New Signings & Team-Ups: July 12

Delta Goodrem to sign acts to The House Of Oz Records

The House Of Oz Records, Delta Goodrem’s new joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment Australia, is more than just a vehicle for her own music. Her fifth album Wings Of The Wild came out on the imprint earlier this month and, as already reported in TMN, went to #1 on the ARIA chart this week.

But Goodrem says the idea is also to find and nurture new acts: “I wanted to be able to take what I’ve learnt over the years growing up in the industry, and impart what I’ve learned to the next generation,” she said in a statement.

“I’m so thrilled and honoured that my album is going through my own label, The House of Oz Records. Choosing the right projects, and supporting artists with executing their vision and trajectory so that they have long careers is very important to me.”

Denis Handlin AM, Chairman & CEO Australia & New Zealand and President, Asia, Sony Music Entertainment, commented: “It has been an amazing journey to work with Delta Goodrem over the past 16 years and I am really excited to begin a new chapter with this incredibly talented and beautiful person.

“We are delighted that Delta is launching her new label, The House of Oz Records with the release of her brilliant new album Wings Of The Wild. Delta loves her mentoring role on The Voice and has a special gift to support, guide and nurture young artists. I am thrilled that Delta will continue to discover and develop exciting new artists through her own label, The House of Oz Records.”

Relaunched Chrysalis Records goes on buying spree

British ‘60s label Chrysalis Records, recently bought out by Blue Raincoat Music’s Jeremy Lascelles and Robin Millar, has gone on a buying spree. It has acquired the entire catalogues of Suzi Quatro, Steve Harley &Cockney Rebel, Fun Lovin’ Criminals and Athlete, to be repackaged under the Chrysalis banner.

Lascelles, label CEO, said: “Each one of them, in their different ways, captured the spirit of their respective times and wrote absolute classic songs. It’s fantastic to have what are arguably their most important recordings on Chrysalis and we look forward to doing justice to this great music.”

I OH YOU takes it to Jack River

Melbourne’s I OH YOU, risk-taking home of Violent Soho and DZ Deathrays, signed genre-melting Sydney singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jack River. Jack River is the stage moniker of mid-NSW Coast-hailed Holly Rankin who spent time in New York working on her music. An EP produced by Ben Allen is due this year.

Lead-off single Talk Like That, co-produced by River with Xavier Dunn, was written “at 3am after walking around the streets with some friends in Sydney” on the day she cut it in Dunn’s studio.

Big Village roster becomes bigger with Musa

Sydney hip hop label Big Village Records signed acclaimed rapper, poet and author Omar Musa. “Stoked to be joining the BV family — we go way back & I have mucho respect for what they do & what they’re about,” Musa posted. His EP Dead Centre is out August, produced by Joelistics and Poncho and featuring L-FRESH THE LION, Hau, Kate Miller-Heidke and Mataya. His debut novel Here Come the Dogs followed two poetry books of his poetry.

Pee kid around

Adelaide punk/hardcore Pee Records have pacted with Geraldton, WA, punk five-piece Alex The Kid. Their next album Speak Up is set for an August 19 release, some weeks before they kick off an eight date national tour from September 3 to 17. A single Skate Or Lie is already out. Pee’s roster includes Safe Hands, The Decline and Dan Cribb & The Isolated.

Formed in 2011 the five-piece quickly began selling out shows in Perth. They recently gained the nation’s attention when they won the triple j One Night Stand Unearthed competition with their single Vinyls and saw them playing to 10,000 plus people in their hometown.

Dolly Parton’s new JV with Sony Music Nashville

Dolly Parton has set up her own Dolly Records/RCA Nashville through Sony Music Nashville. It will apply to Australia as it is a global deal. First release is latest album Pure & Simple on August 19.

“Dolly Parton is a national treasure and an iconic singer/songwriter,” Sony Music Entertainment CEO Doug Morris said. “We are thrilled to be expanding our successful relationship with her through this new global agreement. We are very proud to call her a member of the Sony Music family.”

Kobalt spreads to NZ’s The Naked And Famous

Kobalt Label Services North America signed a multi-faceted deal with Los Angeles-based New Zealand band The Naked And Famous. The deal includes the outfit’s own label Somewhat Damaged. It covers the band’s digital and physical distribution, marketing (international) and synch licensing in North America with Kobalt’s digital distribution platform AWAL (Artists Without A Label) servicing the world (excluding North America, New Zealand and Australia). The band released new single Higher last week, with their eighth album due for release in the southern spring.

Teen producer Kuren wins triple j indigenous award

18-year-old producer Kuren (aka Curtis Kennedy) is the 2016 winner of the triple j Unearthed National Indigenous Music Awards competition. Of the Wiradjuri people, he grew up in the 1500-strong town of Hillston in regional NSW, before moving to Sydney to work on his music. First spotted by triple j via its Unearthed High, the network marked him as one of 10 Artists To Watch in 2016. He lived up to the acclaim with a debut EP featuring collaborations with Allday, Sophie Lowe and Banks.

Kuren will fly to Darwin to perform at the National Indigenous Music Awards ceremony on Saturday August 6. He follows in the footsteps of previous winners like Thelma Plum, Philly, Robbie Miller and Zane Francis.

Red hot new US rapper lands at RCA

GoldLink, the 23-year-old rapper from the Washington DC area who caught the ear of Rick Rubin, has finalised a deal with RCA Records, Billboard announced. Purveyor of “future bounce”, GoldLink emerged with his The God Complex mixtape in April 2014. Rubin flew him out to his Malibu home and became his mentor. Last year he landed the cover of US hip hop magazine XXL’s annual Freshman list, identifying 10 rappers on the come up, alongside the likes of Fetty Wap, Vince Staples, DeJ Loaf and K Cam.

Sweet Mate Music booking Badlands

After 12 years of booking the Rosemount Hotel, Perth-based booking agency Sweet Mate Music have been appointed to do the same for its replacement, Badlands. The agency thanked Rosemount’s management staff through the years, adding, “special kudos to Kevin Robe who began the venue in the format as we know it to be today.”