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New music incoming.<\/p>\n
As someone who admittedly spends way too much time trawling through Australian music rabbit holes at 2am, lately it feels different. There\u2019s this energy bubbling up across the scene and everyone\u2019s rushing to support local, which isn\u2019t something new but god, it feels good to see it continue. <\/span><\/p>\n Maybe it\u2019s the way genre has become more of a suggestion than a rulebook, or how artists are leaning into their quirks instead of sanding it down for algorithmic approval. <\/span>Many of these artists aren\u2019t \u2018new\u2019 per se, but their creative momentum is growing and I can only see it get bigger and better from here.<\/span><\/p>\n From ethereal bass producers reimagining electronic music\u2019s emotional core, to folk-grunge storytellers mining the depths of dichotomy, 2026 is shaping up as a year where Australian artists are stepping confidently into their own power and honestly, it\u2019s about time we all paid real attention. <\/span>Here are 12 musicians you need on your radar right now.<\/span><\/p>\n Ecca Vandal doesn\u2019t do subtlety and that\u2019s exactly the point. Heavy, loud, and utterly epic, she\u2019s carved out a space where grit meets melodic precision. <\/span>From punk-inflected tracks to ones that lean more experimental, Vandal commands attention with an intensity that feels raw and controlled. After supporting Amyl and the Sniffers<\/a> on their Australian tour, she\u2019s riding momentum that shows no signs of slowing, supporting Deftones alongside Turnstile in Berlin this August.<\/span><\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n There\u2019s something quintessentially Australian about Stella Donnelly; maybe it\u2019s the accent that colours her vocals, or the easy-going yet tough-as-nails energy that runs through her sound. Her latest album, Love and Fortune<\/em> is her most introspective work yet, built around the framework of a friendship breakup<\/a>. She\u2019s always had a knack for balancing warmth with bite, pleasant-natured melodies with unflinching honesty, and this album cycle has cemented her as one of Australia\u2019s most essential songwriters working today.<\/span><\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sisters Kenzie and Laila are bringing high-energy indie rock back with a vengeance. Both classically trained musicians (Kenzie on cello turned guitar, Laila on piano turned drums), they\u2019ve electrified their formal training into fuzzed-out guitars and solid, driving rhythms that feel straight out of the late \u201990s. <\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s a perfect voice for feminine grit here \u2013 an easy, confident pacing that recalls the best of that era\u2019s indie rock. After releasing their debut EP in 2024 and touring relentlessly last year, they\u2019ve built a reputation as a must-see live act. Their sound is immediate and physical, and essential listening for anyone who\u2019s been waiting for rock music to remember how to have fun again.<\/span><\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Veterans of the local post-punk scene, EXEK are a six-piece led by Albert Wolski, with members across Melbourne and Sydney. For over a decade, they\u2019ve turned out hypnotic post-punk built on wiry hooks, quirky synths and angular riffs. Wolski\u2019s deadpan, half-spoken delivery nods to underground alt acts of the past, but there\u2019s something distinctly Melbourne about it. The sound is taut but fluid \u2013 electric synth lines, ascending riffs and propulsive percussion that feels gently euphoric, without ever losing its edge.<\/p>\n With six albums already under their belt, the band are preparing to launch their latest studio release<\/a>, Prove the Mountains Move<\/em>, on February 27, their first with New York label DFA Records. If the early singles are anything to go by, it\u2019s shaping up to be their most expansive yet, with Wolski pulling in flashes of \u201990s pop bangers. It still feels insular and just as cool \u2013 only bigger.<\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Olivia C Dacal possesses one of the most unique and impressive voices you\u2019ll come across, hitting you immediately with dreamy nostalgia while bass soaks up the background. Her work as a singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist blends indie pop, folk, acoustic soul, and RnB into something emotionally grounded yet genre-fluid. <\/span><\/p>\n Layer upon layer of interesting choices stack up; whistles, harmonies, even an omnichord version of her popular track \u2018Lady Love\u2019. Beyond her original releases, she\u2019s built a reputation for creative omnichord covers across jazz and pop, production flips, and reworks that showcase her versatility. She\u2019s featured on NPR\u2019s Tiny Desk Contest Top Shelf<\/a> and sold out her Ones to Watch showcase in London.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Melbourne-based trio Maayan Barnatan, Billie Raffety and Zach Salmon\u2019s singular sound sits at the intersection of trip-hop, IDM, and experimental jazz infused with Dumbhead\u2019s<\/a> signature haunting operatic chorale which you\u2019ll hear echo across their entire discography.<\/p>\n The fusion of those chorales with intricate electronic down-tempo textures and Raffety\u2019s effortlessly intuitively and organic, jazz-trained lead vocals floating above, yet still anchoring, makes for an unmistakably unique sound.<\/p>\n Sure, you can hear the influence from artists like Bj\u00f6rk, Radiohead, Massive Attack, HTRK<\/a>,\u00a0Acopia<\/a> (who Dumbhead opened for in January 2024, in Melbourne), but there\u2019s no question that Dumbhead maintains a distinct, forward-moving identity. You never forget who you\u2019re listening to when you put on their tracks, and if you\u2019re anything like me, you\u2019ll want more.<\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Effortlessly smooth, Kee\u2019ahn delivers the easiest listening as vocal meanders over horn-backed melodies with harmonies to die for. The name derives from a Wik word meaning to sing and dance, a fitting origin for this proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist who honours ancestors through soulful music. Their work weaves lush melodies and words reminiscent of heartbreak and healing. There\u2019s a generosity in the way Kee\u2019ahn approaches songwriting, an openness that invites you in without demanding anything in return. It\u2019s music that sits with you quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fun and sexy girl-pop for dreamers. Second Skin<\/a> is the downtempo\/alt-pop alias of Korean-Australian artist nabii<\/a>, revealing a raw, enigmatic, and intimate side that blends ethereal vocals with moody bass-lines. Stepping away from high-energy dance, this project showcases a more atmospheric and honest side of her artistry, pushing the boundaries of genre and self-expression with confidence. <\/span><\/p>\n Outside her aliases, nabii runs Angel FM<\/a>, a community radio show uplifting femmes and POC femmes in music. With new releases on the horizon, Second Skin is an immersive world worth diving into.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Follow here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ethereal bass is right; Rita Bass sends you straight up to mysterious heavens and rolls you around in a whirl of harmony, driving bass, and layered beats. A producer, DJ and live act, she\u2019s defining her own sound by blending vocal harmonies and synth melodies into a world spanning experimental bass, breakbeat, left-field pop, and ambient electronica. <\/span>Following the release of her debut EP Reimagining<\/em> on Melbourne-based label Night Shop Records in 2025, she\u2019s been steadily building her reputation across the electronic music scene with live performances that showcase her unique approach to ethereal bass.<\/span><\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Milly Strange possesses a beautifully soulful voice that borders on croon, with a soft strength running through it. Her fusion of folk storytelling with the grit of alt-rock and grunge crafts a sound that is both intimate and raw, thriving on contrasts; light and dark, past and present, beauty and unease.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n After releasing her debut EP in 2024 and spending much of last year captivating audiences in Melbourne\u2019s underground alongside Folk Bitch Trio, Tim Rogers (You Am I), The Slingers and Romy Vager, she\u2019s now poised to cast the same spell on international stages.<\/span><\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n A real life siren. Hannah McKittrick\u2019s voice carries a special quality that instantly hushes a room, layered and intentionally tumbling, messy and dissonant in all the right ways. Her exceptional range moves through songs that capture the searing heat of loss and the expansive wave of love with graceful simplicity. Her 2022 alternative-folk album The Day Has Again Bruised Me<\/em> honours atmosphere, connection and truth, and has led to continued touring throughout 2024 and 2025, sharing stages with Angie McMahon, Julia Jacklin and Maple Glider.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Hannah\u2019s most recent single \u2018Crowd scene\u2019, released in August last year, is an unparalleled ambient track about connection, community and eternal love. She said of the track, \u201cMelbourne helps me feel like a person\u201d.<\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Inanna Indigo\u2019s recent single \u2018Honey\u2019 is instantly warm, with heavenly vocals floating over a moving arrangement of strings, simple guitar, piano, and soft percussion. Hailing from the Mornington Peninsula, this captivating band offers a tender blend of soul, jazz, folk, and indie, drawing on influences as varied as RnB, classical, and alternative to create deeply emotional experiences. <\/span><\/p>\n Led by Wotjobaluk frontwoman Indigo Mckeon, they\u2019ve spent the past few years establishing themselves as one of Australia\u2019s most emotive acts, sharing stages with Teenage Dads, Jack Botts, The Grogans, and Riley Pearce. Their sonic landscape is expansive and intimate, inviting listeners into a space where vulnerability meets hope with grace and intention.<\/span><\/p>\n Listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n To discover more new music from local artists, try this<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nDiscover more artists and music we love at FJ\u2019s\u00a0<\/i>Music<\/i><\/a>\u00a0section.<\/i><\/strong><\/h4>\n
Ecca Vandal<\/h3>\n
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Stella Donnelly<\/h3>\n
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Girl Tones<\/h3>\n
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EXEK<\/h3>\n
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Olivia C Dacal<\/h3>\n
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Dumbhead<\/h3>\n
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Kee\u2019ahn<\/h3>\n
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Second Skin<\/h3>\n
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Rita Bass<\/h3>\n
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Milly Strange<\/h3>\n
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Hannah McKittrick<\/h3>\n
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Inanna Indigo<\/h3>\n
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