New Music Discoveries 25th August: Madi Colville-Walker, The Beaches, Black Pumas and more

For the final time this month we have added ten new tracks to our Discovery Playlist on Apple Music and Spotify, including one track we exclusively premiered earlier in the week. Our Track of the Week comes from Yorta Yorta artist Madi Colville-Walker and her new single “Yinyarr Mulana Winyarr”.

The beautiful track has been released in conjunction with the Singing Our Futures program, which is an initiative from The Archie Roach Foundation to help emerging First Nations artists on their songwriting and recording journeys by pairing them with experienced mentors. Colville-Walker was paired with mentor Emily Wurramara, who was also one of the key initial inspirations behind the single.

“Yinyarr Mulana Winyarr”, which translates as ‘Free Spirited Woman’, is an elegant and charming ode to home and country. It almost revels in its gentleness and calmness, with Colville-Walker’s sublime ethereal vocal given ample space to breathe and fly. According to Colville-Walker the song is about her connection to Country and how she feels when she returns home: “I’m honoured I get to see so many beautiful places; but I can get homesick every now and again. When I arrive back on country, I feel as if a weight gets lifted off my shoulders, I don’t have to worry about anything, I can just be calm. It’s almost like my Ancestors are welcoming me home.”

First Nations duo Marlon X Rulla have just released their third track,  “Trauma Patient”, following on from the much-celebrated “Black Swan” (2021) and “Unceded” (2022). It’s another top-shelf tune from the duo, which has poignant lyricism, as well as sweet vocals and is impeccably produced.

Marlon Motlop gives us some insight into the track: “‘Trauma Patient’ is a thought provoking expression of one of the many anxieties of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person in Australia. It places responsibility on listeners to challenge the behaviors and values of the term “Allie” and define what that title means in its truest form. Trauma Patient in its essence, is a challenge of today’s societal WorldView of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and the narrative that our successes are formed or created, and actioned from a deficit model based origin.”

If you are a fan of Florence + the Machine, you are going to love HOLiDAY. Currently based in Byron Bay they are led by Meg Hitchcock, Jesse Higgs, Michael Townsend and Savannah Higgs. This week they have released “WOA”, following on from “Next Best Friend” and “Lover.” With guitars and big vocals to the fore and with a driving beat, this is a tune to dance to. The band is currently in the middle of a UK tour, so word is spreading.

“Don’t Stop” is the latest single from Melbourne post-punk act Hydra Fashion Week, and their first following a two year hiatus. It’s captivating, full of energy, and irresistibly jangly. It really grabs you right from those opening bars and takes the listener on a bit of a journey, whilst imparting its empowering message of resilience. It’s a bit of a statement release, and it doesn’t sound like we’ll have to wait too long to hear more from Hydra Fashion Week, with another single planned for release mid-October.

Today Canadian band The Beaches release their wonderfully titled new single, “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid”. The track is the final single to be released from their forthcoming album Blame My Ex, which is due for release September 15th. With striking vocals, attention grabbing guitar riffs and delightfully blunt lyricism, WDKYMYP is a real crowd pleaser that’s sure to resonate. Elton John‘s a fan, and they’ve opened for the likes of Foo Fighters and The Rolling Stones, it’s not hard to see why they’re in such demand.

The Snuts have just completed their debut Australian headline tour. We fell in love with them at Splendour in the Grass last year, and they’ve clearly found a mutual respect for Australia. This week they’ve dropped another slice of golden indie-rock with “Dreams” – “a feel good track, which celebrates the feeling of punching way above your weight, when life feels almost too good to be true.” – lead singer Jack Cochrane.

It’s been a big week for multiple GRAMMY-nominated Austin-bred psychedelic soul duo Black Pumas.  They announced their forthcoming second studio album, Chronicles of a Diamond, out October 27 and also released the first track from the album, “More Than A Love Song”. It’s a total banger, continuing where they left off with their incredible self-titled debut record.

We also have an exclusive single premiere from JUNO, that we featured earlier in the week.

Catch the new music updated every Friday on Apple Music:

and on Spotify:

Here’s the complete list of new additions this week:

Madi Colville-Walker “Yinyarr Mulana Winyarr”
Archer “Bittersweet”
Marlon X Rulla “Trauma Patient”
HOLiDAY “WOA”
Hydra Fashion Week “Don’t Stop”
The Beaches “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid”
The SNUTS ” Dreams”
Black Pumas “More Than A Love Song”
Gotts Street Park “Mountains (feat. ENNY)”
JUNO “nobody loves you when you’re down” [Exclusive Single Premiere]

Header Photo: Madi Colville-Walker by Jacinta Keefe