Monthly Archives: May 2012
Onassis – Second Chance
Deep in Bedlam Records studios, a pair of young Brisbane producers have been brewing an electro-pop project called Onassis. Fresh as the late Autumn in their home town, first release ’Second Chance’ was immediately picked up by Triple J’s Lewi McKirdy and thrown on the air, literally within minutes.
One of the guys used to play bass guitar for the short-lived Princes of Harlin and the other was in Vasy Mollo, both writing fantastic music for the stage but going relatively unheard. Makes you wonder how much other good shit there must be out there.
Their small catalogue of unreleased demos IMHO sounds like a blend of Hot Chip, Art vs Science and Scissor Sisters. Onassis have busted out a well polished banger, a bit of mastering and tweaking having been done by the Bedlam guys themselves. The vocals are a standout in the way of energy, production and lyrics. “I need a second chance at life, and another one to do what I need, and another one to do what I please”. So true. And have a go at the menacing synth solos in the third quarter…
Onassis – Second Chance
Here’s their Triple J Unearthed page, Facebook and Soundcloud.
Santigold – Master of My Make Believe
You know those songs you hear at a party for the first time and immediately confront the DJ – “name and artist?” Of course, the music is blaring, so he or she has to scream it in your ear six times before it can be banked to your intoxicated memory. On one such occasion a few years ago, that song was Santigold‘s “L.E.S Artistes”.
Despite having worked in the industry for many years, up until April 24 this year Santigold had only ever released one album. On the back of a decorated career in A&R for Epic Records and as a songwriter for a number of famous popstars, Santi White, as she was then known, eventually started performing as Santigold to release a self-titled debut record in 2008.
The sassy and stylish diva was never going to dissappoint on a follow-up album four years in the making and sure enough, “Master of My Make Believe” goes above and beyond whatever was expected of the Brooklyn local. Her songs are so human, she sings about real things, without sacrifcing meaning for the sake of a rhyming couplet. She means what she says and says what she means, and the same cannot be said for many other artists of her genre or era.
A few days after appearing on the main stage at Coachella, Santigold absolutely wooed a small and intimate home crowd at the Bowery Ballroom in New York city. In a rarely seen scenario, the biggest cheers from the audience came when she offered to perform some new material, which was as well recieved as it was anticipated.
A double-page spread in The New York Times and a feature article in SPIN magazine in the days following the release of her new record praised Santigold’s genuine artistry, attention to detail with regard to music production, originality, and phenomenal life presence. Onstage at the Bowery, Santi would finish every song with a quick tilt of the head and a big grin, as if to say “ta-daa!”
Get an earful of ‘The Keeper’, off the new album.
