Music

Playlist: Get a feel for the Blenheim Music & Camping Festival

As we continue to count down to this year’s Blenheim Music and Camping Festival, we’re thinking about what it’s going to be like to spend the Easter long weekend out in the Clare Valley – one of South Australia’s glorious territories. It’s more than just wine country, it’s one of the most gorgeous areas of SA;…

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Tech startup Musiio is using AI to build you a better playlist

How often do you jump onto Spotify looking for something to listen to and find yourself staring at the screen, unable to make a decision? Like scrolling endlessly through Netflix for something to watch, music streaming platforms are so content rich that users may find themselves paralysed by indecision. They know what they like the…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Ollie English “How Many Times” (2018)

It’s a big day for Adelaide songwriter Ollie English. Set to support Robbie Williams in his hometown this evening after taking out a coveted spot for South Australian artists at the annual Clipsal 500 – via the ‘Bands on Track’ competition – today, English also unveils his newest piece of music, “How Many Times”. English’s voice growls…

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Fresh Friday Five #014: Heart and Feather, Holiday Party, Meggie Brown

This week’s Fresh Friday Five brings you folk meets grunge from Kill the Darling, genre bending ballads from Heart and Feather, dream pop from Brisbane’s Holiday Party, girl power from Central Coast’s Pussy in the Dark and post punk energy from London’s Meggie Brown. Kill the Darling (Melbourne) Blending 70s folk and 90s grunge is…

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Jade Bird stops by AU HQ to perform “Lottery”, solo and acoustic for the AU Sessions

British songwriter Jade Bird has recently wrapped up a successful Australian promo trip, her status as one of the must-watch artists of 2018 filtering out to this area of the globe. While in Sydney, Bird stopped by our office to introduce us further to her mesmerising sounds. Performing “Lottery” – her new single – on our…

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Pretty City, Ruby Boots, Thandi Phoenix & more to perform at Sounds Australia’s massive Australia House at SXSW

As always, team Sounds Australia are bringing some serious A-game to SXSW this year, announcing the debut of the Australia House for 2018. Presented by G’Day USA, the site on Rainey Street (aka Lucille) will be the hub for all things Aussie at SXSW this year, moving from the traditional E 5th district out to the…

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9 Tips to make the most of SXSW 2018

Next Friday, the SXSW (South by Southwest) Film and Interactive conference and festival kicks off in Austin, Texas… then the Music Mayhem starts the following Tuesday! We’re just days away from flying to the great city ourselves for our 9th consecutive year of coverage, so we thought we’d share with your our top nine festival tips in…

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Exclusive Music Video Premiere: Letters to Lions “Skeletons” (2018)

Sydney’s Letters to Lions kick off some brand new tour dates this weekend, bringing their new single “Skeletons” to venues down the east coast; a fine return from the group who spent much of 2017 ensuring their live presence was felt by industry and new fans welcomed to the fold alike. The single itself sees Letters…

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Learning more Rebel Mindtricks from Sydney group Borneo

In sophomore EP release Rebel Mindtricks, Sydney’s proclaimed ‘Discopunk Rainbowrock’ purveyours Borneo released some of their finest and most cleverly arranged tunes yet. Remaining witty and ever tongue in cheek, the band stayed true its genre-bending roots, bringing together funk, disco, punk and pop influences in creating the five tracks the EP so proudly boasts. Ahead of…

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Single of the Day: George FitzGerald ft. Bonobo “Outgrown” (2018)

For some smooth sounds to complement an almost-end-of-the-week vibe that is today, we present George FitzGerald‘s new one, and a collaboration with Bonobo at that. “Outgrown” is as you’d expect: it’s lush, delicate and explores FitzGerald’s already fleshed out electronic soundscape that we’ve really been enjoying over the past year. All of this is, of course, a…

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Exclusive Album Premiere: Heaps Good Friends – Hug Me (2018 EP)

Adelaide trio Heaps Good Friends have continued to prove that they’re more than a flash in the pan pop export, weaving some seriously intelligent and well-crafted production in with the same playful and fun-embracing sense of songwriting that first endeared the band to listeners around the country last year. The result we’re talking about today is in…

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The Road to SXSW 2018: Bad Pony

Sydney’s Bad Pony will soon be heading out to the States to explore Austin, Texas as part of SXSW this year – a trip that will be adding to the band’s already growing list of international accomplishments. Ahead of their trip out, we check in to see what the Bad Pony perspective of the world’s biggest…

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Interview: Electro-punks SSHH talk making new music & the lure of a live show

If you rocked up early to either (or both) Liam Gallagher or Primal Scream’s recent Australian shows, you would have bore witness to the frenetic energy that drives SSHH‘s dynamic live show. The British-Australian duo came to Australia as new faces on the scene, but with the release of the band’s new single “Rising Tide”, we…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Pretty City “Simone” (2018)

Pretty City are another band soon bound for the US, ditching Melbourne for the surrounds of Portland to record before hitting up Texas for SXSW. They’re not ones to leave their Aussie fans hanging though, and we’re happy to be the ones to be delivering the first taste of the band’s forthcoming album – Cancel the Future–…

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Music Video of the Day: RVG “IBM” (2018)

Melbourne’s RVG are gearing up for a huge 2018, with international tour dates right on the horizon; the band is preparing to bring their acclaimed debut album A Quality of Mercy to American and European audiences for the first time. Ahead of RVG’s third, yes third, sold out gig at The Old Bar on home turf, the…

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Gang of Youths, Dermot Kennedy & more confirmed for Secret Sounds’ SXSW bash

The Secret Sounds SXSW big bash parties are highlights of the Texan music festival each year; a great opportunity for people to see some of Australia’s best homegrown talent, while giving the Australian badge holders a little insight into the international buzz acts who may be making their way Down Under sooner rather than later….

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The Road to SXSW 2018: Pretty City

Bringing their sounds back to SXSW for the second time this year, Melbourne’s Pretty City are set to return to Texas with a brand new show, as well as an inkling of what’s to come for the group. As their sophomore album, Cancel the Future, edges closer to release, the band gives us a little insight into how they’re anticipating…

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Interview: Tara Favell talks Tamworth, McFly and her new EP, Wild Heart

Tara Favell released new EP Wild Heart in January, following the success of her last record and feature single “Heart-Break”, which garnered over 15,000 views online and received airplay across country radio. Originally from Canberra, the country music singer songwriter performs every week around the Sydney NSW region Tara now lives.

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Interview: Grouplove talk Album #4 and returning ‘home’ to Australia

While in Australia recently for a run of festival and headline shows, we checked in with longtime friends of the AU, Grouplove. Sitting with Christian Zucconi and Andrew Wessen in Sydney, the lads open up about how their trip back Down Under had treated the group. Coming off the back of their biggest US headline…

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Stella Donnelly levels up; signs international deal with Secretly Canadian

Before she heads over to the US for SXSW, Stella Donnelly has made some more waves at home, announcing her lock down of a lucrative international record deal with US indie group Secretly Canadian. Having impressed at BIGSOUND last year Donnelly now joins a roster that includes Alex Cameron, Jens Lekman, Yoko Ono and Whitney….

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Ed Sheeran fans can go nuts with exclusive merch on offer at Australian Divide pop-up stores

Ed Sheeran has already done well in racking up awards, industry and chart acclaim for his now multi-platinum selling record ÷ (Divide), so it makes sense that he’d be thinking of more ways to connect with fans, bring the album to more people and of course, drum up some more hype around his already well sold Aussie…

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Single of the Day: Sevdaliza “Human Nature” (2018)

If you managed to catch Sevdaliza at Sugar Mountain or at any of her shows on the Aussie east coast back in January, you’ll recall the hypnotic nature of her music and performance style. The Iranian-Dutch artist has continued to push through in bringing her captivating style to music fans with the release of a…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Blush Response “Still Life” (2018)

If you’ve been following Adelaide’s Blush Response over the last year and a bit in particular, chances are you’ve had the same question we’ve had: where’s the album?? Thankfully, the wait is ~somewhat~ over. The band’s long awaited debut effort, Hearts Grow Dull, is due out this April and from it, we’re stoked to hear…

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The Road to SXSW 2018: The Teskey Brothers

For Liam Gough, heading to SXSW isn’t exactly foreign territory but this year, he (and The Teskey Brothers) will be performing at the music festival for the first time. As part of our pre-event series, we checked in with Liam to see how the trip and the band’s ensuing American tour was sitting with the…

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Win a double pass to the Sydney screening of Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami

Directed by Sophie Fiennes, Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami is an intimate portrait of one of the world’s most captivating and intriguing performers. As Australian fans are currently witnessing on her tour around the country, Jones’ shows have never been short of vibrant, striking and memorable. Bloodlight and Bami delves in deeper in presenting an understanding of…

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Interview: Josh Setterfield swaps pop-punk for country, dishes on third EP Til Dawn

Josh Setterfield started his career in Brisbane-based pop-punk band, Call The Shots. When the group disbanded, he decided to go solo and embrace the new-sound of current country music. With his second country EP, From Dusk and its singles ‘Feelin’ Love’ and ‘Hometown’, and currently working on his third Til Dawn, the buzz around his…

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Festival Review: Sydney City Limits debuts with a bang at Centennial Park

It’s always going to be tough for a new festival to break into a seemingly saturated market and also have a line up that would rival just about any other festival across the world. Thankfully, the team behind Sydney City Limits know a thing or two about booking, curating and planning a successful festival in…

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Single of the Day: Nice Biscuit “Captain” (2018)

Brissy artists generally have a penchant for releasing music that just makes ya feel good. Even when it comes to the hardcore/punk rock scene, there’s a certain emotional punch that comes with the music that has had me leaving many a show feeling exhausted, but emotionally satisfied. Which is why I’m here to introduce you…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: The Dunes “(Just Because You’re Not Being Followed Doesn’t Mean You’re Not) Paranoid” (2018)

Primed and ready for this year’s PsychFest, Adelaide six-piece The Dunes have shared with us their new single, “(Just Because You’re Not Being Followed Doesn’t Mean You’re Not) Paranoid”! Set for release this Wednesday, the song is a stark look at the effects of being brainwashed – timely for today, where we’re seeing the effects of mainstream…

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The Road to SXSW: Thandi Phoenix

She’s one of Australian indie pop’s shining lights at the moment and with praise levelled her way by American counterparts in Tinashe and Jhene Aiko (for example), there’s no surprise that Thandi Phoenix would be answering the international call sooner rather than later. The Sydney songwriter and performer is bound for Austin, Texas this month,…

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