Pop Fix: AlunaGeorge

AlunaGeorge

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"Little grey fairy tales
And little white lies
Everything you exhale is attracting flies

And you can go off the rails
And you can cry your eyes out
But everything you exhale is attracting flies"

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Uber cool English electronic duo AlunaGeorge, comprised of vocalist Aluna Francis and producer George Reid, casually entered the UK charts and airwaves last year and are now becoming regulars on stations across Australia.  Cheeky lyrics and a unique 90s RnB inspired sound has AlunaGeorge grabbing attention of lovers of pop, soul, house and rnb genres alike.

Collaborating with UK House DJs Disclosure for the smash hit "White Noise," saw AlunaGeorge make their mark on the musical map, and with their follow up single "You Know You Like It," the duo are working to truly cement their unique and funky sound.

Their debut album "Body Music" was released here in Australia July 26th, 2013 and has been lapped up by Aussie fans, currently holding a 4.5 star rating on itunes.  Reviews are so far positive and full of high praise for the duo, however many critics interested to see how AlunaGeorge will be received in the long term and if their music and sound will resonate with listeners over time.

"The entire album is sexy and strange and sugary all at once. That these songs were recorded over the course of a couple years (straddling a major-label deal) and still maintain total fluidity throughout speaks to the strength and maturity of the duo’s initial formula." - Pitchfork, 2013

AlunaGeorge will be coming to Australia very soon, along with collaborator Disclosure, for Listen Out Festival which will be taking place across the country throughout late September and early October.  When asked what fans can expect at a live show AlunaGeorge responded, "A louder, slightly more acoustic version of our songs. We try and keep as close as possible to the original recordings. We’ve got a live bass player, a live hybrid kit, live keys. It has some softer moments here and there."  But with Disclosure also on tour, who know - perhaps a joint onstage performance can be expected?

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Read the full interview with AlunaGeorge in anticipation of their Australian tour at the AUReview.com.  Find AlunaGeorge on Facebook and Twitter. 

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Gig Review: Parachute Youth (LONDON)

Parachute Youth
Friday 7th June, 2013
KOKO, London

On Friday the 7th Of June, Australian duo Parachute Youth took the stage at KOKO in Camden, to share with Londoners what Australian Indie-Electronic music is all about. 

Parachute Youth perform at KOKO in Camden, London. 

The atmosphere was electric, full of energy driven by the performance of Matt and Johnny. Performing on  a stage that has seen everyone from Charlie Chaplin, to Madonna and The Rolling Stones, the boys certainly rose to the occasion with smiles plastered on the faces of hundreds of dancing fans, wall to wall, on all four stories.

Parachute Youth sees Matt mixing it up while John rocks the keyboard and lead vocals (in fact, Matt and John are both on Keys and Matt uses a controller to sequence drums/midi) - which allows John to come out to the front of the stage and really interact and get the crowd going. 

Best known for their hit "Can't Get Better Than This," Parachute Youth took the opportunity to showcase more original material as well as covering Daft Punk much to the pleasure of concert-goers. 

"We're only a two piece but we make a lot of noise..." Aussies Mathew Gill and John Courtidis met at boring house party. They left half an hour later and started working on some tunes. Since they first met, Matt (a former airforce avionics technician – hence the group’s name) and John (a producer/muso in the band Def Starr) signed to Aussie label Sweat It Out (home to Ajax and Yolanda Be Cool).

Johnny from Parachute Youth

Throughout the high energy performance there was a sense of appreciation throughout the venue both and off the stage - the boys themselves saying they were "humbled" at the audiences' positive response.  With a lot of love in the room, all of the tracks performed were so well received that when the boys finished their set with a flawlessly performed "Can't Get Better Than This," we were all left wanting more. 

 Parachute Youth still have a number of shows coming up across Europe and if their KOKO gig was anything to go by I strongly recommend getting along to see them.  Whilst "Can't Get Better That This" and "Count to Ten" are their better known tracks, they are but a small representation of this duo's capability and experiencing the on stage chemistry and performance quality will, if not already one, convert you into a Parachute Youth fan.

Parachute Youth perform to a packed out venue (image: facebook)

I honestly cannot give Parachute Youth any higher praise for this concert.  As far as I could tell in the audience, the show ran smoothly, the sound quality was excellent and the energy was non-stop.  Admittedly, I did see them briefly at last year's Splendour in the Grass Festival at Byron Bay, but this show was truly on another level and if this is where Matt and Johnny are at this early on in their career, I have no doubt we can expect so much more from them in the future, both as individuals and together as Parachute Youth. 

 

For all upcoming tour dates check out Parachute Youth's website.  You can also Follow Parachute Youth on Twitter and Like Parachute Youth on Facebook.

Pre-Order/ Download Can't Get Better Than This - EP