo. Although CityMag couldn’t quite decipher the lyrics, Hugo’s soulful voice adds to the danceable nature of this song.
MB37 – ‘Choppy Heart’ (James Taylor)
This newest single from Adelaide electronic musician MB37 (a.k.a. James Taylor) includes the songs ‘Choppy Heart’ and ‘First Love’. ‘Choppy Heart’ features a punchy bassline and ambient synths, with a vocal line repeating the constant refrain: “I just wanna know/This is how you feel/I just wanna know/tell me how you feel”. James says he has been creating music on Ableton for over 10 years. “My influences include: chunky beats, old science fiction movies, albums where all the songs blend into each other, and anxiety,” he says. “I’m obsessed with drum breaks and weird samples. Music is how I comprehend an unfriendly world.” James cites influences including Australian plunderphonics pioneers The Avalanches, 90s trip hop staples Portishead and DJ Shadow and Melbourne-based electronic musician Alice Ivy. Since his debut two debut singles in 2018, James has released 9 EPs, while he also released a 16-track album last year.
Motez ft. Lauren Ray– ‘Light In The Sky’
‘Light In The Sky’ is the latest release from composer and DJ Motez who has been busy curating the festival ADELoud celebrating up-and-coming local artists, but he somehow still had time to drop what he calls his ode to the Australian summer. CityMag can’t wait to dance to it at a beach club. With powerhouse vocals from Lauren Ray, this track is sure to get you moving. The message is simple: “There’s a light in the sky for you“. Don’t overthink it, just let it flow through you.
Nat Luna – ‘too pretty’
“I’m too pretty for this shit” sings Luna in her newest song ‘too pretty’, as if a moment of realisation of her own value. “’too pretty’ is a reflection of my growing independence and self-worth, and is a big step for me musically,” says Luna. “I wrote this song after someone let me down, and I realised I was worth more than the and experience they were offering me. As a wheelchair user, this song is especially meaningful to me because it show that people with disabilities can be sexy too.” ‘too pretty’ is best described as a pop-R’n’B track, with Luna citing Ariana Grande and SZA as influences. The song will appear on Luna’s upcoming EP, set to be released in 2025.
Parvyn – ‘New Game’
The soft R&B melodies of Punjabi-Australian artist Parvyn have us in a daze and this is particularly prominent in her new album Maujuda. It’s light, fun and has a certain jazz rhythm that we can’t get enough of. Our top pick is track two, ‘New Game’ as Parvyn reminisces on relationships and figures out the games at play.
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Only Objects – ‘Access Will Be Retained’
This post-punk, guitar rock sound by Only Objects gave us The Smiths vibes in the 80s and we’re here for it. The band has described the sound of ‘Access Will Be Retained’ – which features Jack Degenhart – as if George Orwell had a “garage band with Laurie Anderson on synths”. “And some wild jazz cats from the future,” Only Objects say. “It might still not sound like this, but they’d surely be jealous.”
TONIX – ‘STEP BACK’
It’s no secret CityMag is digging the electro-punk-pop trio Tonix, and recent performances at the Adelaide 500 and AdeLOUD festivals prove we’re not the only ones. Step Back is the latest release from the group, and definitely leans a bit harder into the punk of their genre-melding sound than prior releases. For other, less exposed artists, there can be a disconnect between releases and their live show, but not Tonix. ‘Step Back’ perfectly reflects the high energy of a live show from the booked and busy up-and-comers. Sammi Keogh’s powerhouse vocals always delight and this track is no exception. With a persistent drum beat and otherworldly synths, this track gives us Evanescence vibes in that it balances a kind of nostalgia while also carving out their own sonic identity.
TUSHAR – ‘Tonight’
‘Tonight’ sounds like being giddy over a summer fling. The premise is simple but sweet: “Tonight, I can’t get it right// I miss you at night//oh I want to hang out with you tonight”. When we first heard the titular track of this EP, Feels Like a Start in August we said it sounds like how enjoying a sunny day, having a picnic and stretching out on the grass feels, and the rest of the EP certainly fulfils that criteria. Tushar’s surf-pop vibe is easy to listen to and carving out a unique and exciting place in Adelaide’s indie scene.
Twine – ‘Fruit To Ripe’
Twine is one of the most exciting noise rock bands in Adelaide right now, carving out a unique grunge twist on the country genre with a hair-raising result. On ‘Fruit to Ripe’ Thea Martin is a standout, shredding on violin and scratching our brains just the right way. This track is the last taste before their debut album New Old Horse drops on December 6. Catch them playing an album launch gig at the Exeter Beer Garden from 4pm Saturday, December 7.
War Room – ‘I Found’
War Room is a post-punk five-piece that plays with layered texture and changing time signatures in ‘I Found’, their latest single released November 29 just qualifying them for this edition of Best New Music. Born out of an overcrowded sharehouse, ‘I Found’ was one of the first tracks the group wrote together. Guitarist Luka Kilgariff says the track is “us at our most frenetic and timid”. The experimental and exciting track plus their beautifully chaotic live shows tell us War Room is well placed to go far with their upcoming debut album Please Don’t Fight In Here.
Weekend Rage – ‘Stay The Night?’
Our reporter’s emo hearts have a soft spot for Weekend Rage. Their alt-rock sound plus the fact that this track is a tribute to Adelaide’s iconic Crown and Anchor which was recently saved from demolition (and is CityMag’s go-to knock-off spot) is the perfect recipe to land them in our Best New Music column. This single shows us more of what the group can do off the back of their last release ‘The Ropes’ and we’re keen to see what else they’ve got in store with their debut album expected in 2025.
Listen to Adelaide’s best November releases on Spotify:
Illustration by Angus Smith.
Contributing journalists: Claudia Dichiera, Charlie Gilchrist and Helen Karakulak.