5 UNDER 500 December Edition

 A lot of acts that you read about on music websites - the hot/upcoming/buzz-worthy articles - come from a press release, with the authors sent a lot of awesome new music and having to sift through for the good stuff. With that in mind we thought we'd go on a little hunt through the online realm to try and find a few acts that haven't broken over the 500-Like mark (because like it or not, the number of FB likes you've accrued can play a role in the amount of online love you'll receive). So we hope 5 UNDER 500 will bring to your attention a few emerging acts, who are under 500 likes on Facebook, and whose sounds we are very much digging. 

Grouse - Coogee (Pictured above, photo by Jared Leibowitz)

Grouse is a bunch of boys hailing from all along the NSW coast; Maitland, Coogee and Maroubra and fittingly they've released a song to one of their homes titled Coogee. And even if you're not from there it's like a welcome home embrace with the jangling riffs and chilled out mood. It's one of those songs to kick back to on a lazy Sunday afternoon and enjoy. Furthermore, with the reverb echoing DIIV and guitar licks similar to The Last Dinosaurs it's hard not to enjoy Coogee. 

Follow Grouse: FACEBOOK

Venus II - Inside Your Sun

Venus II is a project between Jarrad Brown of The Dorsal Fins and Ryan Grieve of Canyons and Inside Your Sun is their first single. Taking the mid-2000s Modular Sound Inside Your Sun throws you into a wild, bubbling mixture of psych smothered in electronic music. It does this by merging the heady tones of dance music with the thick riffs psych bands like Temples would conjure up. Creating the sonic equivalent of eating 20 double macs and having your heart rate triple because of the massive cholesterol intake. And by the end of the song you're either going to be dripping in sweat, lying on the floor or both. It's that wild. 

Follow Venus II: FACEBOOK

Fern - It Comes Slow

I'm a bit late to the release party of Fern's debut single It Comes Slow, three months if you want to be precise, but in the words of the band who record downstairs in the place they live in, "...it's all pretty chill." Hailing from Sydney there isn't much else to say in a biographical sense. Digging into their sound it's wrapped in reverb and cool vocals that call to mind WA band Fait. This comes through with the way they place more focus on instrumental breakdowns over vocals. The progression of sound within the song isn't aggressive but rather contemplative as it gently rises with the light guitar licks. And over time this rolling wave gradually gains momentum, it doesn't change the introspective mood, but the energy of the song grows with the growling riffs and drums. 

Follow Fern: FACEBOOK

The Mighty Orchid King - Rocket Ship

The Mighty Orchid King is up there with one of the best names for a new act that doesn't sound like someone has gone through a if-your-name-begins-with-J-then-your-band-is-called graphs. They've also just put out a three-track EP and the stand-out song is Rocket Ship. Consisting of Jonny Bennet and Pete Martin, there's a lot of instrument swapping but the end result is an exciting one. Rocket Ship isn't a straight down the line pop tune but a cacophony of genres; taking hints of garage in the guitars and psych in the floating vocals. Influences are dotted through the song, the more obvious ones being the Beatles but if you dig into Rocket Ship you can hear the frenetic mood of acts like Thee Oh Sees and King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard. And that's just the opening song of a three-track long EP that can be streamed on their SoundCloud now.

Two Another - Higher 

Two Another's Higher is a fitting way to wrap up this month's 5 Under 500 and 2015, it's the first release from the London-based duo and the silky smooth, funk-infused track is reminiscent of Thundercat and Jungle. There's nothing complicated going on, it's just pure bliss and what better way to kick off the Christmas season than with something other than another re-done jingle by Michael Buble. And Two Another know it too as they sum up the reaction of many future fans after hearing Higher when they sing, "That's just love," amidst some soft drums and a warbling bass line. Higher is the first track off their three track EP that can be expected to come out in early 2016. 

Follow Two Another: FACEBOOK