Music

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Josh Johnson continues to tease his forthcoming debut album Freedom Exercise. The LA via Chicago musician, who has toured and recorded with Makaya McCraven, Leon Bridges and more, dropped the album’s first single “Western Ave” earlier this month.  Johnson moved to Los Angeles eight years ago. It was only supposed to be…

BIGSOUND has announced the first lineup of keynote speakers for this year’s virtual edition of the annual festival. American legend Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave, Prophets Of Rage, The Nightwatchman) leads the charge with an insightful presentation on his life as a musician and activist. “Join me at BIGSOUND to talk music, activism,…

Our track of the day is “Life is Crazy (Like That)”, a rollicking tune from OK Hotel, a fresh new alt-rock band out of Wollongong. This is only their second single, following on from “Swim” which was released in February. For a three-piece, they create a big sound, and are making plenty of waves. It’s…

Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of…

We have the exclusive single premiere of “Bad Thoughts” from Melbourne singer-songwriter Meghna. This track follows on from “Night” which was released back in February. The song opens with some moody synths, leading into the vocals and beats which drive the emotion throughout this honest exploration of how we deal with the anxiety of comparison. No…

Our track of the day is “Permanent Limbo” an electronic dance-pop tune from chameleon singer/songwriter Elana Stone. This is the first solo release for Stone since her 2015 EP Kintsugi. She has been busy in the meantime, as part of the quartet All Our Exes Live in Texas touring the globe, selling out concerts at home…

Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of…

Singer-songwriter Joe Mungovan from Kiama is about to drop his first release of 2020, and we are thrilled to be premiering this new song, “You + Me”, today. Mungovan paints a vivid picture in the opening stanza; it’s the end of the night, his friends have gone home and he is left with his partner,…

Writing and recording music at age 15, Elme has prospered with success after releasing his first single, ‘The Missing Piece’ in 2018 and second single ‘Kids’ in 2019. Melbourne-based artist unveils his latest single “Somewhere” with the announcement of his debut EP, Departures, set to be released on September 25th. Although Elme wrote the song…

Melbourne queer alt-popster Max Lawrence is back with a new single this week, the bold and infectious “Speak In Tongues”.  The single, which sees Lawrence once again working with his long-time collaborator Rino Darusman, is an exploration of the interplay of physical desire and possession. “It’s about wanting to kiss someone but having no idea…

Following a national tour, a CMC New Artist nomination, and numerous festival performances, Melody Moko returns with her much anticipated second album, Two Kids and a Radio – out today. Continuing with her unique take on the Americana sound, the New South Wales’ musician exhibits just how masterfully she is able to draw emotion from her songwriting. Further,…

Last month I sat down on a Zoom call with Jonathan Higgs and Alex Robertshaw from the British group Everything Everything, who tomorrow release their long awaited new album Re-Animator. It’s their fifth album in a decade and their first since 2017’s brilliant A Fever Dream – which saw them tour Australia at the end…

Following up the huge success of his debut mixtape Just Kids, Wollongong-based artist Stevan wastes no time with new single “Impress You”. Gliding over a fast-bubbling beat shaped by LUCIANBLOMKAMP, it’s clear the 19-year-old artist has no designs to slow down anytime soon, demonstrating a sound that’s even more expansive and open than the potent…

Everything Everything has always been a band that treads the fine line between grandiose displays of eccentric rock ready for heaving festival crowds, and smart, reclusive, ballad inspired classics fit for a small sweaty room filled with wine and scotch drinks.  Being able to seamlessly meander across this spectrum of sound has enabled the Manchester…

This week sees the release of A Minute of Another Day, the much anticipated debut album from Perth alt-country folk group The Little Lord Street Band. The album, which officially releases tomorrow, is a mixed bag of songs that crisscrosses the genres and highlights the songwriting talents of both James Rogers and Natasha Shanks. We’re big…

Hailing from Wollongong, Coast & Ocean has already demonstrated a flexible style with singles “Peaches n Cream”, “Cherry Cola”, and “Golden in April”. Now it’s time to switch to a spring aesthetic with “Valentino”, the playful new single that uniquely sketches a coastal vibe onto a seamless blend of R&B and rap and is premiering…

Emerging Adelaide solo artist KOGO’s new track “IN YOUR FACE” is a departure from his earlier work in many ways. This tune fits squarely into an indie-rock mould, creating a juxtaposition with his previous electronic feel. About the origins of the song he says, “Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of pop-punk from the…

The nominees for the 5th annual National Live Music Awards have been announced, which will be held on Sunday 20 October 2020 – both virtually and physically. Sampa the Great has received the most recognition, with three nominations – Live Act of the Year, Live Voice of the Year and Best Live Act in VIC…

Sydney indie-rock band Golden Fang are about to release the second single, “Spooner’s Lookout” off their album Here. Now Here. We are thrilled to be premiering this track ahead of its release on Friday. This is a song showcasing significant musical maturity and a love of their craft. The track opens with melodic acoustic guitars and pensive…

Rising Sydney emcee Yawdoesitall hooks up with guest vocalist Maina Doe for new single “Armadillo”. Though early days for the rapper, with previous single “Get It” turning heads on the local scene earlier this year, the new cut is a sharp image of a young artist steady proving himself more than ready to rise through…

Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of…

Running the gamut of emotions that fuelled R&B in the ’90s, The AU Review’s “Hip Hop and R&B Retrospective” playlist has turned away from 100 greatest songs by women in hip hop and turned attention to rap’s silkier, smoother cousin. From Janet Jackson and SWV to Maxwell and 112; Brandy and Monica to Usher and…

We have the exclusive premiere of the song and video “#PAVLOVA” from the experimental electronic and spoken-word duo Doublethink Prism from Western Australia. The duo is comprised of Splodge who provides the words, and Steven Alyian who provides the sounds. This is a thought-provoking track, with an incredible video.  The band describes it as “……

Our track of the day is “Unreal”, a beautiful song from Julia Stone, tracking the complexities of love, loss and reflections on relationships. “Unreal” features samples and synths, adding many layers to the ethereal vocals of Stone.  Her vocals always conveys a feeling of honesty and an assured authenticity to them. The video was filmed…

Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of…

After her recent single “12 Steps” streamed over half a million, the flourishing Australian artist CXLOE returns with her latest single “One and Lonely.” She has been featured on multiple airplays and coverage from the likes of triple j, all pop-leaning commercial radio stations across Australia and across global titles. Co-written with Trey Campbell, Jessica…

Melbourne-based songwriter and producer Hayden Calnin has just dropped a new EP today, Soon Forever. Continuing his organic melding of folk and electronica, Soon Forever is an atmospheric and evocative listen from start to finish. Calnin is renowned for his production skills, and once again on Soon Forever he delivers a beautifully layered collection of…

San Cisco are staples in the Australian music industry – you’d be hard-pressed to find an Aussie music lover who hasn’t come across this three-piece Western Australia band. Their latest full-length album, Between You and Me, follows the recent release of their Flaws EP which housed singles ‘Reasons’, ‘Skin’ and their most vulnerable song to…

With ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and border closures between states, the annual BIGSOUND festival will be transitioning to a free virtual event for 2020. Held across Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October, the event that would normally be held in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley will now be taking place entirely online. “BIGSOUND has always been about bringing…

While many of us are unable to travel very far with COVID restrictions in place, Melbourne-based duo This Way North have managed to conjure up the feeling of embarking on a lengthy road trip with their latest track “Driving Roads”. The two-piece band, consisting of drummer/vocalist Cat Leahy and guitarist/vocalist Leisha Jungalwalla, transport you to…