This Week's Must-Listen Singles: Kito, Nina Las Vegas x Anna Lunoe + more

This Week's Must-Listen Singles: Kito, Nina Las Vegas x Anna Lunoe + more

Plus, new singles from Cassian, The Free Nationals and The Japanese House.

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 Kito, Nina Las Vegas, The Free Nationals and more. Check out Pilerats' homepage for more brilliant music and news, or subscribe to our Spotify Office Playlist for easy listening.

Kito - Wild Girl feat. Empress Of

Watching the trajectory of Kito over the last year has been something remarkably special. Once one of Perth's most exciting names in electronica - paired with Reija Lee to form Kito & Reija Lee - the now-London-based musician has catapulted into one of dance music's most forward-thinking and adventurous names, working closely with heavyweights including Jorja Smith and BANKS while her latest EP, last year's HAANI, encapsulated her many sides as a versatile producer-on-the-rise working closely in a songwriting space too, working with names including Hudson Mohawke and Broods.

Her latest track, Wild Girl, is perhaps the best example of Kito's constant growth and evolution over the years. Arriving with news of her signing to Astralwerks/EMI Music Australia, the track - which favourites R&B darling Empress Of - is a brilliant display of Kito's distinct sound moved into new flavours and shadings; her knack for bringing the best out of collaborators on feature display as her dizzying production moves around Empress Of's now-famous sway and groove. There's more to come, and with it, Kito looks set to make 2020 her year.

Nina Las Vegas x Anna Lunoe - One Thirty

Speaking of forward-thinking Australian exports making their worth known internationally, step forward Nina Las Vegas and Anna Lunoe. Together - and apart - the two Sydney favourites have become tastemakers in dance music and the unique pockets of brilliance it contains, something displayed through their work in labels and radio, and through their production and songwriting skillset too; both of their work often exploring areas unexplored in dance music, pushing boundaries as they go.

After a few months of quietness on both sides (this is Nina's first release since last year's Lucky Girl, and Anna's first since Right Party at the start of this year), One Thirty is a return to form that highlights how close bonds can bring brilliant collaboration, with Anna and Nina's distinct, respective sounds finding each other's company amongst a flurry of synth and bustling bass kicks. "It only took 15 years of friendship and collab-ing in every other aspect of our life to finally build the courage to work on a song together," says Nina on the collaboration and thank god it actually happened, because One Thirty is brilliant.

Cassian - Magical feat. Zolly

Keeping on trend with Australian dance musicians finding their footings overseas, Cassian is an artist quickly outgrowing the scene from which he grew, turning into quite a force internationally as he joins RÜFÜS DU SOL's recent Rose Avenue Records venture and begins the path to his long-awaited debut album, teased throughout the year with a collection of brilliant singles - last year's Lafayette, and this year's Gabrielle Current-featuring Same Things.

Now, we're welcoming something new, with Cassian teaming up with Crooked Colours' Phil Slabber, now working under the name Zolly, for an aptly-titled return, Magical. It's yet another slice of brilliance from a musician who knows all about that, straddling that line between indie-pop and house as he combines Phil's gentle, well-recognisable croon with a dancing production underneath, Cassian's production underlaid with this soft tech groove that remains from its original form. In saying that, Magical is definitely more Same Things dance-pop than Lafayette house, and it's a damn good time.

The Free Nationals - On Sight feat. JID, Kadhja Bonet & MIKNNA

The Free Nationals are a band that needs no introduction at this point, with the group - often found playing with Anderson .Paak - launching their own project with last year's Beauty & Essex, which featured Daniel Caesar and Unknown Mortal Orchestra to kick off a collaborative new era only defined by this year's shimmering R&B highlight Time, which saw them come together with Kali Uchis and the late Mac Miller.

Their new single, On Sight, takes them into a more hip-hop-centric direction when placed alongside the gentle R&B sways of their last two singles, with Dreamville rapper JID, Anderson .Paak collaborator Kadhja Bonet and LA-based indie-R&B duo MIKNNA joining the party as they deepen their collaborative discography. Rich with their signature undertones in funk and soul, On Sight sees The Free Nationals remain familiar while exploring something new - a difficult task that here, they smash out of the park with ease.

The Japanese House - Something Has To Change

Despite sharing one of this year's early highlights with her album Good At Falling, it appears that London's The Japanese House - also known as Amber Bain - isn't settling down for the remainder of the year. Ahead of her upcoming Australian festival return with Falls Festival, she's just announced a follow-up EP titled Something Has To Change, with the upcoming November release bound to further deepen her sound as she explores new facets that her album teased with its release earlier this year, as evident in its first taste, Something Has To Change.

Something Has To Change is a charming indie-pop tune from the musician who's become somewhat of an expert in the genre, with gentle melodies meeting her memorable vocal which wins us over time and time again. There's something remarkably special in The Japanese House, and Something Has To Change proves this yet again, getting us damn excited for her upcoming new EP of the same name.

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