Features

We’re back for the 15th annual list of the 40 best albums of the year, as compiled by the team at the AU review, bringing in music from Australia and around the world. It’s a packed list, with many artists making their debut on our countdown. Read on, and click on the album covers to…

Castlemaine singer-songwriter Eliza Hull is a leading voice for individualism with her honest new EP Here They Come, released 1 December. Featuring the singles “Running Underwater” and “Island”, the five-track project is the fifth record from the Victorian songstress since emerging with her debut single “Without Words” in 2012. Timed to coincide with International Day…

Kaurna/Adelaide indie pop-rock act and triple j Unearthed finalists Sunsick Daisy are quickly on the rise with their anticipated debut EP Breathe In… Breathe Out, released independently 24 November. Boasting the lead single “Underwater”, the relatable project delivers five dreamy shoegaze tracks addressing mental health struggles. Produced by Jarred Nettle (Teenage Joans, TOWNS), Breathe In……

Last month, singer-songwriter John Vincent III released Songs for the Canyon, his long-awaited second full-length album. His 2019 debut album, Songs From The Valley, cemented him as one-to-watch, having racked up over 190 million streams on Spotify alone. With those numbers, it’s fair to say that this album has been keenly anticipated. The successor to his…

Australian singer/songwriter SonOfHarry is a bold and innovative musician. He is making his mark by today releasing his debut album, a gorgeous and lush collection of songs exploring themes that are dear to the heart. The maturity and variety on the album is outstanding, especially given that he is still only twenty one years old….

Last week saw WA indie rock band The Deenys release their impressive debut EP Alford Way. Recorded across Sumo Sound Studios and Conor Lawson’s studio in Perth, Alford Way sees the expat rockers exploring a variety of pertinent and relatable themes, including young love, mental health struggles and disillusionment. The EP balances those potentially contrary…

Today, Tanzanian/Australian trans/non-binary artist Malaika Mfalme released Yasmin, their stunning, intimate, and deeply personal debut album. The album pays homage to the loss of their partner, Yasmin, and beautifully chronicles the range of emotions that were felt during the grieving process. There is a gentle intimacy, a warm embrace, as Malaika details the struggles and experiences they…

Nighteyes is the solo project of New Zealand-born and Melbourne-based multi-instrumentalist Rachel Trainor. She has just released her stunning and haunting debut album, The Way Back Down.  The Way Back Down is a collection of tracks steeped with drama and stories. They are a mix of dark rock, folk and electronica, which navigate a broad range…

Pop music is rarely interesting these days. White-washed R&B that would be nothing without a TikTok-friendly snippet and a made-for-radio hook qualifies for good music in 2023. Sure, people who use terms like “bop” and phrases like “vibes are immaculate” see little wrong with the worrying churn that’s turning the music industry into a goal-shifting…

Naarm/Melbourne folk artist Fletcher Gull is mysterious and insightful on his intriguing debut album Songs From Before, released 22 September. The 10-track project explores indie-pop soundscapes with poetic storytelling in a reflective time capsule of his life thus far. Featuring the singles “Light Up” and “She Knows”, Songs From Before comes after the 2022 EP…

Steeped in alt-country vibes, Sydney-based indie band Lady Lyon have just released their Friends in Hell EP. With jangly guitars and blessed with the soaring vocals of frontwoman Hayley Lyon, the EP is a beautifully varied collection of songs with all the feels. The songs are all written by Hayley, ranging from personal and self-reflective…

Lisa Caruso‘s debut album of 2020, In Feelings, was one that was played on repeat in our household and was a Christmas gift for many friends and family. It’s been revisited many times since, so we’ve been looking forward very much to the next body of work from the gifted singer/songwriter. Today, Caruso has released…

Now, let me confess something: I’ve always avoided Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. It’s not that I don’t appreciate its charm – I really do, but I would much rather stay within the confines of my super secret sanctuary (a.k.a my rented bedroom). My appearances in the Valley are like a supermoon – rare and unusual, but…

SLOE JACK is the solo project for Victorian Jack Garritty, who has been to the dark side and back. Telling the tale of his difficult journey thus far, and giving hope to others that have found them in unfortunate circumstances, today he releases his latest record, Backstab (Deluxe), a collection of 13 honest and hard-hitting tracks….

The Dandys are a Brisbane/Meanjin-based punk/alt-rock outfit and today have released their debut EP, the fabulous and rocking Sex and Feuds. Back in August, the band dropped the catchy and liberating “Gums”, and have just wrapped up a successful showcase at BIGSOUND 2023. Sex and Feuds demonstrates the musicianship and maturity of a band that is still…

It isn’t my intention to prod the leviathan of Australia, but in my humble opinion, some of the best acts at this year’s BIGSOUND festival originated from New Zealand. Don’t @ me. As I’m sure you are aware, the Trans-Tasman musical rivalry is hotly debated. The Finn Brothers. Dragon. Sharon O’Neill. But let’s not dwell…

Aotearoa/ New Zealand duo Foley, composed of Ash Wallace and Gabriel Everett have released their highly anticipated debut album Crowd Pleaser. This album showcases their growth and confidence as artists, managing to encapsulate feelings of euphoria, nostalgia and comfort within their dynamic release. Their album Crowd Pleaser is a sleek pop production that is both uniquely…

Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Harrison Storm has just wrapped up his Regional Australian tour. In his newly kitted out van, he visited stages in Ipswich, Gold Coast, Maroochydore, Byron Bay, Bellingen, Taree, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Wagga Wagga, and Canberra.  This was his very first opportunity to share the new music from his upcoming album with his Australian fans in a…

Perth indie-rock five-piece South Summit have returned yet again with their second EP of the year, Tales of the Yeti – released 4 August – just six months after dropping the former Creatures. Featuring the singles “Just Like You” and “Sidelines”, the six-track project explores more of a reggae style with local influences. The past…

Mainland Break are a five-piece indie-rock outfit hailing from Denver, Colorado. Today they’ve released their debut album, the beautiful and much anticipated One Way Ticket to Midnight. Featuring sweet crisp guitars, buoyant melodies and a driving beat, there is much to love here. The story telling and harmonies, coupled with a beautifully balanced production gives way…

  Melbourne metal band Future Static are receiving all the attention they deserve right now, with their furious metal take on the Daddy Yankee classic ‘Gasolina’. Daddy Yankee’s 2004 classic ‘Gasolina’ has been a cult favourite that is not just for reggaeton fans. It is one of those tracks that is sure to be a…

With 2023 just past its half way point, we’re taking a look at look at some of our favourite albums released over the past six months. 2023 has started off with plenty quality releases that are sure to remain on repeat as we head into the second half of the year. With the year already…

New York-based Australian recording artist, producer & DJ Sir Winston released his new single, Perfectly Numb, in June.  Sir Winston’s music effortlessly captures the indie-sleaze heyday that defined the 2010s. He fuses genres and influences, drawing from acts like Empire of the Sun and LCD Soundsystem. The final product presents a fun and vibrant sonic…

Naarm/Melbourne-based indie folk/pop singer-songwriter Amelia Allan has just released her debut EP, Won’t Miss You. The EP reveals Amelia to be a sincere and perceptive storyteller. Littered with catchy hooks, she expertly blends indie pop’s infectious energy and alt-folk’s introspective charm. The songs draw on influences from Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly and Courtney Barnett, in…

Perth indie-pop outfit Joan & the Giants unveiled new single “Sleep Alone” yesterday, the second since their debut EP Me & You in 2022. The haunting confession of unrequited love showcases singer Grace Newton-Wordsworth’s velvety vocals over reverberating keys and rumbling drums with muted riffs and jingling tambourine. “Sleep Alone” began as a country-tinged acoustic…

Sydney/Eora based Eagle Eye Jones have just dropped their dreamy debut LP, New Growth. The band are difficult to pigeon hole genre-wise.  The album is blessed with dreamy psych rock feels, orchestral swirls and lush soundscapes vividly complementing the yearning for connection and reflection throughout the lyrics. The songs reflect on traumatic events, addiction, mental…

California post-hardcore rockers Thrice are heading to Australia for a largely sold-out 20th anniversary tour of their seminal record The Artist in the Ambulance this September. The extensive tour will see them perform two shows in Melbourne and Perth, stopping at Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide in between. Thrice will be performing the album in full,…

Lola Scott and Sam McGovern are two of the bright stars on the Australian music scene. They were selected for the latest round of the Live Nation One’s To Watch program and were featured last week at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney for an exclusive industry showcase. Lola hails from NSW’s Southern Highlands, and…

Mt. Nadir‘s debut EP “Growing Pain” has finally come to fruition after an extensive two-year creative process. Growing Pain masterfully balances elements of fragility and raw intensity. It weaves a narrative of heartbreak, solitude and eventual renewal within the realms of alt-rock. Mt. Nadir burst onto the live scene last year, packing out their debut…

Singer/songwriter Jack Bratt is back with his first single since he released his gorgeous debut LP, Slow Release last year. “Hand on Heart” is an emotive gem that captures the pain and anguish of a relationship that has unexpectedly come to an end. “I long to know what will come of this. I’m unsteady. Do I…