Meanjin-based band Dancingwater are an invigorating fusion of new-wave neo-soul and punk sentiments, making nods to cultural injustices and ancestral struggles through music. Dancingwater’s evocative writing is translated through both spoken word and singing, allowing the listener to sit and marinate on the stories told in their music while appreciating the way it glides over drums, glistening keys and moody harmonies. Having collaborated with Arona Mane and Shantan Wantan Ichiban last year, edging into Drum and Bass territory, leaving us eagerly awaiting more. As such, Dancingwater sits front and centre on our radar for 2023.

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Made up of members Chiggz, JK-47, Nate G & Will, supergroup ECB (East Coast Brotherhood), aim to honour family and community first and foremost in their music. Carrying on the ECB name passed down by their late father, who was an Indigenous painter and artist, the group have managed to uphold their ancestral knack for storytelling through music. With ferocious delivery and concise lyricism, the crew are able to craft up tracks that showcase each member’s personal flavour whilst also maintaining an effortless synchronisation in the nature and flow of the song. Having appeared on triple J’s Bars of Steel series, and released their latest single ‘SLIME.’ towards the end of last year, we’re eager to see more of the group in 2023.

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Having bodied his contribution to his cousin T Breezy’s debut EP, Walkerboy is now making a big name for himself. Nominated as a finalist in FBi Radio’s 2022 SMAC Awards for Best New Thing, as well as performing at Sydney’s Barrabuwari event in 2021, it’s fair to say the hype around this promising act is heating up quickly. Apart from his additions to T Breezy’s ‘2360’, Walkerboy’s debut 2022 single ‘On A Roll’ lets you know why he is someone to pay attention to. With a flow that’s tinged with American West-Coast influence, his personal vocal tones and delivery simmer smoothly above it all. Eager for more, we’re definitely hoping for an even bigger year for Walkerboy.

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Yuggera DJ/Producer dameeeela is an easily indetified trailblazer in music today. Her yearning to honour the Bla(c)k history of electronic music, partnered with her off-kilter and unique musical picks are what make her DJ sets truly one of a kind. In between a busy roster of playing Boiler Room sets and festivals across the country, dameeeela released her debut single ‘The Shake Up’ with electronic/hip-hop group Tjaka in early 2022. Just as the song title entails, the track is a guaranteed shake-up from the electronic music you thought you knew, as its thumping production transports you both in between the physical realm of a rave and the ancestral realm. Made to generate a feeling of connectedness with the land with which you stand, dameeeela’s ability to channel spiritual feelings through sound is striking. We can’t wait to see what dameeeela treats us to in 2023.

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If you’re privy to Becca Hatch’s insane artistry, then you’d be awaiting a full-length project just like us. But if you aren’t familiar, the Indigenous/Samoan artist is just the right mix of pop, R&B, and house fusion to put her on any list of exciting homegrown artists. Her vocals are sickly-sweet and, when layered across experimental soundscapes, illustrate just how fluid and versatile the artist is. Teaming up with producer Tentendo on her last track ‘Blessed’, you hear Hatch trail along a funk and groove-infused beat, sharing tales of letting go and getting rid of someone or something that holds you back. Having dipped her toes in more than one genre, we’re hoping 2023 brings out even more from the artist.

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Electro-pop, R&B, country and even metal are a mixture of sounds you’ll hear courtesy of First Nations artist CLOE TERARE. However, her latest project, Burn Book (deluxeee) sees the artist dip into brash hip-hop experimentation. The artist’s interest in pop and R&B came from hearing a new wave of female musicians like Lana Del Rey, Ashnikko, and Doja Cat use their voices to emanate strength, power, and realness. CLOE makes that same energy priority on her latest project, showing off her vocal range and ability to command the track easily. Though she just dropped in December of 2022, we’re keeping our eyes peeled for more in 2023.

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South-West Sydney’s answer to homegrown trap comes in the form of T Breezy. Having spent his youth in the semi-rural town of Inverell, Northern NSW, T Breezy brings the rural to the suburbs, carrying his experiences with music from young into a fully-fleshed debut EP 2360 in 2019. His music is both a mix of trap and drill, with bass-driven production and ruthless bars to match it. T Breezy provides a unique perspective into his life as a youngin in Inverell before living out his formative years in the suburbs of Western Sydney, maintaining a sense of drive and passion for speaking his truths unapologetically through music. Having last released a freestyle in 2020, we’re itching to see if 2023 is the year we’re treated to more from T Breezy.

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Indigenous/Tongan/Maori artist Say True God? is shaping up to become one of the most promising acts in so-called Australia, especially after a massive run of music in 2022. Aiming to honour all sides of his diverse heritage, Say True God? finds passion in truth-telling, using his unparalleled voice to touch on who he is beneath the surface, experiences of a darker place, and the places in which he came from. Just like his hobby of boxing, Say True God? manages to deliver uncompromising hard hits on every song he touches. As a result, we’re hoping for more knockout tracks in 2023.

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Proud Gunditjmara, Torres Strait and Papua New Guinean artist Kaiit is easily one of the most exciting artists to have emerged on the scene initially debuting in 2017. After being consigned and re-shared by American soul singer Jill Scott, and being referenced as the musical lovechild of Scott and Erykah Badu, Kaiit’s level to transcend geographical boundaries through their striking vocals and entrancing neo-soul, was solidified. Their reimagined, modern take on Aretha Franklin’s ‘You Make Me Feel Like (A Natural Woman)’, and smooth, silky single ‘OG Luv Kush p.2’, placed Kaiit on high alert as someone to take notice of. Although it’s been a while between releases, you can still catch Kaiit playing stages across the country including her upcoming performance at Melbourne Museum as part of Nocturnal x Midsumma next month. We hope that 2023 is the year we hear new music from this undeniable talent.

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