Jane Walker Releases New Single ‘Wondering Why’
"Jane Walker Releases New Single ‘Wondering Why’"
One of our new artists just added to the playlist.
When a new batch of songs emerged for Sydney singer/songwriter Jane Walker, it was like some fresh wind blowing through everything, filling her with confidence.
“I thought this is me being honest, getting real, and I just got really excited,” says Walker, who suddenly found the sophisticated soul pop songs, with touches of jazz, coming in a rush. Deeply personal songs, like what would become the first single from her next album, Wondering Why.
“Wondering Why is about meeting my husband and feeling happy with him. It’s very close to the bone, it’s my story, [showing] I’ve got the intensity and the focus to go there and ask what’s my truth?”
The wind blew further, into her work co-creating Cockatoo Kids, a children’s music group whose songs emerged from the same burst of creativity that produced Wondering Why: “Songwriting these days feels liberating and fun and I’m just loving it.”
Backing her on the new recordings are typically classy contributions from cross genre specialists like the rhythm section of Hamish Stuart and James Haselwood, Stu Hunter on keyboards, and co-producer/mixer Neal Sutherland.
Having already written with Chris Difford of Squeeze and Adam Levy (Norah Jones) and worked with the likes of The Cruel Sea’s James Cruickshank, producers Steve James and Barbara Griffin, Indigenous group Street Warriors and Bobby Flynn on her debut, Walk Gently, Walker knows that “working with such talented musicians lifts my level and stimulates me as an artist and gives me that freedom to go for it.”
What also stimulates this ambassador for Ocean Recovery Alliance is connecting deeply with the water and the land of her native Australia – after beginning her career in London (where she joined Radiohead and Massive Attack on a new music album) and missing home.
“More and more I aim to live in the present moment, and find when I’m there, nature rushes in,” says Walker. “[Then] things start to flow and I can write a song.”
Stream Wondering Why here:
Official Video:
Link Tree:
Connect with Jane Walker:
Fiona Joy Hawkins and Rebecca Daniel Present Heavenly Voices
"Fiona Joy Hawkins and Rebecca Daniel Present Heavenly Voices"
Australian musicians Fiona Joy Hawkins and Rebecca Daniel team up once again to create a remarkable acoustic new age album titled Heavenly Voices. Recorded and mixed by Grammy-nominated producer Cookie Marenco and released under Marenco’s own label Blue Coast Records, Heavenly Voices sounds close and present. The entirety of the album was performed live in Blue Coast’s Extended Sound Environment (E.S.E.) and recorded straight to DSD256 (1). Expert recording techniques combined with the high definition audio bring to life every rich keystroke and string vibration. Heavenly Voices is a testament to what great musicianship and audio engineering can accomplish.
Pianist Fiona Joy Hawkins has won several awards including Album of the Year by Zone Music Rewards, Best New Age Album by Independent Music Rewards, and her song “Grace” was featured on a Grammy Award winning album in 2014 (2). Violinist Rebecca Daniel has performed around the world. The Australian Chamber Orchestra in Sydney invited her to join their ranks where she held duties as the Orchestra Leader for several of their productions (3). Both virtuoso in their own right, together Hawkins and Daniel make for an incomparable team.
Hawkins’ pensive piano playing lays the foundation for Daniel’s expressive violin work. Listeners will become immersed in the evocative melodies and harmonies, where the piano and violin have their own emotions that they wish to convey. Tracks such as “Sugar Plum Ghost,” “The Lightness of Dark,” and the title song “Heavenly Voices” also feature Hawkins’ and Daniel’s voices, adding a greater ethereal element. Though every part was performed live, much of the album sounds other-worldly, as though Hawkins and Daniel are pulling back the curtain to reveal a glimpse into the afterlife. In a way, Heavenly Voices is a lament. It evokes feelings of grief and loss, though not without a ray of hope, as if the very impermanence that causes our mourning is also the source of beauty upon which we gaze.
Expertly crafted in composition, performance, and production, Heavenly Voices is an album that fans of contemporary classical music will not want to miss. We’re sure once you hear the music this will be a MUST HAVE!
This is how the piano and violin were meant to sound!
Julie-Anne Marshall releases positive and uplifting single Good Feeling
"Julie-Anne Marshall releases positive and uplifting single Good Feeling"
A feel good song can lift the spirits and that is exactly what the latest song from singer-songwriter Julie-Anne Marshall does.
Its light, bright and breezy sunshine pop.
It makes you feel like you are driving along a country road with the window down, friends in the car on a warm afternoon heading to the beach or doing a road trip.
Its about the sun being higher in the sky as summer approaches and winter is left behind as a distant memory.
Its about moving through challenging times and coming out the other side still hopeful.
Just added to playlist as track 1 cause we love it!!
Check Out Good feeling right now and get the positive vibes
Connect with Julie-Anne
ChIPS through ‘We Wrote That’ release single Wake Up Call
"ChIPS through ‘We Wrote That’ release single Wake Up Call"
In June 2021, members of Sydney Children’s Hospital Network’s Chronic Illness Peer Support group [or “ChIPS”], jumped on a Zoom call with singer-songwriter Luke Escombe to talk about their shared experiences of living with a chronic health condition.
The result was a relevant and telling high energy single – WAKE UP CALL which was premiered on Youtube today Friday 6th August and ramped up to over 1500 views in only a few days.. Click below for the link:
Heres the latest review from Triple J Unearthed Music Director Dave Ruby Howe:
ChIPS is a peer support program that runs across Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network for young people aged 12-25 years who are living with a chronic illness or condition that affects their day-to-day lives. The aim of the program is to connect young people with shared experiences and provide them with opportunities for developing leadership and life skills through workshops, advocacy, creative projects, program planning and public speaking. Through these activities and relationships they develop confidence, wellbeing, self-esteem and decrease social isolation. Above all, ChIPS is about creating a community and having fun with new friends. The program is run by young people for young people.
What emerged most strongly from the conversation was the common frustration they felt at not being listened to by the adults in their lives; at being told “you should do this” or “you need to do this” or being made to feel that they were helpless, incapable or in need of fixing.
The ChIPS members also spoke about “the mask” they felt compelled to wear in society in order to appear “normal”, and how exhausting and lonely it is to live behind. Escombe, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at the age of fourteen, could relate to these feelings directly.
The result of their conversation is “Wake Up Call” – an angry, articulate and infectiously catchy song that asks people to think twice before offering unwanted advice. If you want to help, the song states, just LISTEN.
Beyond the words, “Wake Up Call” also showcases the eclectic mix of talents in this group, from Sky Boe’s powerful lead vocals to Batu’s Turkish rap breakdown. For some of the ChIPS members, the recording session (at Free Energy Device, Sydney, with producer Michael McGlynn) was also the first time they’d met one another in real life.
“Wake Up Call” came about through an initiative called “We Wrote that”, conceived by Escombe – the creator and frontman of ARIA-nominated kids band The Vegetable Plot – and fellow musician and children’s performer Ben Thatcher, as an artistic means to give voice to young people living with disability and chronic health conditions. Funding came from Accessible Arts and Create NSW.
ChIPS – Wake Up Call is out NOW August 6th through Foghorn/MGM
Download or stream:
“We Wrote That” – Website
https://wewrotethat.com.au/
Connect with Luke Escombe:
Jessie-May Kitchen releases new single Quirky
"Jessie-May Kitchen releases new single Quirky"
Imagine being born one day on another planet.
Everybody on this planet was given detailed instructions and knowledge of how to speak the language and how the world works. The entire planet is designed for everybody’s relaxation, socialisation, and comfortability.
Everyone but yours.
Growing up it felt like I was ostracised by the entire world. I felt like I was a literal alien and didn’t belong. The loneliness that never leaves you, leads to years of questioning the why. Am I the protagonist of a movie to be mocked by an invisible audience? Am I the butt of some cosmic joke? This is the life of a neurodivergent child. This is me. A pop single written with my entire heart from the perspective of a neurodivergent individual trying to navigate a neurotypical world.
I was called many things when I was young – freak, loner, weirdo. It never truly stopped, but the language did shift as I got older, once difference became more socially acceptable. Instead of calling me a weirdo on the playground, I would always get the sceptical phrase, “haha… you are.. QUIRKY… Aren’t you…?”
The relief and confidence I felt when discovering I’m okay, I’m not broken – my brain just works differently, was life changing! I hope Quirky can bring representation, comfort and celebration to the wonderful neurodivergent community. Branching further into the pop genre is something I’ve always wanted to do and Quirky was the perfect chance to do it!
Quirky contains fast paced electronic beats, funky bass, whacky harmonies and the message – it never hurt to be Quirky! I want to thank Jordan for the electronic instrumentals, Russel Pilling and Andrew Beck for recording, mixing and mastering this project and of course Marshall Cullen for producing and always believing in me.
Song Description
This is a new more pop direction for Jessie May Kitchen. Up-tempo, programmed backing, ‘quirky’ keys, bass and guitar and some very ‘now’ vocal fx all go together to make this song a real winner for pop radio.
Jessie May Kitchen – Quirky is out NOW through Foghorn/MGM
Download or stream:
Connect with Jessie-May Kitchen:
Margaret Anne and the Rock It Man release their debut album Soul Laid Bare
"Margaret Anne and the Rock It Man release their debut album Soul Laid Bare"
The debut album ‘Soul Laid Bare’ is released today following a series of singles, sold out launch and various radio spots including Todays Country.
The album includes the duet ‘The Ones You Love’, co-written and sung with 13 times Golden Guitar winner Luke O’Shea, the custom song ‘White Haze’ and those written with Shane Nicholson, Gretta Ziller and Allison Forbes. It is an exciting blend of Americana, sweeping through sounds from Country, Roots and Blues to Grooving Funk and Rock.
Recording and production were performed at Noisy Trout Productions in Sydney, Australia, with the genius, multi-instrumentalist and producer Doug Weaver (aka The Rock It Man). Reviews of already released songs which appear on the album confirm Margaret’s influences coming from Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Patti Smith combined with the production styles of Fleetwood Mac and ELO – lush, loaded with diversity and consistent high level of musicianship.
Having always had a natural affinity for music, Margaret Anne started playing classical piano as a child before traveling to the far reaches of Tibet and Asia, South and North America, Africa, and Europe.
Drawing from her vast life experience, Margaret Anne has honed her talent as singer/songwriter over the years. She later teamed up with the multi-instrumentalist, producer and Mythbusters screenwriter Doug Weaver, to write and produce the album ‘Soul Laid Bare’.
Although they receive creative inspiration from Country, Roots and Blues, Margaret Anne and the Rock It Man combine a variety of compositional elements to form their unique sound. To date there are five singles in their online discography. Some of their most popular tracks include the likes of ‘White Haze’ a custom track written for USA ski hall of fame Extreme Skier Dan Egan, ‘Don’t Look Back’, co-written with Shane Nicholson, ‘Soul Laid Bare’ and ‘Cabin Boy’. With a growing number of followers and listeners, there is no denying the fact that Margaret Anne is developing a dedicated following of loyal fans.
Sold out album launch at Beaches Thirroul:
Download or stream the album Out NOW July 2nd via MGM:
Connect with Margaret Anne:
https://linktr.ee/margaretannesmusic
Julie-Anne Marshall releases new single SHIFT
"Julie-Anne Marshall releases new single SHIFT"
Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Julie-Anne Marshall has just released her 8thsingle “SHIFT”.
The song has an 80’s soft rock feel with earthy vocals and it touches upon the topic of superficial lifestyle choices.
As an artist Julie-Anne has an ‘ease’ about her, as she goes whereever the song takes her, moving in between as well as fusing genres.
As a songwriter, her songs are lyric driven, melodic, simple and with a bit of sass.
Julie-Anne first started recording and releasing from her home town of Adelaide and now with her move to Melbourne has found the opportunities for collaborations and the fresh vibe of a new city has inspired her writing and performing even further.
Soundslikecafe has been supporting Julie-Anne’s work from the get go and her songs always receive a very warm welcome across the cafe network.
Check Out Julie-Anne Marshall’s new single SHIFT
Connect with Julie-Anne
The DK Effect release their Debut Album ‘Moving Time’
"The DK Effect release their Debut Album ‘Moving Time’"
This Deep South(Tasmanian) Soul and Blues band release their debut album and premiere of their new video courtesy of scenestr
The DK Effect are an 8-piece original funk, soul and gospel-infused RnB band from Australia’s deep south (Tasmania). Fronted by the powerful yet exquisite vocal and focal trinity (Crystal Campbell, Ruby Austin-Lund and Belle Richardson) the band’s material focuses on storytelling, melody and harmony, and is saturated with the passion and polyrhythmic ‘call and response’ vocal synchronicity of gospel music. The band: Randal Muir (keys), Aleks Folvig (guitar and vocals), Al Tolond (drums), David Johnstone (bass) and Jed Adams (sax) deliver grooves as deep as a freshly pressed 45.
Songwriter, David Johnstone had been content to satisfy his passion for writing and recording in sheltered isolation but following the illness of a close friend he reluctantly acknowledged that life is a ‘one-time only offer’. He began the Mama K project. Mama K and the Big Love release their ‘Blind’ album in 2017. The album received rave reviews including 4.5 stars from the Sydney Moring Herald. At this time David had the amazing good fortune to be introduced to Crystal Campbell. Her innate musicality and perfect interpretation of his ideas took each new song to a soulful new level. They quickly formed an enduring, productive and creative relationship.
Having been born on Kiribati in the South Pacific, Crystal was adopted and raised in Tasmania. She is also an accomplished singer songwriter with soul music running through her veins, and as with the African-American originators of soul, she has a sense of identity, culture, consciousness, pride and an unbreakable bond to her homeland.
Crystal and Ruby were together in an all-female band called The Duchesses and formed a great musical relationship and friendship. Ruby is from Northern Tasmania and completed a Bachelor of Music with Honours in Songwriting. She is also an accomplished keyboardist and has always had a love for soul music.
Ruby met Belle (also from Northern Tasmania) at the Conservatorium of Music where Belle is currently studying music, specialising in Blues, Funk, RnB and Gospel. As well as The DK Effect, she also sings with the soul band Belle’s Boys.
The vocal trio have an undeniable chemistry that radiates the authentic early soul / funk power and vulnerability of the genres pioneers, which allows them to reflect the full range of emotion and meaning embedded in every lyric and groove of The DK Effect repertoire.
Though the band was originally formed purely as a recording entity, there has been an overwhelmingly positive audience reaction from every DK Effect performance at venues including MONA (Museum of Old and New Art), The Moonah Arts Centre, Kickstart Arts and the iconic Republic Bar, establishing their reputation as an exciting and dynamic live band.
A selection of the band’s material has been captured on their debut recording – ‘Moving Time’, which has been expertly mastered by Grammy Award winning, Dave Darlington (Bass Hit Recording, NYC), and accurately presents their organic and authentic, early funk and soul sound.
The album was recorded and mixed in Hobart, Tasmania using vintage gear, 4 mics and a whole lot of enthusiasm. We wanted to capture the natural sound of the band so you’ll find NO fancy production techniques, NO auto-tune and NO midi on these recordings. Just the band, performing the songs – the way we do live…
The original plan was to release a 5-track EP, but got carried away and ended up recording a 10 track album!
Album Trailer
Moving Time single official video:
Song journey from rehearsal, to gig, to album release:
Clink on the album below to Stream/Download from your preferred service:
Connect with The DK Effect:
Anya Alchemy releases her second single ‘For You’
"Anya Alchemy releases her second single ‘For You’"
Soundslikecafe is proud to feature this outstanding new young artist, well worthy of support.
17-year-old Anya Alchemy is a gritty singer-song writer from the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.
Anya first erupted into the music scene with her debut single ‘Home’ featuring popular Australian rapper Pez.
Home drew attention to the protection of childhood innocence in the face of threats
including underage marriage, child labour and violence.
Anya Alchemy is now releasing her second single, ‘For You’, a heart-grasping, acoustic track—
exploring a collective history of one-sided love stories—recounting a narrative built from a collage of heartbreak.
Employing an articulate and polyphonic atmosphere of melodic guitars and string quartets, Anya has created a piece that
perfectly embodies the emotional build-up of this supercut of doomed romances. The minimalist lyric style cuts to the core
and plucks the heart strings, perfectly complimented by her intimate delivery.
perfectly embodies the emotional build-up of this supercut of doomed romances. The minimalist lyric style cuts to the core
and plucks the heart strings, perfectly complimented by her intimate delivery.
Anya is sure to become a rising star in Australian Music with her upcoming releases, but for now join her for a deep
and heartfelt experience lined with nostalgia as you listen to ‘For You’.
Stream the single:
Connect with Anya Alchemy:
