Groove selector and master of funky vibes Shantan Wantan Ichiban has been around the darker rooms of Sydney’s club scene for a while. With long running and eternally popular club nights such as Dutty Dancing and Player Haters Ball part of his ongoing repertoire, Shantan has also been bringing his impeccable mixes to FBi and Triple J’s airwaves.
Sydney selector and DJ powerhouse Ayebatonye Abrakasa is at the forefront of Sydney’s club scene. Whether behind the decks, back-stage or in the pit, Ayebatonye is reshaping this city’s approach to nightlife, with a focus on inclusivity and intersectionality.
Bringing her world-beating show Sex Clown Saves the World to the Festival of Dangerous Ideas this November, Betty Grumble is equal parts saviour and savant, able to diagnose what is wrong with the world, while also suggesting a helpful remedy.
Two hothouses of local talent, Astral People, and Yours and Owls are coming together this New Years for a very special event. Last Dance, held in a converted warehouse space in the south coast town of Bulli will see these two promoting powerhouses combine for what looks like a New Year’s party unlike any other.
A band that has shot to stardom in the last few years is SAFIA. As festival staples and guaranteed performers, this three piece know how to get the crowd dancing. With a string of hits, nominations and awards for their debut album Internal, and their last single racking up a million streams online, SAFIA is no stranger to success and know how to make a good tune.
Sydney-based artist, dancer and choreographer, Angela Goh, returns to Carriageworks this month for the latest iteration of Uncanny Valley Girl. Having recently returned after performances and residencies in New York, Taipei and Melbourne, Angela’s examination of the interaction between bodies, gender and technology has been widely applauded, and in 2017 she received the FBi SMAC award for best artist.
Kansas is an artist and photographer living in Sydney, Australia. Known for her painterly portraits, we delved into the relationship between art and photography in her work.
Co-director of creative studio St O’Donnell with Chinyama Zuze, Jesse is one of the driving forces behind an outfit that is making its mark on Sydney as an incubator for some of the most diverse and forward thinking talent this city has to offer.
King of the dreamy portrait and lover of a good cowboy hat, Jaycee Mentor is a Sydney-based photographer with a unique eye. We sat down and had a chat with Jaycee about his process, inspiration and his honest thoughts on the fashion industry.
Gareth Liddiard’s wild and tenacious energy has found a new iteration in the form of Tropical Fuck Storm. A founding member of the Drones, Liddiard and a host of other big names such as Fiona Kitschin, Lauren Hammel from High Tension and Erica Dunn from Harmony merged together to form the psychedelic supergroup with an algorithmically unfriendly band name.
An elusive and intriguing artist, Angus Andrew, aka Liars, is a man on a mission. After the break-up of Liars as a band, a move to country NSW and the subsequent breakdown of Andrew’s existing creative process, his new project, 1/1, marks a new era for the artist.
Creators of dreamy funk pop, The Attics are a Melbourne band with dedication. From long haul drives, to long-distance writing process, Cameron Wade from the band lets us in on the antics of this up and coming Melbourne band and their approach to creating and performing their music.
After being thrust into the spotlight following winning Triple J’s Unearthed High competition in 2016, Melbourne-born and based Gretta Ray has shown wisdom and musical clarity beyond her years.
The Paper Kites are currently one of Australia’s leading indie pop bands. After numerous Australian and overseas tours and their 2011 single Bloom gaining Gold status in North America, The Paper Kites have found a loyal worldwide following.
Melbourne’s answer to Lana Del Rey, Gena Rose Bruce, is a new talent to watch. A smoky yet smooth voice with strong country tones smashed together with quirky synth and choice guitar riffs, Gena Rose Bruce’s sound is uplifting and different, which is exactly what the music scene needs.
Frida Las Vegas rocks up to the Kings Cross Hotel in a t-shirt dress featuring her bold and bright Sydney Fringe print, plastered with Ibises, one-way signs, cockatoos and American Excess cards.
This young Scottish lad has been making some serious waves in the last year; touring with big names such as Milky Chance, Sam Smith and Niall Horan around the UK and USA.
Meet the Young Monks, the larrikins from the ACT that manage to encapsulate the perfect tropical vibes despite their landlocked location. This spiritual group of mates have been doing alright for themselves, supporting bands such as Ocean Alley and Saskwatch on tour, as well as racking up the streams on Spotify.
Luca Brasi, the Tasmanian band known for its Godfather-inspired name and being the ‘nice guys’ of the Australian music industry, are set to release their fourth album, Stay, this Friday, June 22.
Preston Oshita, the Chicago born rapper better known as Towkio, is a member of the Savemoney crew, has released music with names like Chance the Rapper and SZA, and is just an all-round cool guy.
Hailing from Melbourne, Angie McMahon is a singer-songwriter making waves in the Australian music scene. With her signature velvety vocals and raw, emotional music hitting home in all the right ways.
A staple member of the Australian music scene, Rowan Dix, AKA Joyride, is one interesting guy. With a crazy resume of past projects and groups, including Spit Syndicate, One Day and the Meeting Tree, Dix decided to go solo in 2017.
Hailing from Brisbane, living in Melbourne - Grace Shaw, a.k.a. Mallrat, is the self-declared “Hannah Montana of the rap game”. With a smooth, uplifting music style that incorporates aspects of hip-hop, pop, electronic and indie genres …
Electronic artist extraordinaire Danny Harley, aka The Kite String Tangle, one of Australia’s favourite electronic producers; a 2017 ARIA nominee and a regular on massive festival line ups both in Australia and overseas.
Crocodylus are hard workers. In just two years, the band of Sydney rockers have toured and gigged prolifically, all the while recording and releasing 2 EP’s and cultivating a massive fan following.
The DMA’s are a band of every day Newtown locals who have taken the world by storm. With a sensitive yet rowdy sound, the DMA’s first gained popularity with their debut single Delete and haven’t stopped providing the serious tunes since.
From body painting, to photography, to painting on designer goods; Boyarde is an artist like no other. The British-based, self-professed Queen of Hermès made a splash on social media after painting one of her trademark pop art designs on a friend’s Birkin bag.
Steadily becoming one of Australia’s most well known punk bands, Brisbane’s critically acclaimed and ARIA award winning DZ Deathrays have released a massive new album and tour dates.
One of the most energetic and raw bands coming out of Melbourne is Press Club, the rock band causing a scene and making some sweet, sweet noise.
Local Sydney trio Display Homes have been subtly making a name for themselves across Sydney’s DIY music venues throughout the past year and a half. Releasing their first EP on London imprint Tough Love Records they’ve been back in the recording studio and are about to grace Jamison’s festival JJ’s Place at The Commune, Waterloo, this Saturday.