February in WA Music: Methyl Ethel, Hoodzy, Cloning + more

The West Australian music scene has well and truly been shining in a lane of its own and its time we shed some light on the talented artists, making their name in and around Perth. Take a look at a few artists we are loving at the moment that are creating sounds that are cleverly defining WA’s music scene. 

Methyl Ethel - Majestic AF

Methyl Ethel are a band that needs no introduction to the WA music market, with Jake Webb and co. becoming an internationally-touring force representing not just the city from which they grew, but also Australia's bustling indie-pop world as a whole. Their 2019 record Triage was one of the best of its year, shared as a collection of tracks that showcase Methyl Ethel's growth in the space of the two years since their sound-encapsulating 2017 record Everything Is Forgotten that didn't just kick-off where the last album finished, but showed signs of evolution as tastes change and bands mature with each release.

They're sharing a new EP - a five-track collection titled Hurts To Laugh - this April 10th, and they're teasing it with its first taste Majestic AF, a track that takes everything we've come to love from Methyl Ethel over the years and transforming it into an entirely new and different sound that pushes the band forwards into the future. It's more hooked in pop-driven electronica than ever before, layering Webb's instantly-recognisable vocals with a spiralling synth that enriches Methyl Ethel's consistent experimentation and their constant push to be at the forefront of their sound, something the full length EP is bound to cement with its release next month.

Hoodzy - The Land

Over the last few months, we've had the pleasure of watching Hoodzy grow from a constantly-overlooked local hip-hop force to someone garnering full national attention, being named one of our 20 artists to watch in 2020 at the start of this year and since then, evolving into an entirely new name that proves that we weren't wrong with our prediction. Last month was a month of wins for Hoodzy, joining Sony Music's new local hip-hop label Forever Ever - run by Hau Latukefu, one of the country's most on-point tastemakers regardless of genre - and launching into a new sound with The Land.

The Land is a track bound to place Hoodzy on the national hip-hop map, allowing her to grow from an up-and-coming future star of Perth hip-hop to a national force to be reckoned with as she moves into more drill-inspired sounds; her trademark lyricism and instant charm blossoming with a new sound behind her that unexpectedly suits better than we could ever predict. It's a chance for the country to introduce themselves to Hoodzy in a brilliant way, and with plenty to come, it wouldn't be surprising to see her amongst the country's best names in rap come the end of the year.

Cloning - All Rise

Perth-based rock four-piece Cloning are a group we've come across a couple of times over the years, with their predominantly guitar-backed sound being fleshed out and experimented upon with releases over the last few years. Last year's Pillars of Salt is the most memorable of these releases, a six-track exploration into Cloning and their changing sound that floats between daring alt-rock and moments more subtle and indie-aligning, switching between flavours as they showcase how far they've come as a rising, potential-filled band with a promise to blossom into something great.

Their new single All Rise is one that really kicks this off for the band, once again building from the sounds they introduced on their debut EP and carving something new. It's a homage to trip-hop icons such as Portishead and Massive Attack, conveying their distinct take on shimmering, slow-stepping electronica through a new lens that layers it with sounds that you often wouldn't find: mandolin, for example, or these slow-burning vocals that move with a slurring pace. It's something fresh and exciting - it's layered with nostalgia, but brought forward into new times - and a track that places Cloning as ones to watch as we move into what's bound to be another big year for the group.

Otiuh - One For Me

Perth-based hip-hop duo Otiuh are a pairing we've talked about before on the site, with last year's impressive Daytona Rolling seeing the two-piece take the hard-hitting and charismatic energy of GoldLink and repositioning it with their own distinct twist that kept the energy levels - and the BPM - high. It was a great, ruckus-inducing time that presented the duo as highlights of a bursting Perth hip-hop world, moving away from the more conventional hip-hop sound in favour of something a little more electronic-based, capturing the energy you'd expect from an electronic song but layering it with their distinct hip-hop flow.

Their new single One For Me preludes a full EP La Festa - scheduled for release later this year - and in the process of doing so, reminds the country why they're a duo you should be keeping an eye on leading up to the project's release. It's a flavourful turn from Daytona Rolling before it, focusing on softer and smoother sounds as they take trademark sounds of Otiuh - their distinct and natural charm, for example - and twist it with a more R&B-leaning sound that showcases versatility and range without veering too far away from expectations. It's a great time, and with plenty more to come, it seems 2020 is Otiuh's year.

Yung Buddah - Ain't Like Me

Continuing our run of emerging rappers from West Australia seemingly dominating the past month, enter Yung Buddah. Over the last few years, the musician has emerged as a go-to name behind-the-scenes of Perth hip-hop, working alongside some of the state's most brilliant names in the genre - Hyclass, And Beyond, 506 and Tobias included within this list - as he steps forward as a keen collaborator making an exciting name for themselves in Perth's increasing hip-hop space, something that doesn't seem to be slowing down in the year ahead.

His latest track Ain't Like Me is yet another sign of his consistent brilliance in the hip-hop space, teaming up with another one of Perth's go-to up-and-comers Sowdy (who for this track, works solely in the production chair) for a track that aligns itself with the US trap-rap explosion, mirroring heavyweights like Travis Scott as a twinkling instrumental makes room for a bouncing, autotuned vocal that's focused and fierce, but also heaps of fun. Yung Buddah had a big 2019 thick with collaboration, but his 2020 is going to be just as exciting too - just you wait.