BIGSOUND 2019: Ableton x Noisegate Artists to Watch – Part 1

There’s an overwhelming amount of music happening at BIGSOUND 2019, 150 artists convene on Fortitude Valley from September 3 to September 6, hoping to impress punters and industry bigwigs alike. To help you navigate the sonic assault, along with our friends at Ableton we’ve selected 16 artists you should probably check out. Here’s the first 5.

Milan Ring

Obviously we’re going to give a shout out to the artist that’s appearing in Noisegate’s presentations with Ableton (see here for more info), but hear us out — or ideally, listen to the below. Milan Ring’s an incredible talent that deftly weaves her unique vocal delivery in with electronic instrumentation as well as traditional, creating a sound that’s part pop, part R&B, part hip hop. This multi-talented Sydney-sider does it all herself (including the recording and mastering), we can’t wait to hear her walk us through her songwriting and recording process.

Luboku

This Melbourne producer combines warm and sultry house music and its four-on-the-floor bones with a structured sensibility that builds an emotional and euphoric narrative.  It’s deceptively complex, experimental, textural, chock-full of different instrumentation and sampling — and ultimately — very easy on the ears. One to watch.

Hemm

Hemm make breath-taking ambient pop music. Minimal, stark, haunting, beautifully constructed and wonderfully unique, their tracks are works of art. If you want to feel some feelings, we highly recommend you check this Melbourne duo out.

Tobacco Rat

The previous three picks have all, in their own way, been skilled at writing beautiful music. Tobacco Rat is a little different. Sitting somewhere between post-dubstep, trap and industrial, it’s god damn heavy. Gritty, distorted synths swirl around your head while Tobacco Rat pushes the bass frequencies into unexpected realms of weirdness. Crazy stuff. Catching this on a big sound system would be an experience.

LÂLKA

LÂLKA produces bold sparkling electro-pop infused with hip-hop and a little baile funk that sounds like MIA, Die Antwoord and Bjork produced a ferocious musical spawn.  It’s colourful, weird, heavy and epic in its vision. Talent pours out of this Brisbane producer/vocalist in every one of her tracks and we reckon she’s just getting started.

 

Want our full list of recs now? No worries, we’ve put together a handy Spotify Playlist for you.