The Best Premieres of 2015

As we’ve been looking back at 2015 over the last few weeks, we’ve realised just how much new music Noisey presented over the past twelve months. From album streams to video and track premieres, there’s been some quality stuff to wrap your eyes and ears around. If you’ve got a spare couple of hours you’re welcome to watch and listen to them all. If not, here’s a selection of some the best Australian and New Zealand music we premiered in 2015.

Average Rap Band – “Long Snooze”
Melbourne based Kiwis, Average Rap Band, actually made a video for every track from their Stream of Nonsenseness EP. Tom Scott and Lui Tuiasau shared with us their video for “Long Snooze” which Scott likened to two struggling musicians “navigating life in a strange land and dealing with undercover tram cops and even fewer fans than they had back home.” Watch it here.

Briggs – “The Children Came Back”
Shepparton hip hop star Briggs dropped one of the songs of 2015 which advances and pays homage to Archie Roach’s classic 1990 song “They Took the Children Away”. The video features Briggs, Roach, Gurrumul, Paul Kelly and 3-year old Samara Muir who made national headlines with her distressing experience of racism by kids her own age. Watch it here.

Deaf Wish – “They Know”
Before they hopped on a plane to destroy US audiences with their pummelling rock, Deaf Wish sent us through a track from their Sub Pop album Pain. We described the song as, “Two guitars play at max volume, a drum sets getting a trouncing while [Sarah] Hardiman effortlessly coos, “What do they know? Listen to it here.

My Disco – “1991”
My Disco returned with the brooding album Severe. “1991″, a single from the album took the pummeling stabs of guitar/bass/drums, much like the Swans classic “Coward.” There is a darkness to My Disco, something not of this Earth. Take “1991,” the band’s new single from their forthcoming LP Severe, a track that depends on silence as much as the “The difference here is the quiet ambient textures and vocal harmonization, which compared to the tribal drumming and wail of Michael Gira, is much more darkly pensive and less cathartic.” Listen to it here.

Orb – Womb
With their debut cassette Orb ply/play a heavy homage to Black Sabbath but the Geelong three piece aren’t your typical metal heads. As guitarist Zak Olsen explained to us in November, “I suppose listening to Sabbath with non-metal ears, you focus on the other things besides how fast the solos can go. We’re taking away the metal, so we’re left with the heavy. That’s not to say we totally dislike metal, but it’s just not in our genetic make up to play it.” Listen to it here.

Oscar Key Sung – “Skip”
Like his name, Oscar Key Sung is made up of more than one part. The Melbourne producer and vocalist captures the glory of RnB’s past but filters it through a world of 2015 pop. The video for his track “Skip” has him loitering around darkened streets at night like a true delinquent. Watch it here.

Power – Electric Glitter Boogie
If you like beer, pubs, ACDC, the Coloured Balls, and a no bullshit approach to loud rock and roll you are going to love Power’s debut album Electric Glitter Boogie. When we premiered it back in October we described it as “menancig and snarling” rock. Listen to it here and make up your own mind.

Randa – “Rangers”
Back in February we presented “Rangers’ a new video for young Kiwi singer Randa. At the time we called it “a multi-coloured, mulit-outfitted Yo Gabba Gabba/Skittles commerical brain explosion of colour.” We stand by that description The video references Justin Bieber, Rosie O’Donnell and “spazzin out like a mother fuckin’ tantrum”. Check it here.

Royal Headache – “Carolina”
One of the standout tracks on Royal Headaches’ excellent album High, “Carolina” captures the band in a more introspective mood. The video, that we premiered back in August, features singer Shogun taking a stroll around the neighbourhood, dropping into a bottle shop to grab a long neck and miraculously finding Sydney’s only working public telephone. Watch it here.

Seekae – “Test and Recognise”
Did you see Seekae play “Test and Recognise” at a small Sydney auditorium a few weeks ago? Don’t worry, neither did anyone else, it was performed in pitch black. Luckily we organised for infra red, thermal and night vision technology and cameras to capture the show. Watch if here.

Ela Stiles – “Murder of Maria Marten”
“Murder of Maria Marten”, is a beautiful song about a horrific tale of the 1827 Red Barn murder in Suffolk, England. The story goes that a young Maria was shot dead by her lover, William Corder after the two had arranged to meet at the Red Barn before eloping to Ipswich. Corder fled the scene but was tracked down and brought back to Suffolk, found guilty of murder and hung from a large tree.

Talented Sydney musician and composer Ela Stiles’ acapella version of the song is breathtaking. Listen to it here.

Summer Flake – “Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind”
The Mick Jagger and Keith Richards-penned “Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind” was first released by singing duo Dick and Dee Dee in 1965. English folk singer Vashti Bunyen later covered it. Summer Flake’s Steph Crase gives the song has also had a crack and nails it with her mellow and laid back style. Listen to it here.

Jonny Telafone – “Waking Up Crying”
Tinder swipes and public displays of falling apart dominate the vidoe for Jonny Telfaone’s “Waking Up Crying”. Taken from his album Romeo Must Cry, Telafone says it best, “Waking up Crying” is the toughest song about crying probably ever made.” Watch it here.

Violent Soho – “Like Soda”
Violent Soho’s video for “Like Soda” is one of the most recent video we premieres. The video features the Brisbane lads cutting loose at a bowls club with mobility scooters, doing lines of prescription drugs and macking on retirees. Getting old can be fun! Check it here.