True Vibenation

 True Vibenation are misfits. Mash together two Zimbabwean-born twins raised by artist/ activist parents, a touch of Kiwi and a good dose of horns and you have a combination you won't find anywhere else in Australia. 

The inner-west Sydney trio have been touring for three years to bigger and bigger crowds and bring a refreshing vibe to the Australian music scene, blending infectious beats with roaring horns, strong melodies and raps. Over the years the trio has developed a solid reputation for an electric live show and a sound that is just as comfortable alongside a live band as it is in an electronic setting.

The past 12 months have been a whirlwind of activity for Verbaleyes, Native Wit and Klue. In early 2013 they embarked on an ambitious guerrilla art/ music project, known as Standby [Project USB], recording new songs and releasing them for fans by concreting USBs loaded with music into walls across the country while on tour. 

Before the concrete had even dried on the USBs they were back in the studio working on their second album before taking to the road again for what was their most successful tour yet, the Dressed to Chill Tour.

If you've ever seen a True Vibenation live show you know that this is where the trio really shines, known for their innovative ideas and a performance which features the band transforming into a blasting horn section as well as a self-made instrument that literally turns audience members into human drum machines. 

Since releasing their debut album 'The Sunshower Phenomenon' through Big Village Records True Vibenation has been going from strength to strength. The album was named as the Triple J Hip Hop show's 'Album of the Week' and snapped up for rotation. On the back of the album's success and reputation for their live performance, True Vibenation sold out their album launch at Sydney's iconic Annandale Hotel and have been touring relentlessly since, wowing audiences with their infectious energy and a live show which sees them go beyond the traditional hip hop format of two turntables and a microphone and transform into a blasting horn section and live beat making band.

With hundreds of shows under their belt, festival slots at Sydney Festival, Peats Ridge, Future Music, Secret Garden, Subsonic, Woodford and changing lanes as well as support slots with Jurassic 5, Chali 2na, Dead Prez, Foreign Beggars, DJ Kentaro, Horrorshow Thundamentals and many more True Vibenation are a group with a bright future.

Beaten Bodies

Beaten Bodies grew out of Wollongong, NSW in 2012 via friends of friends and a passion for early soul and Motown. The name was coined from Beat + Bodies, the essential elements in the music they wanted to make. After two well received EPs, both here in Australia and abroad, countless shows all over the country, lineup changes, and a desire to evolve and hone a sound that now sits somewhere close to nusoul, Beaten Bodies have our attention going into 2015. Expect organic, lush backdrops, wiggly basslines, futuristic beats and the beautiful voice and words of Marli Wilde.

This Mess

This Mess are an electronic duo who weave rich vocals and live instrumentation with intricately programmed beats and samples. Their fanciful layering of colours and improvised performances forge a kaleidoscope of sound that could only be This Mess.

Since their fiery beginnings in 2012, This Mess have already shared the stage with luminaries such as Sneaky Sound System, Indian Summer, Polographia, Pleasurekraft and Goldfields. They have also been embraced by the Australian festival scene playing at large scale events including Strawberry Fields, Dragon Dreaming, Harmonize and Regrowth Festival. 

Their debut EP, released in November 2012, was warmly received by Australian radio being played on stations such as Triple J Unearthed and FBi Radio and dubbed "a testament to the validity in the rising genre of chillwave" by Australian music website Tone Deaf. 

A year and a half onwards, July 2014, the pair released their highly anticipated follow up album 'In Half Light' and proved that they have evolved beyond chillwave to cover a broader spectrum of sounds. Being described as "The soundtrack to late nights and early mornings, comedowns and hookups" (Bleached) 'In Half Light' was embraced by hip hop and house fans alike. The album's single 'Suddenly' was featured on popular dance music blog Stoney Roads and has been played on international festival stages by UK DJ Jon Convex. 

A long time fan of This Mess, Triple J's Dave Ruby Howe, exclaimed "These guys just keep nailing it. We better watch out that they don't outgrow their little backyard and piss off to the UK to rub it with Disclosure." Though 2014 was a sojourn overseas for This Mess, which saw them play to a full venue in Vietnam, they will return home for an Australian tour in Summer with a whole new catalogue of compositions.