The French is a synth duo formed by Darren Hayman and John Morrison, both formerly of Hefner. The French developed the more electronic sound present on Hefner's last album: Dead Media. They have released one full length album called Local Information, an EP called Dagenham and a double a-side single called Gabriel In the Airport/Porn Shoes in the years 2003-2004.
Rainbow Chan is a young Sydney musician with a love for story-telling. Whether she is chasing romantic adventures, stitching together childhood dreams or rummaging through antique fairs, Rainbow is constantly collecting bits and pieces for her music. The result: sweet acoustic folk-pop with electronic hues. With a sugary voice and an array of instruments in her picnic basket including guitar, piano, music-boxes, saxophone, glockenspiel, loop pedal and toy-pianos, Rainbow likes to create the sound of carousels and helium balloons.
Raised on the classic, guitar-ringing psychedelia of the '60s (the Zombies, the Byrds) with a lo-fi indie rock approach not unlike that of the Elephant 6 collective, Melbourne, Australia group the Crayon Fields formed in 2002 before the members graduated high school. In the following few years, the band - vocalist/guitarist Geoffrey O'Connor, bassist Brett Hudson, guitarist Chris Hung and drummer Neil Erenstrom -supported the likes of the Unicorns, New Pornographers, Stereolab, Cornelius, Dirty Three, Electrelane, Deerhoof and Architecture in Helsinki in concert.
While the mere mention of their name often invokes raised eyebrows and amused smiles among the uninitiated, Brisbane four-piece Hungry Kids of Hungary produce music that inspires equal measures of curiosity and joy. Dressing their immaculate indie tunes with a healthy dose of 60’s pop sensibility and lashings of soul HKoH have wasted no time in carving out a name for themselves on the Australian music scene with a quartet of radio singles and their relentless touring regime.
Slow Club are Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor from Sheffield, United Kingdom. They sing using quirky lyrics, a variety of percussion instruments and great vocal interplay. They are currently releasing singles on Moshi Moshi Records and have been on nationwide tours with bands such as Fionn Regan, Noisettes, Hot Club de Paris, Tilly and the Wall, Jamie T and Jeremy Warmsley. The pair have released a series of EPs: Because We're Dead, Me And You, Let's Fall Back in Love, Christmas TV and It Doesn't Have To Be Beautiful. Their debut album, Yeah So, was released on 7 July 2009.
The Triangles are a five piece band from Melbourne, Australia, who started playing together in 2003. Their style is informed by many types of music including psychedelic pop, guitar based indie rock and 1970s folk. The Triangles independently released two albums of folky experimental pop in 2003 and 2004 before their first major release ‘Magic Johnson’ came out on the independent Australian label Half A Cow in 2005.
Summer Cats are two girls and three boys from Melbourne, Australia. Like most people from Melbourne, they spend their time either: a) enjoying summer or b) waiting for summer to arrive. They play crash pop in an attempt to make you dance, so if you feel the urge...go right ahead! Musically they are somewhat of a cross between Stereolab and The Go-Betweens....or is that Talulah Gosh and The Left Banke?
The Cannanes have been described as 'the world's most indie band.' Despite never having a manager, agent or signing a record deal they have toured the world, produced numerous recordings, and been recognised internationally as one of Australia's best known bands. Even Kurt Cobain listed the Cannanes as a band he liked in his journals. Since the Cannanes' first release 'Bored Angry and Jealous' was named Single of the Year by UK music magazine NME in late 1986, the band has attracted an ever expanding international following.
Allo Darlin' are many things. They can turn a room in a famous punk venue into a joyous, jumping, sweaty, pop-mosh pit. Or bring a room of 500 to hushed silence with the few strums of a ukulele and a love song about cooking. They're close friends that found each other and the music they make in London. Elizabeth and Bill are from Australia, Mike and Paul are from Kent. They've only been playing seriously as a band since January 2009, although Elizabeth has been releasing music under various guises since 2007.
There are at least 4 bands known as Bears: 1. An indie pop band from Cleveland, Ohio. The band consists of Craig Ramsey (drums, vocals, keys, bells, tambourine, guitar, bass) and Charlie McArthur (guitar, vocals, bass, bells). Bears released a self-titled CD/LP in 2006, an EP called Shortest Day of the Year in 2007, a 7" single called Who Knows in 2008, a second album, Simple Machinery, in 2008, a 7" called Snowman in 2009. A third album is set to be released in 2010. More info at: www.myspace.com/bearspop and www.bearspop.com