As we head into the latter part of the year, news on the Australian music front starts to heat up just like our gorgeous country does.
The next month is filled with some highly anticipated album drops from some of Australia’s finest musicians, a few massive international headline acts touring the country, and other burgeoning homegrown talent strutting their stuff across Australia and on the live scene.
All the news pertaining to the Aussie music lovers for the next month is below in one nicely wrapped package.
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What So Not Dropping Bass-Heavy Second LP
The iconic producer will finally be dropping his sophomore album, Anomaly, on September 16, which comes four and a half years after his debut LP.
What So Not has become an integral member and pioneer of the Australian dance scene over the past decade, with his live performance being a bonafide headline act anywhere across the country.
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The five already-released singles from the album have included collaborations with DMA’s, Oliver Tree, and EVAN GIIA, and they have all been certified bangers.
Expect the rest of the album to continue in the same vein, showing off the dynamic nature of What So Not’s production abilities, seamlessly transitioning between bass-heavy, experimental, and electronica hits.
Blockbuster Acts Touring Australia
September is set to be a huge month for some international flavour with some of the best performing artists in the world making the trip overseas to play a flurry of headline shows.
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The one and only Billie Eilish is fresh off a headline set at this year’s Coachella and will be playing multiple dates across Auckland, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Perth. Her powerful and dulcet vocals have been in such high demand that she’s having up to four shows in each city, so there’s no reason to miss it.
Elsewhere, UK alternative rock legends Alt-J will be playing some must-see shows across the country in support of their fourth album, The Dream, which dropped earlier this year. In addition to some packed-out arena shows, the band also recently announced they’ll be playing some more intimate shows at Sydney’s Metro Theatre, and Melbourne’s Northcote Theatre to celebrate 10 years since the release of their Mercury Prize-winning debut album An Awesome Wave.
For rap fans, one of UK’s hottest acts, AJ Tracey, is making his biggest Australian tour to date, with his first visit down under since the release of his debut album in 2019. The in-demand rapper has shows in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, and will also appear at Sydney’s Listen Out festival.
Sampa The Great Follows Up ARIA Award Debut Album With Second LP
The Zambian-born Australian artist follows up her multiple ARIA Award-winning debut album The Return with her second LP As Above, So Below, which will drop on September 9.
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The rapper has been on an absolute roll in recent years, with the first single from the upcoming album featuring the one and only Denzel Curry. Her vocal stylings are authentic and instantly recognisable.
After returning home to Zambia during the pandemic, the album is set to reconnect with her African roots and include collaborations with South African-based creatives Rochelle Nembhard and Imraan Christian.
If her debut album was anything to go off, As Above, So Below will be a uniquely stellar release.
Thelma Plum Takes Meanjin Across The Country
Aboriginal songstress Thelma Plum is going on a long winding tour up and down the country, taking her folk and indie-pop stylings with her.
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The ‘Homecoming Queen’ is doing just that and will be coming home and to play out her love letter to her hometown Meanjin, the name of her EP, which dropped earlier this month.
She won’t just be hitting the capital cities either, with dates in the Blue Mountains, Newcastle, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast, and she’ll even be performing at the Good Day Sunshine Festival in Busselton.
Her debut album, Better In Blak, left a real mark on the Australian music scene so expect to see plenty of those iconic tunes sprinkled into her performances.
Australia’s Hottest Dance Export Skin On Skin’s Homecoming Tour
Skin On Skin is a performer you’ll want to get around, with the DJ being earmarked as Australia’s next big DJ act.
For the past few years, the DJ has made a stellar impact locally with his unique techno drill and minimal house stylings, whilst pushing the boundaries of dance music. He’s now being recognised on the international stage, touring Europe over the past couple of months and delivering one of the best Boiler Room sets in recent times - seriously check it out.
He’s now returning home for his biggest headline shows yet in Australia as part of his ‘Home Sweet Home’ tour playing out at the Forum Melbourne and Metro Theatre in Sydney. It’ll be dance-heavy. It’ll be emotional.
And More…
There’s so much happening on the music scene that it’s impossible to include it all.
In saying that, make sure to also keep an eye out for album drops from Crooked Colours, Meg Mac, Julia Jacklin, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, The Murlocs, and Montaigne.
Aussie acts such as Crooked Colours, Telenova, The Chats, and South Summit will also be heading across the country.
Jayden Collins