Stay up to date with all the Australian music releases from last week with Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s weekly roundup.
Check out the best new music from Aussie acts released between September 15th-21st below!
Budjerah – “Want You Back”
The multiple ARIA Award winner has opened a new chapter with “Want You Back”, his first single of the year. It pays homage to the music of the ’90s and ’00s which Budjerah loved growing up, and is the first taste of the young star’s forthcoming debut album.
“I recorded a demo of this song a few years ago and I couldn’t let it go,” Budjerah says. “I’m so inspired by uptempo music and dance at this point in my life. In many of the hard times I’ve had over the last few years, especially having to take a break from performing, dancing always made me happy.
Winter McQuinn – Where Are We Now?
The third album from Winter McQuinn, Where Are We Now? continues the introspective and environmentally conscious lyricism that he has become known for. The record invites listeners to dig inwards and ponder our existence and what it means to live a fulfilling life on this earth. McQuinn and his friends ask us to pause and consider: where are we heading?
Larissa Lambert – Chronosick
Larissa Lambert’s highly anticipated second EP showcases her versatility, as she seamlessly blends vulnerable lyricism with genre-defying production, moving between soulful ballads, moody R&B, and hard-hitting club anthems. Promising to be her most personal and sonically evolved project yet, the tone of Chronosick is set by lead single “Hurts Anymore”.
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Cry Club – “This, Forever”
Heather Riley and Jonathan Tooke’s Cry Club have shared a nostalgia-loaded and sonically lush rallying cry. It’s a resoundingly political “tough-love” song bathed in warm, rich textures and hopeful, reassuring lyricism. It speaks to the push-and-pull feeling “of disagreeing with people you love about something you all care extremely deeply about,” as vocalist Riley shares.
Juno Mamba / Rino – “Citrus”
Producers Juno Mamba and Rino have once again joined forces to drop a dynamic new single “Citrus”. Alongside the single, the pair have unveiled their forthcoming 4-track EP Flowerdrum, due October 17th. What began as a chance one-off meeting quickly evolved into a full project with its own identity, born from their instant creative connection and shared cultural parallels. Both artists draw inspiration from their childhoods, and with Flowerdrum they aim to celebrate and champion their Asian heritage across sound, artwork, and visuals.
Charlie Pittman – okay.again?
Charlie Pittman’s second EP is cyclical in nature, intentionally telling a specific story. Beyond lyrical threads, the tracks shares DNA and fade into each other. It’s led by the latest single, “how i feel?”.
“It’s like the cycle of relationships, so with the title I wanted that double meaning. It’s like, you’re OK again, but also, OK, I’m really going to go through this whole thing again?” Pittman says. “The whole EP is focused on relationships, which is different to what I’ve done before. A lot of my other songs I take from different parts of my life, but these are about the arc from one relationship ending to another one beginning.”
Ocean Alley – Love Balloon
Ocean Alley have entered a new era with the release of Love Balloon, their fifth studio album and the follow-up to 2022’s Low Altitude Living. The six-piece, comprising Baden Donegal (vocals), Angus Goodwin (guitar), Lach Galbraith (keys/vocals), Mitch Galbraith (guitar), Tom O’Brien (drums), and Nic Blom (bass), recorded the collection in three stages, over roughly two months, working for the first time with Nick DiDia, an all-time great in the rock space, a producer who has worked with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Rage Against the Machine, and Powderfinger.
Mouseatouille – DJ Set
The Melbourne nine-piece collective have returned with their third album, which was recorded haphazardly, using whatever equipment was available and employing a “learn-as-you-go” approach to composition and arrangement. Through endless rehearsals and recording sessions in a garage, a sharehouse kitchen, and a parent’s lounge room, Mouseatouille synthesised the care and precision of orchestral arrangement with the spontaneity and carelessness of getting together with your friends to make music simply because it’s fun.
Kee’ahn – “At Least for Now”
The latest taste off Kee’ahn’s forthcoming album for me for you x, “At Least for Now” was written in the aftermath of heartbreak. It finds the singer reflecting on the tension between holding into love and learning to let go.
“I wrote this one about a breakup. I felt unheard, like the love I had to give wasn’t being received. I wanted to fast forward through the pain and arrive at healing, but it takes time. The love I felt is still strong within me. I just need to honour it in memory, in what I give to others, and in how I nurture myself,” she shares.
Atlas Franklin Alexander – “Dolphins”
Painting a sonic universe equal parts dreamy, ethereal, and fluid, Atlas Franklin Alexander’s new single “Dolphins” takes full flight with an elusive accompanying music video. It finds Alexander channelling elements of Massive Attack, Radiohead, The Smiths, and Brian Eno, seamlessly capturing a rare moment of connection that transcends time and space in a modern setting.
Thornhill – “Mercia”
Equal parts searing and sorrowful, Thornhill’s new single “Mercia” continues the visceral emotional streak of the band’s most recent album, BODIES, whilst holding the line as a stand alone release and a testament to the band’s perpetual commitment to pushing their artistic boundaries.
Chillinit – “Lost for Words”
Rap powerhouse Chillinit is back with an emotive new single, “Lost for Words”, accompanied by a stunning, cinematic music video that showcases the artist like never before. The song captures the emotional duality at the heart of his artistry, the relentless drive that built his empire and the raw emotion that fuels his evolution.
“This song is for anyone who’s been lost for words — whether in love, in business or in life. Sometimes we don’t have the words, only actions and discipline,” he says. “This is my evolution. My duty to all you fans, my family and to myself to give you the best me. This is Chapter One of plenty to come this year.”
Mia Wray / Gabrielle Aplin – “Ghost in My Machine”
Mia Wray has teamed up with fellow pop singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin for a re-recording of her song “Ghost in My Machine”, which featured on her debut album hi, it’s nice to meet me earlier this year.
“I’m still pinching myself that I have been lucky enough to collaborate with such a brilliant writer that is Gabrielle Aplin,” Wray reflects. “I’ve looked up to her artistry since I was 14 years old. To have her feature on this song that we wrote together is incredibly special and something I will cherish for a long time.”
Max Jackson – “1990 Somethin’”
The multiple Golden Guitar winner’s latest single is a rollicking, throwback-inspired anthem. In it, she name drops her favourite ’90s artists, including Shania Twain, Alan Jackson, and Joe Diffie.
She says she was inspired when standing side stage watching Zach Top play at CMC Rocks earlier this year: “I was hearing the music and looking at the crowd and I felt like there were less iPhones in the air and that 90’s nostalgia was brand new & beautiful. My songs have always been inspired by the music that I grew up on; but we just turned it up a notch on this one!”
WILSN – “Big Star”
The final preview of her forthcoming album Bloom, “Big Star” puts razor-sharp wit centre stage, as WILSN takes aim at an ex-partner’s inflated ego and underwhelming reality. After establishing the chord progression with longtime guitarist Steven Veale, WILSN allowed the track to sit untouched and ruminate for several days.
The breakthrough came during a two-hour flight to a performance, where the melody and lyrics crystallised mid-flight. “I hummed it out in near silence, the only noise being the plane engines and it just clicked. It was basically written above the clouds,” she explains.
TEENS – NEGATIVE ENERGY
Tasmania’s favourite noisy post-punks have released their highly anticipated second album. The trio of Shawn Arnold (vocals/guitar/synth/percussion), Alex Daven (drums/percussion), and Jono Tate (vocals/bass/organ), open the album with their two singles “Like An Animal” and “Shallow Grave”.
Birdz / Fred Leone – GIRA
Proud Butchulla men Birdz and Fred Leone’s EP GIRA, meaning “fire” in their native tongue, has finally been released. The EP includes previous singles “Wanya Nyin Yanmanj” and “Brother” as well as new single “Migaloo”.
Birdz says: “GIRA is about keeping the fire alive. For our families, for our Mob and for the generations coming after us. As cousins and long-time collaborators, Fred and I came together to create something unapologetically us, rooted in Butchulla culture and truth-telling.”
Bliss n Eso – “’23 ‘Til Infinity”
Hip-hop heavyweights Bliss n Eso’s latest track “’23 ‘Til Infinity” gives another taste of their upcoming ninth studio album The Moon (The Dark Side), due out this week. A heartfelt reimagining of Souls of Mischief’s iconic classic “’93 ‘Til Infinity”, the song pays tribute while also digging deep into Bliss n Eso’s own story. It’s a love letter to the culture: past, present, and the uncharted future the group continues to carve out.
Great Job! – Love and Feel Love
The emo-infused debut album from Great Job! follows a cathartic journey through self-analysis, battles with mental health, and finding your place in the world. It sees the band at their most sincere, toeing the line between punk-infused crowd chants and moments of unfiltered tenderness.
As vocalist Charlie Hollands confesses: “The whole album essentially revolves around a question I ask myself every day: ‘My life is good, isn’t it? I’m living comfortably with the person I love, so why am I so sad?’”
Aleksiah – “Punch Drunk Love”
Following hits “Clothes Off” and “The Hit”, Aleksiah’s latest single combines her trademark honest pop with ’80s synth. “Punch Drunk Love” takes place on a night out where the club is the last place you want to be. With feel-good ’80s production and an irresistible beat, Aleksiah finds the strength to keep on dancing while the world falls apart around her. Touching on the importance of mental health and queer spaces, “Punch Drunk Love” is comforting yet invigorating, with a healthy dose of self-deprecation.
Ruel – “The Suburbs”
The music video for Ruel’s new single “The Suburbs” has dropped. In the Sydney-shot video, he’s growing old in a quiet suburban life. It’s a stark contrast to the young star’s rapid-paced life.
Explaining the tone of “The Suburbs”, he says: “It’s been pretty daunting to offer up this level of honesty in my songwriting but seeing the way it’s already connected so personally with fans has calmed my ‘pre-album’ nerves in a huge way.”
These New South Whales – “GODSPEED”
These New South Whales have released the title track off their upcoming album GODSPEED, out in November. The track forms the sonic backbone of the album, which pulls from an even broader church of influences compared to previous bodies of work.
These New South Whales have always straddled the line between harsh reality and comic relief, but they have never betrayed their values or the genre’s anti-establishment ethic. GODSPEED, they explain, is as personal as it is politically charged.
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