Naarm/Melbourne songwriter, Winter McQuinn explores country and folk, imbued by psychedelia. UK’s Shindig Magazine best-described McQuinn’s music as “pollinated with dashes of 21st Century environmentalism and political awareness.”
His music ripples with free-ness similar to revered 1960s/70s artists such as Nick Drake and Syd Barrett, and contemporary artists such as Kate Bollinger, Tex Crick and Alex Izenberg. Known as the frontman of psychedelic pop group, Sunfruits and drummer of jade imagine, McQuinn’s 2021 debut album ‘A Rabble Of Bees’ marked the beginning of his solo wanderings into psychedelic outsider pop.
His 2024 sophomore album ‘Move To The Trees’ (featured in Rolling Stone AU and KEXP’s ‘Best Of’ lists for 2024), saw McQuinn honing his craft with a series of anthems for the future, settled in post-psych folk and 70s soft rock energy.
McQuinn most recently released a co-written EP ‘Recently I’ve Been Missing The Colour Green’ with Acacia Pip (Pinch Points) which was described as “collection of 6 pastoral, slacker folk gems” by Shindig Magazine (UK), and saw McQuinn support notable artists including Kacy & Clayton (CAN), Sylvie (US), Leah Senior, Bures Band, Nice Biscuit, Joe Ghatt (NZ) and tour Australia, Europe and the UK.
McQuinn has also begun releasing music with a new duo project Beefheart and McQuinn with UK Artist Moby Beefheart (aka William Murray from outfit FUR).
VIDEOS
music
Where Are We Now? LP 2025)
‘Hand in Hand’ Beefheart & McQuinn ( 2025)
Recently I've Been Missing The Colour Green EP (2024)
Move To The Trees LP ( 2024)
A Rabble Of Bees LP (2021)
Comprising of Winter McQuinn, Evie Vlah, Elena Jones and Gigi Argiro Melbourne / Naarm based psychedelic pop band Sunfruits have been making waves around Australia for the past 3 years. On their debut album One Degree which saw praise from The Guardian, Rolling Stone, NME, Shindig and more, the band presents anthemic psychedelic-pop and their most mature and conceptual songwriting to date. This album release took the band on tours across New Zealand, Australia, UK and Europe where they sold out shows in London, Hamburg, Nottingham, Melbourne and more. With their environmentally conscious, politically aware songwriting, Sunfruits showcase an impressive new-age take on psychedelia and pop rock that has seen them support bands including Grace Cummings, Mildlife, Nice Biscuit, The Lazy Eyes and appear at festivals including Manchester Psych Festival (UK), Misty Fields Festival (EU), Meadow and more. The band’s environmentally aware songwriting and actions have been praised recently as they were nominated for the prestigious Environmental Music Prize 2023 and climate fuelled lyrics were quoted in the Australian parliament by a Greens Senator. This commitment to meaningful songwriting, exhilarating live show and aesthetic brilliance put Sunfruits as one of the most exciting young bands coming out of Australia.
Recorded/live session work
jade imagine Drums (Live & Recorded 2022-Present)
Girlatones Drums (Live 2024-present)
Ruby Milner Drums (Live & Recorded 2024-present)
Hot Apple Band Drums (Live & Recorded 2023-present)
RUBY GILL Drums & Backing Vocals (Live & Recorded, 2019 - 2022)
HANNAH BLACKBURN Drums (Live 2021 - 2022)
IV LEAGUE Drums & Samples (Live & Recorded 2017-2019)
CANDY Drums (Live 2021 - 2023)
FEIGN JIMA Drums (Live & Recorded 2021 - present)
CONTROL PLUS ME Percussion (LIVE 2021)
MATURE THEMES Drums & Percussion & production (Recorded on various tracks 2022)
MAJAK DOOR Drums & Percussion (Recorded on track ‘Daisies’ 2018)
Zachary Leo Drums (RECORDED on track ‘Lay You Down’ 2019)
sound art / design
Resonant Bodies 2024 06 Guitar / FX performance
RISING Festival Diagramattica 2025 Guitar / FX performance
WARNING SIGNS A music video work 2021
DRUMS IN MOTION A multichannel drum work created with Melbourne drummers for the Signal Sound Commissions 2019
STORIES IN THE WALL A soundtrack to a written story done by primary school kids, commissioned by Arts Centre Melbourne 2022