You may not have heard of indie label Dinosaur City Records, but you probably have caught wind of any or all of their impressive roster (past and present). Sunscreen, No Local, Big White and Phanosland are just a few of the important acts associated with the Sydney-based institution.

Since its inception a few years back, DCR’s small team has maintained the tireless output of an organisation many times its size, with more than a dozen major releases, the planning and running of myriad successful events and shows, and a monumental curation project that they release annually: The Dinosaur City Records Mixtape.

The fourth in this iconic series is fresh out of the oven, featuring some earwatering morsels from both Dinosaur City regulars and new friends. Including tracks from No Local (an unreleased b-side from their inventive sophomore LP), Solo Career (AKA Body Type's Annabel Blackman), Wytchings (with a hypnotic experimental drone track), Babey (for their second DCR mixtape), Impatiens, Blessé, Premium Fantasy (a Melbourne duo that sits somewhere between dark-synth wave, italo-disco and Kate Bush) and a heap more, plus a 2017 release from illusive Californian outfit, Gum Country.

Strap-in, ‘cause this mix is a guaranteed genre-rollercoaster, and we recommend a playthrough or ten, for any of you shrewd selectors who want to careen up and down the rickety spectrum of DIY-pop at a reckless yet cohesive pace.

Hot off the heels of its release, we’re lucky enough to have the inside scoop on some of the featured artists (and even one label founder’s) respective inspirations for DCR MIXTAPE #4.


A car fire with Wytchings

'The Uprising' was inspired by a huge auto fire on my street earlier this year. It was like one of those classic chaotic Renaissance paintings.The car was turned upside down and engulfed in crimson and yellow flames. My neighbours crowded around the wreck, exchanging whispers and pointing at the distraught driver, sitting in the corner and recounting his story to the police. Blue and red lights slow danced with the flames and in the midst of all, a broken garden gnome laid next to the wreckage. As its painted on smile began to chip away, I couldn't help but feel some kind of malicious energy about it all.

I took an old project where I was toying with the sound of car stereos and started to build 'The Uprising' inspired by what I saw.


Leslie Winer's Witch with Blessé

This album soundtracked my days and nights for an entire summer a few years back, the sultry spoken word carrying me through the streets and my body giving into the irresistible patchy dub beats, moving as it wanted to down the footpath, carrying me home. Winer's lyrics grapple with womanhood and abuse of power - they are politically charged, building constantly in tension yet somehow never shattering. This mirrored my state of mind at the time, the duality of being terrified, and full of fury, yet calm, in control and totally assured. It inspired me to let my words hang heavy from a soundscape of simplicity.


Shinsekai, Osaka with Impatiens

Shinsekai was the area that I stayed in Osaka, where I got the idea for the song. It was originally a futuristic theme park suburb, it translates to “new world”, but the theme park shut down and it became more famously known for its restless nightlife. It’s full of neon lights, cyclists and covert alleyways that come to life at night. The track references some of these sights quite literally. There was a restaurant across from where I stayed that would feed the neighbourhood cats each night with leftovers. Shinsekai still has some traditional and cheap coffee shops where you can get a $5AUD breakfast. The people I met here were so warm, it was a wonderful place to explore on foot with good company.


The Bodysurfers by Robert Drewe with New Lovers

'Diving' was inspired by The Bodysurfers, a collection of short stories by Robert Drewe. It kind of started off as a lament to the Australian beach culture, through the eyes of a teenager. The chorus "I just want to get what I want" is the teenager kind of in the space between high school and young adulthood, where many things are possible but maybe not...


Slumber and apathy with Tuffence Meringue

‘Hummingbird (All Out Of Balance)’ is a reflection on slumber and apathy. There’s a lot of shit going on in the world and so many people are happy to post about it on Instagram but don’t actually put their feelings into action, they just close their eyes and hope it all goes away. And so many of us are closing our eyes on the same bed, the cheapest nastiest one from Ikea which I think is now discontinued so maybe I should just take advantage of this whole system and hock my Fjellse on eBay?


Opening interpretations and John Frusciante with Babey

‘Stranglehold’ was written about the self-empowerment gained from making healthy life and relationship choices. The first half of the song explores the turmoil of a toxic relationship, while the climax signifies the satisfying feeling of release; a fresh start and new beginning.

I wanted to start focusing more on instrumental melodies rather than having a heavy lyrical focus. There was more of just a feeling about my decision to move and choosing myself and I wanted to get that across while leaving it open to interpretation and for other people to resonate with. Some of my favourite songs do this also, like ‘Forever Away’ by John Frusciante. It leaves so much room for me to line up the feeling it gives me with what’s going on in my life.

This also works pretty well with our writing style as a band. Often the way we write is in a jam, and whoever is singing usually speaks in absolute gibberish while they are just fleshing out the melody. When I do that, I later on listen to what we were playing around with and realise that I made little Freudian slips all over the place and I get to interpret myself and then make it more intelligible with real life words haha.


Friends with Jordanne Chant from Dinosaur City

For me, Dinosaur City Records’ annual mixtapes are inspired by the loving, intelligent, funny, creative, exciting people that surround us – our dear friends! The mixtape nor DCR would exist without them, and we are eternally grateful for all the support!