Music

Interview: UK songwriter Lucy Rose on touring with Ben Folds, Something’s Changing & more

While out in Australia with Ben Folds, British artist Lucy Rose came by our offices in Sydney for a bit of a chat and acoustic performance – check that one out over here. During our chat, we find out more about why it’s taken so long for Lucy to make her way out to Australia…

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Playlist: Sydney’s Thunder Fox share the inspirations for new tune, “Two For One”

Upon your first listen of Thunder Fox‘s latest single, “Two For One”, you’re hit with a one-two punch. Between the funk soaked bass line and those vocals courtesy of Sam Dawes, “Two For One” is delivered with a vintage flair while remaining very much in 2018. The band is heading out on the road with “Two…

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Single of the Day: Tove Styrke “Changed My Mind” (2018)

Sweden’s Tove Styrke is an artist we first came across back at SXSW in 2015. First memory of her is her ballsy rendition of should-be club anthem, “Even if I’m Loud it Doesn’t Mean I’m Talking to You”. Second memory of Styrke is the presence she brought to the tiny stage – a striking performer…

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Leon Bridges plots Australian return with March dates

Today added to the 2018 Bluesfest line up, one of our favourite artists – Leon Bridges – has also announced two select sideshows for this next trip to Australia. We first met Bridges out at the Falls Festival back in 2016, before the Texan Grammy nominee returned for Splendour in the Grass that year, bringing his acclaimed…

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Album Review: Above and Beyond – Common Ground (2018 LP)

If you’re looking for the perfect cruisy soundtrack for your summer beach party the latest release from Above and Beyond could be just for you. The English based EDM group is already making waves on the charts within days of their latest release, Common Ground. The list of nominations and awards that they have amassed…

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Music Video of the Day: Miles Francis “Deserve Your Love” (2018)

New York’s Miles Francis brings us some great new visuals for his tune “Deserve Your Love” – a great entry point of a song for newcomers like us, to his music. Taken from Francis’ debut EP Swimmers, “Deserve Your Love” is a cut of left field pop that highlights Francis’ excellent vocals and approach to the genre. The…

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Lil’ Wayne, Wale, Tyga and more confirmed for new Australian festival

Renowned rapper artist Lil’ Wayne will be headlining a new hip-hop festival across Sydney and Melbourne this March as Jumanji Festival makes stops in Sydney and Melbourne. The inaugural event will be one of the only hip-hop focused festivals of its kind in Australia, and it’s looking like the line-up will keep growing right up…

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Amy Shark to join Jaden Smith, Tinashe and more as Pandora announce their SXSW lineup

From Amy Shark to Jaden Smith, the seventh annual showcase lineup for Pandora at SXSW is looking like a mighty good time, with diversity spanning numerous styles and sounds including indie, pop, Latin, R&B, hip hop, Americana and country. Announced today, Pandora will once again take over The Gatsby in Austin, Texas for three days…

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Music Video of the Day: Middle Kids “Mistake” (2018)

Sydney’s modern rock heroes Middle Kids have released the first cut from their upcoming album with “Mistake”. Like previous successes “Never Start” and “Edge of Town”, the new track showcases the powerful vocals of front woman Hannah Joy with a crazy catchy chorus. It’s a tantalising tease of their upcoming album Lost Friends out May fourth. The…

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Interview: Protomartyr’s Joe Casey on the band’s highly anticipated Australian tour

Joe Casey, frontman of Detroit post-punks Protomartyr, is surprised the band has never ventured Down Under. “It seems like we should’ve gone over earlier,” he says. “Bands from Detroit have toured Australia, so we thought if they can do it, we can do it.” The band has worked hard over the last five years, touring…

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Interview: Shane Parsons delves into Bloody Lovely, DZ Deathrays’ monstrous return of an album

Brisbane rockers DZ Deathrays’ new album opens with a throat-shredding shriek  of singer and guitarist Shane Parsons. His voice becomes overwhelmed by an earth-shaking riff and drummer Simon Ridley’s explosive beats on “Shred For Summer” to the point I couldn’t quite hear the chorus’ final line. Was it “Bleed a riff from my blood” or…

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Live Review: The Preatures & Ali Barter charm at Melbourne Zoo for Twilights season 2018

Melbourne Zoo Twilights has already kicked the 2018 series into high gear, recently hosting The Cat Empire, Sunnyboys and Painters And Dockers. On Friday, the offerings continued with Ali Barter and The Preatures joining the stage to help punters start their weekend the way all weekends should be started- dancing in a park, with a…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: The Montreals “Sardines” (2018)

Adelaide indie group The Montreals have returned with a bombastic new tune in “Sardines”. Following on from the success of their debut EP, The Montreals have continued finessing their style, carving their own spot out within the local Adelaide scene, and aiming higher with this new little banger. The harmonies instantly bring up memories of early-Wombats mania,…

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Live Review: The Internet serve up a sonic smorgasbord at The Enmore

If there was anything to take away from The Internet’s Friday night show, it was that Sydney loves The Internet and it’s reciprocal; and it isn’t just because Syd’s name is in the city’s name. The reception was nothing short of euphoric when Syd took the stage to join her bandmates. Every hand across the…

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Live Review: 50 Cent rocks Sydney with a few specials guests, A.B Original and Baker Boy

With the recent 15th Anniversary of Get Rich or Die Tryin, it was perfect timing for once-dominant rapper 50 Cent to hit Australia with a brief but welcome tour. Yes, musically 50 is nowhere near as relevant as he used to be, but even non-fans would agree that Curtis Jackson is one of the most indelible…

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Album Review: Django Django – Marble Skies (2018 LP)

Django Django’s third full album since their sophomore Born Under Saturn – released back in 2015 – stirs mixed emotions for many fans and fist time listeners alike. Notably for this one, it feels like the influences behind the music aren’t as clear as songs gone past. The majority of the LP edges somewhere towards a…

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Fresh Friday Five #012: Neko Pink, Yasmin Hosseini, The Belafontes

Another week, another Friday Fresh Five this week featuring dream pop from Canberra’s Neko Pink and Bristol’s Swimming Girls, neo-soul from Melbourne’s Approachable Members of Your Local Community and some rock to round it out from Melbourne’s The Belafontes. Neko Pink (Canberra) Australian dream pop doesn’t get much better than this. Canberra’s Neko Pink bring…

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Album Review: Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers (2018 LP)

As good as change may be, continuity and familiarity is just as great. And in some cases, it’s probably better. Here on the new Brian Fallon album, Sleepwalkers, the American artist has embraced some changes from his The Gaslight Anthem days, whilst maintaining much of what has allowed him to develop such a loyal and…

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Win a double pass to Joe Mungovan’s upcoming EP tour!

Kiama local Joe Mungovan’s has recently released his new EP Another Night, A Distance From Here across all platforms. The EP is a 7 track collection of scattered memories from the late hours of the night and early hours of the morning. The songs act as a soundtrack to his recent national tour, with each…

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Music Video of the Day: The Presets “14U + 14ME” (2018)

Aussie rave kings The Presets have followed their massive comeback single “Do What You Want” with new track “14U + 14ME”, a pumping dance tune with The Presets’ signature craziness. The track opens with a slow build of manipulated vocals and rising synths, but doesn’t take long to get to the good stuff: it’s The…

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Live Review: The War on Drugs guide The Enmore through the beauty and the pain in Sydney

On “The Strangest Thing” The War on Drugs‘ Adam Granduciel sings, “Am I just living between/ The beauty and the pain” – it’s a strong statement of the War on Drugs and their chief songwriter’s appeal. The six-member band has an innate ability to convey emotion and atmosphere. Lonesome guitars swirl around a steady beat conveying…

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Exclusive Music Video Premiere: Baby Blue “Fire and Ice” (2018)

Melbourne’s Baby Blue have been gathering a considerable amount of acclaim over the last 12 months, cutting their teeth on the local circuit alongside the likes of Chastity Belt, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Jordie Lane, while presenting music that has been charming garage-rock fans and newcomers to the sound alike. As good music should, the…

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Win yourself a pass to this year’s Mountain Sounds Festival!

Come February 16th & 17th, the Mountain Sounds Festival is bringing the likes of Peking Duk, Gang of Youths, Amy Shark, The Creases and Hot Dub Time Machine out to the Mount Penang Parklands for a fifth instalment, not to be missed. We want you to be down there amongst the goodness this year, so we’re giving away a double pass…

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Interview: Murph tells all about The Wombats’ upcoming Australian return & bringing an actual lemon to a knife fight

It’s been a wild ride for UK indie-rock band The Wombats, appearing over all parts of the globe and our very own airwaves for quite some time now – about 15 years, to be precise. Luckily enough, the AU review was here to hear all about the band’s plans for the future, a 2018 Australian…

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Single of the Day: Fight the Sun “Animals” (2018)

Melbourne rock trio Fight the Sun are soon to be on the road with their debut EP, bringing together a love of furious riffs and deftly executed rock distortion – clearly evidenced on their hectic single, “Animals”. It’s a bit Foo Fighters, a bit Biffy Clyro – the type of rock music that is synonymous with…

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Exclusive Album Premiere: Feelds – Hunch (2018 EP)

Ahead of its official release tomorrow, Melbourne musician Feelds has given us an exclusive insight into the making of his new EP, Hunch. Though it is a debut offering from Feelds (aka James Seymour), the musician has spent a solid amount of time building up to this point and introducing his sound to crowds in Australia and abroad….

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Clint Wilson delivers five Aussie artists who’ve influenced his own musical songbook

For folk artist Clint Wilson, “Nothin’ To Lose” is more than just a new single ready to promote. It’s a statement of the songwriter he’s been developing into over the last few years and a piece of music that is the culmination of reflection, reinvigoration and an approach to Americana that has been highlighting the talent…

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Live Review: Anderson .Paak celebrates birthday early with The Free Nationals and a sold out Melbourne crowd

Anderson .Paak and The Free Nationals would have been one of the only drawcards of this year’s Laneway Festival for me, with Malibu easily coming in as one of my favourite records of 2016. Thankfully, I was one of the few (well, one of almost 2000) who managed to secure a spot inside Melbourne’s 170 Russell…

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Watch: Lucy Rose performs “Floral Dresses” solo, live and acoustic for the AU sessions

While in Sydney on tour with Ben Folds, UK singer songwriter Lucy Rose stopped by AU HQ to take part in our acoustic sessions series. Performing her enchanting track “Floral Dresses” on our couch, a track you can find on her Something’s Changing record – out now! Catch Lucy on tour at the following dates with Ben Folds and…

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Live Review: SWV bring 90’s R&B nostalgia to Australia for 25th Anniversary

A few years ago, no R&B fan would have expected a comeback so strong from SWV, but thanks to a hugely popular reality TV series and two strong albums – I Missed Us and Still – one of the best selling groups of the 90’s was welcomed back into the modern era with open arms….

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