You’d be hard-pressed to find a dance music label in Australia that has had a better output than Planet Trip in the last 12 months. The imprint led by Sydney’s Mike Who has scoured the globe releasing new tracks from a number of artists both at home and abroad. In PT 006 the label is joined by Belarus native Fitzzgerald, a producer whose Australian love affair continues having recently found himself on the tracklist of the forthcoming, ‘First Light Vol. 2’ compilation curated by CC:DISCO!. 

In this 5-track EP ’The Morning After’, Fitzzgerald explores the depth of Balearic tranquillity on the A-Side, before firing up the charcoals on the B-Side.Today’s premiere, ‘E36’, is a B-line into the fast lane, a percussion-heavy ride that quickly escalates into a winding chase. A dance floor ready melter, made for the club with the pandemic in the rearview mirror.

E36 - Fitzzgerald (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Set to be released tomorrow via the rapidly rising Revolver Upstairs Records, is the latest EP from Melbourne born, Berlin-based Katie Drover. The Overthought EP, is Katie’s latest release following features on imprints such as Lobster Thermin, Pleasure Zone and her own label Dokutoku records. In her latest 4 track EP, Katie shows her versatility as a producer, with each club-ready track traversing through genres, sounds and memorable moments.  

Today’s premiere, ‘House Plant’, is the closing track from the release, running at just over 6 minutes the track draws on deep chords, a playful bassline and shimmering synths to constantly evolve the track and leave the punters longing for more. As a former Rev’s regular, Katie’s versatile sets have translated effortlessly to her output as a producer, cool, calm and calculated, we look forward to hearing more from her and Revolver Upstairs Records.

Bandcamp pre-orders here -https://revolverupstairsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/overthought-ep

Overthought EP 

'House Plant' - Katie Drover (Finding Figaro Premiere)

‘Shortcut to Paradise’ is apltly titled, at a touch over two minutes the tune is imbued with hopeful yearning. 90’s drum kits interpose with strings, plucked chords and synths to pull together a track which continues to rise gaily in optimism.

Trujillo - Shortcut To Paradise (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Those packing a bag and stick for an outing would do well to be abreast of CB’s new release, a string of tracks that truly hark to times when we were more blissfully and chemically disengaged from the world. The EP’s title track, Cruise Control, puts its cards on the table right away, with a driving Italo new age laden bassline with a lot of horsepower and coasting pads that paint long exposure traffic lights in your mind.

Though it puts its cards down early, it doesn’t quite ever reveal its hand. Subtle shifts in key and tempo from the trilling synths in the track's foreground keep the ride a freewheeling drift, the longer you ride the more ecstatic it all comes - before you know it the vocals call brrrrryeeeaaah! and you get a triple clap. The dancefloor pining doesn’t get much stronger than that. It’s a choice ride to take.

Cruise Control - CB (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Set to be released at the end of the month, Enjoyment Division 002, is the second release on local producer Dawn Again’s Melbourne imprint. The EP, which draws on vocals and instrumentation of Nelson Dialect and Lochie Thompson respectively, shows a collaborative approach that works to diversify Dawn Again’s potent, but sporadic catalogue of releases. 

 Today’s premiere, ‘Flamb’d’, comes in at just over 6 minutes, an exploration into the ‘tech-ier’ sounds, and something not synonymous with Dawn Again’s usual output. Written in times of uncertainty, this track embodies the feelings of hope that await at the end of yet another lockdown. Deep, thoughtful and considered, a very memorable release.

Flamb'd - Dawn Again (Finding Figaro Premiere)

2 years ago we kicked off our first premiere with Sydney crew Star Local Records. 2 years, a UK sabbatical and 54 additional premieres, we’re back where it all began. Based in Eora/Sydney, Start Local Records is leading the way in releasing tracks from some of the countries best up and coming producers, adding to their quickly grown catalogue of high-quality house cuts. Now onto their 6 release, SLRVA006, continues their ethos, presenting 4 tracks, from 4 very talented budding producers.   Today’s premiere, ‘Happier Together’ by Melbourne producer and DJ, priya, is their latest track following a feature on the 2020 Love Above Records compilation, ‘LAD004 - Locked in the House.’ Clocking in at just under 7 minutes, the progression of this track is truly replayable, moving between a classic break, melodic chords and a steady bass line, priya gradually builds the momentum of the song carefully intertwining and reintroducing elements as they deem fit. A stand out release, from one of Sydney’s standout underground labels.

Buy the comp here - 
https://startlocalrecords.bandcamp.com/album/slrva006

priya - Happier Together (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Playback of our rescheduled September Noods show with WA's Montana. Dig in.

A.E.S.T with Finding Figaro & Montana - 07/10/21

Back on our regular Noods slot with an hour from us and a soul-driven guest mix from O Honey & Sarah B.

A.E.S.T. with Finding Figaro & O Honey x Sarah B - 13/10/21

Set to be released on’ X’, ILIO0004 is brought to you by France’s budding female producer Serious A. A 4 part EP, the release steers away from ILIO’s regular programming and deep dives into a more experimental tip, whilst still maintaining the label's reputation for high-quality releases.

Today’s premiere, ‘Coastal Village’, is the final track on the B-Side and one that embodies the eccentric rhythms of the EP, a culmination of interesting percussion, jaunting vocals and deep synths, a moody and memorable release. Limited to 150 copies.

Serious A - Coastal Village (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Playback of our Noodin with a real good boy Fella Qt (pictured) from 1-3. Figs are twiddling the nobs on the first with bits and bobs from the bag and fella taking us home in the second.

A.E.S.T. with Finding Figaro & Fella QT - 10/11/21

After a busy isolation period and a lengthy covid pressing plant delay, Leith Links and his Far Shore Recordings drop their debut release ‘Fruitful Waters’. A standout release that is deeply rooted in heavy grooves and playful melodies that draw on the modern Italo and house sounds that are emerging from Melbourne. SR001 is a five-part EP, that sees Links joined on the B-Side by a long time collaborator, and friend of Figaro, ‘Idiot at Altitude’, with a downtempo remix of one of the EP’s highlights in Monofunktional. 

After receiving radio play from the likes of Andras in the backend of ’21 and a thorough rinsing in FigHQ, we’re stoked to finally be premiering the opening track from the EP, ‘Breezy’. The perfect EP opener, Breezy is an off-kilter, relentless bassline groove that in just over 5 minutes make light work of dance floors and punters alike. Although it’s been delayed, the timing feels right, sneaking in on the final weekend of Summer, SR001 comes as a nice change to the status quo of the city's recent releases.

Purchase the EP here - https://leith-links.bandcamp.com/
All digital purchases to be donated to the Ukraine.

Fruitful Waters

Leith Links - Breezy (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Morgan Huggins’ Strange Hills South of Alice pairs syncopated percussion with precision, building in momentum and atmosphere at each turn, a track that takes a few shapes as it transforms itself into its final form. Its coda is a surprising, elegant,  warbling synth interposed with euphoric, ethereal vocals, constantly revolving, resolving itself with an ellipsis…

Morgan Huggins - Strange Hills South Of Alice (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Not many things get ye olde Figaro off the couch, dusting the cobwebs off the keyboard to tap up another premiere for you. Though this little number had just enough pazzaz to kick us back into gear for a rare slice of Soundcloud curation. 

To celebrate 2 years of, Bongosynth, the Sao Paula based label have today released a compilation of edits and originals from a string of producers who have lent a hand in building the label. The comp draws on collaborators from across Brazil and abroad, with notable entries from Milos Kaiser, Les Yeux Orange and an artist releasing on the forthcoming Opa comp, Vuta.

An edit of Bubuska by É Pela Boca by Gop Tun head Gui Scott, is a timely reintroduction of the track, extending the original and enhancing its ability to capture a dance floor. A clever use of instrumentation and several devious feints in the studio give the track an extended run time which allows the track just enough time to wriggle its magic a little deeper into your ears. Well placed for the forthcoming Summer, Gui’s a friend to all the sun drenched selectors giving us a somewhat baelaric, South American beauty as well suited to the lounge room as the dancefloor.

Bongosynth 2Y VA

Bubuska - Pela Boca (Gui Scott Edit) (Finding Figaro Premiere)

The first reverberation of our Echo Tones series comes from two of our closest putting it down tooshy2tooshy as the drizzle lifted down in the paddock. First ever b2b, but you wouldn't know it.

Echo Tones #1 - Adriana b2b Bárbara Boeing

A very special recording from our 10 years of MFM event at Fairfield Amphitheatre last September between Jamie and Lauren. It was beautiful to see two close friends throwing down tracks, lost in the music and the thing that they love. You know things are going well when an hour into their set, Jamie and Lauren both asked if we were recording the set. Yesterday was Jamie's birthday and we and Lauren felt it was the right time to release this mix, as a celebration of Jamie and his music. Jamie Tiller b2b Lauren Hansom, live from Fairfield Amphitheatre ~ 4 hours of bliss ~ Jamie Tiller forever.

Jamie Tiller b2b Lauren Hansom (10 Years of MFM)

Set to be released this coming Friday via ALRA records, ‘Colours’ is the latest single produced by Brazilian born Rafael Melhem and Berlin based Alex Agore. A collaborative project lasting just over seven minutes, ‘Colours’ takes listeners on a cosmic journey through the different styles of both producers, drawing on their strengths, differences and ability to make layered, emotive dance music.

'Colours' - Rafael Melhem & Alex Agore (Finding Figaro Premiere)

‘Kayroy in Love’ is a beatific call back to the breakneck sonics of the 80’s. It is a rapid Italo burner with dominated by a playful exchange between high pitched synths and guitars and backed by an array of charming Italo novelties; a zephyr of pads, claps, rolling 80’s drum machines, flutes, even a jet stream sample. It crams all the Italo signatures in, yet it never feels cluttered. With a runtime just seconds shy of the seven minute mark the tune is superbly layered with engaging sections, it’s climax, a captivating, jubilant section where a vocal sample is introduced and takes centre stage, in dramatic fashion.

Kayroy in Love (Finding Figaro Premiere)

The yield of Sandrio and Crackazat’s collaboration is an epic journey that begins with a deep sonic palette, and over six minutes subtly transforms itself into synth-driven euphoria featuring lead tones that could make Kamaal Williams weak at the knees. The opening bars introduce a number of the track’s driving motifs; tasteful piano stabs are joined by a vocal sample drenched in delay, while the track’s muffled bass line inspires some serious toe tapping. An impression of the lead synth lurks in the background of the track for the first half, while the percussion gradually begins to jack a bit harder and filtered chords begin to stab through the midrange. The track does a fantastic job of creating a sense of anticipation throughout, and as it enters the final two minutes the payoff is a jam of the most jubilant nature imaginable, a signature of Crackazat’s productions that is sure to ignite even the most discerning dancefloors.

Night Music V

Smoked Out (Crackazat Remix)- Sondrio (Finding Figaro Premiere)

The emergence of several Sydney based labels in the last few months can only be a testament to the astonishing fertility of the musical landscape in Sydney. A city marked by aggressive policy against live music has been quietly, and consistently, producing innovative music and the fruits of the cities labour are now coming to the fore, with budding labels ‘Start Local Records’ and Mike Who’s ‘Planet Trip Records’ have been developed to provide platforms to cater for the quality of productions coming from the city. Start Local’s second VA release hosts a showcase of Sydney producer and pianist, Nikoss. Trained in jazz performance and boasting collaborations with Seven Davis Jr and Black Loops, Nikoss is a producer of impressive pedigree and in his contribution to the record, ‘What To Do’, his musical aptitude is immediately apparent. A breezy caper, ‘What To Do’ is lead by oscillating synth lines which strike a flattering comparison with the work of Harvey Sutherland and backed by a varied array percussion.

Nikoss - What To Do (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Five minutes of warbling disco disorientation from two Melbournian aliases, Pulp Free & DJ Tiny Ramekin.

Go To Find A Dub (Actual Dub Mix) - Pulp Free & DJ Tiny Ramekin (Finding Figaro Premiere)

For our latest instalment of Music Migration we are pleased to share a mix from up and coming South African producer and DJ KaySoul. Enjoy an hour of deep grooves and old school sounds.

Art - Zhu Jinshi

1. Soulfuledge - Pretending (Original Mix)
2. Pegasvs, Xuli - Drinking With My Eyes (Hugo LX Remix) 
3. Garret David - Coming In (Too Strong) 
4. Black Loops feat. Nikoss - Your Mind (Original Mix) 
5. DJ Aakmael - Untitled 91 
6. Dean Zepherin - Early in the Morning 
7. Chris Gray - Brink of Insanity (Tuff City Kids Remix) 
8. Georgi Barrel - Space Joint (Quadrakey Remix) 
9. Neinzer - The Beacon 
10. Garret David - Lop It

Music Migration - KaySoul

An hour of originals and distinctively soulful Japanese house classics from the Far East courtesy of one of Japan's seminal underground dance figures, Shinichiro Yokota.

We're all very chuffed at Fig HQ to have Shinichiro in the mix for us, having being ardent admirers of the maestro since all our ears found 'Do it Again' on his friend and long-time collaborator Soichi Terada's Far East Recordings Compilation and more recently, his record of the year contender, 'I Know You Like It'.

Sit back, enjoy, imbibe.

Finding: Shinichiro Yokota // #1

A sundry patchwork of percussion blended with dubs, synth lines and plenty of rhythm. Tasting notes of balearic and dub, best paired with open-air sun drenched parties or cracking smiles closing sets on jubilant dance floors in sweaty rooms.

Love Dub - Mic Mills (Finding Figaro Premiere)

As the title suggests, ‘Promise of the Sun’ is a woolgathering love song to the warmer months, with warm, uplifting pads, shimmering synths and effervescent percussion which compliments the perpetually building funky synth melodies - a relaxed jazzy house cut in every sense.

'Promise Of The Sun' - Cosmic Garden (Finding Figaro Premiere)

A six minute take no prisoners type raver, a downright thumping bassline takes on swinging drum breaks to constantly drive the track, that is paired perfectly with a fluctuating synth cords to keep dancers guessing. The track features a number of large, meticulously crafted drops throughout, they’re complex, well thought out and we look forward to taking them deep into the Australian Summer.

David Jackson - Broken Heart EP - Frank Music

'Eire 2000' - David Jackson (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Italo magic for the soul. The B2 on Boots & Legs' second pressing - an edit with mystique in mind, ‘Our Secret’ tempers deep synth base strikes and a hard, raw kick with pop-laden, dreamy vocals and uplifting synth arpeggio’s. Like all good Italo hits, it’s immensely layered, jam-packed full of elements from studios years yonder and falls distinctly on the right side of cheesy.

'Our Secret' - Boots & Legs vol.2 (Finding Figaro Premiere)

In the latest of the isolation releases comes in the shape of ‘Brain Buzz’. Set to be released on the 22nd of May, the EP is the latest release from local Melbourne producer Common Nocturne. The EP itself is a 3 part exploration that spans across a unique blend of electro, minimal, trance, and bass. 

The lead track, ‘Brain Buzz’, is track lead by high octane percussion and a dwindling buzz synth. The tracks lapses in action allow for the dreamy vocals to mature throughout the song before coming back in full swing with some heavy bass hits.

'Brain Buzz' - Common Nocturne (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Gungurru is a master of revealing itself. Layers emerge out of sonorous, penetrating sub-waves, warbled, twittering synth sequences parry against one another, and in the fissure of their clashes, another layer joins the fold, rising, ethereal flutes, or are they the dulcet tones of angelic soprano’s?

'Gungurru' - Jon Jones (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Like a fleeting feeling of the Australian bush, daydreaming whilst floating on a river bed. As the distant dialogue of the native birds continues on the surface the listener submerges deeper and deeper into the soundscape of one of Sydney’s brightest new producers. The track emerges from the water with Unpin’s influences at the forefront, a simple yet complimentary, UK charged beat with an almost hypnotic, pitched down vocal sample.

Whilst this track won’t be heard on dance floors for the foreseeable future, it’s true beauty is in the way it can move minds just as well as it moves bodies.

Control - Unpin (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Set to be released this Friday (the 13th. Spooky.) via Lobster Thermin, is the debut EP from local up-and-comer, GREETINGS. The Vertigo Months EP can be described as many things: 90s euphoria dream house, new-wave Italo, or even a genre, we have just coined - Lygon Street Disco (really hoping this one sticks). A unique blend of Italian flavours, pressed together with the sweet sounds currently coming out of Melbourne. 

Today’s premiere, ‘The Real Harvery Wallbanger’, is a continuation of the cosmopolitan sounds released on the producers side project, ‘Boots & Legs’. When we first heard this track we were caught with our pants down and guns blazing, moments of ethereal wandering is met with GREETINGS signature yearning synths, whip-like beat, and is finally cumulated through driving keys and deep feelings of elation. Bravo.

Vertigo Months

The Real Harvey Wallbanger - GREETINGS (Finding Figaro Premiere)

‘Deterrence’, the first number off the release is a coalescence of moods - modest, languorous breaks are interposed with zephyrs of synth that rise and fall with a gentle lilt. Freda has firmly asserted himself as a tastemaker of considerate music-making, absorbing the trends and movements of the day, digesting them and reconstructs their most interesting components. For Moonshoe’s tenth release, Freda once again reveals the class of breaks by paring it back and injecting a little breath of air, and when done masterfully, that little puff of air feels more akin to cool afternoon sea change, a fresh change on a hot day.

Freda - Deterrence (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Today we’re pleased to be premiering a track from a DJ we have admired from the dancefloor as a selector, and now from what seems like a very productive lockdown, as a producer as well. Georgia Bird fronts up half of Melbourne’s In2stellar, her recent collaborative output as part of WAT’s 'At Cloud’s length’ release caught our eye, building on from her strong contribution to Fluxx’s debut V/A compilation. In her latest work as part of this EP, Georgia reaffirms her and In2stellar’s position as high-octane performers and ongoing staples of Aus festival lineups. The track itself is just under 6 minutes of extremely well-balanced zest, layered synths that build and wane, signature breaks, and enough energy to power a small, orbiting space station. Obrigadooooooo.

Premiere: Interruption (Georgia Bird Remix) - Hyphira (Finding Figaro Premiere)

Set for release on the 5th of March, ‘Parry Talks Alumni Vol. 1’ is the debut pressing from podcast turned label, Parry Talks Records. 

Through their debut release PTR, showcases the next wave from Sydney’s budding crop of electronic music producers, with tracks from the likes of Lex Deluxe, Body Corp, Caitlin Medcalf and more. Today’s premiere features tracks from a crew we have admired since a chance meeting at Freda’s (RIP) in a pre-covid fantasy. Adam Gergich aka PZ Specialist represents the local label and crew Velodrome, who are quickly becoming known for their quick tempo tracks, riddled with UK influence and ‘Big Unce Energy’. 

Switching gear in ‘Slipstream Dreams’, PZ Specialist shows his versatility as a producer, contributing 8-minutes of blissful synths, balanced percussion, timely field recordings and memorising, yet familiar vocal samples. 100% of the revenue of the release will be going directly to Aboriginal Legal Service.

PZ Specialist - Slipstream Dreams (Finding Figaro Premiere)

www.findingfigaro.com

Naarm.

For all media enquires, pressers, demos, tracks, birthday invitations, hate mail, sonnets or general chit-chat - contact@findingfigaro.com

For bookings - bookings@findingfigaro.com

Popular tracks by Finding Figaro