Features

‘Cool’ is the first word that comes to mind when you bear witness to WA alt-rock five-piece King Brown. Suave and grit meet in their latest single “My Love”, released 6 May, with driving guitars and smooth melodies creating that familiar dive-bar sound. Influenced by the likes of The Black Keys, Verge Collection and The…

Brisbane’s Yoste has just dropped his third EP, Never The Same, a six strong collection that showcases the very best of the alt-pop artist. It’s a gorgeous release, packed with earnest song-writing and irresistible hooks. Of the EP, Yoste – otherwise known as Kurt Sines – says: “This record is focused on growing up, but…

Today we’re stoked to be premiering the new track from JaZZella! “Quit Bitchin’” is the latest from the travelling musician, showcasing a playful, soulful sound that’s the perfect antidote to the current cold snap – even if those cheeky lyrics bite just as hard as the wind! “Quit Bitchin’” is the third glimpse we’ve had…

As the world shows signs of returning to normal it is the little things that stand out the most. The opportunity to see people smile. The ability to high five a stranger. And the chance to stand in groups of thousands and take in your favorite band again. With the sun shining down on the…

Melbourne-based Ghanian-Australian hip hop artist Kwasi is one of the driving forces taking the local scene into the next generation. His addictive cadence and creative storytelling is on show in latest offering ‘Self Sabotage’, featuring Congrats, released 25 May via his own DGTL Records. Produced by platinum award-winning Melbourne genius Hamley (Stan Walker, Allday), the…

Melbourne dreampop duo Floozy will be releasing their new single ‘Craving’ on Thursday 2 June. It’s a shimmering and flirtatious track with lush production and smooth vocals, and we’re stoked to be sharing an exclusive look at the track a full day early! ‘Craving’ comes as a follow up to their debut offering Sand Dunes…

23-year-old Melbourne pop-funk singer and multi-instrumentalist Zachary Leo – yes, you read that correctly – dropped a new single and video, ‘Can’t Get Enough’, on Tuesday 24 May. In addition to the cruisy cut and retro clip, he has also listed five pivotal albums that have influenced his sound over the years. For fans of…

Belles Will Ring‘s Liam Judson, otherwise known as Lewis Goldmark, has unleashed a glorious mix of vintage haze, experimental pop, and indie-disco on the world, in the form of debut solo album Cut and Flash. Judson did it all, writing, producing and engineering the entire project from his Blue Mountains studio. Well, almost – we’ve…

Singer-songwriter Jem Cassar-Daley has been wowing us with her talents since last year, with tracks “Letting Go,” “Changes,” and “Like it More” showcasing a soulful indie-pop sound, backed by stunning vocals. Today, it’s all coming together with the release of debut EP I Don’t Know Who To Call. Of the release, Jem says: “This project is very close…

Last year we impulsively checked out BottleRock Napa Valley and it turned out to be one of the best weekends of our lives. This year, we return to the rolling hills of California wine country for another stacked weekend, with a line-up featuring some of the biggest names in music history as well as several…

In our new series, we’re taking a dive into local independent breweries and doing our best impression of being a Cicerone, by matching the brewery’s beers with a band. We’ll be taste testing the best a brewery has to offer and teaming tipples with tracks, all to make that drinking experience even more special. This…

Producer and musician Just A Gent has just released his latest album, Planet Oasis. It’s hard to believe that it’s four years since his landmark record, Stories To Tell was released. That album has racked up over 20 million streams, and on Spotify, his overall streaming numbers have hit 200 million. Yes, impressive indeed, and…

Western Australia has proven to be a source of so many talented artists in recent years, and one of the fresh bunch to emerge is artist, producer and engineer Sheldon Nunes. He has been releasing his music under the Sheldon5D moniker, and has just released his first track of 2022, “Ride With Me”. The song was…

Soft Powder creates emotive lo-fi dream pop, and today he has released his debut full-length album, Somewhere Like Paradise. The album is eight tracks of shimmering shoegaze and melancholic pop. The album followed on from his two earlier EPs, Shangri-La and  Faber Ria which received widespread critical acclaim. Soft Powder is the solo project for producer…

Canberra’s Kirrah Amosa weaves an intoxicating R&B spell on her latest single, “Possessive”. A passionate and sensual song, it reflects the journey which Kirrah has been on. Not always smooth-sailing, this is a track that shows acceptance and great self-awareness. Kirrah gives us some background to the track: “2020/2021 bestowed on me the best of the…

In a brand new series, we’ll be taking a dive into local independent breweries and doing our best impression of being a Cicerone, by matching the brewery’s beers with a band. We’ll be taste testing the best a brewery has to offer and teaming tipples with tracks, all to make that drinking experience even more…

Fancy a career in the music industry? Are you a would-be record producer? Or maybe want to work for a publicist. Or can play a mean guitar and want to get some work as a session musician. Good news! Industry legends Elana Stone and Josh Pyke, with the assistance of the Australian Institute of Music…

Highline are a four-piece indie rock band hailing from Sydney. The band formed out of high school and their music is an exciting mix of indie rock incorporating some brit-pop elements. It’s characterised by sweet guitars and emotive melodies lending itself to their own familiar yet exciting brand of rock. Today they release their first…

Now a month and a half into the year, 2022 has started off well with plenty of notable albums and singles released so far both domestically and abroad. But what about those acts that we think are going to burst out and make waves this year? Below we’ve compiled a list of 22 artists that…

The Existence Of My Bane is the third album in less than a year from Gesticulations. It follows on from Sense of Purgency and Threadbare which were released in 2021. Gesticulations is fronted by Graham Ashton (The Shambolics and Way Cool Jnr) and he seems to have a never-ending pool of ideas. He has again teamed up with collaborator…

Last week Melbourne indie singer/songwriter Fletcher Gull released his sophomore EP, Ancient History Shares A Knowing Smile. The phrase was apparently on a t-shirt and brought a wry smile to the creative artist. We have been watching his progress keenly and was crushing on one of the tracks from the EP when it was released late…

With a population of approximately 6 million people, Sydney is the largest city of Australia. And just like every other city in the country, Sydney has many suburbs, cultures, sub-cultures, communities and milieus that make it culturally and artistically rich. The most important, and often overlooked, is Western Sydney. Always seen as the poorer and…

Sydney hard-rock outfit Bad Moon Born, have recently dropped the gentle and poignant track, “Light Leaves the Day”. It’s a beautiful counterpoint to their heavier songs, and will be a welcome addition to their setlists. It addresses Jordan Von Grae’s (singer and lyricist) struggles with addiction and the path he has taken to sobriety. It’s heartfelt,…

Country music star Casey Barnes has today released “Get To Know Ya” from his upcoming album, Light It Up, which will drop on Friday 25th February. Reflecting on two years of cancelled tours, posphoned shows and missing the interation with his audience, “Get To Know Ya” is the perfect salve for those missing connecting with…

Today South Australia’s Wanderers have released their third EP, self-titled, and arguably their strongest to date. The well-respected duo, Dusty Lee Stephensen and Matt Birkin have established themselves as outstanding songwriters and musicians. The EP is their first since 2017’s Something For A Distraction and sets them up nicely for a visit to the US…

As we celebrate 30 years since the first Big Day Out in Australia, we’ve dug out some never before seen footage from the 2014 Big Day Out in Sydney. It was held on Australia Day, 26th January 2014, so we thought we’d ask 3 bands playing that year – The Hives, Grouplove and Portugal The…

As we move into the new year, it’s that time when we look back on the highlights of the past 12 months and remember what made them so. With much of the world still emerging from lockdown, many artists have been quietly busy making music off the stage. The heavy scene in particular has had…

We’re officially back from our Summer hiatus, and kicking things off with a look back at our favourite tracks of 2021. Unlike our albums of the year piece, we won’t go in depth about each song on the list, and why it was included, but rather let the music itself do most of the talking….

“…flour, salt, a little red wine, and don’t forget a dollop of tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang.” is a phrase that is ingrained in so many of us. Paul Kelly‘s “How To Make Gravy” has become synonymous with the festive season since its release in 1996. Not only that, but the 21st…

It’s that time of year when our team of music writers and editors get together to count down the 40 best albums of the year. And while this has been no usual year, the quality of music that has been released has been incredibly high. Suffice it to say, this has been a very difficult…