Eskimo Joe frontman Kav Temperley has released our first taste of his second solo album ‘Machines of Love & Grace’. The newly released single ‘Graduation Day’ sees Kav team up with Little Birdy’s very own Katy Steele for the charming track and its accompanying video that features their hometown of Fremantle. The new album ‘Machines of Love & Grace’ is set for release in September but if you would like a sneak peek, you can catch Kav on his regional tour which kicked off last month and is coming to a town near you. We caught up with Kav on a break in his tour schedule to find out about ‘Graduation Day’, his debut making music videos and the secret shows he plays as Christopher Walkman.

Nick Saady is ‘Amazing’

Nick Saady is a name on the rise not only on the Sydney club scene but across the ever-expanding festival circuit here in Australia. The recent release of his debut single ‘Amazing’ has demonstrated his talent not only as a DJ but as an artist and as a producer as well, so there was lots to talk about when we caught up with Nick recently. We covered everything in our chat, from him getting his first Deck to his recent appearance at the Lunar Electric Festival and everything in between.

Michelle Symes28 July 2022@nicksaady, @lunarelectric, @marlo, @avao, @tiesto

Action !

Sheph.ART & Barry Saleh are no strangers to music releases, the two producers have steadily made a name for themselves in Sydney producing a multitude of talented acts out of their BeatswithSheph studio, including A.Girl, Youngn Lipz, Pistol Pete, & more. Now they have come together for ‘Action’ The two talented hit-makers are debuting their first single as artists in their own right and it’s just the beginning. We caught up with Sheph.ART & Barry and asked them about ‘Action’, the producer vs artists label, and their thoughts on streaming.

Michelle Symes27 July 2022@barrysaleh, @sheph.art, @beatswithsheph, @theweeknd, @kanyewest, @drdre, @jcole, @eminem, @edsheeren

Don’t Panic it’s Nth Rd

Melbourne four piece Nth Rd have just released their debut EP, ‘Panic’, on the 22nd of July. The EP’s first two singles ‘Wearing Thin’ and ‘Worm’ showcased the band’s ability to write incredibly well crafted songs. Drawing influence from a heavier place, Nth Rd arrived at a sound that fused their familiar rock sensibilities with the old school nu metal and metalcore. With the help of producer Christopher Vernon (Better Half, Belle Haven), the band created a collection of tracks that explore feelings of claustrophobia and panic. We got the chance to ask vocalist Jordan Kellaway about ‘Panic’, the anxiety that inspires his writing and that time the rock-core band wanted to be Silverchair.

Michelle Symes22 July 2022@nthrd, @maricmedia, @chrisvernon, @joshuanai

Ellery Cohen releases his Demons

Melbourne alt-pop artist Ellery Cohen has continued to deliver with his new track ‘Demons’. Captivating and catchy, ‘Demons’ is another step up the ladder in Ellery’s rise to fame which came to abrupt halt during the lockdown’s Melbourne was subjected to is now free to soar sky high. We spoke to this genuine, down to earth, and all round nice guy about the new song, his Synthy-Pop sound, and what it’s like to hear yourself while shopping at Kmart.

Queen of the sticks...Kat Greta

The debut single ‘Let It Go’ from dynamic drummer and songwriter Kat Greta which features Melbourne’s Charlie Lane on vocals has been released. ‘Let It Go’ is our first taste of Kat’s impending maiden EP ‘Get Up & Go’ which is due out on the 5th of August. The Queen of the sticks will also be delivering ‘Let It Go’ live in July and August, with Kat launching the single at The Old Bar in Fitzroy on Thursday the 21st of July, and an EP live unveiling at The Workers Club in Fitzroy on the 28th of August. We jumped at the chance to ask this this new-gen rock n roller about the new music, the collaboration with legend Charlie Lane, and that time she took her drum kite for a drive.

It's True Love for Verticoli

Verticoli are a three piece alternative-rock band from Tassie, known for delivering an absolutely killer Alt-Rock live set. ‘True Love’ is the second single from Verticoli’s forthcoming album, but for now the band are embarking on a Single Launch Tour that kicked off in Melbourne on the 15th of July. They kindly interrupted preparations to let us ask them some questions about the meaning of ‘True Love’, the struggles of being an Alt-Rock band in Tasmania, and their loyalty to the music they want to make, like their role models Luca Brasi.

Shannon and the Clams…Just Splendourful

After six studio albums and nearly as many tours of Australia, Shannon & The Clams have a huge catalogue of killer tunes which make for killer live shows. Love Police Touring have gifted us Shannon & The Clams return to Australia this July for appearances on the Love Police Stage at Splendour in the Grass as well as headline shows happening in Melbourne, Sydney and Wollongong. The bands will be showcasing their latest album ‘Year of the Spider’ which was reordered in Nashville just before the American lockdown’s started. Before the shows kick off this week we got the chance to ask Keyboardist Will Sprott about the ‘Year of the Spider’, playing festivals like Splendour in Australia, and what punters can expect from ‘The Clams’ live experience.

The rise of st.james

st.james has released her brand new alt-pop song ‘Aquarius’, the song marks a shift for st.james from her earlier work; but it’s ultimately a brilliant deviation. This rising, multi-talented pop star is determined to keep pushing herself to achieve the things she has dreamed about since she was a little girl. Talking to st.james you instantly see why this breath of fresh air, independent artist is making huge gains. We asked st.james about ‘Aquarius’, the moves she’s made so far, and of course her stint on Byron Baes.

Michelle Symes17 July 2022@st.james, @jackantonoff, @micci, @booseeka

MoveMint, DJ, Producer & Race Car Driver ?

MoveMINT is a well known name as a DJ, Producer, and Writer but did you know he was also a professional race car driver? Nope, neither did we but it was something we learned when we interviewed the Sydney based musician recently. Having worked with the likes of Bliss n Eso, Afrojack, Uberjakd, Alice in Wonderland and Sean Kingston, even if you don’t think so, you have probably heard some of MoveMINT’s creations. We wanted to ask him about who was still on his wish list to work with, how the club scene in Sydney is coming back and his aim to prioritise festivals for a while . Oh and that race car thing!

Michelle Symes15 July 2022@movemint, @ministryofsound, @chrislake, @verablue, @jameshype, @lunarelectric

RIP Youth’s Pride Vibe

Australian-born but now LA-based RIP Youth (songwriter/producer James Maas) has partnered with the worldwide fitness brand, Peloton to deliver an exclusive remix of his single, “It’s A Vibe”, from top DJ/Producer R3HAB. The remix was exclusively premiered during the ‘Pride Live DJ Ride’ at Peloton Studios in New York on the 10th of June. We got the opportunity to talk to RIP Youth about his collaboration with Peloton, how the the R3HAB remix came about and the Playboy party that started it all.

Christian Ruiz from Producer to Artist

Glossy Elecrto-Pop artist and producer Christian Ruiz has released his new single & video ’Miss You’. ‘Miss You’ is Christian’s first single as a solo artist and the music video is the perfect accompaniment to instantly transport you into Christian’s creative world. After Covid forced the successful Hip Hop producer home from LA, Christian decided to finally try his hand at the solo artist dream he had always had. We got to ask Christian about the choice to try the solo thing, the song he chose to release to start of this career and his hopes to collab with the legendary Santana one day

Michelle Symes10 July 2022@christianruiz, @onthemappr, @santana, @joshuamenzel, @liamquinn

The Independent Georgia Fields

The 10th of July sees the official release of Georgia Fields latest single ‘Holding My Hands Out’ and its a song she is incredibly proud of writing. Penned between the birth of her son and the lockdowns in Melbourne, this songs represents two chapters in the life of Georgia Fields and all the parts in between. The independent singer/songwriter/musician is hoping to tour later in the year, which isn’t an easy thing to accomplish as an indie artist, let alone one that has a young family at home. We asked Georgia about touring, her forthcoming album ‘Hiraeth’ due out in November, and the importance of funding for independent artists.

The uplifting sound of m8riarchy

Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Audio Engineer, there is very little that m8riarchy hasn’t mastered in the way of the musical craft and this has only been reinforced with the release of her latest song ‘Body’. Before m8riarchy heads off to join Shouse at Meo Sudoeste in Portugal next month we sat down to have a chat about the beauty she finds in Synthesis, the new single, and the collaboration process she adores.

Citadel

Brisbane progressive-metal band Citadel have released their second single, ‘Parasyte’. A cathartic and stirring track, that details the harrowing slew of emotions guitarist Nat Patterson dealt with during the ending of his engagement, coinciding with the death of a close family member and it is just the begining of the journey for this charismatic Australian band. We threw some questions at band members Nat and Russell to find out more about the formation of Citadel, the new music they are delivering including ‘Parasyte’ and the music that has shaped their lives.

Caravana Sun’s Summer Escape Fest

Sydney band Caravana Sun have always written music with the festival stage in mind, so it was only a natural transition that they would one day create their own festival. Summer Escape Fest is a family friendly, all-ages event happening on the Sunshine Coast this September, and with the support this festival is already receiving you can be sure this will be a regular event added to the festival calendar. MFA wanted to ask the Caravana Sun lads about what inspired them to tackle organising their own festival, and what punters can expect from this solid Australian music line-up.

Michelle Symes6 July 2022@caravanasun, @beehivepr, @summerescapefest, @seasheperd

Let’s get RESTRICTED

Restricted is a name you are going to hear more of as he continues to carve his path in the world of electronic music. Having already collaborated with likes of Dimatik and Savage his ability to create solid dance music is already generating him a solid reputation. As Restricted’s Australia & New Zealand tour is coming to an end we grabbed the chance to ask this rising EDM star a few questions about his tour, what it’s like when big name artists play his music in their sets and the opportunity to play at this year’s massive Lunar Electric Festival.

Michelle Symes5 July 2022@restricted, @lunarelectric, @dimatik, @savage

No losing with CLAUDIO

The latest single from acclaimed artistic alchemist CLAUDIO has been released. Her brand new track ‘Losing You’ is a lavish art pop wonderland glazed with RnB arrangements and tackles the themes of self-sabotage and the subconscious. With the track’s award winning and mesmerising music video, CLAUDIO is proving why she is one of the country’s best kept secrets. MFA got the chance to ask CLAUDIO about ‘Losing You’, the unique ‘Sounds of Sunset’ concert series she has created and the importance of having the right people working on your music.

STONEWAX

STONEWAX is an experimental producer/engineer/musician based on the Sunshine Coast who has set the bar high with the first of his many collaborations to be released over the next months. The first, TGHC (THE GREAT HARMONIC CONVERGENCE) features the angsty flow from Meanjin based MC Roman and was produced by STONEWAX himself at him home studio. With a blend of hip hop and psychedelia, STONEWAX is the ultimate convergence of creative exploration. MKA wanted to ask STONEWAX about the unique sound he is developing, the new song and about the collaborations coming.

Michelle Symes2 July 2022@stonewax, @dannymann, @buenobuenosounds, @mcroman, @micaschettini

Ibazz: The future King of Newy

Newcastle DJ Ibazz has dropped his latest track, a remix of Lost Frequencies ‘Where are you now’ which features Calum Scott and the song is gaining him lots of attention. While Ibazz is not only making his own and remixing music he is also the resident DJ at two of the region’s clubs, King Street & The Argyle House, which gives him the perfect platform to introduce punters to the tunes he is creating. We sat down to ask Ibazz some questions about ‘Where are you now’, the challenges involved in remixing, and the dream of collaborating with Armin van Buuren one day.