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Downundaground II is the second instalment in a series spotlighting producer-driven, electronically shaped instrumental music emerging from Australia’s evolving music scene.

Where Swing on Low draws from spiritual jazz, avant-garde, and neo-classical traditions — balancing improvisation and composition — Downundaground shifts focus to producers and instrumentalists exploring rhythm and texture through electronic tools, carving out new spaces between genres and machines.

The compilation brings together an eclectic group of artists shaping the next phase of Australia’s underground, assembled through a casual callout posted to Instagram. What began as a light experiment in reach and community quickly became a flood of submissions from across the country — spanning close collaborators and complete unknowns (to us), crossing cities, scenes, and styles. The result is a snapshot of a sprawling, self-organising network united by curiosity, rhythm and a shared impulse to explore.

The first Downundaground, released in 2019, introduced several artists who’ve since become mainstays in their respective scenes. This second chapter builds on that foundation, affirming the depth, vitality, and openness of what’s still to come.

Thank you to everyone who submitted and to all who listen and continue to support local music.