New Noise: World’s End Press, Miles Cosmo, Past Punk, Ace Romeo

This week’s roundup of new music skews towards the electronic, but there’s a muscled guitar anthem in there too.

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– More than a year on from their mighty self-titled first album, Melbourne’s moody dance-pop quartet World’s End Press have a new single to accompany them through a round of year-end live appearances. ‘Spirals (Slide Away)’ continues their trick of reconciling percolating, dance-friendly rhythms with a groggier synth drag and John Parkinson’s near-defeated croon. Out tomorrow (Dec 5) via Liberation Music, it follows a spot on Oceans Apart, Cut Copy’s high-profile survey of Melbourne’s electronic scene. WEP launch the single this month in three cities, starting with a Howler gig tomorrow.

Fri, Dec 5 – Howler, Melbourne, VIC [w/Misty Nights + Speed Painters]
Thurs, Dec 18 – GoodGod, Sydney, NSW [w/Tees + Francis Xavier]
Fri, Dec 19 – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane, QLD
Wed, Dec 31 – NYE on the Hill, Wonthaggi, VIC

– True to his adopted name, Melbourne’s Miles Cosmo makes instrumental compositions that stretch and bend synth melodies into cosmic reaches. Case in point: the starlight-flooded vistas of ‘Warp Point’, which closes out Cosmo’s new five-song EP. Assembly is up for $1 download, following last April’s free album Residual Clicks. There are New Age-y twinges to tracks like ‘Bass Meditation’, but don’t let that put you off. Nothing if not prolific, Cosmo has been airing newer tracks that should comprise his next album, due for release early next year.

– You might not expect someone who’s served in multiple Flying Nun bands – in this case, King Loser and S.P.U.D – to turn to instrumental electronic music, but that’s the trajectory of now Melbourne-based drummer Lance Strickland. He’s released two tracks in as many months as Past Punk, the project name possibly alluding to his musical life after more punk-minded bands. Check out the free-download ‘Poor Man Dub’ and ‘Spacetime’ below. An album is in the works, and Strickland is seeking out a collaborator to flesh out the project live.

– Also emerging solo after stints in several different bands is Sydney’s Andrew Campbell, who’s now going by Ace Romeo. Campbell has played with Canberra punks The Fighting League and helped back Joseph Liddy, among other exploits. Now he’s gearing up for a debut solo LP out early next year, heralded by the free-download single ‘Best Friend’. It’s a locomotive guitar anthem that takes more cues from, say, ZZ Top and well-oiled bar bands than from your typical indie-friendly acts. It’s tightly muscled and very promising.

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To nominate new music for this column, email us at news@messandnoise.com.