10 Artists Putting Queensland On The Dance Music Map

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. That's cool! We get it :)
You can support us by sharing this story or following us on Facebook.

Back to Top

10 Artists Putting Queensland On The Dance Music Map

There isn’t a shadow of doubt that Australia is going through a really incredible period for showcasing music.

Internationally we are dominating, but even better news is that locally we are filled with just as much, if not more greatness. Every state across Australia has it’s array of talents, but perhaps none is more prominent at the moment the sunshine state.

Casting an eye over Queensland you may already be aware of a handful of these names, but if not than it’s time to put faces to the names. Here are 10 of the many QLD based artists that are killing it right now:

Feki

feki feels

Australia is littered with so many A+ producers, but Feki isn’t one of them. There isn’t a letter in the Alphabet that you could pin the Brisbane native down too because quite frankly he is in a league of his own. Perhaps along with possibly one or two other artists on this list have had their biggest years yet. Not to tap him as the next Flume, but his production work is serious nek-level brilliant and it was perhaps his delicate yet impeccable reworking of Vallis Alp’s Young that solidified his name as one to watch and know. I know, a remix of tracks to solidify his status but it was quite possibly one of the year’s best. When speaking about shining lights from the sunshine coast, Feki is name that sits perched well atop any list.

Hier

screen-shot-2016-12-21-at-3-26-08-pm

Hier is one to keep an eye on. The Brissy based producer The South East Grind team member has been owning 2016, we even premiered one of his tracks that you can check here.  His eclectic, high-energy and bass infused sound has turned a lot of heads this year, and his originals are quite unlike anything we’ve ever heard. With that said, so are his remixes. For instance, this Fetty Wap rework is simply nuts. 2017 will be large for the Hi-er man.

Lastlings

lastlings

Shooting onto the scene with their glitsy hit YOU, the duo is comprised of siblings Amy and Josh Dowdle. Emerging via triple j Unearthed, Lastlings are perhaps one of the most buzzed about new acts to emerge across Australia this year. Through Amy’s velvet like vocal work, their hit YOU could very much find itself a place in this year’s Hottest 100. Accompanying YOU, the duo also released a four track EP this year titled UNREALITY as well as another A+ tune in TIME.

JOY. 

Joy

Going by the stage name JOY. real name Olivia McCarthy burst onto the scene with hits Stone and Captured. Thinking back now they are still absolute jams courtesy of the Brisbane native, but, but haha it was her work in 2015 that pushed that talented promise into an assurance that she has all the qualities of being a name we talk about in years to come. Her debut EP Ode was incredible, through a thumping sounding design it also echoed a ton of heart. Ode’s shining light came through the upbeat About Us and it’s rinsing it received via triple j. It saw her phase from a quiet industry secret into now one of the hottest names in the Australian music industry. Although quiet, 2016 was still gracious for her with the sudden release of her mixtape Joy to the World. Trying a ton a new things sound wise, it showed a different side to JOY. that we well a truly dig and cannot wait to hear more from.

 

Gill Bates

screen-shot-2016-12-21-at-3-28-58-pm

This Brissy based MC is making waves and clever puns aside, his name has been on heavy rotation. After building his name over the past 2-years, Gill Bates made 2016 his bitch with the release of his debut EP ‘Less Stress, More Success‘; a project that flaunted his lyrical finesse along with some impressive production and a handful of big features to top it off. One particular track that sticks in our mind is ‘She Knows’ which features Allday. Good company. It;s safe to say this dude will be coming back strong in 2017.

Tyler Touché

tyler touche

Despite being young as hell, Tyler Touché has done a whole lot so far in his life. We first stumbled across his music in 2013 when he performed at Nina Las Vegas’ triple j house party, and he’s been going strength-to-strength ever since. His French inspired electro-house gives off a real Justice vibe, and has been steadily progressing in style and technicality over th years from his huge breakout single ‘Heart In Motion‘ to his most recent EP ‘New Feeling’ that dropped in October. he’s definitely doing his part for the maroon state.

Midas.Gold

screen-shot-2016-12-21-at-4-24-16-pm

Heavy bass and some autotune blaring and you’re on the way to a Midas.Gold heater! This QLD local has been getting rinsed on triple j’s Unearthed charts in 2016, and it makes sense as to why. His dark, deep-south influenced rap brings something very different to the Aussie hip-hop landscape, and it definitely works in his favour. Two months back saw the release of his debut EP ‘For What It’$ Worth’, which really took us all by surprise for the better. Another promising Aussie MC set to do big things in the near future.

Young Franco

young franco set mo

You cannot doubt Young Franco’s online presence. When it comes to social media, the guy is a god. However, it comes with good reason. The handsome Brisbane head has been a staple in the Australian dance music circle for a minute now, building up his name by DJing a tonne in the early days of his career, but now he is stacking the played with his original releases. Just this year we saw some huge releases from the dude, including the huge club ear-worm ‘Drop Your Love‘ which is still doing the rounds heavily at our office.

UV Boi

uv boi forrest

Yung Emanuel has been steadily honing his craft and building status over the past few  years. Coming up with the rise of Yung Lean and the Sad Boys, UV Boi’s ambient, trap influenced production style has seen him turn heads on a global scale through his impressive originals and unique remixes/edits. His debut EP ‘L-UV’ was a big stand out when it dropped this year, and saw him work with other like-minded producers from all over the glob. The project is also home to one of our favourite tracks of the year ‘Show You’.

Paces 

screen-shot-2016-12-21-at-3-32-51-pm

From his memorable Like A Version with Guy Sebastian to winning Breakthrough Artists of The Year at the Inthemix awards this year, Paces has seen perhaps the biggest rise of all these Queensland natives. Stacked with a heap of other homegrown names, 2016 also saw the release of his debut record Vacation. Through hits like the Jess Kent collab 1993 (No Chill) and Payday, Paces stamped his name on 2016 early and as the year progressed he only kept growing. The dude is only going to get bigger, and we’d be dealing you short for not to include one of the biggest new names in Australian dance music.

Safe to say Queenslanders are doing alright on the electronic music front. Who are some others we missed? Drop a comment with some suggestions below.

Comments

Related Posts