MusicNSW's Women in Electronic Music Showcase

Celebrate the closing night of VIVID SYDNEY 2016 with MusicNSW’s showcase of Women in Electronic Music, co-presented by FBi Click. The night will feature a sample of some of Australia’s most impressive electronic artists including Banoffee, Rainbow Chan, GL, Habits, BUOY and Mira Boru - all from the rooftop of Sydney's MCA. 

BANOFFEE

With a fresh, nonchalant and non-committal attitude to any one musical
style, the bAnoffee title is also the result of Brown’s complete submission to every part of her music until utter satiation. If self indulgence in one’s art was ever a negative thing, the creation of the bAnoffee moniker acts as a metaphorical shield against any such consequences of her music – be it her lyrics about love turned sour, or statements of empowerment lacquered in polite profanities – “I’m a fucking ninja now, I won’t let you bring me down”.

Set to lead the charge as one of Australia's most exciting musical exports, bAnoffee is the impressive new solo project of Melbourne based singer and producer Martha Brown (Otouto, Dreamy and Delicious). Seemingly as minimal and raw as her previous projects, bAnoffe’s recipe of new wave R’n’B, meshed with gliding synths, syncopated beats and textured, effected vocals make for nothing less than a musical staple with newfound attitude.

RAINBOW CHAN

Rainbow Chan is a Sydney-based singer/producer via Hong Kong. A fervent collector of sounds, Rainbow has a penchant for blending saccharine melodies and left-of-centre beats. Since taking out FBi Radio’s Northern Lights Competition in 2011, Rainbow has been building a reputation as one of the most innovative musicians on the scene with her brand of pop.

Rainbow Chan has been busy preparing for the release of her debut album, Spacings. The record is about distance, impossible intimacies and things that relentlessly collapse upon themselves. Not shying away from pop tropes, Rainbow fragments and reconfigures the familiar into strange mosaic pieces. Warped tones reminiscent of early Japanese electronic producers rub against modern RnB hooks. Most compelling are her vocal arrangements which oscillate between choral, soulful and the post-human. It is her most confident and refined work yet. Spacings will be released on Silo Arts & Records in 2016.

GL

Layering sultry disco vocals over intricately textured production, Ella Thompson & Graeme Pogson, aka GL, have cultivated their own evocative sound that is constantly reaching for the cosmos. The Melbourne duo’s distinctive concoction of gyrating analogue pop harnesses 80’s synths and style, transporting it harmoniously into the modern era. Tunes such as ‘Take Me Back’, ‘What Happened to Us?’ and ‘Number One’ are as comfortable spinning alongside boogie classics as they are on the modern airwaves.

Offering glowing synths, gritty drum-machines & stratospheric vocals, GL’s infectious groove has landed them critical acclaim from around the globe. Their debut EP Love Hexagon gave listeners a fitting introduction to the sonic realm of GL’s romantic hedonism. Stand out tracks ‘Won’t You See’ & ‘What Happened To Us?’ enjoyed consistent airtime on triple j & FBi, while remixes from Detroit don Terrence Parker and Berlin tastemaker Gerd Janson were regularly spun on international stations like BBC Radio 1 & Rinse FM.

Facilitating a revival of the synth-laden sound of the 80s, the duo’s lush blend of neon-lit pop instantly enchanted fans and industry insiders alike. Hand-picked to support the likes of Chet Faker, Shamir and Saskwatch, GL have also landed spots at some of the country’s most illustrious festivals, with performances at Splendour in the Grass, Meredith Music Festival, Falls Festival & OutsideIn. Their freshly released single ‘Number One’ is a tantalising taste of what’s to come for the pair. With a debut album and US tour on the horizon in 2016, GL’s starry-eyed vision is set to become a reality.
 

HABITS

Mohini and Matt form Melbourne’s self-styled “Sad Goth Party Jams” act HABITS. Founded in 2013 HABITS quickly came to the attention of the underground via a series of cult releases and a reputation for stirring live performances. Having supported the likes of Black Vanilla, Banoffee and The Harpoons among others, HABITS are brooding and exuberant; goth and gorgeous; the pioneers of carefree misery.

BUOY

Sydney based artist BUOY (Charmian Kingston) has spent the last year steadily building her reputation as one of Australia’s most innovative and interesting electronic acts.

After releasing her debut Immersion EP in 2015 to rave support across Australian and international press (Clash Magazine, Oyster Magazine, Pigeons & Planes, Indie Shuffle and more), BUOY has since been added across all Australian tastemaker radio, featured on Triple J Unearthed and had spins on BBC Radio & KCRW. 2015 also saw her garner support from contemporaries such as ODESZA, Jagwar Ma and Belle & Sebastian, become a Spotify Feature Artist and FBi Radio’s Independent Artist of the Week.

Originally trained as a jazz pianist, BUOY’s live show is a unique take on live electronic music. Piano, vocals, synths and percussion build upon one another to create a stunning wall of sound, allowing BUOY to explore sounds of ethereal pop through to the darker shades of electronica. She has supported Oscar Key Sung, Ngaiire, Banoffee, Kllo and Rainbow Chan, sold out out her EP launch at Sydney’s Goodgod Small Club and performed on the main stage at Secret Garden Festival.

MIRA BORU

In Japanese, Mirã Bõru means disco ball; and its human incarnation is Sydney's Tess Nicolaou Embarking on her musical journey as a violinist at the age of 5, has always had a knack for the discovery of exhilarating sounds. The extensive beat, rhythm and aural skills she grasped growing up, has helped her towards mastering the art of DJing. When she plays to a crowd, she is forever aspiring to get people swaying their hips. With a passion for funk, house, techno, lo-fi and disco as well as a growing vinyl collection, Tess is on a captivating path with a mission to bring the greatest of vibes to a dance-floor.

This event is part of MusicNSW's Women in Electronic Music Program which also includes:

• Industry Roundtable, 3-5pm, June 18 at Vivid Ideas Exchange
• Liveschool Masterclasses, June 6 + June 22 at Liveschool