Slow Hands

Simon Okely, the Australian man behind the wide-ranging guitar-pop project Slow Dancer, has often mentioned his childhood enthusiasm for Wilson Pickett, the 1960s soul singer best known for his restless energy and sparkling smile. "In A Mood" is a collection of crooning seduction, pop songwriting, and lush production. The breezy spirit of Laurel Canyon hovers around the album in a powerful way.

Slow Leaves’ latest album, Meantime, is about waiting for something momentous to occur in life, and how all the mundane stuff that happens during the wait actually constitutes what is meaningful. If you blink, you miss it; if you think too much, you miss it.

In Fraser A Gorman’s world, the internet hasn’t arrived yet. Slow reflections on love and everyday mundanity make up the sweetly lilting Americana of his debut, slotting in comfortably next to the work of his Melbourne indie scene contemporary Courtney Barnett. Where she opts for harder-edged guitars, Gorman bathes songs such as Mystic Mile, My Old Man and Broken Hands in the warm glow of organ chords, harmonica and lap steel. Slow Gum sees Gorman tightening up the rougher sound of his eponymous 2013 EP; while still borrowing heavily from the lazy drawl of 70s folk-pop and piano-led singer-songwriter balladry. It all starts to falter a little when the songs start to bleed into each other’s comforting, sunshine-peaking-through-gossamer textures – a change of pace wouldn’t have gone amiss.

There's No Shortcut to Great Flavor

The easiest cooking method is now even easier

Complete Hands Up Vol. 2 carries on the series of our sample packs for Hands Up music production. After the success of volume 1 it is time to present you a set of 8 comprehensive construction kits packed up with energetic melodies, synths and groovy sounds so typical for Hands Up music. Each of 8 compositions is divided into several layers containing lead synths, support synths (overlays), basses, pads, percussions and other instruments including pianos, chimes, violins and guitars.