| | A.B. ORIGINAL | | As revealed at Big Sound last week, we are psyched to have A.B. ORIGINAL join the Laneway fam as performing artists and the festival MC’s. Uncompromising in their mission, the duo make powerful, trunk-rattling hip-hop in the spirit of U.S. heavyweights N.W.A. Made up of Briggs (2015’s NIMA Album of the Year recipient) and Trials (ARIA Award winning producer), two friends who are hell bent on flipping the game on its head and speaking up about the issues that affect Indigenous artists in Australia.Their forthcoming debut album Reclaim Australia promises to shake up the establishment and amplify the duo’s message.Take a listen to the explosive single ‘ January 26th’: there’s just no stopping these two. | |  | |
| | | AURORA | | Preternaturally talented songwriter AURORA joins us from Bergen, Norway just out of her teens.Her fantastical, assured debut All My Demons Meet Me As A Friend is filled with euphoric pop moments that belie the introspective nature of her thoughtful lyrics. Live, AURORA is a force – it’s hard to take your eyes off her – and she has mesmerised TV audiences with performances on Jimmy Fallon, Conan and Colbert amongst others. Check out her breakout single ‘Running With Wolves’ here. | | | |
| |
|
| | | BARO | | Hailing from Melbourne, 18-year old rapperBARO is the face of the new wave of Australian hip-hop artists. Part of the crew 90’s RD, a local collective that are intent on turning the local scene on its head, his interests extend to clothing, art and film but it’s his authentic approach to songwriting that is attracting attention. He recently subbed in for Vince Staples at Flume’s closing Splendour in the Grass set and has drawn comparisons to hip-hop frontrunners like Earl Sweatshirt and Joey Bada$$ as well as King Krule. In 2015 Baro shared his debut EP 17/18 – it’s mature and refined as hell.With an ambition that knows no bounds, the sky’s the limit for Baro. [Melbourne only] | | | |
| | | BOB MOSES | | Canadian high school buddies Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance are BOB MOSES, and they’re masters of their craft. Producing late-night dancefloor numbers with a guitar-driven, pop sensibility, Bob Moses effortlessly glide from genre to genre. Days Gone By, the duo’s critically acclaimed debut album was named one of the best albums of 2015 by Entertainment Weekly, Billboard Magazine, Dancing Astronaut, Hilly Dilly and many more. Borrowing from electronica and indie-rock but slaves to neither, the result is music that is equally suited to headphones as it is to festival slots and warehouse parties. Voted as one of the top 20 live acts of 2014 and 2015 by Resident Advisor, they’re one of our tips for surprise hits of the festival. | | | |
| |
|
| | | CAMP COPE | | Born in a backyard in Melbourne over home job tattoos, CAMP COPE came up and kicked us right in the guts. Their killer 2016 debut is a garage punk revelation – filled to the brim with candid anecdotes and vitriol, but with the added insight of being a woman in the world. A true Aussie standout of the year, praise for Camp Cope comes from international tastemaker touchstones Pitchfork, Brooklyn Vegan, Zane Lowe and plenty more. Can you spot the Laneway ‘16 poster in their video for ‘Lost: Season One?’ We think it was meant to be. [Ex Freo] | | | |
| | | CAR SEAT HEADREST | | Will Toledo of CAR SEAT HEADRESThas written and recorded no less than 12 albums, which is a bit unfair given he’s only 23 years old. But it’s Teens of Denial, the Seattle-based songwriter’sfirst formal studio record that has everyone talking. Signed to Matador Records (home to Laneway alumni Kurt Vile, Savages and Majical Cloudz), CSH’s insightful reflections of early 20-something life and guitar-driven anthems have him tipped as the modern indie-rock hero we’ve been waiting for.Anticipation for this guy’s first Australian dates is growing by the day: see you down the front. | | | |
| |
|
| | | CLAMS CASINO | | New Jersey hip-hop producer CLAMS CASINO is widely credited as laying down the template for modern rap music, thanks to his hugely influential Instrumental Mixtapeseries of 2011 and production credits for heavyweight talent including Vince Staples, Lil B, Danny Brown, FKA twigs and loads more. Debut album 32 Levels establishes Clams as a seriously talented artist in his own right.Featuring an expertly curated cast of guests including Laneway grad Samuel T. Herring (Future Islands) and Staples, the album demonstrates his versatility and ensures his elevation from cult hero to serious contender. | | | |
| | | ECCA VANDAL | | It’s a refusal to remain static that sets Melbourne singer/producer/performerECCA VANDAL apart.When she shared debut single ‘White Flag’, people stood at attention. Captivating fans and critics with her unique attitude, style and swag of influences, Vandal followed up the success of her first single with an EP boasting a barrage of energy-filled singles. There’s the guitar-heavy ‘Battle Royal’, and the hip hop infused ‘Father Hu$$la’, and the soulful yet gritty title track ‘End Of Time’. The rising talent will play Laneway for the first time in her home city. [Melbourne only] | | | |
| |
|
| | | FASCINATOR | | The wildly eccentric FASCINATOR is the solo project of Children’s Collide frontman Johnny Mackay. Since releasing his debut LP Man last year, the Australian-born producer/vocalist has opened for Tame Impala with 2016 Laneway MC Kirin J Callinan, and has been seen lurking around NYC and Brooklyn haunts. On latest cut ‘ Skin Within’, Fascinator explores the far corners of disco, techno, and psych-rock experiments akin to Spinning Top labelmates Nicholas Allbrook and POND. He was a highlight at our Melbourne and Sydney after parties last year and we’re ready for round two. | | | |
| | FLOATING POINTS
(LIVE) | | Manchester’s FLOATING POINTS is bringing his live show to Australia for the very first time.A respected DJ in the league of his friends Four Tet and Jamie xx, the dance-music trailblazer and vinyl aficionado’s debut LP Elaenia is an essential listen. Abundant in sweeping, complex sounds and slow-building energy, it makes for timeless and poignant electronic music. Case in point: album opener ‘ Nespole’. The release is a summation of all things Sam Sheppard – producer, neuroscientist, label founder, ensemblist, visual artist – and that’s only scraping the surface. Floating Points (Live) is an aural spectacle foregoing all the tropes we’ve come to know in dance music. [Exclusive to Laneway, no sideshows] | | | |
| |
|
| | | FLYYING COLOURS | | With submerged vocals, jangly hooks and plenty-o’ reverb, FLYYING COLOURSmake pop music that echoes the sounds of shoegaze, post-punk and psychedelia. In 2014 their single ‘Wavy Gravy’ described as ‘blistering from start to finish’ ( Clash) fast tracked the indie band to global scope, with kind words for the Australian 4-piece coming from the likes of Stereogum, 405, Wonderland and NME. Early 2016 has seen the Melbourne 4-piece knuckle down in the studio for their debut full-length release Mindfulness, which arrives VERY soon. Get ready for their explosive live show at Melbourne Laneway with lead single ‘ It’s Tomorrow Now’. [Melbourne only] | | | |
| | | GANG OF YOUTHS | | GANG OF YOUTHS have earned their mantle as one of the country’s most enthralling live acts. Helmed by charismatic front man David Le’aupepe, the five-piece are uncompromising in their ambition, employing a wall of sound guitars and stadium-ready vocals to captivating effect. Debut album The Positions scooped 5 ARIA nominations and a J Award nom, adding to the heap of critical praise that met the band on the album’s release.Gang of Youths have all the hallmarks of becoming a legendary Australian act and we can’t wait to see what comes next. | | | |
| |
|
| | | GL | | Melbourne’s GL are Graeme Pogson (home-made electronics) and Ella Thompson (window-cracking vocals) and they make music purpose built for having a good time. Owing much to early 80’s synth-pop, the duo’s work is seeped in nostalgia but with eyes fixed firmly in the future.Hand-picked to support the likes of Chet Faker and Shamir, the band’s live show is one for those who like to get sweaty in the club. This year’s record Touch guarantees exposure to a wider audience and deservedly so. [Ex Freo] | | | |
| | | GLASS ANIMALS | | With 2014’s Zaba, experimental pop outfitGLASS ANIMALS produced one of the more interesting debuts in recent times and word amongst critics and fans spread quickly.The Oxford quartet have done it again with their new album How To Be A Human Being.At once wildly imaginative and meticulously crafted, the recent triple j Feature Album is replete with charming characters, interesting beats and polished pop hooks.Their live show is exuberant, ambitious and wholly engaging from start to finish.We’re not the first people to say that Glass Animals are a band destined for major things. | | | |
| |
|
| | | JAGWAR MA | | We’re very happy to welcome back festival pros JAGWAR MA to the Laneway Festival. Their sizzling debut Howlin won fans all over, thanks to its undeniable danceability and innumerable hooks, and the band toured relentlessly across the world in support. In just a few weeks, the Sydney-raised, London-based trio will drop their second album, Every Now & Then (14 October, via Future Classic), one of the essential albums of the year. With its exuberant mix of sunshine, soul and techno, it sounds like nothing and nobody else.Check out lead single ‘ O B 1’ and album centrepiece ‘ Give Me A Reason’ to see why we’re hyped. | | | |
| | | JESS KENT | | It only takes two minutes in the company of JESS KENT to recognise her star potential. The charismatic 22 year old artist from Adelaide (via London) bounced onto the scene last year with the infectious single ‘ Get Down’ after teaching herself how to record and writing her own songs, as well as undertaking countless hours busking and selling her music on the streets of her hometown.She’s a woman in demand, busy recording her debut EP and appearing as a special guest of Flume at his recent Splendour headline set. There is serious international interest in this rising talent, come see what the fuss is about. | | | |
| |
|
| | | JULIA JACKLIN | | Blue Mountains singer/songwriter JULIA JACKLIN was a genuine standout of this year’s SXSW and she is quickly earning her place as one of the country’s most exciting new talents.International attention has come from the likes of influential tastemakers NPR, Consequence Of Sound, DIY Mag, The 405, Noisey as well as BBC Radio 1, triple j and BBC 6 thanks to her undeniable calling cards: a rich, distinctive voice, and her playful, observational wit. Don’t Let The Kids Win, her forthcoming debut album (out 7 October) is a thoughtful, engaging album that casts her in a league of her own. [Ex Freo] | | | |
| | | KOI CHILD | | It’s no secret that WA has birthed some of Australia’s most impressive musical talent to date. KOI CHILD are no exception – cutting their teeth as local hip-hop party starters Childs Play and nu-jazz quartet Kashikoi, the Freo m8s joined forces in 2015 to form an epic 7-piece, who we’ve got slated as Perth’s next big thing. With the buzzing, saw-tooth swing of lead single ‘ Black Panda’ and a debut album produced by Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, Koi Child have come crashing out of the gates. | | | |
| |
|
| | | LUCA BRASI | | Diligent punk-rock champs LUCA BRASIare on the brink of being a real Tassie success story, and they’re taking it all in their stride with customary charm and ease. In the past 12 months they played a wall to wall sold out tour, copped triple j feature album for their third album If This Is All We’re Going to Be, and found time to book and host their own music festival. They hit the nail on the head with If This…, delivering a polished body of work with all the hallmarks of great punk music: melodic guitar riffs, stomping drums and a deft lyrical touch. Watch their essential Like A Version rendition of the great Paul Kelly’s ‘ How To Make Gravy’. | | | |
| | | MICK JENKINS | | 25-year-old MC/poet MICK JENKINS is the future. With his swift, socially conscious lyricism,and no-bullshit delivery, the young wordsmith has collaborated with the likes of Joey Bada$$,producer-of-the-year Kaytranada, and fellow Chicago-drill clique members Vic Mensa and Chance the Rapper. He dished up two outstanding mixtapes, 2014’s The Water[s] and 2015’s Wave[s], and his highly anticipated debut full-length [T]he [H]ealing [C]omponent is coming in hot in just over a week. We’ve got it down as the most important hip-hop record this year.Don’t hesitate! | | | |
| |
|
| | | MR. CARMACK | | San Francisco-born, LA-based MR. CARMACK occupies a frontier between a range of different genres, identified by his contemporaries, fans, and himself as purely Carmack. With tasty hip-hop beats the bed-rock of his music, he is one seriously inventive producer. He’s efficient too: only two months after sharing his 2016 Yellow EP, he dropped an epic 54 tracks on SoundCloud, ‘cos why not? There’s more where that came from – with a solid devotion to the studio and a grinding work ethic, Mr Carmack is set to release new music in the coming months. Keep your ears to the ground in the lead up to Laneway! | | | |
| | | NAO | | Is future-soul singer/songwriter NAO on track to be the breakout star of the year?We think so. Her killer single ‘ So Good’ and debut EP of the same name was one of 2014’s quiet standouts; an absolute odyssey that deserved to be everywhere. In 2015, NAO made a cameo on Disclosure’s Caracal, and this year the East-London artist made her rightful impact. Her debut full-length For All We Know is an RnB-tinged release that has got people talking both sides of the Atlantic, and we’re stoked to be bringing her to Australia for the first time. | | | |
| |
|
| | | NICHOLAS ALLBROOK | | NICHOLAS ALLBROOK is a man of many monikers – POND frontman, former Tame Impala bass player, Peter Bibby drummer, one half of Allbrook/Avery. If we tally them up he’d have to be Laneway’s MVP, having played the festival a few times more than the next best player. This year Allbrook released his sophomore album Pure Gardiya, sold-out headline shows across Australia, took his one-man band to Europe & dyed his hair pink. Get a glimpse into the weird and wonderful mind of Perth’s most prolific psych-rocker, as we welcome Nick back for Laneway 2017. | | | |
| | NICK MURPHY
(CHET FAKER) | | We are thrilled to present NICK MURPHY (Chet Faker)’s first Australian shows since forgoing his alias,which you can read about here. Murphy is set to perform a dynamic new show at Laneway, pulling from his existing catalogue and showcasing new material.Murphy’s achievements as Chet Faker are great and varied. He has appeared in the top 10 of triple j’s Hottest 100 for the past three years running (including at #1 for the double-platinum accredited ‘Talk Is Cheap’). His critically acclaimed debut album Built on Glass was went platinum and hisrecent collab with Marcus Marr was a bona-fide hit too. He is also a serious player internationally, selling out headline tours and playing major festivals throughout Europe, Asia and North America including main sets at Coachella, Glastonbury, Primavera Sound and more. Please listen to new track ’ Fear Less’, a brilliant preview of his new sound that mixes past and new influences.[Exclusive to Laneway, no sideshows] | | | |
| |
|
| | | ROLAND TINGS | | Fun fact: ROLAND TINGS was the first artist to score a triple j feature album for a completely instrumental release. The Berlin-based producer first whet his appetite for silky electronic music in Melbourne’s forward-thinking nightlife institutions before making his debut on mint L.A label100% SILK. Dropping his self-titled LP in 2015, Roland Tings has claimed a place alongside the handful ofinnovative Australian producers enjoying global recognition. He’s got a seriously fresh EP (the aptly titled ‘ Hedonist’) dropping October 15 which is certified to get ya moving. | | | |
| | | SAMPA THE GREAT | | SAMPA THE GREAT released one of the most quietly impressive albums of 2015 and that’s a fact.Born in Zambia, raised in Botswana and now based in Melbourne, the multi-talented hip-hop artist got all the people talking with her astonishing debut release The Great Mixtape. Sampa weaves dense lyrical mazes with her verses, drawing listeners into a lush, imaginative world. Her music ranges from spoken-word to pure hip-hop rapping, with stops at psychedelic and bluesy waypoints in between; it’s the sound of an adventurous young mind pushing out against all boundaries.With a recent support slot for Kendrick Lamar under her belt and an anticipated EP out next month, Sampa The Great is on fire. | | | |
| |
|
| | | TAME IMPALA | | TAME IMPALA first played Laneway in 2009 and boy, has the game changed for Kevin Parker and co. Third album Currents is one of the most critically lauded albums in recent history, and catapulted the band from homegrown heroes to major global players. Universally adored, Tame Impala has played innumerable sold-out shows and major festival sets (including Coachella, Glastonbury, FYF and pretty much every other music event of note) and picked up ARIA Awards, J Awards (the only act ever to win it twice), a Brit Award, and two goddamn Grammy noms.Tame Impala are one of Australia’s most successful and respected exports and we are honoured to have them finish their incredible album cycle by closing the show in every city. [Exclusive to Laneway, no sideshows] | | | |
| | | TASH SULTANA | | 21-year-old pocket rocket TASH SULTANA first picked up a guitar at the ripe age of three.Completely self-taught and self-made, we’re expecting big things for the Melbourne-based singer-songwriter, whose vocal dexterity (she beatboxes!) and natural ease with the guitar is 100% impressive. The world has already begun to take note – tickets have been flying out the door for her first run of headline shows across Australia, Europe and the UK, no small feat for an artist who got her break filming home videos out of her bedroom. | | | |
| |
|
| | | THE JULIE RUIN | | As frontwoman of THE JULIE RUIN, riot grrrl and punk icon Kathleen Hanna is back to finish what she started. Still filled with the searing energy she had when seminal feminist outfit Bikini Kill exploded in the 90s, Hanna assembled four bandmates in 2010 for The Julie Ruin’s raucous debut. Now six years on, they’re back with sophomore album Hit Resetand a new direction – combining the headiness of Hanna’s punk-rock roots and the electroclash sound of her previous incarnation, Le Tigre. Check out punchy single ‘ I’m Done’ and ready yourselves to see a living legend at this year’s Laneway Festival. | | | |
| | | TOURIST | | It’s been a huge year for Grammy-winning artist and UK heart-throb TOURIST. Known to his mum as Will Phillips, this year he released his highly anticipated debut full-length U; an unsuspecting break-up album filled to the brim with dance-floor burners. It’s an album high in contrasts – four to the floor electronica, with unique ability to make you want to dance and cry. Cementing himself as one of the most in demand electronic acts of 2016, Tourist topped the Hype Machine on two accounts, landed triple j feature album and sold-out his first Australian shows in a matter of days. Do not miss this set. | | | |
| |
|
| | | TYCHO | | Under his nom de plume TYCHO, San Francisco-based visual artist Scott Hanson creates meticulously composed minimal techno. His gorgeous album Awake was an electronic standout of 2014; an effortlessly beautiful 8-track release that emanates warmth.This year Tycho made his anticipated return with his new single ‘ Division’.It comes from his new studio album, rumoured todrop right around Laneway this year.Psyched!Expanding live to a 4-piece, Tycho’s blissed-out show is tailor-made for a summer festival afternoon. | | | |
| | | WHITE LUNG | | Borne of the Vancouver underground,WHITE LUNG are an uncompromising punk band with talent and ambition in equal parts.Signed to the legendary Domino Records label, the band’s Mish Barber-Way, Kenneth William and Anne-Marie Vassiliou combine to produce forceful social commentary over razor-sharp, in-your-face songs.Over the course of three LPs, the band have proven that they’re not content to rest on their laurels, increasing the production values and pulling their lyrics into into focus. On third LP Paradise, Barber-Way’s experience as an advice columnist and journalist shines through in her no-holds barred examination of what it means to be a good/bad feminist. | | | |
| |
|
| | | WHITNEY | | Chicago band WHITNEY comprises former members of buzzy psych-rockers Smith-Westerns and Laneway faves Unknown Mortal Orchestra and their medium is charming folk with lashings of soul.DebutLight Upon the Lake was anointed Best New Music by Pitchfork and no wonder – the album perfects the deceptively difficult task of making well-crafted, enjoyable rock songs look effortless.Lyrically, Whitney deal mostly in heartbreak but the toe-tapping vitality of the music itself invites endless joyful listens.In short, it’s the happiest sad music you ever did hear. | | | |
| |
|
|
