Music

Aussies Abroad: Jordie Lane, Emily Wurramara & more amongst 180 acts announced for Folk Alliance 2019 in Montreal

In its 31st year, the annual Folk Alliance International Conference announces their offical showcase lineup, being held from February 13-17, 2019, in Montréal, Québec, Canada. The conference is a gathering of the folk music industry and community. It crosses a diverse array of genres including Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, Francophone, Global Roots, Indigenous,…

Read more

Album Review: Total Giovanni – Euphoria (2018 LP)

If you aren’t already listening to Total Giovanni, you definitely should be. Following the release of their recent single “Comes in Waves”, the Melbourne group are finally releasing their debut album Euphoria, on Friday. With their music described as “Paradise Garage meets Madchester on the shores of the Mediterranean,” Euphoria is bound to take Australia by storm. Emerging out…

Read more

Track of the Day: Allan Rayman “Rose” (2018)

Singer-Songwriter, and oft-dubbed “most mysterious man in music”, Allan Rayman has recently dropped a new single. “Rose” is the first taste from Rayman’s forthcoming album, Harry Hard-On, which is set for release on November 16th.  Rayman, now based in Toronto, remains something of an enigma. He rarely grants interviews, his social media presence is minimal…

Read more

Album of the Week: Greta Van Fleet’s Anthem of the Peaceful Army (2018 LP) is an ode to 70s rock

Topping the US Rock Charts for not one, but five consecutive weeks, opening for Bob Seger, winning the Loudwire music awards, playing sold out shows across the globe and gaining acclaim from namely artists like Elton John before even releasing an album. May I introduce Greta Van Fleet, the Michigan Rock outfit that mixed up…

Read more

Interview: Ahren Stringer from the Amity Affliction talks new album Misery and gets nostalgic

Back in August, The Amity Affliction released their new album Misery, which saw them claim their fourth #1 album on the ARIA charts. Bassist/Vocalist Ahren Stringer sat down with Josh Champion from the AU to look back on the release. You guys have a rep for hitting the tough issues front on, but this is particularly…

Read more

Track of the Day: Ducks! “Pinprick In” (2018)

Berlin based electronic duo Ducks! Have released new single, “Pinprick In”, their third from their forthcoming new album. Formed in 2014, Ducks! are the brainchild of singer-songwriter Lani Bagley, and the ARIA award-winning producer Craig Schuftan. The duo released their debut album Ding Ding Ding in 2016, which went on to be longlisted for the Australian…

Read more

Track of the Day: Hudson Thames “Last Call” (2018)

Catchy, vibrant and with a chorus that’ll have you singing at the top of your lungs, Hudson Thames‘ new single, “Last Call”, is the contemporary pop anthem that everyone has been waiting for. With a Billy Joel-esque piano intro dripping in nostalgia, friendship and darn good times, this song will have you reaching for a…

Read more

Live Review: Olympia + Felicity Groom + Noah Dillon – Mojos, Fremantle (11.10.18)

Fresh from a touring in the UK, Melbourne’s Olympia hit Fremantle, and the West Coast, on Thursday kicking off a run of shows around the country. Joining Olympia on the night were locals Noah Dillon and Felicity Groom. Noah Dillon kicked off the evening strongly. Backed by a the standard trio of drums, bass and…

Read more

Track of the Day: Harvey Sutherland feat. Nubya Garcia “Amethyst” (2018)

Melbourne producer Harvey Sutherland today dropped his new single “Amethyst”, a jazz infused broken beat transcontinental odyssey featuring London-based saxophonist Nubya Garcia and drummer Kahlil Memphis. “Amethyst” is another step in what is an already unpredictable career from Harvey Sutherland. Whilst the producer, DJ and funk synthesist may have made a name for himself amidst…

Read more

Meet 5 deserving acts who just scored their first ARIA nominations

Well well well, Amy Shark should be blushing a big right now. After writing her most recent hit “I Said Hi” about the music industry ignoring her until the release of her 2016 breakout hit “Adore,” the industry itself has just done her a huge favour, nominating her for nine different ARIA awards, the most…

Read more

Photo Gallery and Live Review: Kesha – ICC Sydney Theatre (11.10.18)

I’ve been looking forward to Kesha‘s Rainbow Tour ever since it was announced, and from the moment the stage lit up with Kesha making one hell of an entrance through an alien spaceship, there was absolutely no doubt that this would be an insane night of weird, whacky and wonderful fun. And as if that…

Read more

Album Review: Jess Glynne – Always In Between (2018 LP)

British pop sensation Jess Glynne has dropped her second studio album after teasing it on the airways with her singles “I’ll Be There” and “All I Am”. If you are a fan of those tunes, I can assure you you’ll be a fan of this album, Always In Between. I say this because the production of the…

Read more

Live Review: Kesha + Ben Abraham – Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane (10.10.18)

I’ll be honest. Walking in to a Kesha concert, my expectations were pretty low. However, I can say that this gig was WILD (and I’ve been to Miley Cyrus). Melbourne act Ben Abraham opened the night and although his style is unlike Kesha’s, the crowd fell in love. The singer-songwriter oozed a humble charm that…

Read more

Album Review: Bootleg Rascal’s Anónimo (2018 LP) expertly blends genres to show off a band at the top of their game

Bootleg Rascal have done it again, releasing a phenomenal album, worth wasting away the hours relaxing too. Anónimo, their second LP, continues the band’s growth, keeping the signature sounds, covering a range of genres whilst also adding in some subtle new sounds to keep it as fresh as their vibes require. The ten song album covers everything…

Read more

Album of the Week: Kurt Vile – Bottle It In (2018 LP)

When I first sat down to listen to Kurt Vile’s new release, Bottle It In, I did not know what to expect. 75 minutes later, I still could not place what I had heard. It was after a good two hours and a half that the LP finally started growing on me. Don’t expect a…

Read more

Track of the Day: Sandra Kolstad “Halflife” (2018)

Sandra Kolstad has deservedly earnt herself the title of Norway’s “electronic pop queen” and with this fresh offering of synthy dreamy goodness, she’s set to win hearts worldwide. Trained as a classical pianist, Kolstad rose to national fame in Norway after storming onto the scene with three captivating and critically acclaimed studio albums that introduced her…

Read more

Interview: Dave Prowys of The Paper Kites (Melbourne) talks about imagining strangers’ lives on their new LP On The Corner Where You Live

Dave Powys’ one-and-a-half year old daughter has just returned home from day care and bounced into her father’s arms. “Oh, hello!” he greets her. “Hey darling, how are you?” She responds with a series of chirps while receiving kisses on her forehead. It’s a warm scene; one that could be part of the collage of…

Read more

Live Review: Lost Picnic’s Melbourne debut sizzled with great weather & a fun family atmosphere

The first iteration of Lost Picnic in Melbourne was greeted by a sunny day throughout Sunday afternoon in Flemington. The festival, cultivated around the idea of a loungey picnic with friends, good music and tasty food, would have been seen as a veritable success as thousands poured through the gates to enjoy the day. The…

Read more

Interview: Ben Panucci (Sydney) talks debut album Age of Consequence and its personal nature

Ben Panucci‘s debut album Age of Consequence is a deeply personal divergence from his previous sounds. Inspired by humanity, the album was written and produced by Ben himself and is set for independent release on Friday 12 October. Reflecting a change in gear for the Sydney guitarist and producer, Age of Consequence allowed Ben to refocus his life,…

Read more

Track of the Day: Me And My Friends “High As The Sun” (2018)

Ahead of the release of their new record Look Up later in the year, UK quintet Me And My Friends have given us a taste of what to expect with the release of their new single: “High As The Sun”. Me and My Friends take their cues from an eclectic range of influences, drawing inspiration from Ghanian highlife, afrobeat,…

Read more

Exclusive Transcript: The embarrassing state of Sydney’s music scene put on International display at the Music Tourism Convention in Germany

At the end of August, I was invited to the Music Tourism Convention to deliver one of the day’s focus presentations. While most other speakers were tourism professionals who shined a positive light on their city, I was there with a different take: a cautionary tale of what can happen with industry and government don’t…

Read more

Track of the Day: Charlene Soraia “Tragic Youth” (2018)

No one must love tea more than Charlene Soraia, who gained recognition after recording a cover of The Calling’s “Where Ever You Will Go” for a Twinings tea commercial in 2011. It catapulted her onto the top three of the U.K. single charts and was the kick-starter for her following success as a singer and…

Read more

Album Review: Sheck Wes’ Mudboy (2018 LP) is anything but complacent

Within the last few months, Sheck Wes’ meteoric rise to acclaim has imbued him with all of the qualities of a future star, turning attention to his first project. The proliferation of his most well known single ‘Mo Bamba’ has been astounding, allowing Wes to gather hordes of fans in a very short period of…

Read more

Album Review: The Black Queen – Infinite Games (2018 LP)

Experimental metallers The Dillinger Escape Plan rarely ventured below a heart-attack inducing pace. During their 20 year reign, the band played intricate and frantic shredding while unhinged frontman Greg Puciato shredded his throat screaming threats. Infinite Games is Puciato’s second album with The Black Queen and first release since Dillinger split up, and it’s a…

Read more

Review: Foo Fighters’ festival Cal Jam 18 proves a joyous celebration of Rock n Roll

This weekend, I travelled about an hour outside of Los Angeles to San Bernadino, to experience the second year of the festival Cal Jam – an event programmed and run by the Foo Fighters, featuring an eclectic mix of rock bands from around the world, and celebrating the 25 years of the band’s career with…

Read more

Photo Gallery: Kesha – Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne (07.10.18)

Kesha played Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on Sunday night, and Rebecca Houlden was there to capture all the magic of ther acclaimed performer in action as she embarks on a national tour of Australia, with Brisbane and Sydney dates remaining. You can get all the tour dates and details HERE.

Read more

Photo Gallery: Lost Picnic ft. Tash Sultana + Meg Mac and more – The Nursery at Flemington, Melbourne (07.10.18)

The first ever Melbourne Lost Picnic was held at The Nursery at Flemington on October 7th, featuring the likes of Tash Sultana, Meg Mac, Marlon Williams, Odette, Big Words and the Hot Potato Band. Daniel Hanssen was there and brings us back these photos. And don’t miss the next event on 13th October in Sydney’s Domain! For…

Read more

Interview: Carl Cox (UK) talks relaunching Space Ibiza club, the future of dance music and his legacy

Techno music is associated with a strong history after emerging in Detroit, uniting Berlin after the fall of the Berlin Wall, fostering an underground rave scene and now attracting thousands of people at festivals year round. British DJ Carl Cox who now resides in Melbourne has been a part of it all and at age 56 has…

Read more

Track of the Day: Approachable Members Of Your Local Community “Only Friend” (2018)

Following up on their previous success the Melbourne indie pop band, Approachable Members Of Your Local Community have released their new single “Only Friend”. Only last year the six-piece group launched their career with their debut single “Millennium Queen” to great success. Since then AMOYLC have toured with the likes of Kira Puru and Lime Cordiale. Not…

Read more

Live Review: Lakyn’s new EP impresses at the Northcote Social Club with Charlie Threads

Thursday night welcomed the poignant music work of Laykn to the Northcote Social Club, the last stop on his &Pains EP tour down the East Coast of Australia. He was joined by RnB/Hip Hop artist Charlie Threads who pumped the crowd up before Laykn hit the stage. Charlie Threads brought an interesting tone to the…

Read more