As we move into October we’ve updated our playlist with ten more of the best new releases from across Australia and the world, including two premieres from earlier in the week. Fontaines D.C. take out Track of the Week with their new single “Tongue” – the second from their forthcoming fifth studio album Dopamine Chamber (out Oct 16th on XL Recordings).
“Tongue” finds the Dublin outfit moving away from their trademark post-punk swagger into something altogether more unsettling and visceral. Distorted vocals, eerie piano textures, and warped basslines combine on an industrial tinged track that disorientates and captivates in equal measure. You really have to admire the band’s commitment to constantly evolving and pushing their sound.
To celebrate the release of Dopamine Chamber, the band have announced a series of listening parties at local record stores around the world on October 8th. For more information about which stores are taking part head HERE. Fontaines D.C. are also just been announced as co-headliners for Laneway 2027, and will be playing some of their largest shows on Australian shores with sideshows in Adelaide and Perth. Tickets go on sale next week. For more information head HERE.
Also added to the playlist this week is “Big Ideas”, the latest release from Naarm new wave/post-punks Radio Free Alice. Featuring Rachel Brown, the single is the latest from their debut album What’s In Between – out October 30th. It’s another strong release from one of Australia’s most exciting new acts, with some lovely call and response vocals between lead singer Noah Learmonth and Brown. Lyrically, “Big Ideas” is full of wit and sharpness, and really hits the spot.
Surf and garage rockers The Grogans have hit the road again with “Country Mile”, a scrappy, swaggering new single inspired by one of those touring stories that sounds almost too strange to be true.
While driving through rural New South Wales on the way to a Sydney show, the Melbourne trio somehow lost half a drum kit from the back of their trailer. Tracking it down led them to a pair of locals who had collected pieces from the roadside, and the encounter proved strange and unsettling enough to inspire a song. That sense of threat runs right through “Country Mile”. The lyrics turn the encounter into something darker and more confrontational, while gritty guitars and driving drums give the track the feel of an Australian road movie gone badly off course. It’s loose, punchy, and a belter of a tune, turning a bizarre touring mishap into a song that is calling to be a staple on their setlist.
Glasgow’s Cowboy Hunters finally succumbed to fan pressure this week, releasing their new single “Punched In The Head” after months of requests and the pre-release on Instagram racking up over 3 million views. The track is a vibe… it’s punk, meets grime, with a side of demonic fairground ride. It’s pretty absurd, and kinda silly, and messy; but it’s so much fun, and kinda infectious. Give it a couple of listens and you’ll have it stuck in your head.
Hannah Cameron has long been a favourite here at the AU review, so it’s wonderful to have her back with “Arm’s Length”, her first new music in three years.
Written during a songwriting class led by Adrianne Lenker, “Arm’s Length” explores the push and pull of an anxious/avoidant relationship, capturing that uncomfortable space where one person edges closer while the other instinctively retreats. Cameron’s beautifully understated fingerpicked guitar provides the foundation, while her warm vocal and gorgeous layered harmonies give the song an intimacy that draws you straight in. Cameron produced it alongside longtime collaborator Leigh Fisher. After three years away, it’s a beautiful reminder of just how special a songwriter she is, and we’re very happy to have her back.
Naarm/Melbourne singer-songwriter Grace Robinson returns with “driving”, the third taste of her forthcoming debut album choppy, due November 13. We first featured Robinson back in June with her debut single “harder than you think”, and “driving” is another reminder of what a talented songwriter she is. Written during what was meant to be an off-grid trip to Bajawa, Flores, the track instead grew out of the tension between making space to create and the endless admin required to sustain a life in music.
Also added to the playlist is “1994”, the new single from Always You, the project of twins Christoph and Anton Hocheim – of substantial shoegaze pedigree. The track is this gorgeous slice of dream pop, revelling somewhat in nostalgia, and yearning for simpler times, “1994” offers up an explosion of colour, all delivered with a sophisticated, polished sheen.
Joining them on the playlist is Fife-based singer-songwriter James Yorkston with “Hard Times of Old Edinburgh”. The track is the first single from La Magnifica, a career-spanning retrospective, which is set for release November 27th. The track was recorded during the recent sessions with Nina Persson and Johanna Söderberg, but didn’t make the cut for those albums. Musically, there’s a breezy optimism and brightness that offsets the realism of the lyrics, and just captivates.
Finally, we have premieres from The Hunter Express (“Gold Fades”) and Nausicaä (“Child and Wattle Tree”).
Catch all the new music updated every Friday on Apple Music:
and on Spotify:
Here’s the complete list of new additions this week:
Fontaines D.C. “Tongue”
Radio Free Alice “Big Ideas”
The Grogans “Country Mile”
Cowboy Hunters “Punched in the Head”
Hannah Cameron “Arm’s Length”
Grace Robinson “driving”
Always You “1994”
James Yorkston “Hard Times Of Old Edinburgh”
The Hunter Express “Gold Fades” [Exclusive EP Premiere]
Nausicaä “Child and Wattle Tree” [Exclusive Video Premiere]
Header Image: Ewen Spencer
