Hungry Kids of Hungary
| Company type | Indie pop band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Brisbane , Australia |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Hungry Kids of Hungary—commonly abbreviated as HKOH—was a four-member indie pop ensemble originating from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The group consisted of Dean McGrath (vocals, guitar), Kane Mazlin (vocals, keyboards), Ben Dalton (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Ryan Strathie (drums, backing vocals). They produced two studio albums, both achieving positions within the top 30 on Australian charts.
2007–2009: Formation and Early Releases
Established in mid-2007 by drummer Ryan Strathie, Hungry Kids of Hungary debuted with the single "Set it Right" in May 2008. Later that year, they introduced their self-titled EP at Brisbane's venue The Zoo. This release garnered significant industry recognition, particularly from Triple J’s Richard Kingsmill, who placed several tracks into heavy rotation.
In December 2008, the band secured victory in the Queensland segment of the Triple J Unearthed Competition, which earned them a performance opportunity at the Big Day Out festival on the Gold Coast.
April 2009 saw the release of their second EP, Mega Mountain, produced by Matt Redlich and distributed through MGM Distribution. The single "Scattered Diamonds" climbed into the top 5 on the AIR Charts, while "Old Money," alongside a remix of "Scattered Diamonds," gained traction within Sydney’s dance music circles. At the 2009 Q Song Awards, "Set it Right" was honored as Alternative Song of the Year.
October 2009 marked the release of "Let You Down," serving as the lead single for their forthcoming debut album.
2010–2011: Release of Escapades
In April 2010, the band unveiled "Wristwatch," followed by "Coming Around" in August. That same month, they inked a two-album contract with Stop Start, an EMI Music subsidiary. Their debut studio album, Escapades, was released in October 2010 and reached number 24 on the ARIA Charts.
"Wristwatch" received accolades at the 2010 Q Song Awards, winning both Best Alternative and Song of the Year.
The band undertook an international tour in March 2011. By November that year, they had signed with Rough Trade for distribution in Benelux territories, where Escapades was subsequently issued following radio airplay success for "Scattered Diamonds" on stations such as 3FM and Kink FM.
2012–2013: You're a Shadow and Disbandment
By May 2012, recording was completed on their sophomore album with producer Wayne Connolly at Albert's Studios in Sydney. Mixing duties were handled in Berlin by Simon "Berkfinger" Berckelman prior to a UK and European tour that included a performance at the Pinkpop Festival in the Netherlands.
Touring guitarist Alex Bennison joined for this period, replacing former member Remy Boccalatte.
The album’s lead single, "Sharp Shooter," was released in August 2012. Their second studio album, You're a Shadow, arrived in February 2013 and peaked at number 18 on the ARIA Charts. It spawned three more singles: "Twin Cities," "When Yesterday's Gone," and "Do or Die."
On 28 November 2013, the group publicly announced their decision to disband.
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Escapades |
|
24 |
| You're a Shadow |
|
18 |
EPs
| Title | Information |
|---|---|
| Hungry Kids of Hungary |
|
| Mega Mountain |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Set It Right" | 2008 | Hungry Kids of Hungary |
| "Scattered Diamonds" | 2009 | Mega Mountain |
| "Old Money" | ||
| "Let You Down" | Escapades | |
| "Wristwatch" | 2010 | |
| "Coming Around" | ||
| "Come Together" (featuring Ball Park Music) | 2011 | Non-album single |
| "Sharp Shooter" | 2012 | You're a Shadow |
| "Twin Cities" | 2013 | |
| "When Yesterday's Gone" | ||
| "Do or Die" |
Q Song Awards
The Queensland Music Awards, previously known as the Q Song Awards, have been held annually since 2006 to honor Queensland’s leading emerging and established musicians.
(only wins listed)
|- | 2009 | "Set It Right" | Alternative Song of the Year | |- | rowspan="2" | 2010 | rowspan="2" | "Wrist Watch" | Song of the Year | |- | Alternative Song of the Year | |- |}