This week's must-listen singles: Bec Sandridge, Jess Kent, Body Type + more
Also, new tracks from Kelela and Norway's 'act to watch', Lil Halima.
Header photo by Giulia McGauran.
Every week, we're hammered with tonnes of new music from Australia and afar, so much so that at times, it feels a little overwhelming and you're not quite sure where to begin. Every week, we run down this week's must-listen singles and releases, this week featuring names like Tyne-James Organ, FRITZ, Feelds and more. Check out Pilerats' homepage for more brilliant music and news, or subscribe to our Spotify Office Playlist for easy listening.
Bec Sandridge - Animal
It's been a while between drinks for Bec Sandridge. After her break-out 2016 EP In The Fog well and truly placed her as one to watch amongst the Australian indie-pop world, the only thing she's released since was last year's stand-alone single I'll Never Want A BF - a theatrical, almost Rocky Horror-sounding message of queer acceptance. Now she's back, launching into the tail-end of 2018 with Animal - another indie-pop gem that dazzles with Sandridge's signature theatrical spin. Marked with a bit more of a synth-driven, Robyn-esque edge in comparison to I'll Never Want A BF, Animal unites Sandridge's dramatic vocal with a dizzying, quick-paced production that bridges the gap between indie Bec Sandridge and the more electronic side she's hinted at in the past, showcasing a side of the fierce musician that might just make an appearance as she does a pair of headline shows in October with BIGSOUND highlights Cry Club - more deets here. "Occasionally I resort to sort of weaponising my emotions which this song is probably a testament of," she says on the single. "I felt out of control in love with an ex (now partner) and I needed to be okay with that, and somewhat confess that in this song."
Jess Kent - Girl
After taking a bit of time out of the line-up, earlier this year saw Jess Kent return with a pair of new singles - her first since her 2016 debut EP, My Name Is Jess Kent. Coming with the promise of more to come, Bass Bumps and No Love Songs showcased a more commercial and pop-centric side of Kent that was instantly earworming with its accessibility and catchiness, something she's definitely upped the levels of with her latest single, Girl. Shining with this punchy synth production that sounds like it could've been lifted from a Diplo feature, Girl is another bright pop single from Jess Kent that is even more catchy than the singles just gone, cementing her space as one of the country's most consistent and accessible songwriters and, following suit from acts like CXLOE and Kota Banks, promises some real commercial crossover if there isn't already. "I wrote the song Girl when I was feeling the pressure from society to 'fit in' and fit a certain stereotype to be the girl people expect me to be," she says on the single. "I have days when I feel like a tomboy, days when I don't want to wear makeup, and days when I feel girly and want to dress up and be feminine. More than anything I don't want to wait for permission to have my own voice and use my music to say how I feel. I want to feel empowered to make my own choices about how I go through this world and I encourage all girls to do the same."
Body Type - Palms
Honestly, if you aren't already acquainted with Body Type, I feel bad for you. The Sydney four-piece have become one of our indie scene's most exciting, combining bright nuances of pop music with this raw and guitar-driven rock sound for a combination that is simply unstoppable. Taken from their forthcoming debut EP, Body Type (out October 19th), Palms continues Body Type's consistent run at being one of our scene's leading rock groups, showing a whole heap of promise as they give rock music a more approachable feel in the long-awaited follow up to their 2017 single Silver and most recently, Arrow, which dropped earlier this year. "Palms comes from observing moments of concatenation, when everything in your life lines up in a way that feels like the universe is trying to tell you something," says frontwoman Sophie McComish on the single. "Ultimately though, regardless of whether you are in control of your own fate or if Lady Destiny might have something to do with it doesn’t really matter, the world still turns."
Kelela - LMK (What's Really Good Remix) feat. Princess Nokia, Cupcakke, Junglepussy and Ms Boogie
One of last year's best albums come from Kelela, who, despite being one of R&B's most exciting names since 2013's debut album CUT 4 ME, really caught a lot of people off-guard with her latest album Take Me Apart. Now, she's (sort of) back, marking the one year anniversary of the album release with a remix package which is sure to treat any music fan. With edits and remixes from Kaytranada, Serpentwithfeet, GAIKA and more to come, the first remix off the block is a guest-heavy edit of album highlight LMK, which sees Kelela team up with four of hip-hop's leading women - Princess Nokia, Cupcakke, Junglepussy and Ms Boogie - for a release that showcases each of their strengths. The remix of LMK emphasises the signature flow of each of the four rappers, from Princess Nokia's confident swagger to Cupcakke's sexual and joyous rhyme, with the single's sultry and woozy production layered underneath. "This project has been evolving in my mind since I was deep in recording Take Me Apart. I obsessed over production choices on the album and my only solace was knowing that the songs would be reimagined in this way," says Kelela on the remix album, which arrives in full on October 5. "So, it’s not just a bunch of remixes… it’s how my worldwide community of producers and DJs communicate through difference. It’s also about the camaraderie that we experience when we find the overlaps. The same songs get to exist in these alternate realities, which means different people get to have a relationship with the music. Maybe even with each other."
Lil Halima - Jasmine
A little while back, we were introduced into the world of Lil Halima - a Norway-based pop-R&B musician who, with her then-latest single Train, showed a whole lot of promise at being Norway's next big export. Now she's back with a new single Jasmine, a track which like Train before it, positions her as a musician to watch internationally thanks to its woozy R&B sound which this time around, is a lot more stripped-back and emphasised in comparison to Train. Taken from her forthcoming debut EP Lovesong For Bad Lovers - out October 10 via Universal Music/Dew Process in Australia - Jasmine is a single that throws Lil Halima's buttery vocal into the limelight, telling a story of jealousy and misdirected rage above a subdued and woozy production. Here's hoping her upcoming debut will thrust her further into the spotlight, especially internationally - it would be great to see her in Australia very, very soon.