For six years, they've been putting out some of the most challenging music in the world, and certainly from their part of it. Now, New Weird Australia have called it a day.
It's not one of those 'we're fed up with no one taking any notice so we're quitting' kinds of ends. Far from it - their twenty-three compilations have generated over 400,000 downloads, helping to raise awareness for much of the most interesting music to have come out of Australia in recent years. In addition to that, they've been curating live shows and putting out a regular radio show from Sydney.
In short, they are an example to anyone in the world of how to promote and support innovative music, and they'll be sadly missed. They've signed off in typical style, with the three volume compilation Passages, each volume featuring selections from a different NWA director, and each predictably stunning and mind-expanding in roughly equal measure. My March show on Dandelion Radio will be featuring a track from each.
Thankfully, the New Weird Australia archive will remain online for anyone to download for free. If you've not picked up on what they've been doing before, this is good news for you. I'd get over there now and start making up for lost time.
For me, it's just a matter of saying goodbye and thanks for putting out some of the most absorbing music it's been my pleasure to encounter in recent years. Even the bits that haven't been my cup of tea have been intriguing and asked all the right kinds of questions. The other bits will remain with me for the rest of my life.
Ten great bands or artists NWA have brought to my attention. Check them out.
Assassins88
Mark Barrage
Bum Creek
Crab Smasher
Danger Beach
Raven
Rites Wild
Simo Soo
Tantrums
Underlapper
Vorad Fils
