Thelma Plum

Thelma Plum

The past 12 months for Brisbane lass Thelma Plum have been packed. Her first EP Rosie, her first performance at the National Indigenous Music Awards, her first headline tour, her first entry in the Triple J Hottest 100; she marched in and demanded attention.

With a smile that could kill and a distinct yet ever evolving fashion style, combined with with a penchant for dogs and a love for the f-word, Thelma is a blend of softness and steel. This is reflected through her music; it initially sounds delicate but underneath there is a strength that sets her apart from the breathy songstresses of late.

TripleJHottest1002012

It’s that time again. It sends some into a feverish sweat, others into convulsions of excitement and for fragile people like myself, into anxious breakdowns. Yup. Hottest 100 voting time.

Australia’s leading alternative radio station, Triple J, has launched its annual countdown again; the biggest music democracy to rule the airwaves. Citizens from both Australia and around the globe are invited to pick their top ten tracks from the year just gone, 2012. And, my my, what a task it is.

Whilst voting, I greedily selected an abundance of beloved tracks, only to realise that I had forty tracks too many. The most difficult part lay there in, with me carefully and painfully extracting my absolute favourites. Keyboards were hit, headaches formed and tears shed.  Here are the results.

  • Ball Park Music – Surrender

One of my favourites from their sophomore album, Museum, this sweeping song is simply swell, *alliteration fistpump*.

  • The Black Keys – Little Black Submarines

Seeing this performed live was an absolutely breath taking experience that I will never forget. This band can do no wrong.

Have you heard of the TV show The Slap? Really, no? A couple of months ago, here in Australia, it was everywhere. You couldn’t turn your channel onto the Australian Broadcasting Commision for two minutes without being bombarded for promos for it.

I am too young and innocent and delicate to watch the show, but I could deduct that is was a whole lot of family arguments, explicit sex scenes and drama. What I was really excited about was the song used for the promo. It was called Jungle, by the up and coming indie darling Emma Louise.

Emma Louise

I came across the song on a whim a few months ago, breaching my internet limits (I’m so rebel) to get it in the Triple J podcast. I didn’t even listen to it beforehand; just pressed “Download” like all good people should. I cannot remember the amount of times I’ve stumbled across brilliant music just because I felt like wasting up the internet usage.

Afterwards, I listened to it. I had, like I said, not heard of Emma Louise, but this song turned out to be a pulsating pop gem, with washes of lush electro sounds, rumbling exotic percussion and her sweet voice earnestly painting a picture of tension. It was beautiful, and quite hard to believe that she was a newcomer on the scene.