#THISISDIY Australia: What’s in the water?

It’s easy enough to pick out a ton of artists and acknowledge their shared location. It’s harder to draw a thread between them. For decades artists have had to fend off questions about a ‘scene’, which for the most part consists of disparately, barely linked bands all breaking out at the same time. No question: It’s a brilliant thing when heads turn in unison to a specific region, drawing out gem after gem out of some ripple effect. For the most part, as soon as attention swerves towards a country or a city, the leaders of the pack are off making good on their promise via world tours and two-year stints away from their homeland. It makes sense, but there’s an argument that the older generation leaves the next one in its wake.

Australia feels different. It’s never been a stale area for exciting new bands, but a switch has been flicked. Week after week a fresh face will arise out of its major cities, while everyone’s still playing catch-up on the next big thing. It’s a goldmine for talent, and the flow hasn’t stopped in years. For a while people’s knowledge of Aussie music stopped short at AC/DC or dance giants Cut Copy. Now we’re in a different situation. Flume is readying himself to headline the Dance Stage at Reading & Leeds, Courtney Barnett’s (pictured, top) preparing one of the most anticipated debut albums of the year and Tame Impala - fresh from supporting Arctic Monkeys in Finsbury Park - have one eye cast on becoming one of the biggest bands in the world.

Things haven’t been this good for a long time, if ever. Below, as part of June’s #THISISDIY series, we’re taking a look at the artists helping this movement gain momentum, as well as the fresh faces looking to continue the change Down Under. To begin with, it’s worth asking exactly why everything’s coming up Aussie.