New Signings & Team-Ups: February 28

DUNE RATS MAKE LAGER WITH YOUNG HENRYS

A lot of people (like The Grates) told Brisbane band Dune Rats they’d go to #1 one day. So did Sydney craft brewers Young Henrys, who went one step further and told them that if they ever had a #1 album, they’d make a brew of their own.

In the wake of The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit windsurfing to #1 on the ARIA chart, the new Dunies Lager was launched on the weekend. With an alcohol percentage of 4.20%, it’s “a full-blown dank hop nose and flavour, courtesy of some late-addition hop hash” to create “a slightly hazy, summer smasher of a beer.”

The band said, “We set out to make the coldest beer in the world, so with Young Henrys scientists we have developed the world’s coldest beer. Even when it’s warm, it’s cold! When it’s a day for it, crack open an ice-cold Dunies Lager.”

PANDORA TO BRING PERSONALISED AUDIO ADS

Pandora Australia and New Zealand will introduce personalised audio ads, the company’s ANZ Commercial Director Chris Freel confirms.

It’s an extension of a deal that Pandora USA struck with a company called A Million Ads which brings personalisation for digital audio. It will help marketers reach Pandora’s 81 million active users around the world.

AUSSIE CLASSICAL ACT AT NEW DECCA IMPRINT

Decca Records Group has launched a new instrumental label called Mercury KX – and one of its first signings is Australian pianist and composer Luke Howard.

The new label will focus on new instrumental music across electro, classical, alternative and ambient genres.

Other signings are Icelandic composer Òlafur Arnalds, London duo Solomon Grey and mysteriously masked German-born pianist Lambert.

Read TMN’s story on the launch here.

MINOGUE LAUNCHES EYEWEAR COLLECTION

Kylie Minogue has launched her eyewear collection in an exclusive collection for budget chain Specsavers. Minogue designed the glasses herself, emphasising on the need for petite customers. It’s resulted in 25 optical styles and five sunglasses styles in modern classic, subtle bling and reinvented vintage.

NZ SINGER LANDS DEAL IN US

New Zealand singer-songwriter Alayna Powley, who moved to New York last year to further her music career, has landed a deal. When the 23-year-old was studying a Bachelor of Musical Arts at Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand (MAINZ), she also cut a debut EP titled Alayna and posted it up online.

It aroused the interest of Chad Hillard, founder and editor of music blog Hillydilly, who inked her to his new label 20XX. The first single is her song Falling Autumn, reworked with producer Astronomyy.

SLOW DANCER BOOSTS WITH THREE DEALS

On the eve of his first international dates, WA-raised Melbourne based R&B singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Slow Dancer (née Simon Okely) has finalised three deals.

They are with Melbourne label-management company Pieater, Dave Matthews’ New York-based ATO Records, and US publishing company Secretly Canadian.

First release under the deals is the video for the track Don’t Believe, with his sophomore album out soon. He’s playing SXSW in Texas (March 14-19), LA’s Echo club (20), NY’s Rockwood Music Hall (23) and London’s Waiting Room (29).

WOMEN’S DAY TRACK TO HELP WOMEN’S GROUP

As part of International Women’s Day on March 8, Australia-based Polynesian R&B singer-songwriter Caprice Quinn recorded No More Silhouettes to encourage women to shine their light. Featuring rapper Kaylah Truth and Elena Maria Wangurra, royalties from sales on March 8 goes to Dress For Success, a charity promoting the economic independence of women.

CONFIDENCE MAN ON STAIRWAY TO HEAVENLY

Triple j faves Confidence Man, have signed with UK label Heavenly Recordings, and make a return with anthemic track Bubblegum. The Brisbane four-piece is about to hit the road around Australia.

The band is made up of members of Brisvegas outfits The Belligerents, Moses Gunn Collective and the Jungle Giants but use pseudonyms as Reggie Goodchild, Clarence McGuffie, Janet Planet and Sugar Bone.

BRETT OATEN EXPANDS ROSTER

Sydney-based Brett Oaten Solicitors has expanded its legal representation. The firm is working with Parlour Gigs, which books musicians to go play in people’s homes, and offering existing client Matchbox Pictures legal advice for The Real Housewives of Sydney TV series.

REMOTE CONTROL ISSUING ARCA

Remote Control is in early April locally releasing the third album from Venezuela-born, London-based artist Arca. The deal is through XL Recordings, to which the act signed last week.

20TH CENTURY FOX SHIFTS TO BLUE449

20th Century Fox has shifted its multi-million dollar media account from Zenith to Blue 449 after a pitch process. Both companies are part of Publicis Media.