Year: 2020

Loud N Queer TV, a Sydney-based production is already in its second season. Talk about impressive, given it only launched in April this year. Born from the creative void created by COVID-19, Loud N Queer is a show filled with live music, DJ’s, comedy, chat and performance art. It has been an important outlet during…

Melbourne songwriter, composer and podcast host Joshua Moriarty has returned with his new single, the aptly titled “Isolation”.  The Miami Horror frontman wrote and recorded the song in 2019, working with the ARIA nominated producer Tony Buchen, in LA. The single forms part of Moriarty’s third record Melancholia, which is set to be released later…

Jade MacRae has just released her latest album, Handle Me With Care, and we are delighted to bring you a Track-By-Track description written by Jade for this wonderful album. She is one of Australia’s finest singers, with a voice which effortlessly shifts between different styles, be it R&B, gospel, blues and soul. You can purchase a…

Anna Pitoniak’s new novel Necessary People has a blurb quote from Stephen King on its front cover, and one from Lee Child on its back. In fact, the first couple of pages of the book are devoted to quotes from publications like Refinery29 and Marie Claire, exclaiming how much their reviewers loved this book. Yet Pitoniak’s second…

Tim Minchin is undoubtedly in the ranks of modern geniuses. Across his career, he’s excelled in nearly every artistic pursuit. He has toured his comedy internationally, composed globally-received musicals, acting on and off iconic stages and created viral political anthems. His work has earned him numerous Edinburgh Festival Fringe Perrier Comedy Awards, multiple Olivier Awards,…

The shortlist for the 2020 Miles Franklin Literary Award was announced yesterday evening. As has become the new norm during the COVID-19 pandemic the announcement was made online via a live YouTube presentation.  The award, established in 1954, celebrates the best of Australian character and creativity whilst recognising “the novel of the highest literary merit…

Toronto twosome Moscow Apartment are back with “New Girl“. This lush slice of indie-pop is our latest glimpse at forthcoming EP Better Daughter, out on July 10th. The sophomore release sees the duo, consisting of Brighid Fry and Pascale Padilla, putting the weight of a full band behind their folk sound. Of “New Girl”, a…

Native Spirits, a collection of five gins has been launched this month in collaboration between several of the country’s top gin distilleries. Each participating distillery, from Archie Rose to West Winds, has created one new expression each, representing their respective home state with locally sourced and native botanicals. That encompasses everything from the Geraldton Wax…

ReedPop has announced PAX Online, a web-based version of the traveling video games convention. It will take the place of both the PAX Australia and PAX West conventions for the remainder of 2020. The announcement follows yesterday’s news that PAX Aus 2020 would no proceed as planned, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. PAX Online…

Sydney trio, CREO, released their latest single “Juliet” last month. The song has had solid radio play, are we are thrilled today to be able to offer you a new take on it, an acoustic version with an accompanying video. Frontman Jorjee talks about the meaning behind ‘Juliet’: “The track is a personal reflection of…

We knew in our hearts there’d be no PAX Aus 2020 this year, but we dared to dream. ReedPop, the company behind the world’s biggest traveling video games convention, has announced that PAX Aus 2020 will not go ahead in October as originally planned. The cancellation is due to health concerns surrounding the ongoing Covid-19…

Our entertainment industry has been one of the hardest hit by social distancing practices, but with restrictions loosening, it’s time to bounce back. Many of our favourite artists have responded with innovation: live-streaming their performances, actively engaging with their fans on Instagram, and even hosting online parties. However, nothing beats going to a gig, feeling…

Exploring the many different breakfast dishes of the world is the best way to take your taste buds to far-flung destinations. It’s also worth seeing how different cities have adapted traditional recipes from other cultures, reminding you of just how far culinary influences travel. Case in point, this classic Portuguese breakfast being served up in…

“We hope it can bring you serenity and solace during this tumultuous moment in history,” writes Dirty Projectors on the band’s latest single “Inner World”. As a follow-up to the eternally gorgeous “Lose Your Love”, it’s but another impressive look at what the New York indie darlings have planned this year. And what they have…

Milk & Honey Distillery, the first whisky distillery in Israel and the only one in the capital of Tel Aviv, has teamed up with homegrown distributor Alba Whisky to export its Classic Single Malt expression to Australia. Along with its two award-winning gins, the Israeli single malt enters the local market off the back of…

You may be forgiven for not realising one of Sydney’s most beloved festivals is running right now. The 67th Sydney Film Festival has been condensed, tinkered with, and ported to the digital-only world to align with the ongoing global pandemic. And we’re in it’s second week right now, given the program of just 33 films…

It’s hard for a port of The Outer Worlds to be disappointing. But even though the Nintendo Switch version of one of 2019’s best gaming experiences should be celebrated simply for existing, there’s no denying that this conversion has many flaws. By flaws, ultimately I mean that it highlights just how difficult a task it…

We are excited today to be premiering the new EP, Oh Dear from Sydney indie rocker Pearl The Girl. Two tracks from the EP have already hit the airwaves, “Single Use Plastic” and “Long Way Back”, and it’s with keen anticipation that we get to hear the other 2 tracks for this new release. Oh…

At just over 80 minutes, Darkness Falls (which is also known as Anderson Falls in other regions) understands the importance of not overstaying its welcome.  It’s a lean, tight running time for a serial killer thriller, one that opens with a particularly harsh sequence where the predators murder their prey by forcing them to digest…

Fresh off the acclaim of his last film Blackkklansman and the series reboot She’s Gotta Have It, writer/director Spike Lee is back with his most ambitious film yet; the 2020 wartime drama Da 5 Bloods. Taking his prescient, provocative style and conveying it on a larger scale, it looks to be an absolute winner. A…

Nike have gone back to 1983 and revived the Pegasus with their latest runners, the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37. Just released in Australia, the running shoe builds on a legacy of consistency and trust in the running community. As once described by marathon runner Joan Benoit Samuelson, the silhouette’s fit, responsive ride, lightweight feel…

After a barrage of quality mid-tier and budget smartphones, Oppo has unleashed its long awaited Find X2 5G series in Australia. The new 5G smartphones, which hit retailers last week, focus Oppo’s considerable track record into three expressions priced from A$749 (Find X2 Lite) to a whopping A$1599 (the high-end and spec-powerhouse Find X2 Pro)….

Dalgona coffee is good, but have you tried a Baileys Dagona? Something about the creamy coffee mixed up with an even creamier liqueur should be a hit for anyone looking for an alternative to the formidable Espresso Martini. If you want the prove, make it yourself. It’s easy to master, as BWS Insider Sam Benham…

Kuya James has released his sophomore single, a total banger, “Trust” featuring Emily Wurramara. The combination of the urgent drum beat, the spoken word of Wurramara and her effortlessly beautiful vocals floating over the top of this provide a tantalising mix. James and Wurramara both grew up in the Northern Territory, and have a shared Filipino…

With more travel restrictions being lifted over the weekend, Parks Australia has now announced that as of Friday 19th June, the iconic National Parks of Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta will reopen to visitors. Although some areas will remain closed for the time being, the staged reopening of both parks will provide plenty of access to…

Accor has announced a heap of “Time to Drive” deals to align with the forthcoming burst of travel expected once more restrictions ease up. The group’s extensive network of hotels at all ranges will see significant price drops and attractive deals at more than 340 properties across both Australia and New Zealand, so hopefully that…

Stevan is inserting himself in the leagues of Chance the Rapper and Frank Ocean by dropping his debut body of work, his mixtape Just Kids. At just 19, he’s one of the most promising young talents in our horizons as a multi-instrumentalist and producer creating woozy modern beats that blend influences from the greats such as Stevie Wonder…

The Last of Us Part II is not a game for everyone. It’s a game that builds on the original in unexpected ways. It seeks to challenge the player emotionally and philosophically, posing hard questions to which you may not have an answer. It’s likely not the game you are expecting at all. And that’s…

Surry Hills luxe boutique Little Albion is offering up their entire property for one lucky winner and their friends. With lockdown restrictions easing and hotels gradually reopening for guests, the trendy Crystalbrook Collection property is throwing the “ultimate anti-isolation celebration” with a little competition for one night of exclusive use. The competition is now running…

Din Tai Fung restaurants across Australia have launched a “DIY Disco Dumpling Kit” for dumpling enthusiasts. In response to the rising popularity of at-home dinner parties, the limited-edition kits have been designed to include all the utensils and ingredients one would need to create their very own batch of DTF-quality dumplings. This includes a signature…