Sugar Mountain Festival is but a few days away, the fave Melbourne event boasting yet again a lineup with an eclectic list of international and local names.
We’re talking The Avalanches, Moses Sumney, Weyes Blood, Methyl Ethel, Big Scary, Little Simz, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith and so many more it’s hard to know where to start when putting together your schedule for the day and navigating those pesky clashes.
To give you a bit of a hand, we’ve enlisted the help of six Aussie acts who’ll be playing at the festival this weekend. Here Jack River, The Belligerents, CC:DISCO!, Dro Carey, MY DISCO and Slum Sociable let us in on the international act they’re most looking forward to seeing at Sugar Mountain.
Take notes!
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Jack River – “Weyes Blood”
When I heard ‘Generation Why’ on triple j a few months ago I stopped the car and fell into a well of tears. The chorus is simply ‘Y.O.L.O why?’ and brings together so many sentiments I feel about our time and generation. The film clip shows a bleeding phone and the heart of a computer. It’s a post-apocalyptic quiet anthem to all things confusing about living in an environmentally destructive, emotionally alive and somewhat detached time. I feel her love for the planet and the people living on it and her calmness in finding a place within the chaos. “Carry me through the waves of change/ I know my place/ It’s a beautiful thing”. So yeah, Weyes Blood, and this song.
Weyes Blood – Generation Why
Konstantin, The Belligerents – “Pantha Du Prince”
We’re so stoked to be playing as a part of the Sugar Mountain bill! There’s so much depth and variation across the board – it’s hard to pick just one. I do know the whole band are psyched on Pantha Du Prince. None of us have managed to see his live show just yet but I’m really curious to see how it translates. We all spent a lot of time with his record Black Noise when the band was forming and it will always hold such a soft spot for me. His latest LP The Triad was also an absolute standout from 2016. Very spicy.
Pantha du Prince – In An Open Space
CC:DISCO! – “Beppe Loda”
Beppe would be one of my picks for the day, he will be exactly what you need in the afternoon at Sugar Mountain, trust me. Recently caught Beppe Loda playing on a beach in Croatia in 2016 and he was fantastic. Amazing, uplifting music and is one hell of a DJ.
Beppe Loda – Elettronica Meccanica 22
Dro Carey – “Kornél Kovács”
I definitely would have opted for Mood II Swing – this will be incredible – but unfortunately I’m on at the same time! Earlier in the evening, I’m keen to see Kornél Kovács. I discovered him this year via his album The Bells and I’ve listened to it a lot. One track in particular, ‘Dollar Club,’ has made its way into a number of my mixes. So I’m excited to check him out, it’s always interesting to see a set from someone after deeply rinsing one of their records. There’s always a lot more to their world – styles, genres, inspirations – and it’s fascinating to get a glimpse of that after previously just consuming the final product.
Kornél Kovács – The Bells
MY DISCO – “Pantha Du Prince”
Apparently, Hendrik Weber was born in the small town of Bad Wildungen, which lies in the eastern foothills of the Kellerwald range in the state of Hesse, Germany. Another person of interest hailing from this region was Margaretha of Waldeck, the daughter of a Count and sister of the founder of the mining village Bergfreiheit, who was poisoned at a young age during the middle of the 16th century. It is said that the Brothers Grimm borrowed the fate of the Princess to use as a guideline for their infamous fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This minute footnote of medieval history in Deutschland is fascinating; Pantha Du Prince is therefore geographically and sonically our choice as one of the most exciting international acts at Sugar Mountain this year.
Pantha du Prince – The Winter Hymn (Feat. Queens)
Slum Sociable – “Little Simz”
I’m really looking forward to Little Simz this year at Sugar! I’ve been listening to her new album Stillness In Wonderland a lot which is great, she’s opened for Ms Lauryn Hill and Kendrick thinks she’s great so like what higher recommendations can you ask for really?!
Little Simz -Stillness In Wonderland: The Film
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Sugar Mountain 2017 Lineup
Music
ALTA
The Avalanches
Baba Stiltz (SWE)
Beppe Loda (ITA)
Big Scary
Black Cab
Blood Orange
CC:DISCO!
Daydreams DJs
Dro Carey
HABITS
Jaala
Jack River
Jessy Lanza (CAN)
Kelsey Lu (USA)
Kornél Kovács (SWE)
KUČKA
Little Simz (UK)
Methyl Ethel
Mood II Swing (USA)
Moses Sumney (USA)
My Disco
Palms Trax (GER)
Pantha Du Prince (GER)
Rolling Blackouts C.F.
Slum Sociable
Spank Rock
Sui Zhen
Suzanne Ciani (USA) x Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith (USA)
The Belligerents
Tornado Wallace
Weyes Blood (USA)
Young Tapz
Sugar Mountain 2017 Boiler Room Lineup
Mood II Swing
Tornado Wallace
Baba Stiltz
Kornel Kovacs
Beppe Loda
CC:DISCO!
Daydreams
Palms Trax
Art
Caleb O’Shea
Elliott Routledge
Karan Singh (JPN / AUS)
March Studios
Miriam Bleau (CAN)
MOMO (USA)
Robyn Moody (CAN) x Caroline Polachek (USA)
Supergroup London – Morag Myerscough x Luke Morgan (UK)
Sugar Mountain 2017
Saturday, 21st January 2017
Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne
Tickets: Sugar Mountain
