Sampa The Great: Black Girl Magik
Exploring stories from new voices in Australian Hip Hop

Song: Black Girl Magik by Sampa the Great

Music Industry: Gabriel Gleeson, Stephanie Rickards, Rielly Haberecht & Jake Kerr
Journalism: Mariam Isa, Carla de la Paz, Ashna Bharkhada
Sound Design: Angelina Crutchfield

This episode of Sound as Ever began with a focus on the themes of identity and belonging, using Zambian born artist Sampa the Great’s track Black Girl Magik, which draws attention to a lack of non-Anglo representation in the culture of her new home of Australia. The story became one of immigration and cultural representation, with a window to the music and stories of African-Australian artists. We highlight the changing direction of domestic hip hop while celebrating a wave of new talent garnering major label attention.

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30/70: Nu Spring
The creation of new music scenes

Song: Nu Spring by 30/70

Music Industry: Henry Lucas, Philippa Conlon, Zak Boardman & Lucy White
Journalism: Rhiannon Down, Samuel Richards and Hamish Lindsay
Sound Design: Israel Carter

This podcast explores the genre-bending world of Melbourne’s jazz/rap/soul/hip hop fusion scene, specifically its innately free and collaborative nature as displayed by the 30/70 collective and their song Nu Spring. Genre-defying music defined because of its community rather than solely the final product has paved the way for innovative acts and fresh scenes to find their way into the public eye.

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Regurgitator: If this is the Blues, Why do I Feel so Green?
The Band in a Bubble

Song: If This is the Blues, Why do I Feel so Green? by Regurgitator

Music Industry: Jasper Bradley, Dan Walkeden and Juan Piflow
Journalism: Katie Colston, Linda Liem and Hussan Jama
Sound Design: D.A. Calf

Framed by this iconic Regurgitator song, this episode of Sound As Ever explores the creative merit, failures and ultimate succeses of the Band in a Bubble project, an experimental project that was a blend of reality TV and interactive media that resulted in the album Mish Mash. Whilst a typical blues-rock song at its core, contextualised within the album and reflected against their other works, this song epitomises the genre-defying, innovative and often characteristically unique characteristics of the unorthodox musical group.

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Hexdebt: Bitch Rising
A New Wave of Feminism in Australian Punk

Song: Bitch Rising by Hexdebt

Music Industry: Kingsley Siejka, Adrienne Arnot-Bradshaw and Hayden Ryan
Journliasm: Catie McLeod, Jonti Ridley and Madi Chwasta
Sound Design: D.A. Calf

This episode of Sound as Ever explores the song Bitch Rising by Hexdebt, a Melbourne-based intersectional feminist/non-binary punk band signed to Poison City Records. In contextualising Hexdebt in the Melbourne/Australian music scene, we’ll explore how the music scene is changing in terms of inclusivity, and how the conversation around gender and neuro-diversity has shifted over the years.

Interviewees: Agnes Whalan, Isobel D’cruz Barnes and Aife Larkin from Hexdebt, Ruari Currin from PBS show Fang It, Eve Fraser (Gender Pies), Shannon Driscoll from Girls Rock Melbourne!

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Peter Allen: I Still Call Australia Home
An Iconic Australian Song

Song: I Still Call Australia Home by Peter Allen

Music Industry: Maree Pearson, Brontë Pitcher and Madeline Kerns
Journalism: Stephen Jauw Waludin, Annie-Mei Forster and Rio Davis
Sound Design: D.A. Calf

This episode of Sound as Ever explores the elements that contributed to the long-lasting legacy of the iconic Australian song I Still Call Australia Home by Australian singer-songwriter Peter Allen. The song will be discussed in terms of its impact and influence on the Australian culture and the idea of national identity.

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The Presets: My People
Dance music with a social conscience

Song: My People by The Presets

Music Industry: Jack Cross, Ethan Bryant & Jameson Clarke
Journalism: Spencer Fowler Steen, Edward McLeish, Steven Otani.
Sound Design: Angelina Crutchfield

This episode of Sound as Ever explores why My People by The Presets represents a watershed moment for Australian electronic music. The song was extremely successful on the charts and had a large crossover appeal, impacting the Australian music scene heavily and delivering a strong message to the world.

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Youth in the Australian Music Scene
Produced by Rebecca Maakasa and Bridget Bourke

In this episode, we break down barriers preventing young people from participating in the live music scene. Kate Duncan from The Push gives insight into how underage gigs might be revived, and the passionate group of teenagers from New Slang talk about putting on successful music events in Melbourne. We also hear from media producer Josh Martin who grew up in regional Western Australia and compares his experiences of going to gigs in WA to the Melbourne music scene. Joe Toohey, the CEO of Creative Arts Victoria, describes how his lifelong love of the arts was stirred by going to an all-ages concert as a teenager. It is our hope that this episode prompts the music industry to continue to work towards being inclusive of young people so they can enjoy the live music experience.

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Hear Me Roar
Produced by Elsie Bath and Shejuti Hossain

This episode takes a look at the gender inequality in the music industry and the ways in which it influences the work of artists and others in this creative field. Performers Miss Blanks and Lindy Morrison discuss what has changed and what has remained stagnant over the years, describing both the power and difficulties that come from their voices as females. Talking to Elspeth Scrine from the Listen collective, and Broadcaster Tracee Hutchison, the episode not only looks at where this empowerment movement has come from but what future it is fighting for.

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Healing and Community (Mental Health in the Music Industry)
Produced by Erin Dick and Paul Waxman

We talk to artists, music industry workers and representatives from entertainment industry support organisations about mental health issues in the industry, painting a picture of how music and mental health are intertwined. Hear about current initiatives and the next steps needed to improve the conversation and care around artist and industry wellbeing, together with anecdotal experiences from musicians and support workers regarding these issues.

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Punk Music in Australia
Produced by Erin Dick and Paul Waxman

Beyond the mohawks, piercings and raucous guitars, punk, in Australia, is an attitude. It’s a feeling, present in the disruption and discontent of political discourse. We want to challenge definitions, biases and preconceived ideas about what ‘punk’ was, is and will look like in the near future. Our audience will leave with a new impression of what ‘punk’ can sound like and represent, and how this ethos exists in Australia’s contemporary music scene.

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