Category Archives: australian

Jess Harlen – Park Yard Slang (2012 LP)

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She’s toured worldwide with renowned Australian roots reggae band Blue King Brown (as their former backing singer) but this year Jess Harlen has decided to focus on her own music, cooking up some fresh new tracks.

Park Yard Slang is the second album by the Melbourne based artist which was released on March 30, 2012 through Obese Records. It is evident that there has been a significant shift of events in Harlen’s music since the release of Neon Heartache, 2011 LP (through Plethora Records).

Both albums were produced by renowned award-winning producer, Plutonic Lab. Therefore with the collaboration of two talented musicians bringing out a string of various skills – not to mention Harlen’s sweet and soothing voice, it was anticipated that we’d have sheer quality. And that’s what we got!

The opening and aptly titled track “Get Ready” is an appropriate introductory song to the album. With enticing vocals and the catchy beat it is already ample to draw the listener into further exploration of Park Yard Slang. Title track “Park Yard Slang” is a nice transition maintaining the slow tempo before “Weaving”. Here the tempo slightly builds up leading into jaunty, upbeat rock style track “Let You Down”, the first single released off the album. Reggae, dancehall influenced “Plantation” features Melbourne based reggae artist RuCL.

“Colliding” is a romanticised ‘feel good’ song that seems to depict the themes of patience and beauty. “Reach Home” is an emotive; melancholic yet encouraging and promising song about being courageous, facing present fears and of the past, insecurities and worries in order to overcome them. Harlen switches to the ukulele where the listener is gently lullabied with “Day Dreamer”, followed by another encouraging and humbling track, “Up To Me”.

Then follows “Beautiful Struggle” which illustrate life as full of love, pain, disappointment and change but also encourages the listener to accept it as inevitable as it is – a beautiful struggle. One is encouraged to take the responsibility of moving forward. Finally, one could say that “Silence” is another aptly titled track to top off the album.

Overall, Harlen maintains humility in her songwriting, which are personal reflections that people can relate to. It’s a courageous and great thing to see that there is more experimentation with the incorporation of different instruments and a variety of genres including soul, acoustic, reggae, dancehall and rock influences, producing something fresh and versatile to listen to. Harlen is definitely an artist to look out for this year!

Park Yard Slang is available on iTunes, JB Hi-Fi stores and other good music stores.

Review Score: 9 out of 10

Jess Harlen’s ‘Park Yard Slang’ Tour 2012

For more information visit www.facebook.com/JessHarlenMusic

*As originally appeared on The AU Review.

The Australia Day All Aussie FUNK MIX By DJ Kinetic

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SOS Podcast #12 – The Australia Day All Aussie FUNK MIX By DJ Kinetic

Happy Australia Day kids, hope you enjoy this ALL Aussie funk mixup by local DJ, Radio presenter and crate digger Dj Kinetic.

Since stumbling across the ‘Respect Overdue’ compilation that Creative Vibes put out some years ago, I have been hot on the trail of rare and interesting funky music recorded in Australia, my own backyard. The following mix is a testament to my love of local flavors, and a bit of a poke at people who don’t think Aussies can be funky. This mix includes some of my favorites, some of my discoveries, and a couple of very, very rare numbers. I wanted to make it seamless, but time was a factor in putting this together. Still, for the most part I’ve managed to get tracks to blend into each other. Let me know what you thought! –

Dj Kinetic.

(dj_kinetic@hotmail.com)

Catch Kinetic playing at The Hive Bar in Erskinville Rd Sunday 6th Feb..

SOULFIRE  is a little local shin dig that consists of locaal soul/funk record nerds showin off their stuff downstairs whilst there is some blaxploitation fillems bein played upstairs. Its at the notorious hive bar in erko where the food is good , beers are all local, and the staff are always nude(or thats how i remember its a 6 pm kickoff and its FREE!

More Info @ Facebook

Contact: dj_kinetic@hotmail.com

Check out more by DJ Kinetic

Aussie Funk Blog
Tonic Lounge Write Up
DJ Kinetic Blog

Tracklisting:

  1. Ariel I’ll be gone
  2. Ayers Rock Crazy Boys
  3. Sue Barker Love to the people
  4. Manteca Watermelon man
  5. Don Burrows The Tasman Connection
  6. David fennell Really stuck on you
  7. Purple Velvet As long as I can see the light
  8. Radio spot Marijuana warning
  9. Doug Ashdown I’ve come to save the world
  10. David Liebman The opal hearted Aborigine
  11. Arena The Long One
  12. Galapagos Duck St James Infirmary
  13. Leong Lau City Blues
  14. George Golla The Dancers
  15. Quincy Conserve Common man
  16. Quasar Zeitgeist
  17. Underdogs It’s a blessing
  18. John Cadman Trio Humpin’
  19. Golden Horn Big Band Corazon
  20. Billy Thorpe Back on the streets again
  21. Salty Dog Born to boogie
  22. Chris Williams Born to get down
  23. Hot City Bump Band It’s just begun
  24. Friends Freedome train
  25. 12th Man vocal snippet

Blood’s Thicker Than Water: Sydney Hip Hop QLD Floods Relief Gig Feat. Cold Crush,DJ Frenzie(Groove Therapy),Mathmatics,Shantan Wantan Ichiban(Stolen Records)

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Blood’s Thicker Than Water: Sydney Hip Hop QLD Floods Relief Gig

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Sydney Hip Hop Artists Unite for QLD Flood Relief Gig

WEDNESDAY 19th January @ Tone.

Sydney Hip Hop is banding together to put on a fundraiser for victims of the Queensland Floods – some of which have family or friends directly affected, and jumped at the chance to help out.

Blood’s Thicker Than Water will feature a special appearance from Melbourne‘s Briggs (Golden Era) and a stellar line-up of Sydney hip hop acts including Ozi Batla (Elefant Traks), Spit Syndicate (Obese), Dialectrix (Obese), That’s Them (LookUP), The Last Kinection (BlackChili Productions/ Elefant Traks), HorrowShow (Elefant Traks) and Thundamentals (Obese).

DJs Frenzie, Josie Styles, Jaytee, Cold Crush, Mathmatics (with Robotek B-Boys) & Shantan Wantan Ichiban will be rocking the dancefloor.

Hosted by The Tongue and Kween G (Killaqueenz).

All proceeds from door sales and donations will be donated to the ‘Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal’ (www.qld.gov.au/floods).

So if you’ve been looking for a way to help our brothers and sisters across the border, look no further and come down to Tone on Wednesday night to help us raise the roof off the sucka!

What: Blood’s Thicker Than Water (Sydney Hip Hop QLD Floods Relief Gig)
Where: Tone – 16 Wentworth St, Surry Hills
When: Wed 19th January 7pm-3am+
How much: $20 donation on the door. However, we do encourage you to consider donating $30, $40, $50…. Every little bit helps and we have a massive night in store for you. We even have a very special doorperson with the one and only Urthboy taking up the collection duties!!! So dig deep!!!

*Artwork kindly produced by ThirdHalf Design*

*** SET TIMES ***
7 – 7:50pm DJ FRENZIE
8 – 8:20pm THAT’S THEM
8:30 – 8:50pm THE LAST KINECTION
9 – 9:20pm THUNDAMENTALS
9:30 – 9:50pm SHANTAN WANTAN ICHIBAN
10 – 10:20pm HORRORSHOW
10:30 – 10:50pm SPIT SYNDICATE
11 – 11:20pm OZI BATLA
11:30pm – 12am DJ MATHMATICS + Robotek B-Boys
12.10 – 12:30am DIALECTRIX
12.40 – 1am BRIGGS
1:10 – 2:10am COLDCRUSH
2:10 – 3am DJ Jaytee

JOSIE STYLES will be spinning on changeovers

NOTE: All live performances will be STRICTLY limited to 20 mins each

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