Five Canberra artists that should be on your radar according to Kirklandd
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16.10.2020

Five Canberra artists that should be on your radar according to Kirklandd

You might be across some of these names already.

Earning a solid reputation for his off-kilter trap beats and pop punk melodies, Canberra hip hop artist Kirklandd has today released his debut EP The Love Divide.

Blending his signature rap stylings with percussive, acoustic elements and addictive melodies, this EP proves that Kirklandd is an artist unafraid to blend genres and expand his horizons.

The six track EP release follows the release of Kirklandd’s addictively melodic singles ‘SIIYE’ and ‘Feel Alive’ earlier this year, which provided a taste of his ambitious new style, which amalgamates elements of punk, trap and pop.

In celebration of the release and tipping our hat to Canberra’s music scene, which is on its way to becoming the creative hub of Australia, we asked Kirklandd to share five artists from Australia’s capital city that he think we’ll love.

Here are the artists paving the way for that to happen:

Aya Yves
A project started from Canberra artist Vendulka, Aya Yves is on a haunting, Teischa-type vibe that hits with beautiful precision. My favourite track of hers, (in)sanity, was produced by Xavier Dunn and co-written by my close homie and guitarist, Viktor Rufus. Viktor shared the story with me of how the first version came about super organically, being written over minimal guitar lines. Hearing how the song’s progressed to a full point of impact with Xavier Dunn’s impactful but tasteful drum choices is fire, and I feel like Aya’s ear for melody is showcased in this song. I’m hella excited to see what’s ahead for her.

Archie
Archie are a phenomenal act coming out of the nation’s capital. Although I was interstate at the time, my drummer Josh checked out their sold-out Transit Bar set last year. The glow on that man after seeing them live told me all I need to know. Their music’s an ambient blend of shimmering guitars and groovy melodies, and you can hear this dope style in their track, ‘Blink’. Their performance consisted of some wicked playing and handing out orange slices to the wildest members of the crowd. I’m so damn keen to catch them live again soon.

YNG Martyr
YNG Martyr is next up. He’s been putting out high-energy rap bangers for a minute now, and the numbers show he’s on to something. His single from last year, Nike Ticks, blew up on Tik Tok and is currently sitting at over 20 million streams. That shit’s no joke. Martyr’s a crazy talented freestyler, a genius marketer and a unique member of Canberra’s scene. Keep eyes on him.

Kng George
Kng George has a crazy nostalgic feel to her music. With slow guitar rhythms, jazz chords and spacious melodies, she’s captured a uniquely vintage feel with her sound. She recently released a single called ‘French Toast’ featuring the homie Citizen Kay, and it’s a great example of her unique style. The music video for the track looks like a Breakfast At Tiffany’s-era throwback, that was directed by a crazy talented Canberra videographer and photographer, Winter Cowboy. I can see George rocking mad Jazz bars when COVID finally chills out.

Jedbrii
Last but not least is the hardest spitter in Canberra. Anyone who’s seen Jedbrii live knows this dude could go bar for bar with the best of them – he could outrap Eminem in his sleep and beat Rahzel in a beatboxing battle before he wakes up. On top of that, Jedbrii’s been working on a tight new melodic style, that offers a very natural transition from his airtight rapping into something more emotional. Peep his new single “Heart So Froze” featuring Slack to hear what I’m talking about.

Check out Kirklandd’s EP below.