MAMA KIN SPENDER RELEASE SPELL-BINDING NEW ALBUM ‘PROMISES’
A mesmerising journey through soul folk, hypnotic harmonies and open-veined lyricism, the new album Promises out today from ARIA-nominated and WAM award-winning duo Mama Kin Spender is one of those truly rare creative entities that transfixes mind, body and soul; a seismic concept album that explores every facet of love, from optimism through to decay, rage and transformation.
The opening track, Arrows is immediately captivating, and so Promises kicks off with a nod to the likes of Alabama Shakes and Pat Benetar.Swaggering melodics and resoundingly relatable lyricism: “You and me / What a team / Then something started creepin’ in / A lazy blamin’ kinda thing / Just when I, I thought that you, could be my everything”. Steeped in real-world experience, Arrows also pierces memorably with its bewitching vocal interplay between Mama Kin Spender’s Danielle Caruana and Dingo Spender, voicing universal themes of drifting apart offering an intoxicating catharsis. Next up, Bleeding Out instantly charms with a juxtaposition of melody and sentiment. With openly raunchy yet honest lyricism, unpacking passion and frustration. Love continues to thread its way through Promises in its raw title track, channeling regret and romantic despair. The otherworldly Desert Rain is effortlessly draped in humid instrumentals, oscillating melodies and swooning vocals.And finally the relief that is the sumptuous ruminations of We Are The Water.
The album’s glimmering focus track Dance With Me offers a more upbeat fare, with Danielle and Dingo both capturing a fearless and cathartic energy that powerfully pulses through the instrumentation and driving rhythms. “Dance With Me is the wild, fleeting magic of the honeymoon period—those heady moments when love surges like a tidal wave, fueled by dopamine, and oxytocin,” shares Mama Kin Spender. “It’s the hugs AND the drugs and the song that lingers in your heart after the first sleepover, a melody that tugs at your soul years later, weaving together the shimmering highs of young, optimistic love in its opening chapters. Euphoria, rapture and joyful freedom.”
Love That Will Not Die, captivates, a soulful ballad punctuated by poignant guitar lines and dreamy vocal back-and-forth between Danielle and Dingo. Promises then dives deeper into heartfelt rumination on the smoky yet serene What’s Wrong With Me. Mama Kin Spender continue to re-imagine the soul and roots space with their own brand of magic, Promises’ penultimate track Blue Belle slithers with sensual melodies and whiskey-soaked soundscapes, channelling vivid heartbreak. Danielle and Dingo deliver a final note of surrender and acceptance, with the timeless track, The Road. A cinematic end point to Promises, and one that also yet again showcases the flawless balance between Danielle and Dingo, and the broader magic wielded by this collaboration under the Mama Kin Spender moniker. The Road would happily find its place at the end of a heart-rending indie romance as it softly rolls away with the lines: “Don’t ask me any questions / I don’t need reminding / Of the road we leave behind…”
An album that captures a galaxy of vignettes of the relational experience and ultimately in the space of 10 tracks, Promises is achingly personal yet easily relatable, ultimately a diary entry about the rise, fall and transformation of love. An album that details with pure honesty every facet of matters of the heart with a compelling array of soul, folk, pop, rock and more, Promises will capture your heart, make you feel seen, and maybe – just maybe – inspire you to take great care of love.
Renowned for their raw, percussive energy and beguiling harmonies, Mama Kin Spender is the collaborative creative project from long-time friends and creative partners Mama Kin (Danielle Caruana) and Spender (Dingo Spender). With a stalwart reputation for songwriting that grips at your core, as well as their unforgettable live performances, Mama Kin Spender released their debut full-length album in 2018, with Golden Magnetic scoring an ARIA Award nomination for Best Blues and Roots Album. The pair have previously won Best Folk Act (2013) and Best Blues / Roots Act (2018) at the West Australian Music Industry Awards, and have also performed at the likes of WOMADelaide and Woodford Festival, Perth, Darwin and Vivid Festival, and toured across North America and Ireland and across Australia; with plenty more to come.
Mama Kin Spender will be taking their incredible show on the road starting next month for their Promises Tour, heading to Pomona, Murwillumbah, Brisbane, Brunswick, Archie’s Creek, Belgrave, Sydney, Milton and Dashville don’t miss your chance to catch this incredible pair and their spectacular new album live in action.
Promises is out today.
MAMA KIN SPENDER – UPCOMING SHOWS:
Tickets available from mamakinspender.love
FRI 05 SEP | MAJESTIC THEATRE, POMONA/GUBBI GUBBI QLD
SAT 06 SEP | THE CITADEL, MURWILLUMBAH/BUNDJALUNG NSW
SUN 07 SEP | LEFTY’S MUSIC HALL, BRISBANE/MEANJIN QLD
FRI 12 SEP | BRUNSWICK BALLROOM, BRUNSWICK/BULLEKE-BEK VIC
SAT 13 SEP | ARCHIE’S CREEK HALL, ARCHIE’S CREEK/BUNURONG VIC
SUN 14 SEP | SOOKI LOUNGE, BELGRAVE/WURUNDJERI VIC
FRI 03 OCT | PADDINGTON UNITING CHURCH, SYDNEY/GADIGAL NSW
SAT 04 OCT | MILTON THEATRE, MILTON/BUDAWANG NSW
SUN 05 OCT | DASHVILLE SKYLINE, DASHVILLE/WONNARUA NSW
Pete Murray unveils dreamy new single ‘Amy’ and announces upcoming album ‘Longing’ out October 3, alongside album launch shows in October
Decades into his career but more compelling than ever, beloved Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray arrives today armed with one of his most potent releases to date, releasing the blissfully hypnotic new single Amy, alongside the announcement of his eighth studio album Longing set for release on October 3. Nearing the end of his epic 56 date solo tour of Australia, Pete has announced three special album launch shows for New South Wales in October, tickets are available now from https://petemurray.com/.
Glistening with propulsive rhythms, sparkling acoustic guitar and Pete Murray’s ever-captivating vocal, the latest single Amy finds Pete Murray in new sonic terrain, embracing a shift in creative direction, while also coated in idyllic melodies and dreamy instrumentals. “Amy is about someone really special,” Pete reveals. “I feel Amy has a different flavour to what I have recorded before. The backbeat rhythm on the acoustic guitar is what really makes it different. I also don’t use a 4 on the floor beat under any of my songs but this works with Amy. It’s kind of hypnotic with the acoustic, snare and beat working together and when the keys solo hits in the breakdown, it’s the best!”
Teaming up with Luke Palmer (Boo Seeka, Dead Letter Circus) to bring Amy to life, with Luke engineering the track as well as lending his skills playing keys and synth bass, Pete’s new sonic chapter begins today alongside his lush new single, with Amy offering a deeper glimpse into the upcoming new album Longing due out later this year. And while it acts as a follow up to his 2017 acclaimed album Camacho, Longing will also mark the first time in two decades that Pete has released a record independently.
Via its title track, Longing opens with a hazy gleam, weaving oscillating textures and swooning warmth, before Amy kicks in next with all of her compelling beauty. From here, Longing transfixes with a journey through blues-soaked summery charm (Place Your Bets), stripped-back gems primed to tug at the heartstrings (Home To Me), effortlessly upbeat moments perfectly crafted for crowd singalongs (Higher) and powerful lyricism balanced alongside tranquil tones (I Am Fire). And from swaggering fare (Long Way To Go) through to affable odes that feel simultaneously nostalgic and fresh (Wouldn’t It Be Good), Longing also dazzles with tranquil toe-tappers (Heaven Calls) and a buoyant closing track (Shakes) that straddles relatability and hope, like a glimmering warm light waving you in from a storm and welcoming you home.
“I spend a lot of time in the studio and have a folder on my computer called ‘Unfinished’” explains Pete. “As the years went by, I kept adding to this folder and I kept slowly working some of my favourites in the folder. I would get an old session up and work on it some more then put it away again (sometimes for years). After a little while, I had a bunch of songs that really sounded like a great, cohesive body of work.”
“I’m all about trying to write an album that people love from start to finish. An album that means something special to someone,” Pete adds. “You can only make an album like this with time. My first album Feeler was written over the same period of time, about 10 years. I feel there are very similar qualities on Longing as there are on Feeler.”
And Pete’s today announced his epic ‘Longing For A Trip To Byron’ album preorder competition, giving any fan that preorders the album the chance to win a trip to Byron Bay with a mate. The winner will score flights, two nights accommodation at the luxurious Elements of Byron Bay resort, and two VIP tickets to Pete’s exclusive album launch show at the Brunswick Heads Hotel. Plus, they’ll get to meet Pete and the band after the show for a special VIP experience. To enter, fans can simply pre-order Pete’s upcoming album Longing from his official Australian webstore in any format (Vinyl, CD, Digital Download, or as part of a merch bundle) and then submit the order number before the promotion period ends at 11.59am on September 4.
Undisputedly one of Australia’s most successful singer-songwriters, Pete Murray has amassed over 1.2 million album sales, hundreds of millions of streams, three ARIA chart-topping albums, and 17 ARIA Award nominations, while also continuously touring and releasing new material for over 20 years. Emerging with his debut full length album The Game in 2001, Murray’s breakout sophomore album Feeler in 2003 cemented his status as one of the all-time greats. With ongoing hits and fan-favourites along the way, including Better Days, Feeler, Opportunity and So Beautiful, Murray’s stirring and enduring blend of positivity with acoustic, rock and folk elements has only amplified his revered reputation, including via his most recent full length album Camacho in 2017.
Now poised to release his eighth studio album in 2025, Pete has also cultivated a stalwart reputation for his live show, from his own headline shows with his band at home and abroad, as well as performances with the likes of Missy Higgins, Icehouse, Rob Thomas and James Blunt along with many more. And Australian fans will be able to catch Pete live in action this October for three very special album launch shows in New South Wales.
“This solo tour has been incredible,” shares Pete. “It was also strange as I had started to release new singles off the Longing album during the solo tour. I just have so much music to release at the moment so I’m just trying to keep things all moving forward. The new tour dates in October are all about the Longing album release and I will be playing with my band. Of course, it will be a mix of new songs and old classics, but definitely a focus on the new songs.”
And speaking of new songs, it’s the upcoming release of Longing that will also feature Pete Murray’s first completely independent album release in over two decades, with both the album and his return to independence a long, but entirely worthwhile, wait.
“It’s a great feeling to be independent again after 20 years,” says Pete. “My last independent album release was The Game in 2001. I think it’s fantastic owning my own masters again. I didn’t realise how important it was to own master 20 years ago, but you live and learn and now it’s all about recording great music that is powerful and means something special to someone and also that I own with music. Creating an album that is great from start to finish has been my goal for this new album Longing. I feel like I have achieved this, but the punters will be the real test to see if they feel the same.
Amy is out today.
Longing is set for release October 3.
Tickets for Pete Murray’s string of album launch shows in October are on sale now from www.petemurray.com.
PETE MURRAY – ALBUM LAUNCH SHOWS:
FRI 03 OCT | HOTEL BRUNSWICK, BRUNSWICK HEADS NSW | 18+
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SAT 04 OCT | DEE WHY SHOWROOM, DEE WHY | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SUN 05 OCT | DRIFTERS WHARF, GOSFORD | 18+
Tickets available from www.humanitix.com.au | Host Link | All Humanitix Outlets
CHUCK SICS SHARES LUSH SINGLE ‘I’VE BEEN THINKING’ AND ANNOUNCES NEW EP ‘SLIPSTREAM’ DUE SEP 23
A lush indie anthem for all the procrastinators and introverts of the world, today Sydney-based artist and multi-instrumentalist Chuck Sics returns with an introspective yet unwaveringly immersive new single I’ve Been Thinking, the third offering from his anticipated debut EP Slipstream set for release on September 23.
With hypnotic hues a la Radiohead and Tame Impala, fused with Chuck Sics’ increasingly trademark knack for conjuring relatable lyrical fare, I’ve Been Thinking was self-produced and mixed by Chuck Sics himself, showcasing a crunchy yet volatile creative aesthetic while detailing the frustrations and realities of procrastination and feeling overwhelmed by the world. “I’ve Been Thinking is essentially a song about procrastination,”shares Chuck Sics. “It’s about feeling like you’re stuck thinking about life instead of living it, and keeping that locked inside your mind.”
“For me, it’s particularly relevant to writing, recording and releasing music,” Chuck adds. “You can think about a song for a long time: about how it’s going to sound, and how it will be received etc. I end up living in a fantasy world where the song exists before I’ve done the hard work to make it.”
Marking Chuck’s third single release following his debut single Redo which dropped earlier this year, as well as more recent track M.A.D, I’ve Been Thinking will join both previous singles on Chuck’s upcoming debut EP Slipstream due out next month, with the five-track release primed to ruminate on dread, self-analysis and beyond. Placing Chuck’s versatility and skill, both as a writer and a musician (playing every instrument, producing and mixing the EP solo), front and centre, Slipstream is a whimsical yet hard-hitting outing that balances cohesive alt-pop-rock production with pensive and occasionally cynical lyricism. Opening with Chuck’s debut single, Redo, Slipstream begins on an upbeat and psychedelic note, bathed in warm instrumentals and lyrically detailing unrequited love. Next up, M.A.D dabbles in Britpop flavours alongside percolating rhythms and smooth vocals, while the EP’s title track and midway point serves up buoyant melodies, dazzling basslines and a beat primed to fill dancefloors. And with today’s new single I’ve Been Thinking marking the EP’s penultimate track, Slipstream ultimately closes on a gooey note of melodic haze, ethereal vibes, and sharp contemplation. “The EP explores themes of dread, self-analysis, sleep (or lack thereof), and reflection,” shares Chuck. “I’m trying to express that I don’t think of myself as a reliable narrator, even of my own emotions. I think that there’s a healthy amount of self-doubt, but for me what tends to happen, the result turns into dread.”
Picking up the trumpet in primary school, Chuck Sics’ musical evolution soon led him to the piano, before the floodgates burst wide open via finding the guitar at the age of 12, followed by bass, singing, and the occasional foray into drums. Dreams of becoming a concert pianist soon gave way to rock’n’roll persuasions, and, ultimately, a solo career that now finds Chuck in 2025 weaving lush and atmospheric soundscapes into stories soaked in poignant and authentic introspection. Offering listeners a journey through creativity and self-discovery, Chuck’s lyrics and musical proficiency was most recently on full display in a live setting with his band at The Trocadero Room in Sydney. But it’s via his upcoming debut EP Slipstream that Chuck Sics’ creative magic will enamour far and wide; a labour of love that has itself been five years in the making, and one Chuck is entirely ready to share with the world at long last next month.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Chuck shares. “I worked a lot of (nocturnal) hours putting all of these songs together over the course of 5 years. “I’ve Been Thinking” was the first song I finished for this record, and it laid the groundwork for the aesthetic and vibe of everything I wrote from there onwards.”
I’ve Been Thinking is out today.
Slipstream is due out Tuesday September 23.