Features

Troye Sivan’s new EP In A Dream is just one of his many iso-accomplishments

Despite the relentless chaos 2020 has thrown everyone’s way, Troye Sivan manages to mould it to himself and wear it with ease. It comes as no surprise – the 25-year-old megastar has been adapting to walk through open doors his entire life. It’s how he can bill himself as a YouTuber-turned-actor-turned-global-pop-sensation and how we’re only…

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Sea Girls: Five things that influenced the band on their debut album, Open Up Your Head

English rock band Sea Girls have just released their debut album Open Up Your Head. With a sound drenched in 00s indie rock, Sea Girls are a perfect match for fans of The Killers, Two Door Cinema Club and Bloc Party. The band have already reached great heights – they recently sold out an upcoming…

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Crystal Cities

Exclusive Single Premiere: Crystal Cities “Don’t Speak Too Soon” (2020)

This week sees Sydney’s Crystal Cities release their new single “Don’t Speak Too Soon”. Releasing on Friday 21st August, the single is taken from their forthcoming sophomore album Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight. Ahead of the official release date we’re excited to be bringing you this exclusive first listen.  The difficult second album is…

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Goldrain

Exclusive Single Premiere: Goldrain “Atlantis” (2020)

This week sees London future soul outfit Goldrain release “Atlantis”, the second song to be released from their forthcoming debut EP Mysteries, and their second ever release as a band. We’re excited to bring you this exclusive first taste of the stunning single ahead of the official release at the end of the week.  Formed…

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Statue

Exclusive Video Premiere: Riley Pearce “Statue” (2020)

Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Riley Pearce is continuing to tease his forthcoming EP, Maybe I Can Sleep It Off, this time with the release of “Statue”. It’s the third single to be released from the EP, following “Ceramic Real Estate” and “Breathe & Release” earlier in the year. With the new single released today, we’re excited to…

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Sydney’s Yours Truly take us behind the scenes of filming the music video for “Undersize”

Sydney pop-punk act Yours Truly have just released a gorgeous music video for their latest single “Undersize”. The track is from their upcoming debut album Self Care, out September 18th.  While most tracks on Self Care are deeply introspective and discuss personal struggles, singer Mikaila Delgado describes “Undersize” as an outward “letter to a close…

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For The Life Of Me

Exclusive Single Premiere: Ben Catley feat. Ash Grunwald “For The Life Of Me” (2020)

Perth-based singer-songwriter Ben Catley is back with a new single, and this time has company. On “For The Life Of Me” Catley has enlisted the guitar slinging skills of none other than Australian blues legend Ash Grunwald. Officially released tomorrow, we’re stoked to bring you this sneaky first listen of the empowering new single.  Recorded…

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These Guy House: Brisbane’s These Guy take us through their new album track by track

Brisbane psych-pop outfit These Guy released their new album, These Guy House, on Friday. Premiered by us on Thursday, the album was conceived, written, recorded and mixed during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and shut down. As such the album has taken on something of a ‘cabin fever song cycle’ feel. To help us, and you…

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Tony Burke

Tony Burke: The Australian Songs I Want To See Live Again

Tony Burke has been the federal member for Watson since 2004. When not serving his constituency, he follows his passion for music. Here he outlines the songs he wishes to see live again, and what ignites his passion for them. We’ve also put together a spotify playlist of these, so do take a listen. There’s…

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These Guy

Exclusive Album Premiere: These Guy – These Guy House (2020 LP)

Brisbane psych-pop outfit These Guy are all set to release their new album, These Guy House, this week. The mini-album, which officially releases tomorrow, was conceived, written, recorded and mixed all during the early months of Queensland’s lockdown. We all knew they were going to come eventually, the pandemic albums, but perhaps not quite so…

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Hugh Klein

Exclusive Single Premiere: Hugh Klein “Quand C’est Mou” (2020)

We’re delighted to be kicking off the week with the exclusive premiere of “Quand C’est Mou”; the exquisite debut release from Melbourne composer and musician Hugh Klein.  Recorded between France and Melbourne, “Quand C’est Mou” explores ideas of awakening, rebirth and genuine intimacy. The ‘theme’, as Klein describes the single, forms part of a larger conversation…

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Justin Stewart Cotta

Exclusive Video Premiere: Justin Stewart Cotta “Longing Is Not Love” (2020)

Sydney singer-songwriter Justin Stewart Cotta has had a pretty busy 2020, surprising fans with a slew of singles and older tracks back at the beginning of the year. Now he’s back with his punchy and empowering new single “Longing Is Not Love”. Today we’re stoked to bring you the exclusive premiere of the single’s music…

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Alive

Exclusive Single Premiere: Nuria “Touch” (2020)

2020 has been a prolific year for Tasmanian indie-pop artist Nuria, and she’s showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. On Friday July 31st, she’ll be dropping single number eight for the year, the punchy and powerful “Touch”. If like us, you can’t wait,  you’re in luck, as we’re bringing you this exclusive first listen….

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Isaiah Firebrace shares five songs that changed his life

Isaiah Firebrace rose to national prominence after taking out the top spot on The X Factor Australia in 2016. The following year, he broke onto the global stage representing Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final with his single “Don’t Come Easy”, placing ninth. At just 20-years-old, this certified-Platinum singer has accomplishments under his belt that…

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Best female rappers

100 of the greatest songs by women in hip hop

It opens with Erykah Badu rhyming over a beatbox from Rahzel, and closes with Missy Elliot threatening to slap you right across your melon. We’ve put together a 100-deep playlist for this month’s Hip Hop and R&B Retrospective, celebrating women in rap by spotlighting some of our favourites from the 80’s (Roxanne Shante, Queen Latifah,…

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Five UK bands you should be listening to in 2020, according to Bloxx

Fronted by the enigmatic Fee, West London indie rockers Bloxx have been on quite the roll leading up to their debut album Lie Out Loud. That continues with the release of third single “Off My Mind”, a stadium-sized earworm perfectly highlighting those strong pop sensibilities fast making them one of the most exciting UK bands…

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Audio Settings: Songs to prepare you for Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima marks the end of an era. It is the final first-party exclusive for the PlayStation 4, which is both bittersweet and hard to believe. Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world samurai adventure developed by Sucker Punch. It recalls the drama and majesty of Kurosawa in full flight, putting players in the shoes…

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Woodlock

Exclusive Video Premiere: Woodlock “Start Again” (2020)

Melbourne-based trio Woodlock make their return today, releasing new music for the first time in four years. The band consist of brothers Zech and Eze Walters, and drummer Bowen Purcell. Born out of the divorce of guitarist and vocalist Zech Walters, “Start Again”, is unsurprisingly given its title, a song all about rebirth and renewal. Which…

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Howlite Stranger

“There are monsters under your bed”: Talking “Stranger” and Not Here with Melbourne’s Howlite

As Melbourne once again enters into lockdown, locals Howlite are all set to release their striking new single “Stranger”. A long time in the making, “Stranger”, is the final track to be released from their forthcoming EP, Not Here, which is scheduled to be released in September, barring any further COVID-19 induced disruptions.  Unsurprisingly, the…

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Black Rabbit George

Exclusive Single Premiere: Black Rabbit George “Fingers Radio” (2020)

Gold Coast-based artist Black Rabbit George is all set to release his new album, Warren, next month. But first, comes the delightfully dreamy lead single, “Fingers Radio”. We’re excited to bring you this exclusive first taste, psychedelic visuals and all, ahead of its official release date tomorrow. Black Rabbit George is the new project from…

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Mazlin

Exclusive Single Premiere: K. L. Mazlin “Middle Ground” (2020)

Former Hungry Kid of Hungary K. L. Mazlin is continuing on his journey into solo territory. Following the positive response to his debut single “Aurora Glass”, he’s back with new single “Middle Ground”. Officially releasing tomorrow, we’re stoked to bring you this exclusive premiere of the new track.  “Middle Ground” is an ode to getting older,…

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Megan Washington: A Visual Retrospective – From Spicks and Specks to Batflowers

Megan Washington will be releasing her long-awaited album Batflowers on the 28th August. I thought this would be a nice moment to take a visual retrospective at the career up to this point of one of Australian’s most talented and creative singer/songwriters. Like so many others, my introduction to Washington was seeing her on Spicks…

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Tom West

Track by Track: Tom West walks us through his new album Antarctica

Singer-songwriter Tom West released his new album, Antarctica, on Friday. The album, produced by Allen Tate in Brooklyn, was written following the death of West’s father from motor neurone disease.  It is the culmination of a three year journey around America; touring, couch surfing, and playing as much as possible. That was until a Husky…

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The AU Review’s 20 best albums of 2020 (so far…)

2020 has surely been a weird year, and you’d be forgiven for being a bit taken aback when we remind you that we’re halfway through it already. Since at least mid-March, many have largely been in lockdown, economies have threatened collapse, bushfires have devastated, systemic racism has been confronted head-on, and we have been rightfully…

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Loud n Queer TV, showcasing the talents of LGBTQI creatives during the COVID-19 crisis

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…

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Airport Lights

“Airport Lights”: Searching for a connection with Tully John and Liza-Jane

There’s no denying that COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the Australian music scene. Festivals have been cancelled or rescheduled, and countless tours have been grounded. Even though restrictions are starting to lift, there remains a great deal of uncertainty about the situation and the pandemic’s lasting impact on the country’s music and arts…

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The Last of Us Part II

Audio Settings: Songs to prepare you for The Last of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II is almost upon us (finally!). One of the most anticipated video games of the last seven years, it promises to take the story of Ellie and Joel in an entirely new direction. Its soundtrack features licensed tracks from folk acts like Crooked Still and Shawn James, but the main…

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Roz Pappalardo

Exclusive Single Premiere: Roz Pappalardo “Immune” (2020)

Roz Pappalardo continues to tease her forthcoming solo album, Sound The Alarm, thanks to her new single “Immune”, out tomorrow. We’re excited to bring you this exclusive sneak peek before the official release tomorrow.  “Immune”, like its parent album, was recorded and mixed at Blackbox Studios with Jeff Lovejoy. The single, despite the timely title,…

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Howlite

Exclusive Single Premiere: Howlite “Infancy” (2020)

Melbourne band Howlite make their return this week, with new single “Infancy”. Offering insight into their forthcoming EP Not Here, the single sees the trio venturing into the territory of “dark” other-worldly pop. We’re excited to bring you this exclusive first listen ahead of tomorrow’s official release date.  Alison Thom’s beguiling vocal is what immediately…

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Statue

Guest Playlist: Riley Pearce reveals the songs that inspired new single “Ceramic Real Estate”

  Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Riley Pearce returned with his new single “Ceramic Real Estate” this week. The track serves as an introduction to his forthcoming EP Maybe I Can Sleep It Off, which is out in September.  Recorded at Debaser Studios with Andy Lawson and with additional recording by fellow alt-folk artist Hayden Calnin, “Ceramic Real…

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