Author: Bruce Baker

The final day of the 2025 edition of The Great Escape was another action-packed and diverse assortment of fabulous acts. The Australian contingent was well-represented again, with Sounds Australia running their showcases down at The Beach stages during the day. All three stages were used, so there was plenty to see. Emeree played on what…

The sun returned to Brighton for day 3 of The Great Escape. If you missed seeing a band you fancied because of a clash, there is always the chance that they will pop up at an unofficial event, be it in a record shop or a pub. Melbourne’s Folk Bitch Trio played two official slots,…

The temperature might have plummeted on day 2 of The Great Escape, but the music was hot hot hot! Kicking off the day was the Sounds Australia showcase at Komedia, with total tommy up early at 12:25. It was a packed house, and it was a stellar set. It’s little wonder why there is such…

The 2025 edition of The Great Escape kicked off in Brighton on Wednesday. The sun was out and there was hard choices to be made about what who to see. So many venues, so many artists. One of the early highlights was Canada’s Alix Fernz, at only seventeen years old, he had the Hope &…

Naarm’s Alex Watts is making vintage R&B cool again, with his latest track about to hit the airwaves, the catchy and warm “SFYL” (Sorry For Your Loss). This is one that will have you heading for the dance floor, and we are stoked to be premiering it ahead of its release on Thursday. The track…

Sometimes you’ve just got to let it all out. We’ve got just the song to help with this. Emo pop punk powerhouse This Space is Ours is  cranking it up to eleven on their blistering and cathartic new single, “Accountability”, featuring Amariah from Future Static on vocals. We’re pumped to be premiering the track ahead…

Hailing from Meanjin/Brisbane, Jo Davie delivers indie folk/pop masterpieces. She has been teasing out singles from her upcoming EP, Nothing Comes Free, including “Colder”, Throw me a Rope” and “Sandcastles”, each song showcasing her consumate songwriting and warm intimate vocals. When we saay ‘upcoming’, indeed the time is upon us. It will be released tomorrow,…

Canberra might get a bad rap for the squabble of badly behaved politicians that hang around its shores, but on the flipside it also has the cathartic and totally kick-arse pop-metal artist, Machine on a Break as a resident. We’re beyond excited to be premiering their new single, “How I Say Goodnight”, ahead of its release on…

Ghost Medium are an indie dreamscape band hailing from Victoria, who last month released their debut single, “The River Song”. It’s a beautiful, atmospheric tune with a warmth that resonates deeply. We are thrilled to be premiering the video ahead of its release later in the week. Simon Bailey, ex Pony Face, is the lead…

It’s less than three weeks before The Great Escape festival kicks off in Brighton.  As always, it’s stacked with Australian artists. There are currently thirty on the lineup. For the past fifteen years, Sounds Australia has put together showcases at the festival, featuring Aussie artists, and this year the tradition continues. On Thursday, 15th May,…

Earlier this month, Gadigal/Sydney trio The Electorate released “The Great Divide”, their third single from their upcoming album, By Design. We are super excited to be premiering the video for a track that is laden with emotion, packed with honesty and beautifully vulnerable. About the track, Josh Morris from the band writes:  “The Great Divide…

Xani Kolac is a violinist, composer, and improviser with a seemingly endless list of ideas and directions for her work. With a focus on contemporary compositions, Xani is prolific and dynamic in her output. 2025 is proving to be a milestone year for Xani. She will be releasing two albums, a live improvised recording from…

Geelong-based singer/songwriter FARAH has taken an incredibly challenging and life-changing event as the genesis for her powerful and moving debut single, “Gasoline”. Written in the wake of her cancer diagnosis and dealing with the related trauma, it explores grief, identity, and the slow process of becoming, and we are honoured to be premiering it ahead…

Ocean Colour Scene have been on a mammoth tour of the UK since late March. Supporting them has been Kula Shaker, and performed  in Liverpool last night. The last time I saw both bands on the same bill was at Glastonbury in 1997. It was worth the wait! It was a packed room at Mountford…

Australian alt-rock legends You Am I are currently mid-way on their national Hi Fi Daily Double Down tour, celebrating thirty years since the release of their ARIA award-winning album Hi Fi Way. On this tour, they are performing in full Hi Fi Way, and the follow-up, Hourly, Daily, which received six ARIA awards.  Hi Fi…

Harley Luscombe is a Melbourne-based singer-songwriter who is very much in the early days of his solo career. With just two releases under his belt so far, we are super pumped to be premiering his latest single, “Lose My Soul”, ahead of its release on Friday. Harley has a voice that is rich, earthy and…

Australian singer/songwriter Melody Pool possesses a voice that is truly unique, capable of halting you in your tracks. She is currently gearing up to release her third studio album and is about to drop her latest single, ‘Will Not Let You Down”. We’re excited to be premiering the stunning video for the track, ahead of its…

When bad news strikes you down, you lean on what you know. When talented singer/songwriter Taylor Piggott learned that his mother was stricken with cancer, he penned the moving “Heaven’s Not Ready for You”, in order to help her keep her spirits high. We are touched and honoured to be able to premiere this beautiful…

Sydney-sider Abbey Lane has been making waves on the local scene for the last year or two with her upbeat yet confessional songwriting. When you hear a tune from Abbey, it feels as though it’s from a close friend sharing their intimate feelings with you. She has a knack for nailing a sentiment, with a…

Should you follow your passion or chase commercial success? The pressure to hit certain streaming numbers can be challenging for an artist. Do they create the music they really love, or do they change lanes? Irrespective of your chosen career, this question of satisfaction versus commercial reward is so often faced. Eora/Sydney-based artist and producer Big…

Naarm’s Butternut Sweetheart are meticulous when it comes to releasing their music. If a tune isn’t quite perfect, then they will let it sit by, until they come up with the magical missing ingredient that will give it the ‘wow’ factor. We are feeling blessed today to be premiering a song that has taken them…

We always get very excited when we are premiering the debut single for an artist, and today we have the absolute joy in showcasing “Free Man”, the first single from Perth’s country/rock band, The Southern Dukes. Like all good country rock songs, this one tells a tale, and it’s a mighty fine tale indeed. “Free…

Eora/Sydney-based artist and producer Lolita Mae is set to release her first single of 2025, the electro-pop and trap single “Girl From Mars”. We premiered Lolita’s last single, the sensual “Holy Renascence” last October and are thrilled to be premiering this latest tune ahead of its release on Thursday, 27th of March. “Girls From Mars” is…

Ocean Colour Scene are heading out on their national tour of the UK this week, kicking off in Leeds on Thursday the 27th March. Supporting them on this tour, are the fabulous psych rockers Kula Shaker. Last year, Kula Shaker released their seventh album, Natural Magick, and are rocking their original lineup, featuring Crispian Mills…

She may be only seventeen years old, but WA’s Angelina Curtis is winning hearts everywhere with her heartfelt and insightful songs. We are thrilled today to be premiering the rich and daydreamy “Stereo”, ahead of its release on Friday. Angelina has a gift for creating music that is perceptive and relatable. Dreamy electric layers are…

Today, Melbourne singer/songwriter Bel Kil has released her fabulous sophomore EP, Wasted Emotion. It’s an EP containing a collection of songs that Bel describes as “a rollercoaster ride through a range of raw emotions and lived experiences.”. One of the favourites from the EP is the title track, and we are especially thrilled today to…

It’s only two months now until this year’s Great Escape Festival kicks off in Brighton. Another one hundred acts have been added to the lineup, including the Mercury Prize-winning indie-rock quartet English Teacher. English Teacher will be headling on the Billboard UK Live Stage, a new addition to the festival. It is a platform dedicated…

Beans On Toast, the moniker for British folk songwriter Jay McAllister is well known to Australian audiences, having toured there a number of times. He is currently on a national tour of his home country, and with our own William Crighton in support. We caught them at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool on Wednesday…

Pop-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire, Majelen, has today released her formidable debut album Stuck With You. The songs on the album have been inspired by love and relationships, and her passion for the Australian landscape. The album was recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London, where they were able to capture her incredible…

Eora/Sydney-based post-punk/goth band Second Idol are known for their music that speaks to the community. Their latest track, the haunting “Postcolonial Blues”, is a prime example. We are delighted to premiere this single today, along with its video, which happened to be filmed in my neighbourhood, “Postcolonial Blues” tackles some significant philosophical conundrums. How do we…