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Artists to Watch in 2018: Alta

8 January 2018 | 11:10 am | Emma Jones

Melbourne duo ALTA are on a playing field all on their own after their efforts in 2017. Having been around the traps for a while now, the pair adopted the "slow and steady" approach to their music over the years, and after a lot of hard work, they finally came into their own last year. Having joined the crew at SOOTHSAYER, the slow burning flame that we have been watching burn steadily since the early days of 2014 turned into a roaring blaze, and although we're more than happy with what we've received so far, we can't help just get that little bit excited for what might still be around the corner for these two.

Having released their most impressive work thus far in their Sincere EP, Alta had a choice - stay where they were, working with what they know where it's comfortable, or push themselves even further. Unafraid to take creative risks and chances, they walked bravely into a new era, and songs like 'Fix It' and 'Sentiment' were born. Doubling down on their penchant for unpredictable songwriting, intimate lyrics and eccentric samples, Alta have developed such a strong sense of who they are as an act now, and because of this, will be going onto huge things.

With Hannah Lesser's absolutely mesmerising voice that falls somewhere in between soul and pop, and Julius Dowson's always impressive production chops, the pair create music that is entirely their own. It doesn't really fit anywhere in terms of specific genre (although it fits in the realm of dance music), but it will make you dance and feel and think, all the while maintaining that utterly unique Alta sound.

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Having impressed crowds at BIGSOUND with multiple showcases as well as playing to huge hometown crowds in Melbourne and festivals across the country, their modus operandi of taking their time is finally paying off, and people are finally starting to notice in volumes not seen before. Taking chances can be scary, but more often than not, when you know what you're doing and where you're headed, it can pull off, and that's exactly what we've seen from Alta in 2017. Now, the task is can they go further, but we're positively certain they absolutely can.

Image by Joseph Crackett/Only Odd for Purple Sneakers

Words by Emma Jones

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