Page 55 - Tropic Magazine Issue 37

TROPIC • MUSIC

Song makers

LOCAL ACTS

Tropic delves into some of the latest
stories from the local music scene.

Hip-hop collective
Crowd-hyping collective Flood Squad is made up of a unique Sold our future
mix of talented Indigenous and South Sudanese artists based Outrage and desperation are let loose in Bobby Maguire’s
in Cairns, who’ve all got beats in their blood. Yarrum, GMA latest single Sold Our Future, released in July. Produced by Kris
(pictured), Wes Uno, Yung Sherriff and DJ Yoyo Africa produce a Hutchinson at The Studio Hutch in Cairns, it’s a pop punk track
mixture of rap, Afrobeats and hip-hop with melodic sounds and featuring heavy guitar, driving bass and lyrics that have a dig at
powerful lyrics. Regulars at many venues in town from Gilligan’s the ‘idle elites’. Maguire describes the crux of the lyrics as ‘a stew
to BAR 94, their 2022/23 calendar is quickly filling up with of our worst selves bubbling away in the social pressure cooker
performances scheduled for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and of the pandemic released only to find a world at war.’
Townsville. Sponsored by Cairns-based label Designer Brand, This indie rock artist has musical maturity far beyond his years.
two of the crew – Yung Sheriff and GMA – released a debut You can find him performing solo or backed by his band around
album this year titled Road to Recovery. Far North Queensland.

CHECK THEM OUT: @floodsquadcairns MORE: bobbymaguire.com

30th anniversary reconnection
The Pad Boys formed in 1992 in Kuranda and spent the best part of the
90s playing festivals and touring with Regurgitator before moving to the
Sunshine Coast to further make inroads into the national music industry.
Fusing roots-based reggae, rock and Djabugay language within a broader
soul groove, the group’s songs have become mini anthems and are now part
of a longer Djabugay music tradition. They’re now back in their hometown
and celebrating 30 years together by performing at a number of events,
which kicked off with the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and Kuranda Roots
Festival in July. They’re also going to (finally!) record an album on vinyl
featuring their most iconic songs.

FIND THEIR MUSIC: Bandcamp and Spotify

55 • tropicnow.com.au