Alex Burnett | |
Origin: | Sydney, Australia |
Occupation: | Singer, songwriter, music producer |
Years Active: | 2007 - present |
Label: | Ark Recordings, Ivy League Records, Dew Process/UMA |
Alex Burnett (also known as Alexander Burnett) is a Sydney/London based singer, songwriter and producer known for fronting his band Sparkadia and collaborations with major artists including Thelma Plum, Hockey Dad, DJ Snake, Hayden James, Flight Facilities, Elderbrook, Mansionair, Kano, Chaka Khan and Hudson Taylor.
In 2011, he was labelled "what might be Australia's best rising songwriter" by the Sydney Morning Herald.[1]
Attracted by indie pop, Burnett formed his first band, The Spark, in 2005 with drummer David Hall.[2] After relentless touring, the group signed to Ark Recordings in the UK and Ivy League records in Australia, and changed their name to Sparkadia.
Their debut album Postcards was recorded and produced by Ben Hillier (Blur, Depeche Mode) at Miloco Studios in London in 2007 and released in 2008. Nominated for Album of the Year in that year's J Awards, it achieved Platinum sales in Australia. The hit single "Jealousy" hit #79 in Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2008. Sparkadia went on to tour internationally, playing at many of the European summer festivals including Glastonbury and T in the Park and opening for acts including Vampire Weekend, Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, and Jimmy Eat World.[2] After an Australian tour in 2009 playing Big Day Out,[3] several of Alexander's Sparkadia bandmates went on to other projects.[4]
Alex spent time in Berlin, Stockholm, New York City, and Los Angeles,[5] before moving to London in 2010. There he made the second Sparkadia album, The Great Impression, as a solo project, playing all the instruments, with Mark "Tieks" Tieku (Florence and the Machine) co-producing. Inspirations for the record ranged from Berlin-era David Bowie to Roy Orbison to Javanese Gamelan.[6] The album debuted at #8 on the ARIA charts[7] and placed in the top 50 for the following year,[8] also achieving Gold sales, with three singles placing in the Hottest 100. The single "China" was a finalist in the 2011 Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition.[9] His tour dates in 2011 with the new members of Sparkadia included Splendour in the Grass, which also featured Coldplay and Kanye West.[10]
In 2011, Burnett co-wrote "2 Hearts" on Digitalism's 2011 album I Love You, Dude.[11] The same year, Burnett co-wrote and produced the lead single "Act Yr Age" for Bluejuice's album Company.[12] The following year, he worked again with Bluejuice on their single "S.O.S."[13] and co-wrote Hudson Taylor's breakthrough single "Battles".
In 2014, he co-wrote and produced George Maple's breakthrough hit "Talk Talk".[14] This was reworked by DJ Snake and released in 2016 as "Talk", which hit #13 on Billboard's hot dance/electronic chart in the US. He also co-wrote Bluejuice's final single, "I'll Go Crazy"[15] and was a writer on Bliss n Eso's gold single "Act Your Age", which won APRA's 2014 Urban Work of the Year award.[16]
In 2015, he co-wrote Hayden James's "Something About You", which hit No. 44 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2015. He also wrote three tracks for Alison Wonderland as well as singles by Flight Facilities and Motez. In November of that year he was among the speakers at the Electronic Music Conference, along with Flume and Porter Robinson.[17] In 2016 he wrote with Japanese Wallpaper on 'Cocoon',[18] Hayden James' 'Just a Lover',[19] The Kaiser Chiefs' return single 'Hole in My Soul', and other songs with Joy, Paces, and Nicole Millar. 2017 saw collaborations with Rationale, Grades, Tieks with Chaka Khan, LDRU, BETSY, and Dan Sultan[20] on his album Killer.
At the start of 2018 he co-wrote and produced "Clumsy Love" from Gamilaraay singer-songwriter Thelma Plum's first release since 2014[21] [22] and subsequently co-wrote produced her multiple ARIA nominated album, 'Better in Blak' with highlights being 'Homecoming Queen', 'Not Angry Anymore' and 'Don't Bring A Good Girl Down'.The same year, his co-write with Dan Sultan, 'Hold It Together', received an APRA Song of the Year nomination.[23] He accumulated further writing and producing credits in 2018, with Elderbrook, Jack River, Mansionair, Graace and Japanese Wallpaper.
April 2021 saw the song 'Better in Blak' written by Burnett and Thelma Plum win the highly coveted 'Vanda and Young' Global songwriting competition. Another collaboration, 'Homecoming Queen' placed third which was a historical first in the competition.[24]
Burnett and Thelma Plum went back into the studio in 2021 to write songs for her EP, 'Meanjin', which was produced by Burnett and Oli Horton. The singles 'Backseat of My Mind' and 'The Brown Snake' were both placed #21 and #44 of the Hottest 100 of that year.
2023 saw the first release from his collaborations with Windang surf rock band Hockey Dad. 'Still Have Room' saw the band return to form with a new sound and were placed #44 of the Hottest 100 of that year. The band released 'Base Camp' on 24th February and announced the title of their fourth studio album, 'Rebuild, Repeat' which Burnett co-wrote with and produced all the tracks with Oli Horton & Timothy McArtney.
Burnett currently resides in Sydney working out of his own studio, LONG LIFE LIMITED, in Darlinghurst Australia.
Song | Artist | Year | Record | Label | Writer | Producer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Base Camp" | Hockey Dad | 2024 | Single | BMG | ||
"We Don't Talk About It" | Thelma Plum | 2023 | Single | Warner | ||
"Still Have Room" | Hockey Dad | 2023 | Single | BMG | ||
"Backseat of My Mind" | Thelma Plum | 2023 | Single | Warner | ||
"Blip" | Wongo | 2023 | Single | HELDEEP RECORDS | ||
"Lose My Cool" | KOMMUNION | 2023 | Single | Tinted Records | ||
"Fix Myself" | Hanni | 2023 | Single | Universal Music | ||
"Home with Me" | Riiki Reid | 2023 | Single | Warner | ||
"Da Da Da" | Wongo | 2022 | Single | TMRW | ||
"The Brown Snake" | Thelma Plum | 2022 | Single | Warner | ||
"When it Rains it Pours" | Thelma Plum | 2022 | Single | Warner | ||
"Baby Blue Bicycle" | Thelma Plum | 2022 | Single | Warner | ||
"Bars on my Windows" | Thelma Plum | 2022 | Single | Warner | ||
"Bat Song" | Thelma Plum | 2022 | Single | Warner | ||
"The Future (Reprised)" | Motez | 2022 | Single | Sweat it Out | ||
"Euphoria" | Harper Finn | 2022 | Single | Warner | ||
"Apple" | Wongo (feat. Jade Alice) | 2022 | Single | HELDEEP RECORDS | ||
"Have it Like That" | Health Club | 2021 | Single | Off Leash Records | ||
"Feels like Home" | Thelma Plum | 2021 | Qantas collaboration | Warner | ||
"Better in Blak"(Antony & Cleopatra remix) | Thelma Plum x Antony & Cleopatra | 2020 | Single remix | Warner | ||
"Body do the Talking" | Thelma Plum | 2020 | Single | Warner | ||
"Time is Hardcore" | High Contrast (feat Kae Tempest & Anita Blay) | 2020 | Single | 3 Beat | ||
"A Million Times" | Cosmos Midnight | 2020 | Single | Sony | ||
"Trouble" | Kano | 2019 | Single | Warner | ||
"Better in Blak" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Single | Warner | ||
"Celebrate" | Tieks | 2019 | Single | eOne UK | ||
"Imaginary Friends" | Japanese Wallpaper | 2019 | Single | Sony | ||
"Hiding From Love" | Hudson Taylor | 2019 | Single | Rubyworks | ||
"Why Don't You Just Call Me" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2019 | Single | Dew Process | ||
"Don't Bring a Good Girl Down" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Single | Warner | ||
"Homecoming Queen" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Single | Warner | ||
"Woke Blokes" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Album Track | Warner | ||
"Nick Cave" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Album Track | Warner | ||
"Thulumaay Gii" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Album Track | Warner | ||
"Ugly" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Album Track | Warner | ||
"Do You Ever Get So Sad?" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Album Track | Warner | ||
"Love & War" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Album Track | Warner | ||
"Ready/Waiting" | Japanese Wallpaper | 2019 | Album track | Sony | ||
"Float" | Japanese Wallpaper | 2019 | Album track | Sony | ||
"Caving In" | Japanese Wallpaper | 2019 | Album track | Sony | ||
"Tongue Tied" | Japanese Wallpaper | 2019 | Album track | Sony | ||
"Wearing You Out" | Japanese Wallpaper | 2019 | Album track | Sony | ||
"Glow" | Japanese Wallpaper | 2019 | Album track | Sony | ||
"Hiding in the Bushes" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Single | Sony | ||
"All of Your Heart" | Odd Mob | 2019 | Single | Tinted/Spinnin' | ||
"Doing it Wrong" | Charlie Collins | 2019 | Single | Mirror Records | ||
"Not Angry Anymore" | Thelma Plum | 2019 | Single | Warner | ||
"Slippin" | Antony & Cleopatra x Jaded x Black Caviar | 2019 | Single | Globe Town Records (UK) / Hexagon (US) | ||
"Being There" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Album Track | Sony | ||
"Always Rushing" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Album Track | Sony | ||
"Up Close" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Album Track | Sony | ||
"Circulating" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Album Track | Sony | ||
"Rainforest" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Album Track | Sony | ||
"In a Cloud" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Album Track | Sony | ||
"Watermusic" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Album Track | Sony | ||
"Song for a Sinking Ship" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Album Track | Sony | ||
"Sun drops behind the hill" | Roland Tings | 2019 | Album Track | Sony | ||
"Clumsy Love" | Thelma Plum | 2018 | Single | Warner | ||
"Steady Motion" | Motez | 2018 | Single | Sweat it Out | ||
"Capricorn" | Elderbrook | 2018 | Single | Parlophone UK | ||
"Hurt Like Hell" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2018 | Single | Dew Process | ||
"Easy Baby" | Hudson Taylor | 2018 | Single | Rubyworks | ||
"Falling" | Mansionair | 2018 | Single | Glassnote | ||
"Confess" | Jack River | 2018 | Single | I OH YOU | ||
"Cloud Party" | Muto | 2018 | Single | Of Leisure | ||
"Fooling Around" | Japanese Wallpaper | 2018 | Single | Sony | ||
"Sorry in Advance" | Graace | 2018 | Single | Sony | ||
"Bad Habits" | Far East Movement | 2018 | Single | Sony | ||
"Twitch" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2018 | Single | Dew Process/Universal | ||
"The Islands" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2018 | Single | Dew Process/Universal | ||
"Hard Feelings" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2018 | Single | Dew Process/Universal | ||
"Baptised" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2018 | EP | Dew Process/Universal | ||
"Worlds Apart" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2018 | EP | Dew Process/Universal | ||
"Dropping Plates" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2018 | EP | Dew Process/Universal | ||
"Safe Word" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2018 | EP | Dew Process/Universal | ||
"Under a Bridge" | Yates | 2018 | Single | Sweat it Out | ||
"Give up the Guff" | Yates | 2018 | EP | Sweat it Out | ||
"Get the Gist" | Yates | 2018 | EP | Sweat it Out | ||
"34m2" | Yates | 2018 | EP | Sweat it Out | ||
"Living Of The Moon" | Yates | 2018 | EP | Sweat it Out | ||
"Visceral" | Motez | 2018 | EP | Sweat it Out | ||
"Slow Down" | Sammy Bananas | 2018 | EP | Fools Gold | ||
"Man in the Moon" | LCAW | 2016 | Single | Sony Germany | ||
"Reciprocate" | Rationale | 2017 | Single | Warner UK | ||
"To Be Free" | LDRU | 2017 | Single | Sony | ||
"Feel That" | Akouo (feat Montaigne) | 2017 | Single | Sony | ||
"Dust" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2016 | Single | Create Control | ||
"Hold it Together" | Dan Sultan | 2017 | Single | Liberation | ||
"Little White Lies" | Betsy | 2017 | Single | Warner UK | ||
"Lost & Found" | Betsy | 2017 | Single | Warner UK | ||
"Wanted More" | Betsy | 2017 | Single | Warner UK | ||
"View Looks so good" | Lakyn | 2017 | EP | Universal | ||
"The Future" | Motez (feat. Antony & Cleopatra) | 2017 | Single | Sweat it Out | ||
"Make U" | Gianni Marino | 2017 | Single | Vicious | ||
"The Drover" | Dan Sultan | 2017 | Album | Liberation | ||
"Reaction" | Dan Sultan | 2017 | Album | Liberation | ||
"New Get To You" | Moonboots (feat. Antony & Cleopatra) | 2017 | Single | Anjuna | ||
"Say a Prayer" | Tieks (feat. Chaka Khan and Popcaan) | 2017 | Single | MOS UK | ||
"All I Need" | Nocturnal Tapes | 2017 | Single | Sony AU | ||
"Let Me In" | Illstrd | 2017 | Single | Vicious | ||
"Tiptoe" | LK Mckay (feat Doe Paroe & AB) | 2016 | Single | Dew Process | ||
"Cover Me" | Nicole Millar | 2016 | Tremble EP | EMI | ||
"Quicksand" | Dayne S | 2016 | Single | Armada | ||
"Loop" | Paces | 2016 | Album | etc. etc. | ||
"Love is a Lonely Dancer" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2016 | Single | Universal | ||
"One Big Laugh" | Pang! | 2016 | Single | Sony (Sweden) | ||
"Careful Baby" | Nicky Night Time (feat. Antony & Cleopatra) | 2016 | Single | One Love | ||
"Talk" | DJ Snake (feat. George Maple) | 2016 | Single | Interscope | ||
"Cocoon" | Japanese Wallpaper | 2016 | Single | Sony | ||
"Me Tonight" | Jason Ross (feat. Lauren Ray) | 2016 | Single | Anjuna Beats | ||
"Just a Lover" | Hayden James | 2016 | Single | Future Classic | ||
"Magnetise" | Shy Luv | 2016 | Single | Future Classic | ||
"Been Here Before" | Indian Summer | 2016 | Single | Sweat it Out | ||
"Hole in my Soul" | Kaiser Chiefs | 2016 | Single | Polydor | ||
"Desert" | Paces (feat. Guy Sebastian) | 2016 | Single | etc. etc. | ||
"Love Like This" | Indian Summer feat Lastlings | 2016 | Single | Sweat it Out | ||
"You Give Me Love" | Poolclvb | 2016 | Single | etc. etc. | ||
"The Summer That Was Ours" | Juno Sun | 2016 | Single | Gomma Germany | ||
"U Don't Know" | Alison Wonderland | 2015 | Run | EMI/Astral Werks | ||
"Take it to Reality" | Alison Wonderland | 2015 | Run | EMI/Astral Werks | ||
"Already Gone" | Alison Wonderland | 2015 | Run | EMI/Astral Werks | ||
"Take Me" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2015 | Single | Vitalic Noise | ||
"Sirens" | Antony & Cleopatra | 2015 | Single | Vitalic Noise | ||
"The Tide" | Dreamtrak | 2015 | Dreamtrak | Double Denim | ||
"The Night Before the Morning After" | Hudson Taylor | 2015 | Singing for Strangers Album | Polydor UK | ||
"Battles" | Hudson Taylor | 2015 | Battles I & II EP | Polydor UK | ||
"Off the Hook" | Hudson Taylor | 2015 | Singing for Strangers Album | Polydor UK | ||
"Heads or Tails" | Joy | 2015 | Ode EP | Sony | ||
"Another You" | Beni | 2015 | Single | One Love | ||
"Something About You" | Hayden James | 2014 | Single | Future Classic | ||
"Talk Talk" | George Maple | 2014 | Single | Future Classic | ||
"Bitter" | Huntar | 2014 | Bitter EP | Neon Gold | ||
"Own Up" | Motez | 2014 | Own Up EP | Sweat it Out | ||
"Givin' It Up" | Lancelot (feat. Antony & Cleopatra) | 2014 | Lancelot vs A&C | Anjuna Deep | ||
"Make Ends Meet" | Lancelot (feat. Antony & Cleopatra) | 2014 | Lancelot vs A&C | Anjuna Deep | ||
"Money/Time" | Sammy Bananas (feat. Antony & Cleopatra) | 2014 | Money/Time EP | Fools Gold | ||
"Protect" | Beni (feat. Antony & Cleopatra) | 2014 | Protect EP | Modular/WIN | ||
"I'll Go Crazy" | Bluejuice | 2014 | Retrospective | Dew Process | ||
"No Times for Tears" | Bluejuice | 2014 | Retrospective | Dew Process | ||
"On Every Tongue" | Geoffrey O'Connor | 2014 | Fan Fiction | Chapter | ||
"Another Time" | Geoffrey O'Connor | 2014 | Fan Fiction | Chapter | ||
"Only Me (feat. VCS)" | Elizabeth Rose | 2014 | Sensibility EP | Inertia | ||
"It Belongs to Us" | Dan Sultan | 2014 | Blackbird | Mushroom | ||
"Gullible Few" | Dan Sultan | 2014 | Blackbird | Mushroom | ||
"I Didn't Believe" | Flight Facilities feat. Elizabeth Rose | 2013 | I Didn't Believe EP | Inertia | ||
"Under Your Skin" | Dan Sultan | 2013 | Blackbird | Mushroom | ||
"Guess I'll Never Know" | Inca | 2013 | Single | Independent | ||
"Waterfall" | Theme from the Movie 'Plot For Peace' | 2013 | Plot for Peace soundtrack | Independent | ||
"Act Your Age" | Bliss n Eso | 2013 | Circus in the Sky | Illusive | ||
"Running in the Rain" | Bobby Flynn | 2013 | Single | Independent | ||
"On N On" | A.Chal | 2013 | Ballroom Riots EP | Independent | ||
"The Big Sleep" | Urthboy | 2012 | Smokey's Haunt | Elefant Traks | ||
"Naive Bravado" | Urthboy feat. Daniel Merriweather | 2012 | Smokey's Haunt | Elefant Traks | ||
"Faithful" | Phrase | 2011 | Babylon | Universal | ||
"2 Hearts" | Digitalism | 2011 | I Love You, Dude | V2 Records | ||
"Shock" | Bluejuice | 2011 | Company | Dew Process | ||
"Act Yr Age" | Bluejuice | 2011 | Company | Dew Process | ||
Song | Artist | Year | Chart Position |
---|---|---|---|
"Backseat of my Mind" | Thelma Plum | 2022 |
|
"The Brown Snake" | Thelma Plum | 2022 |
|
"Better in Blak" (Like a Version) | Beddy Rays | 2021 |
|
"Better in Blak" | Thelma Plum | 2019 |
|
"Homecoming Queen" | Thelma Plum | 2019 |
|
"Not Angry Anymore" | Thelma Plum | 2019 |
|
"Don't Let A Good Girl Down" | Thelma Plum | 2019 |
|
"Clumsy Love" | Thelma Plum | 2018 |
|
"Confess" | Jack River | 2018 |
|
"To Be Free" | LDRU | 2017 |
|
"The Future" | Motez (feat. Antony & Cleopatra) | 2017 |
|
"Just a Lover" | Hayden James | 2016 |
|
"Something About You" | Hayden James | 2015 |
|
"U Don't Know" | Alison Wonderland feat. Wayne Coyne | 2015 |
|
"Take it to Reality" | Alison Wonderland | 2015 |
|
"I'll Go Crazy" | Bluejuice | 2014 |
|
"Talk Talk" | George Maple | 2014 |
|
"I Didn't Believe" | Flight Facilities | 2013 |
|
"Under Your Skin" | Dan Sultan | 2013 |
|
"Act Your Age" | Bliss n Eso | 2013 |
|
"S.O.S." | Bluejuice | 2012 |
|
"Act Yr Age" | Bluejuice | 2011 |
|
"Mary" | Sparkadia | 2011 |
|
"China" | Sparkadia | 2011 |
|
"2 Hearts" | Digitalism | 2011 |
|
"Talking Like I'm Falling Down Stairs" | Sparkadia | 2010 |
|
"Jealousy" | Sparkadia | 2008 |
|
"Too Much to Do" | Sparkadia | 2008 |
|
Full article & discography at Antony & Cleopatra.
Antony & Cleopatra |
Producer and collaborator Mark-Anthony Tieku (AKA "Tieks") introduced Burnett and Anita Blay (AKA CocknBullKid) during a pop songwriting session in 2014.
Burnett and Blay subsequently formed a deep house duo called Antony & Cleopatra. They soon featured on three singles in 2014: Lancelot's "Givin' It Up", Beni's "Protect", and Sammy Bananas' "Money Time".[25] [26] [27]
Alexander has said that being brought on to write for Digitalism around 2011 was part of his motivation both as a songwriter and as an artist to transition away from Sparkadia and towards electronic music,[28] also citing "falling a bit out of love with the guitar".[29]
Their debut single as lead artists, "Sirens", was released in 2015 and was followed with multiple singles and collaborations from 2015 to 2019.[30] [31]
November 23, 2018, saw the release of Antony & Cleopatra's 6-song debut EP, Hurt Like Hell, to strong reviews:[32]
Year | Album | |
---|---|---|
"Sirens" | 2015 | |
"Take Me" | ||
"Love Is A Lonely Dancer" | 2016 | |
"Dust | 2017 | |
"Twitch" | 2017 | |
"The Islands" | 2018 | |
"Hard Feelings" "Hurt Like Hell" | 2018 | "Hurt Like Hell" (EP) |
"Why Don't You Just Call Me" | 2019 | |
The duo's first Australian tour was part of the 2017 Alison Wonderland's 'Scarehouse Project' alongside other acts such as Lunice, Lido, ASAP Ferg and Saatchi.[37]
The next year they went on to play Australia's largest winter music festival Splendour In The Grass in July 2018.[38] [39]
The duo have also provided vocals on:[25] [26] [27]
Song | Artist | Year | Record | Label |
---|---|---|---|---|
"Slippin'" | Jaded x Black Caviar x Antony & Cleopatra | 2019 | Single | Hexagon (US), The Label (UK) |
"The Future" | Motez (producer) x Antony & Cleopatra | 2017 | Single | Sweat it Out |
"Careful Baby" | Nicky Night Time feat. Antony & Cleopatra | 2016 | Single | Sweat It Out |
"Never Get to You" | Moonboots feat. Antony & Cleopatra | 2016 | Single | Anjunabeats |
"Money Time" | Sammy Bananas feat. Antony & Cleopatra | 2015 | Single | Fools Gold |
"The Tide" | Dreamtrak | 2015 | Single | Mermaid Avenue / Mom + Pop |
"Givin' it Up" | Lanceleot feat. Antony & Cleopatra | 2014 | Single | Anjunadeep |
"Protect" | Beni feat. Antony & Cleopatra | 2014 | Single | WIN/Modular |
"Make Ends Meet" | Lancelot feat. Antony & Cleopatra | 2014 | Single | Anjunadeep |
The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.[40]
! |-| 2012 | "Act Your Age" – Bliss n Eso featuring Bluejuice (Alexander Burnett, Jeremy Craib, James Cibej, Jacob Stone, Stavros Yiannoukas, James Hauptmann)| Song of the Year| | [41] |-| 2014 | "Act Your Age" – Bliss n Eso featuring Bluejuice| Urban Work of the Year| | [42] |-