Sydney Festival | 30 Oct, 2024
We've scoured the globe to find the next music act for you to obsess over
As part of this year’s stacked Festival, the Future Frequencies lineup at ACO On The Pier and City Recital Hall is all about the freshest new sounds from around the globe, from throwback soul to queer pop to form-bending jazz. Dive in below for a whirlwind introduction to the 13 featured artists — and secure bragging rights for getting around them first.
Jalen Ngonda
Signed to ‘the’ label for golden-era styled soul, New York’s Daptone Records, Jalen Ngonda possesses a rich, nuanced voice that hits those classic soul touch points, while still belonging to the present. Fresh from the release of his 2023 debut album, Come Around and Love Me, Ngonda is ready to make City Recital Hall swoon.
If you like: Golden-era soul from the likes of Marvin Gaye and David Ruffin — weighty company, but Ngonda has earned it.
Famous fans: In addition to co-signs from Jill Scott and Snoop Dogg, Elton John chose Ngonda’s “Come Around and Love Me” as one of his favourite songs of 2023. View the official music video for Come Around and Love Me single here.
Yaya Bey
Yaya Bey is one of R&B’s most original new stars, with a sound and swagger that blends boundary-pushing neo-soul with funk. A sly and versatile vocalist, Bey’s lyrical themes weave political commentary, humour, grief and sex into indelible songs, including on her critically lauded 2024 album Ten Fold. Onstage, she’s a force of nature. 
If you like: While fiercely original, Bey’s music would be right at home on a playlist with Solange, SAULT, Sudan Archives and Greentea Peng.
Essential viewing: Earlier this year, Bey played a virtuosic set for NPR’s hallowed Tiny Desk concert series that’s the perfect Sydney Festival primer.
Cash Savage and The Last Drinks
With their potent combination of bruising post-punk rock, guttural vocals and tough yet tender songwriting, Melbourne’s Cash Savage and The Last Drinks have developed a reputation as one of the country’s most ferocious bands, including on their brutally honest fifth studio album, So This Is Love. 
If you like: Cash Savage and The Last Drinks occupy the same dark, deep and unmistakably Australian universe as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Drones and Eddy Current Suppression Ring.
Essential viewing: The moody black-and-white video for “$600 Short On The Rent”, from So This Is Love, conveys all the grit and heft you can expect from Cash Savage and co.
Parvyn
Punjabi-Australian vocalist and dancer Parvyn has drawn in audiences around the world with her fusion of traditional sounds with dance, electronica and jazz. Beginning her touring career at age seven with her father, Dya Singh, before coming into her own as a performer in Bollywood-inspired psychedelic rock band The Bombay Royale, Parvyn has spent her life onstage — and it shows. 
If you like: Parvyn has cited her own influences as spanning from Bjork to the much-celebrated sitarist Anoushka Shankar.
Essential viewing: During lockdown, Parvyn and her husband/bandmate Josh Bennett performed a beguiling at-home version of The Bombay Royale’s "The River”, featured in the video game Far Cry 4.
Chela
Fremantle’s own Chelsea Wheatley, better known as Chela, is made for alt-pop stardom. First swaggering onto the international stage with early earworms “Romanticise” and “Zero” on tastemaking French label Kitsuné, the multi-hyphenate artist and musician immediately owned her catchy electro-pop sound, including the queer anthems “Hard 4 You” and “Cool 2B Queer”. 
If you like: Chela’s strutting synth-pop has traces of Kiesza, Tove Lo, La Roux and Jessie Ware, paired with charisma to burn and some seriously enviable dance skills.
Essential viewing: In the video for bona-fide jam “Hard 4 You", Chela lays on the seductive moves like only she can. View the video here.
Mary Ancheta Quartet
Vancouver’s Mary Ancheta Quartet crafts genre-defying jazz, electro-funk and R&B that shimmers with cinematic texture. Led by acclaimed Canadian Filipina keyboardist Mary Ancheta, their sound is characterised by a radical reworking of genres. It’s an approach that springs to life in the band’s electrifying stage performances, with Ancheta backed by Dominic Conway on sax, Matt Reid on bass and Paul Clark on drums. 
If you like: The quartet cite electronic innovator Squarepusher, New Orleans funk band The Meters and Prince as influences on their genre-hopping sound.
Essential viewing: While not quite the full quartet, Ancheta’s stirring performance of “Envoy” from Canada’s Sandstone Studios will set the tone. View the recording here.
JFDR
Beginning her professional music career at age 14, Jófríður Ákadóttir has evolved into one of Iceland’s most prodigious artists. Now 30, the multi-instrumentalist has had a dizzyingly busy decade, jumping between the bands Samaris and Pascal Piñon in addition to her solo work as JFDR, including her lauded 2023 album, Museum. 
If you like: If the oh-so-Icelandic sound of Sigur Rós and lead singer Jonsi gets your goosebumps going, you’ll definitely click with the gentle power of JFDR.
Famous fans: Icelandic avant-pop queen Bjork namechecked Ákadóttir as one of her inspirations in a 2016 interview.
View the music video for JFDR's enchanting "Orchid" here.
Hak Baker
Raised in East London’s Isle Of Dogs, Hak Baker has swiftly earned iconoclastic status with his genre-scuffing “G-folk” sound. On his breakout 2023 album, Worlds End FM, Baker presented his most complete statement yet in the style of a pirate radio broadcast, with songs ready-made for his riotous live shows. 
If you like: Hak has drawn comparisons to the likes of Kojey Radical and Jeshi, while The Streets also tapped him for a 2020 collab, “Falling Down”.
Famous fans: As well as Mike Skinner himself, Baker’s famous fan club also includes Fontaines D.C., Slowthai, Skepta and Pete Doherty.
View the COLOURS music video for Hak Baker's "Tom" here.
GANNA with Tal Arditi
From Ukraine via Berlin comes Ganna Gryniva – aka GANNA – a multi-talented singer and composer who has established herself as one of the most gifted artists on the European jazz scene with critically acclaimed albums Home and Kupala. At Sydney Festival, GANNA is joined by acclaimed Berlin-based guitarist Tal Arditi. 
If you like: GANNA defies easy comparison, but her music will connect with fans of Ukrainian artists like DakhaBrakha and ONUKA.
Essential viewing: The beautifully designed music video for “SOKOLONKO” captures the essence of GANNA. View the music video here.
Ishmael Ensemble
Formed in 2017 by producer, DJ and saxophonist Pete Cunningham, Bristol’s Ishmael Ensemble rose to fame with their acclaimed 2019 debut A State of Flow, a record that combined lush, cinematic compositions with left-field dub and electronic sensibilities. Their latest album, Rituals, marks another significant leap forward in sound and scope. 
If you like: Massive Attack, The Cinematic Orchestra, Jon Hopkins and the selections of DJ Gilles Peterson.
Famous fans: Everyone from Detroit techno icon Carl Craig to electronic wizard Caribou has tipped a cap to Pete Cunningham and Ishmael Ensemble.
View their Live From Bristol Beacon Cellar session here.
NoSax NoClar
Born in 2020, NoSax NoClar brings together the freewheeling talents of saxophonist and clarinettist Bastien Weeger and beatboxer and bass clarinettist Julien Stella. With a sound that’s as irreverent and mischievous as their name, the French duo have shaken up the jazz world with their virtuosic performances. 
If you like: If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling the vast contemporary jazz lineups featured at Bremen’s jazzahead! festival, you’ll click right into NoSax NoClar.
Essential viewing: A beautiful filmed performance of NoSax NoClar’s “Kahmsïn” from the Notre-Dame de Bon-Port church in Nantes. View the recording here.
Setwun & The Soulstranauts
Setwun, aka Josh Panakera-Molony, is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and DJ weaving together contemporary jazz, beats and electronica. Together with his band The Soulstranauts, Setwun will reimagine the music of legendary soul-jazz composer Roy Ayers, breathing new life and new twists into his classic repertoire. 
If you like: Fans of Roy Ayers and jazz-funk will be in heaven — and more casual fans will recognise his much-sampled songs.
Famous fans: International tastemakers including Gilles Peterson, Carista and Bradley Zero have all recognised Setwun’s deep-digging talent.
Listen to Setwun's hypnotic single "H.B.Y" here.
Allysha Joy
In her Ode to Inspiration show, Melbourne singer, songwriter and selector Allysha Joy reimagines the music of legendary singer-songwriter Roberta Flack and will also play fresh material from her own 2024 album, The Making of Silk. Her husky soulful voice, formidable Fender Rhodes prowess and raw poeticism is the perfect match for Flack’s songbook. 
If you like: As well as the obvious Roberta Flack connection, fans of Hiatus Kaiyote, Jordan Rakei and Erykah Badu will appreciate the Allysha Joy vibe.
Essential viewing: Slide into the music video for “David”, the third single from The Making of Silk here.