DAVID BRIDIE New album WAKE out now “Wake is the album this country needs. It’s passionate, intelligent and inspired.” – The Age Watch music clip for single DELEGATE Watch video for single YOU’RE NO FLOWER Watch video for single THE SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR

The quiet achiever of Australian music, seven time ARIA award winning songwriter and composer David Bridie has enjoyed a distinguished career as one of Australia's most innovative musicians. With his repertoire as a recording artist, soundtrack composer, producer, lyricist, uniquely Australian songwriter and singer, as well as a specialist in the music of Melanesia, Bridie has certainly stamped his mark. His recent critically acclaimed solo album WAKE will be followed later in 2014 with a fifth solo release Take The Next Illusionary Exit.

A founding member and songwriter of critically acclaimed musical groups Not Drowning Waving and My Friend The Chocolate Cake whose success both in Australia and across the world is well documented, Bridie has also released a number of albums under his own moniker.

It is as a songwriter that Bridie has forged his reputation as one of Australia’s best with tracks such as This Year Is Better Than Last Year (DB) , The Kiap Song (NDW) I’ve Got A Plan (MFTCC) The Koran, The Ghan and A Yarn (DB) and The Last Great Magician (MFTCC), all confirming his individual style in painting a mural of the modern world, its geography, its political mores and its dwellers identities.

Bridie has released four solo albums; Act of Free Choice, Hotel Radio, Succumb and Wake. These albums see Bridie make a return to the experimental music that his earlier group Not Drowning Waving had been noted for, with Bridie’s voice and electric piano woven around a universe of found sounds, anything from Papua New Guinea conch shells to Morse code intercepted on short wave radio, with bass and drums added over the top of lyrics that are purely and unmistakably Bridie, a ruthlessly honest musical mirror to Australia's complex national character and wry personal insights to the state of being human. In September 2014 he is releasing a 5th solo album Take The Next Illusionary Exit.

Over the years Bridie has balanced his career as a live musician with the composition of soundtrack music, with credits for over 16 Feature films including , Proof, Bran Nue Dae, The Man Who Sued God and Gone, several of which received International release. His score for In a Savage Land landed Bridie the award for “Best Original Score” at the AFI Awards, “Best Original Soundtrack” by the Film Critics Circle of Australia, and “Best Soundtrack Album” at the 2000 ARIA Awards. Credits for his 29 television/short films/documentaries soundtracks include Remote Area Nurse for which he won an AFI Award, “Winner Best Independent Release” ARIA Award; The Whitlam Documentary, MABO; Life of an island Man, The Circuit, the feature documentary film Strange Birds in Paradise and the 2012 ten part ABC drama series The Straits; as well as the critically acclaimed 2013 Melbourne Theatre Company production of Solomon and Marion directed by Pamela Rabe for which he was composer and music director.

Click here to view a selection of clips featuring Bridie’s solo and soundtrack work.

David has always explored his particular passion for Melanesian life, music and history. Now regarded as the world’s foremost producer of Melanesian music artists, David has been instrumental in launching the musical careers of many of these artists including George Telek (PNG) who is now considered an elder statesman of Music in his home country and had his music released on ’s Real World label. Other producing credits include ’s “Jamu Dreaming”, ’s “Stylin Up’ and West Papuan string band Black Paradise’s “Spirit Of Mambesak” cds, Richard Mogu (PNG). Perhaps most importantly is his recent work with Pitjantjatjara man Frank Yamma for whom he has resurrected and relaunched a career that had been stymied by tragedy and the everyday challenges faced by indigenous men in Australia. Franks current standing as one of Australia’s most established indigenous songwriters and performers, and the success of his 2010 release Countryman is testament to Bridie’s vision and persistence. Together David and Frank have played at festivals across the world including Womad UK and BT River of Music at the London Olympic Festival and most recently a tour of Canada in July 2014 taking in Calgary, Winnipeg and Vancouver Folk Festivals.

As music director of various incarnations of SING SING concerts Staged by Wantok Musik Foundation, Bridie has since the mid-90s brought together some of the most important singers, musicians, drummers and dancers from the Oceania region in a unique state of the art concert performance, presenting traditional, contemporary, choral and stringband music with accompanying visuals and aural soundscapes to capture a sense of place, to take the audience on a Pasific journey through the landscape and texture of both urban and grass roots village life. Recently staged at the London Olympic Festival and Australia’s Message Sticks and Womadelaide Festivals and the forthcoming Boomerang Festival, SING SING continues to demonstrate the breadth of talent in our local region to a world wide audience.

View SING SING Promotional Video

What the media have said......

He mixes in political and cultural empathy – an ability to speak for those dispossessed or oppressed. David Bridie can make you think. Make you feel. – Drum Media Sydney

David’s lyrics are thought provoking as always, and that coupled with the instrumentation gives us an album that is strong, moving and evocative. – Radio Australia (feature record)

Savouring the work of David Bridie takes time, effort, thought and patience but the rewards are many. ....Rich yet subtle layers unfolded. Intricate details appeared as shooting stars to momentarily reveal the loaded spaces between...... his best solo work yet. – Rhythms Magazine

He’s one of Australia’s unique voices, lyricists and composers.... anchored in his signature piano style but it’s the sounds happening above and around his vocals that suck you in. .... hauntingly beautiful. – Kathy McCabe The Daily Telegraph.

Bridie remains one of the most distinctive voices and songwriters in Australian music, not only to the ear but to the heart. His soulful rasp offers unique insights, deep empathy and asks hard questions into the human condition. His is a voice of conviction, passion and integrity – Undercover

This is the quieter, more reflective, Bridie. The one who sits you down, pours the shiraz, and speaks of many things. – Themusic.com.au Media reviews on 2013 release WAKE

*Click here to read the full review by Warwick McFadyen, The Age (28 June 2013)

*Click here to read article by Iain Shedden, The Australian (12 July 2013)

David Bridie Website • Facebook • Bandcamp

Contact : Penney & Logan Carolyn Logan // +61 400 441 025 // [email protected] PO Box 361, Clifton Hill, VIC 3068 AUSTRALIA