Year: 2020

Night Noodle Markets at Home is here

For 20 years, the hawker-style market has taken up residence in Hyde Park. Although given the unprecedented times, the event has been re-imagined in a safe and socially responsible manner. This year, you can now enjoy Night Noodle Markets in the comfort of your own home. With curated banquets and delectable Asian cuisine available, your…

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Film Review: The Broken Hearts Gallery is a predictable yet winning rom-com with a star performance from Geraldine Viswanathan

Romantic comedies are a bit of a conundrum in terms of execution. In comparison to other genres (and oddly enough, the action genre), it has gone through the most criticism. While people can get into the fantasy of said genre, others criticize the genre for its lack of realism and plausibility. Case in point, The…

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Album Review: Mildlife’s sci-fi alt-rock works perfectly with Automatic

Whichever way you try, Mildlife don’t fit neatly into any genre or pocket. This Melbourne alt-rock four-piece are carving their own original niche and have built upon their burgeoning reputation with this second offering, Automatic, a six-track album which runs for 40 minutes. Mildlife’s 2018 debut Phase led to labels of sci-fi space-jazz or psych-kraut-rock. There’s…

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Track of the Day: Carla Geneve “The Right Reasons” (2020)

Perth-resident and Albany-born singer/songwriter Carla Geneve has today released a beautiful and deeply personal track, “The Right Reasons”. The is the second single, following on from “Don’t Wanna Be Your Lover” released earlier this year, ahead of her debut full-length album which will be released in 2021. Befitting of the sentiment of the song, the…

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Exclusive Video Premiere: Mel Blue “Wake Up Call” (2020)

Sydney electronic-popsters Mel Blue released their latest single, “Wake Up Call” last month, and today we have the exclusive video premiere for this nostalgia-driven dance tune. The song references the difficulties in maintaining long-distance relationships and has a fun retro feel to it. The video matches the retro feel of the song, with some classic…

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Album of the Week: Future Islands – As Long As You Are (2020 LP)

In a time and place like 2020, I’m sure I’m not the only person who not only craves for things to go back to some semblance of normality and homogeneity, but also tries to simultaneously avoid the monotonous nature and constant groundhog days we’ve collectively experienced for the past six months. There’s a fine line…

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Interview: Fan Girl show their sunny side with new single “backwards (everything is)”

Returning with their first release of 2020, Melbourne rock outfit Fan Girl have unveiled their latest single and music video for “backwards (everything is)”. The relatively sunny single from the group is the result of the band consciously working towards creating a song that was uncharacteristically “happy” within their discography. The track still retains the…

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Syrup

Track of the Day: Syrup “Turn” (2020)

Brisbane alt-pop duo Syrup have just released their latest single, “Turn”, today’s Track of the Day. Syrup is the project of childhood friends Harry Pratt and Henry Anderson. The two are originally from Kingaroy, Queensland, and found common interests in music and skateboarding, which led to the formation of their musical outlet. The funky and incredibly…

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Evening Morning

Book Review: Witness the birth of Kingsbridge, in Ken Follett’s prequel novel The Evening and the Morning

The year is 997 and the Vikings have come to Combe. After losing both his father and his lover in a devastating raid, Edgar sets out for Dreng’s Ferry, taking up an offer to rent a nearby farm and start over. Shipbuilders by trade, Edgar and his family attempt to begin a new life as…

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Canary

Exclusive Single Premiere: Howlite “Canary” (2020)

They’ve been teasing its release for more than a year, but Melbourne’s Howlite are all set to release their new EP Not Here next week. It’s coming later than originally planned, but that’s 2020 for you. But, before we get to the EP, the band have one more single for you all: “Canary”. And we’re…

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Please Take Me Seriously: Reflections On TISM

From the beginning, TISM were crass, puerile, and aimed their contempt at all, from journalists to their own fans, and even themselves. They made their live debut in 1983 with ‘The Get Fucked Concert’ (disbanding immediately after, only to reform the next year), and released their debut single in 1985, ‘Defecate On My Face’. The…

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The Skyball Concert Series: Dashville showcases live music over 2 epic weekends

With festivals banned due to the current pandemic, organisers have either had to postpone, cancel or in the case of the Johnstons of Dashville in the Hunter Valley, think outside the square. ‘Dashville’, near Belford, in the Hunter Valley in NSW has been the home of the Gumball Festival since 2005. This little gem of…

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PS5 teardown

PS5 teardown video voids warranty for your entertainment

Sony has released a PS5 teardown video for its upcoming PlayStation 5 console. Yasuhiro Ootori, VP of SIE’s Mechanical Design Department, Hardware Design Division, slowly pulls a PlayStation 5 unit apart. In what might be the most formal voiding of a warranty ever recorded for posterity, Ootori-san explains each component as its removed. Ootori-san talks…

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‘Looking Past the Pandemic’ with Bridgette Meinhold from Park City, Utah

Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of…

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Film Review: Miss Juneteenth‘s familiar narrative is overcome by Nicole Behari’s stunning central performance

A portmanteau of June and nineteenth, Juneteenth is an American-specific holiday predominantly observed by African Americans celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.  The importance of this day serves as the backbone for Channing Godfrey Peoples‘ Miss Juneteenth, though it never hits as hard as one might expect, offering…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Dolly Spectra “Look Me In The Eye” (2020)

LA-based experimental producer and singer Dolly Spectra is about to release her latest song, “Look Me In The Eye” and we are thrilled to have the first listen of this futuristic tune. This follows on from her previous release and video, “Whatcha Gonna Do”. The opening of “Look Me In The Eye” reminds me of…

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Davey Lane

Track of the Day: Davey Lane “You Were A Mirage” (2020)

Singer-songwriter, producer, virtuoso guitarist and You Am I stalwart Davey Lane is back with new music and a new album to tease: Don’t Bank Your Heart On It – Out November 13th.  “You Were A Mirage” is the first single from that new album. It’s a song that deals with the deeply personal; about moving…

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Merivale favourite Uccello will reopen this month under new chef Nigel Ward

With the sun now springing from its winter hideout, Merivale is bringing back one of the group’s long-standing favourites, poolside Italian restaurant Uccello. Now helmed by young chef Nigel Ward, ivy pool’s popular hotspot will reveal a swift renaissance, shifting its attention to the Amalfi coast as a new menu takes its cues from the…

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Watch Dogs Legion

Watch Dogs Legion Preview: Systems on

From the first, the biggest question I’ve had about Watch Dogs Legion was if it could capitalise on its ambitious concept. It presents a dystopian vision of London held hostage under a fascist paramilitary rule. DedSec, the prolific hacker collective is working to destabilise the regime but they’re having a rough go of it. Numbers…

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Track of the Day: G Flip “You and I” (2020)

We have a really beautiful track of the day today. “You and I” is the latest release from Melbourne-based artist, G Flip. G Flip, the moniker for Georgia Flipo, wrote this song when head-over-heels in love. It’s a grand expression of love and reassurance to her loved-one that this is a love that will endure, despite…

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Harman Kardon Neo Review: Punching well above its weight

Portable speakers may not be pumped out as regularly as truly wireless headphones/earbuds right now, but Harman Kardon have certainly made a strong case for the mini audio devices in 2020. With the Neo, the stalwart brand has presented something incredibly lightweight but packed it with enough punch to easily place it as your next…

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Exclusive single Premiere: Rei (NZ) “Borderline” (2020)

“Borderline” is the new single from Auckland R&B/hip-hop artist Rei, and we are excited to be bringing you the first listen of this catchy tune from an exciting rising artist. Rei, the moniker for Callum Rei McDougall, is a prolific artist. Only in his mid-twenties, he has already dropped four full-length albums. The most recent,…

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Skullcandy Indy Evo Review: Healthy competition in a crowded market

Skullcandy may be relatively young when it comes to truly wireless earbuds, but the reputable audio company has shown time and time again that they can never be discounted in a fiercely competitive market. Although despite their penchant for personal audio, the company still feels like it’s pulling punches with their latest additions to the…

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Dead Man In A Ditch

Book Review: Fetch Phillips returns in Luke Arnold’s Dead Man In A Ditch

Fetch Phillips, the noirish rouge for hire from Weatherly, is back. It’s been less than year since his last case. And, it’s aftermath is still rippling through Sunder City. People have got the idea that the magic might be coming back. They’ve also got into their heads that Fetch is working to figure it all…

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Six Weeks To Retirement: The life and times of the PlayStation 4

In the wake of the PlayStation 4 E3 2013 press conference, Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade called the event a “thunderously applauded public beheading.” Holkins’ assessment captures the moment with perfect clarity. So legendarily bungled was Microsoft’s unveiling of the Xbox One that all Sony had to do was gently, but clearly, rebuke it. Its…

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‘Looking Past the Pandemic’ with Scott Bomar from Memphis, Tennessee

Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of…

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Pup Yeah! QT Hotels are going all out with a new dog-friendly concept

Let’s face it, as much as you need a staycation, your desire to get out and about once more has nothing on what your best fur friend has been going through this year. Dogs need pampering too, which is why QT Hotels & Resorts across Australia and New Zealand have introduced a new concept called…

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Film Review: Invasion Planet Earth is bizarrely entertaining for all the wrong reasons

There’s a certain unique devotion that the sci-fi genre attracts that sets it apart from other thematic classifications within the realms of cinema.  And given just how much effort Invasion Planet Earth managed in order to be finished and released – 20 years of production, seven crowdfunding campaigns, and hours of pro-bono work from filmmaker…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Quinton Trembath “Servo Sunsets” (2020)

Quinton Trembath is an energetic 4-piece folk-punk band based in Melbourne. Named after the lead-singer, Quinton Trembath, the band is about to release their third single, “Servo Sunsets”, off their forthcoming debut album, Amateur Art. “Servo Sunsets” has a beautifully rich and full sound, with cello, violin and double-bass complementing Trembaths story-telling vocals. The song…

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Huawei announce new Watch Fit and expand Australian footprint

Chinese tech giant Huawei may have its fair share of problems over in the US, but the Australian market seems to be going just fine for them. In response to the popularity of devices like the P40 and Watch GT 2, the company has doubled down on their Australia presence and just opened their second…

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