Featuring Bitumen, Paul Jacobs, Tired Cossack and more!The VinesHighly EvolvedOuttathawayThe VinesWinning DaysAnimal MachineThe VinesVision ValleyVision ValleyBitumenCleareye ShiningMoving Now Now NowCarpet BurnI Can t Believe It s Not Carpet Burn EPGhostTOLSONI m Happy When I m Sad (single)I m Happy When I m SadTired CossackHocus PocusMachinaFjord MustangFortune (single)FortuneArt BergmannLate Stage Empire DementiaChristo-FascistsClara EngelA New SkinStary Eyed GoatHewson GreyRefleck EPSmall TownPaul JacobsPink Dogs On The Green GrassChristopher RobbinsLonely ParadeThe PitsOlive Green
20 underground Melbourne bands you ought to know Mug - image by Matthew Shaw (@melonshaw)
Words by Tom Parker
Spanning punk, garage, soul, jazz, hip hop and more.
Many Melbourne bands go about their business under the radar, not chasing glorification or publicity. As CLAMM’s Jack Summers previously noted, “Some of these underground bands are the best bands ever, and they don’t seem to give a fuck about taking it to the next level.”
It’s the DIY attitude that comes with the word ‘underground’ and it continually produces fantastic music that’s often more erudite and reflective of the world’s chaos than other commercially-minded songwriting.
EXEK
Continuing the carpet trend this fortnight are veteran post-punks EXEK, who are back with their first new music in two years – an LP of tracks that date way back to the somewhat normal times of 2015. If Carpet Burn are a worn-in bushy burgundy carpet in a timeless sharehouse lounge, then EXEK are perhaps the slightly less hectic carpet in one of the bedrooms.
Their post-punk sound is dreamy, ethereal and somewhat ambient – but no less edgy. ‘The Theme From Judge Judy’ blinks itself awake like a computer booting up for the first time in years; Albert Wolski’s vocals crawling through as if filtered through VHS, cassette