Years on the road, touring in Australia and abroad, gave two-piece indie pop-rock band This Way North an appreciation for open space and adventure. Landing in north-east Victoria on Dhudhuroa country when the pandemic hit, long-time friends, collaborators, and partners, Jungalwalla and Leahy traded freedom on the road for a home amongst ancient trees and high-country valleys. This unexpected move, drawing in close and giving themselves the gift of stillness, prompted unbridled creativity and culminated in their upcoming debut album, 'Punching Underwater', set to be released in February 2024.

This Way North has previously been named Music Victoria's Best Regional Act, and enjoyed killer sets at Australia and Canada's favourite festivals, including Queenscliff, Mullumbimby, Wanderer, Woodford, Port Fairy in Australia and Mariposa, Ness Creek and Dawson City in Canada, sharing the stage with artists from Mavis Staples to Spider Bait.

Their new album features big harmonies and strong melodies. Whilst their previous records have been about traveling on the road, Punching Underwater travels within the self. The introspective nature came about when Cat and Leisha had the time and stillness to go inward and explore their insecurities, imposter syndromes, and self-doubts. The battle of trying not to fall in love, confidence and self-love, anxiety, the highs of being content and happy, to the lows of war, the joy of evolution as a woman… there is something for everyone.

Full of rapturous nostalgia, This Way North's music takes you from moody, tremolo-tinged heart-tuggers to pounding driving alt-psych rock through a sonic landscape of reverb-soaked guitars and rolling rhythms. With odes to 90's rock sitting on air-tight grooves and full, cinematic spaciousness, This Way North's music is a portal to summer festivals, their love affair with the road, and an open invitation to turn up the volume and let loose.

"Life affirmingly super unreal!"

Tim Rogers

"This Way North are such an impressive live duo! Their blend of genres is unlike anything else around. Great grooves, and they know how to rock!"

Ash Grunwald

Website: https://www.thiswaynorth.com/

Kopasetic is an energetic indie-roots sextet from Canberra, dosing their audiences with earthy rhythms and earnest messages over a melting pot of modern rock-reggae, soul, blues and folk. The band thoroughly explores the limits of these genres, with bone-shaking off-beat grooves, psychedelic instrumentals and soulful ballads.

Kopasetic’s original music has seen the band booked to support the likes of Kim Churchill and Jeff Lang, tour nationally and internationally, as well as draw in local crowds to their original releases and headline shows of up to 200 (the Street Theatre) and 400 (Roots & Reggae in the Forrest – Corin Forest). Their originals have been well received by Triple J, with national airtime and being dubbed ‘magnificent and beautiful’ by host Nkechi Anele.

The release of their recent single 'Petrified' drew attention from BMA Magazine, who stamped the band with a five-star review. A must-see for fans of The Cat Empire, The Tesky Brothers, Tijuana Cartel and Fat Freddys Drop.

Website: https://www.kopaseticband.com/