Sydney’s Georgia Mulligan quietly slid this one under the Internet’s bedroom door at roughly 11:19pm a few weeks ago so it’s no wonder we didn’t discover it until the next morning. Sorry for sleeping on this one G Mully. Let’s get the obvious out of the way – what a voice. What an absolute joy, those tones and that delivery, I need never hear another vocal again. This is the end of the line, shut it down fellas – no more choirs and certainly no more solo vocalists. But when applied to what is also an excellent song, recorded with just the right degree of lo-fi as to give the thing a little flavour without going full twee? Well that’s just about too much isn’t it. It flooded me a few times in a row before I could push pause and even now, I’m hitting repeat on the thing as I write this. It’s laced with some fairly caustic heartbreak so you’d best be advised not to participate in this one during any breakup zones.

I’ve meant to write on this album for a few weeks now but don’t let my lateness affect how you receive this. It’s still a mere three weeks old and a compilation that takes an indirect route to its final destination. These songs are filtered through the lens of piano day, a moment in April set aside to celebrate all things keyed and thus what initially seemed to be just a bunch of excellent audio just got real thematic didn’t it. It’s compiled by wonderful Melbourne record label and Friend Of The Blog Spirit Level whose roster boasts the likes of Braille Face and Don, both of who appear on this collection. The recordings are warm and affection, particularly Leah Kardos’ Novice which you can hear below, gently humming with tape hiss beneath piano and the percussive sounds of its employment.

The Braille Face song is a standout because he only went and cheated entirely, allowing himself vocals where others didn’t (though there’s a hint of them ok Researcher’s track and we won’t speak of that lovely Verydeadly song that ends the album). If the rumors are true (these ones I’m starting here and now), then the next Braille Face album is going to be a highlight for Australian music from years to come.

Download the full Kindred Spirits record via the Spirit Level bandcamp or stream it wherever you like.

Immeasurably tough in its drum and bass elements and remarkably tender on the vocal side, The Way We Crush is a masterstroke from Martin King. He used to be one half of seminal Melbourne duo Oscar & Martin (he was Oscar) and since then he’s made waves with his lovelycool band The Harpoons. Everyone has been all “hey Martin wassup man, come make some Cool Marty songs” and obviously the pressure got to him because lately he’s been doing that. And this one, this one is a livejournal earthquake, all feelings and power. “I know you are outta reach for me still” – we’ve all been there. But let’s level here, this song needs to be all over Triple J like snakes on eggs else they don’t even know what’s what. This has the unbridled energy that’ll make for great radio and more emotional resonance than near anything else on the air.

A friend recently tried to argue to me that time is a man-made construct and I’m here to tell you today that he is extremely wrong. Time is actually my friend’s name with an extra ‘E’ on the end of it. Time (sp.) is actually a herb. Time is actually the most valuable currency on the planet and based on my current #life situation, I’m absolutely eligible for some sort of governmental time dole. Once I’ve got my paperwork in I’ll be soakingm up those sweet Turbull minutes. It’s the premiere reason that I never wrote about the first song ‘Please’, from this new Huntly EP, which was out-n-out remarkable recording and I deeply regret not addressing its existence.

The universe has given me the chance to rectify my mistakes and today I deliver you another new song from the EP. It’s out through one of my favourite local labels Neat Lawn, which makes sense as it’s the sort of homegrown indie-pop that they’re known to trade in. The whole EP is out today but my favourite (of the ones you’ve not yet heard) is Kate’s Bed. It meanders slowly through comfortable melodies and familiar feeling lyrics, Elspeth’s voice warm and compelling right through to the song’s flip at 2:20. It’s almost a shame they don’t experiment with some stranger production given how riveting that central moment is but then there’s also an art in not overcooking a song like this. Clock the whole EP on Spotify or on limited edition 10″ via the Neat Lawn bandcamp

Here they are then, the band that you elected to be your chosen representatives in 2017. Last year when you went to the polling booths and put Trump in charge of those United States, you luckily did one thing right. You ticked the box the said Middle Kids in the category for ‘Main Band 2017′. It seemed a strange role to put up for democratic process but the decision was validated when you, good voter, picked the right people for the job. And it was close too, we all saw the campaign spend that Diplo put towards his run and Lorde’s smear campaign didn’t feel great on either side of the fence but for one, shining second of 2016, good won out. Some say that Robin Thicke’s public endorsement of Justin Vernon did more harm than good but I’m of the opinion that he sealed his fate the moment he declared Amanda Palmer his runningmate.

Anywho, politics aside, they gone and did the thing they’re meant to do and that’s make a darn fine song. There’s some harmonies in here that are a new addition to the band’s arsenal which, I believe, means that they’ll be recreating Fleet Foxes self-titled LP in it’s entirety in lieu of their own debut album. 2017 you beautiful thing! There’s a latent sentimentality that rings so authentically amongst the lyrics that it feels like it stems from every argument I’ve ever had had with a loved one. Maybe the most marvellous part of all this is that they’re conquering the world from their home constituency of Chatswood. I’m forced to ask a question I’ve asked about a great many people before these; are they great because they live in Chatswood or do they live in Chatswood because they’re great? A real chicken and the egg moment here folks, it doesn’t ever go much deeper than this.

There’s an EP coming via indie giants Domino which is no more than these ones deserve.