Ernest Aines: Don't Mind Me (Sandgate)

Ernest Aines is an award-winning singer-songwriter based in Melbourne, Australia. He has garnered recognition being nominated as 2024 Australian Folk Artist of the Year as well as nomination for the Music Victoria Best Folk Work 2024 for his debut album, Spiral Bound.   

In 2024, Ernest toured extensively, captivating audiences in the UK, receiving standing ovations, and invitations to play live on the BBC. He also had the honour of performing at the esteemed Cambridge Folk Festival which has led to further offers to play international festivals. 

Spiral Bound has seen remarkable success, achieving over 340,000 streams in its first year. It has been praised by critics, with Rhythms Magazine describing it as "a sonic tapestry that is just breathtaking." In addition, he was featured playing live on the ABC ARTS TV Show Artworks in September 2023.

Over the past two years, Ernest has played at all major folk festivals in Australia, including the renowned Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland, the Blue Mountains Festival and the National Folk Festival in Canberra.

In 2023, he was selected by Sounds Australia to perform at the International Folk Alliance Conference and a special show in Kansas City for the Library of Congress, who archived his rendition of a traditional song.  

With his soulful voice and, intricate finger-picking style, Ernest draws comparisons to artists like Ray Lamontagne, Bon Iver, Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake. He has single releases planned ahead of his anticipated second album, set to launch in 2025, solidifying his place as a rising star in the Australian music scene.

REVIEWS:

“Ernest Aines has the kind of voice that turns every head towards the stage and suspends conversation”
Independent Music Review

“He is a giant, musically and lyrically”
VanDyke Parks

“This is essentially crossover sound at its finest… Ernest draws out the imagery in his lyricism & words BRILLIANTLY… uncanny ability to use melody in such an impressive mix of haunting intensity”
Jer@SBS, Sleeping Bag Studios

“Aines is a true contemporary master of the folk music form… In terms of genres… Aines has managed to weave elements of everyone from Peter Gabriel to Donovan to Art Garfunkel in a sonic tapestry that is just breathtaking… Aines may be Australian but he has created something universal, borderless and timeless”
Michael George Smith, Rhythms Mag