EP.10 February 24, 2025.
total tommy, Bitter:Sweet, Thelma Plum, Warm Sound, Pavement feat. Cub Sport + DJ Zirk & The South Hill Experiment
episode 1with JOY 94.9 Radio
LA based DJ and KCRW radio presenter Raul Campos is joined by Triana Butler (she/they) who is a Radio Trainer at JOY Academy and JOY 94.9 Presenter/Producer of The Sound of Now for the first of five episodes of Sonic Dialog.
In this first instalment Raul and Triana go back to back with a cultural exchange of songs from the US and Australia on Triana's weekly show 'The Sound of Now' which is a weekly look at the most important new music, new artists you need to know, the latest releases from Australian and out-and-proud artists.
Tune into enjoy tracks from Australian artists total tommy, Thelma Plum, Pavement feat. Cub Sport + DJ Zirk and tracks from the US artists Bitter:Sweet, Warm Sound and The South Hill Experiment.
LISTEN BACK TO THE FULL EPISODE OVER AT: joy.org.au/thesoundofnow
About Joy Media: As Australia’s not-for-profit LGBTIQA+ media organisation, JOY Media represents the people, stories, news, music, and lived experiences of Australia’s LGBTIQA+ community and our allies. From our on-air presenters, to support teams, producers, newsreaders, podcasters and everyone in-between Joy aim to represent their listeners. You can hear and see stories from the LGBTIQA+ community and our allies on JOY 94.9 Radio (FM and DAB+), online at joy.org.au via livestream, in podcasts, YouTube channel and on social media.
About KCRW: KCRW belong to Los Angeles, connecting diverse perspectives and the sounds of Southern California with curious communities around the corner and around the world. They are NPR’s flagship member station in Southern California and a community service of Santa Monica College.
total tommy
total tommy (aka Jess Holt) arrives armed with a boldness that is instantaneous and infectious, both on record and in person. Jess Holt, the Sydney-based artist better known as total tommy, has long been drawn to guitar pop at its most revelatory.
From her teen years onward, she’s sought both solace and enlightenment in music, with her own work acting as a kind of mirror to her emotional life.
Plus One is lifted from her debut album ‘bruises’, a magnificent selection of torn ‘n’ tattered guitar pop anthems. Working alongside producer and long-time collaborator Mark Zito of Fractures, the two have crafted something special, reminiscent of everyone from those early Garbage singles through to fellow Australian maverick Courtney Barnett and beyond.
Bitter:Sweet
Bitter:Sweet is an American trip hop duo with jazz-like influences from Los Angeles, California. Since their critically acclaimed debut, Bitter:Sweet has masterfully blended bold beats with lush melodies, carving out a signature cosmopolitan fusion that captivates listeners.
Their genre-defying style draws inspiration from Portishead’s cinematic drama, Gilberto Gil’s tropical rhythms, Morcheeba’s downtempo elegance, and Serge Gainsbourg’s lyrical sophistication. The result? A sound synonymous with style, allure, and timeless sophistication.
Thelma Plum
Thelma Plum Grew up in Meanjin/Brisbane and in a small country town in New South Wales and is a proud Gamilaraay woman, musician and creator.
She spent many of her childhood years on her Grandparents’ farm in Delungra, a small country town in rural New South Wales and has been making music her whole life and has told one chapter with her debut album Better in Blak a story about culture, heritage, love, and pain.
With incredible strength, courage and heartbreaking tenderness, her debut album captures so deftly what it’s like to be a young Aboriginal woman in Australia. 'We Don’t Talk About It' is lifted from her album I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back
Warm Sound
Warm Sound is the sonic love child of Austin-based songwriters Bryan Sandlin and Myke Dodge and The Infinite Daisy Chains are a Dreampop duo in the DMV (Virginia).
From meeting at a rehearsal in a dimly lit garage to tying the knot five years later in marriage, Ian Dandridge and Kristina Westernik-Dandridge now set off to spread a much-needed message of hope.
Inspired by their honeymoon experience in the Californian desert, they decided to combine their love for creating and performing music, forming what they now refer to as 'The Infinite Daisy Chains'.
Pavement feat. Cub Sport + DJ Zirk
Grace Shaw, who performs as Mallrat, is an Australian musician, singer, and rapper from Brisbane.
Samples:
Cub Sport - Cup Sport are a four piece independent Australian alt-pop group from Brisbane, Queensland.
DJ Zirk - DJ Zirk is one of the original Memphis gangsta rappers, who's lyrics were hardcore and to the point.
The South Hill Experiment
The South Hill Experiment (S/H/E) is the band of brothers Baird and Gabe Acheson (Goldwash), raised in Baltimore and now based in Los Angeles.
These are the sounds of their experiment on South Hill Street; live takes, instincts, and feedback. It's a place for fantasy, a world of characters.