Music

For those regular attendees of the Queenscliff Music Festival, the vibe of the event is unbeatable; perfect for music fans of all ages, the music festival is set against one of the east coast’s most beautiful backdrops and this year, the crew behind Queenscliff have ensured that the line up this year does not deviate…

Looking forward to the warmer months? They’re so close, yet so far… The Pleasure Garden joins the festivals coming out of the woodwork this month in announcing their line ups for the tail end of 2018, encouraging music fans to start plotting out their summer days and nights out. For this jaunt, Northeast Party House, Sampa the…

Koori Radio’s annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in all its vibrancy is returning to Carriageworks in Sydney next month, with a stacked line up of artists ready and raring to go. Electric Fields will headlining Klub Koori this year, along with Melbourne’s Kaiit, who has been making a name for herself throughout…

Out of the Split Singles Club has come a gorgeous offering from Totally Mild‘s Elizabeth, in “Burn It All”. It’s the first we’re hearing from her forthcoming solo project; an intimate and vulnerable song that absolutely shines with depth and heart. Released on a double-sided 7″ single with Stella Donnelly’s “Talking”, “Burn It All” is a…

When listening to the opening notes of “A Message to Myself”, the album opener of Roo Panes‘ third studio record, Quiet Man, the listener is stung with the evocative punch behind the English songwriter’s artistry almost immediately. It’s a craft Panes has developed beautifully over the course of the last few years, being embraced by audiences around…

Only days after claims of plagiarism emerged focusing on Childish Gambino‘s “This Is America” and Jase Harley‘s “American Pharoah”, Donald Glover and his team have once again proven that they keep things pushing, with the announcement of a run of massive shows that will take the rapper right through the UK and Europe, as well as Australia. Already…

G Flip‘s emergence as one of the country’s most exciting new names this year has been incredible to watch. Off the back of two singles, she’s managed to lock down acclaim at two of the world’s biggest new music discovery festivals – SXSW and The Great Escape – while also building up a steady roster…

Kaiit continues to nail each release with a fresh level of individual flair that has propelled the Melbourne songwriter onto the radars of tastemakers around the country. With “OG Luv Kush p.2”, Kaiit further explores a vocal territory drenched in rich soul and a musical palette formed off the back of some of hip-hop and…

I’m going to let you in on a little secret here: I was quite late jumping on the City Calm Down train. I’ll happily admit that. My first real exposure to the band was at Splendour In The Grass a few years back, when they covered David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”. At the time, I was…

Irrespective of their time away from the musical spotlight, The Presets will always have a place in the hearts of the Australian dance music community. And despite the best efforts of some members of the crowd to dampen the nights of others in attendance, the two-piece definitely crushed the Sydney leg of their Hi-Viz album…

Suming Rupi is an Amis Taiwanese musician who has played a handful of shows around the world in his fifteen years as a performer, including Glastonbury and Fuji Rock Festival. He is kind, humble and generous with his time as AU Review sat with him at Barunga Festival over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend –…

Ahead of their July tour, Byron Bay’s PLTS delve into their latest single “Maelstrom” with us, taking us behind the scenes of making this hectic new tune. Writing the single in Sydney with JP Fung and recording at the renowned Forbes Street Studios with Matt Redlich at the helm, “Maelstrom” did not come without challenges and but as we…

Continuing to build hype, Sydney producer and vocalist CLYPSO has dropped a catchy new single in “Pop Roll Flow”. Soon to be out on the road with PNAU and What So Not, you can envision the direction CLYPSO’s career is heading and man, she’s only getting started. The bass is gritty and enticing, bringing together electronic…

Tim Campbell has dabbled in so many forms of entertainment that it’s becoming hard to classify him as a particular type of entertainer. It’s a general classification that he is content with regardless. Here he chats to Philippe Perez while he is on the road for his High School Disco tour. There seems to be…

There’s always been a strange sense of beauty in melancholia and pain when conveyed in music. Whether it is how relatable or genuinely makes the listener empathise well beyond belief, that’s still up for debate. What definitely is known, however, is that Jack River manages to expertly pull off her debut album Sugar Mountain and…

Hugo Bladel‘s “Feel The Love” single has been hitting all the right spots since its recent release – a funk laden tune that has gotten us yearning for the warmth of summer. Since we’re still battening down the hatches and keeping warm for the next few months however, music like this is proving to be…

Talk about a fiery collaboration. Dro Carey has linked up with one of the country’s hottest new talents in hip hop (Kwame), as well as Sydney’s Raj Mahal and London MC Renz for this new one “Atmosphere” – turn it up loud. Jumping enthusiastically into grime territory with “Atmosphere”, Carey switches gears in swapping the cleaner edges of…

Over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, approximately 4000 people from across the country gathered to take part in a camping festival, Barunga, held within the Barunga community, 80 kilometres South of Katherine, home of the Bagala people. For this weekend alone, outsiders are exempt from obtaining a permit and are welcomed for three days of…

Hot on the heels of finishing up a new record in Berlin, and signing a new global publishing deal with BMG, legendary Trio The Living End hit Sydney’s Lansdowne on Tuesday night and The Gasometer in Melbourne on Wednesday for two secret intimate gigs as they debuted tracks off their next, yet-to-be-titled LP. In their…

If you’re a fan of the Peter Gabriel original and synthy soundscapes, then this cover of “In Your Eyes” may be up your alley. Courtesy of Texan group BUHU, this quirky, dreamy cover of the pop classic hits the right notes for today’s digital-heavy music climate. It’s gearing up to be a busy year for the Austin locals,…

BIGSOUND continues to gear up this year, with the September festival revealing more of its cards for 2018 – their first artist announcement coming this afternoon. Some familiar faces will return to The Valley to showcase their music, while a whole range of fresh names will be on the bill to bring themselves to the…

BROCKHAMPTON have already made a name for themselves as one of 2018’s breakthrough artists, turning expectations on their head and coming through with some of the best hip hop and rap music we’ve heard from a young group in a hot minute. Set to make their Australian debut on the LISTEN OUT tour this year, BROCKHAMPTON…

Having made an impressive debut in the UK at The Great Escape this year, US surf-punks The Frights have continued to show their chops with a catchy new vibe in “Me and We and I”. Taken from the band’s upcoming new album Hyperchondriac, “Me and We and I” is wrapped up in warm tone and great melody execution;…

Dr. G‘s record Djamirri (Child of the Rainbow) was quick to be embraced by fans around the world, making him the country’s highest selling Indigenous artist of all time. While he may not be with us anymore, Dr G’s legacy lives on and in continuing to acknowledge his significance as an artist, the crew at the Queenscliff Music Festival…

Friday night served as the perfect backdrop for The Presets’ travelling house party Adelaide visit to put their tools down for a night of sweaty beats and purposeful party anthems. Preceding Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes’ on-stage antics was the eclectic synth-pop duo Kult Kyss, swaying through their set highlighted by a great cover of…

The line up announcements for Strawberry Fields have started and man, there’s one big party coming up this year. Returning to the banks of the Murray this November 16-18, Strawberry Fields welcomes old friends and new to the stage, with the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote, CC:DISCO!, Jaala, 30/70 and more to the fold in what’s set up to be…

If you’ve seen Neil Finn perform at all over the last handful of years, you’ll know that it’s very much a family affair when it comes to that surname and the production of engaging music. Most recently, Neil and son Liam Finn announced a joint record in Lightsleeper (out in August) but for now, we’re basking in the…

He’s an award-winning singer, songwriter and accomplished author and now, Damien Leith can add app designer to his ever-expanding list of impressive achievements. Released late February this year, Damien Leith Storytime! is designed for children aged four-and-up and features a wide range of stories all told in his voice, with appearances by his three children.

Splendour in the Grass has unleashed another new element to their Arts program, announcing some names being involved in this year’s festival, as well as their Artist in Residence for 2018, Brooklyn Whelan. Up at the North Byron Parklands for Splendour, the first collaboration between the festival and an artist sees Splendour and Whelan team up…

Fresh off tour dates around the country – including a spot at Tasmania’s prestigious DARK MOFO festival alongside Sun Ra Arkestra – Australia’s rocking electric string quartet FourPlay has blessed us with a new original track titled “Bound”, highlighting a penchant for blending the band’s urgent melodies with big, dirty riffs. The unique track has…