The last week or so has been HUGE for new era oceania electronica, with a series of fire new releases from the likes of Banoffee's long-awaited comeback (featuring Ninajirachi on writing credits!) and Brisbane 'indietronica revival' rising star YINGURAY, all capped off with Ninajirachi making her debut at Coachella (I shed a tear)...all this good music inspired me to make this list, where I take the tracklist of ILMC and suggest another Aussie or Kiwi song for fans of each track - resulting in an awesome collection of songs by artists making music that is earnest, fun, and digital, in all different ways. I hope you enjoy :D
Just in time to feature on this list, Phillip Island's pre-eminent frog-influenced SoundCloud producer has dropped a new track featuring "London Song"-like earnest, Aussie spoken vocals and a buzzing electro beat (maybe a touch more on the tech-house side than Nina's track).
"iPod Touch" is my favourite track from ILMC, and it also the one I agonised the most over in this list. In the end, rather than finding a song that sounds similar, I have gone with a track that captures a similar feeling, in the form of the dreamy "Feel It All Around You" by Brisbane's Fatshaudi with its similarly similar nostalgia-hazed depiction of Australian suburbia.
If the last entry was a struggle this one was one of the easiest to pick: Gregor McMurray's 2024 Tik-Tok hit scratches the exact same electro indie sleaze itch as the rowdy third track on ILMC.
This comparison was actually the one that made me think of doing a list like this! Both of these tracks go crazy live with their skittering drums and bassy drops - you can tell that Nina and FUKHED are both DJs as much as they are producers.
I couldn't believe my ears when I first heard this song - Bammer2K takes the outrageous route of sampling "Delete" for a rap cut with NZ's Pope Flamez. And it goes bonkers!
This was another track that I found difficult to find a partner for, given it is an interlude with a couple of different parts. However, its opening bars match those of Mallrat "Horses" perfectly, and "Horses" is absolutely another of those tracks that captures Australian suburban nostalgia gorgeously - very appropriate for this list!
I knew Naarm girl group Blusher would feature somewhere on this list, and I've slotted them in next to "All I Am" with their remix of "racer". Both are euphoric electro pop with driving drops - Nina's track veering more electro where Blusher's Miranda takes a speed garage approach.
A second Fatshaudi inclusion alongside the original Aussie iPod-inspired DJ, jamesjamesjames. In different ways both tracks tackle the theme of dreams, with the tweeness of "dreams" contrasting against the dark undertones of "Infohazard".
Like I said in the intro, I think First Nations producer YINGURAY is one of the most exciting up-and-coming producers in Australia. His track "highrise" shares with "Battery Death" earth-shattering future bass-y drops, while having an brighter overall sonic palette.
I'm so happy I made this list so I can make the Ninajirachi-dexter comparison. Despite one making electro pop and the other being an underground rapper/producer, they might be the two most earnest, honest lyricists when it comes to writing about making music. These two tracks are sisters from another mother in the truest sense.
With "It's You" being maybe the most fun track on ILMC, I had to reach into the archives and pull out a track from Aussie hyperpop OGs cookii. Both tracks go off in a bedroom solo dance party.
Maybe including a song that features Nina is cheating but I love this one too much. Laces and Nina indulge in slightly more industrial sounds on these songs than on the rest of ILMC, and the results go insanely hard - hearing Nina and Laces play "Prosperity (Vapour World Cup Edit)" in a b2b set closing for umru and Petal Supply in 2023 was my favourite live music moment ever.
There were so many awesome artists I considered for this list I am just going to dump their names here. Also please comment what songs you think would fit this list!!! Thank you for reading :)))
Other AU/NZ artists to check out if you like Ninajirachi (your homework, in a playlist below): ethanplus, Donatachi, Holliday Howe, nabii, perfectworld, Lonelyspeck, Ownlife, Cherry Rype, daine, Kota Banks, Dyln, Kenta204, Grasps, Agony, Effy, Yash Bansal, Burna, effective power, Sus1er, Kito, harvest, tjweaver, Bbianca, 1tbsp, lamedudecampbell, horlin, lalka, trophie, decorcy, stereocenter, 2charm, xo, Lucy Lamb.