Music

Drown This City are continuing to generate that hype machine surrounding their July tour with the release of a new music video, this time for “Bend/Break”. Created by the talented team at Sink or Swim Productions, the music video positions the band right in the surrounds of Melbourne, following vocalist Alex Reade through the city back to a…

Lincoln le Fevre & the Insiders have captured our attention with their new single, “Undone”. The new release from the group, which comes ahead of some much anticipated tour dates, is evocative and gritty; the vocals are undeniable charming and smooth to listen to, while the music positions itself as one of the group’s most well-rounded and strongest sounding…

Even though they’re hidden away in Perth, Sail On! Sail On! have been making waves as one of Australia’s best up and coming heavy acts. Leering between influences, anything and everything from Title Fight to At The Drive In, they deliver driving and emotive post-hardcore. Their latest music video, although lacking the calibre of cinematography we’ve seen in their…

How do you begin to describe the sound of Melbourne’s Have/Hold? They’re transient, seemingly in this state of emotion-driven flux, that oscillates between post rock and nearly melodic hardcore moments, between stadium rock and indie pop. The four-piece have teased with tastes of their upcoming sophomore record (a follow up from 2015’s King Salt) with single “Stoic”….

I’m calling it here. Laura Marling will go down as one of the greats. For someone to be so prolific, accomplished, lauded and respected by fans and critics alike at the age she is, it’s a testament to how great she is in a live setting. Playing a headlining show as part of Vivid Live,…

Bonnaroo hit its full swing this past weekend with massive headliners that brought in tens of thousands. Saturday had three of the biggest names from three drastically different genres. Chance the Rapper kicked off Saturday night with as much energy and enthusiasm as anyone on the lineup. Ripping through his early work and touching on…

On Sunday of the Queen’s birthday long weekend, Vivid Sydney took their creative lighting installations to a new level combining with them with some top dance music artists for an ultimate audio visual experience at Curve Ball. After the success of its debut in 2016, the guys from Fuzzy who take care of Field Day, Harbourlife…

The ever-talented Angie McMahon has taken out the 2017 Josh Pyke Partnership and we couldn’t think of a more worthy artist to fit the prize. She’s been pounding the pavement on the Melbourne music scene for a little while now; a charming and entertaining performer, the potential McMahon has displayed in recent months has been impressive to…

Eilish Gilligan has released a damn fine tune in the form of “The Feeling”, one that has us all churned up with ’em this week. It’s a great step forward for the Melbourne songwriter, who has been captivating music fans over the last year. “The Feeling” is sleek and highlights the intriguing vibe that has permeated…

Double J has been celebrating everything 90’s through June and what better way to bring it all home than with a kicker live music event at one of Sydney’s favourite and beloved haunts? Come June 24th, the iconic Lansdowne Hotel will be opening its doors and hosting the likes of You Am I, Killing Heidi, Kevin Mitchell (Jebediah) and Gerling…

Music doesn’t always have to give us the hard hitting truths we’ve come to expect when we first put our headphones on for the day. Sometimes you’re just looking for something jangly to start your day off with a spoon full of delight, or in this case, “Coconut Rum and Banana”. The title alone should…

Rihanna is one of modern pop music’s most bankable artists. Since her “Pon De Replay” days, the Bajan vocalist has been an in-demand name both as a solo artist and as a hot guest artist on many a pop and hip hop chart buster. The years have seen Rihanna collaborate with the likes of Maroon…

San Cisco have captured Australian audiences with their quirky, bright hooks and unique bouncy sound. Their carefree energy and irresistible charm make them one hell of a fun band to see live, and their set on Saturday night at The Village Green Hotel in Mulgrave was no exception. The night began with Perth based artist…

Heading to left of field from their normal run of events and aiming for more heated, tropical vibe, Sydney’s Palace Hotel  is launching a live music night dedicated to dancehall, reggae and Soca with Rastaman Fridays. At the helm of the weekly event is Errol Renaud, who has been in the game for over two decades now,…

For some well crafted dream pop sounds out of Brisbane, look no further than the talents of Low Dive. The duo have been together only eight months but they haven’t wasted any time at all in bringing different sonic influences and personal tastes together in presenting us with a kicking debut single in “Common People”. Taking…

Phase Two of The Weeknd‘s ‘Starboy World Tour’ has been revealed on social media today and guess what? Australian and New Zealander fans are finally set to get a dose of Abel Tesfaye, with a national run of tour dates set for December. Venues have yet to be revealed but going off this new tour poster that…

Aldous Harding has backed up awe-smacking live shows and that hypnotic performance on Later…with Jools Holland with a new music video, this time for “Blend”. Once again compelling and captivating, “Blend” has been a stand out tune off Harding’s sophomore album Party and the visuals have been equally as striking. Working again with Director Charlotte Evans, Harding dances for the camera…

Canberra duo Dopus & Roshambo have dropped their first single of 2017, “Paradise”, featuring the smooth vocals of Breana Marin, and we’re stoked to be able to give you the online premiere of the track. The pair have taken Aussie hip-hop and reinvented it, viewing it through a mature and modern lens. The end result is an…

With the close of another week comes our round-up of all the best picks from The AU Review’s writers and editors that you might’ve missed, compiled into one Spotify playlist. We’ve included the wavy, dream-pop newie from Ariel Pink, a hot-fire collab between RL Grime and Miguel, plus an abrasive (and exciting) new addition from Sløtface. It’s definitely a…

‘Dramatic pop’ is a label not often bandied about too lightly, but after taking a spin with Jessica O’Donoghue‘s material to be featured on her debut EP, Emerge? The shoe fits. Her latest single comes in the form of “Run Away” – strong in vocal and melodic quality, vulnerable and delicate in delivery. It’s another strong offering…

For just the second time in their iconic career, U2 played a music festival last night (and their first in the US) and what resulted was a night the crowd of seventy thousand plus will never forget. The 16th edition of Bonnaroo swung into full gear on Friday with U2 as the main attraction. The…

The Necks Have this sense of touch and repetitive nurturing that makes them a special trio of musicians. Standing still for a moment, silent, the band collect themselves like they normally do. It’s then a case of ‘go with the flow, man’ when the twinkle of the pianos start sparkling away. This is what this…

There’s always something impressive about melancholic music. While it’s definitely not the most upbeat and joyous moods and genres to be in, the modesty, honesty and heart-wrenching nature of the music is what makes it so relatable to so many people; irrespective of their demographic. And here on the debut EP of nyck you’re more…

“All I wanna do is talk to you for hours,” Yeo croons. It’s a sentiment we’ve all felt. In an age where social media reigns supreme, chances are you’ve spent at least one night glued to your phone scrolling back through the Instagram or Facebook of an ex/crush just to see if they’ve made any new…

Saskwatch dive in with the intimate music video for new single, “Then There’s You”, released this week. It’s another insight into the Melbourne band’s upcoming fourth album, Manual Override, and is showing us all the depth in writing and evocative lyrics we’ve known from the group in the past, with a refreshed energy driving the music and…

This morning, Harry Styles unveiled world tour dates for 2018, no doubt meaning that many a-credit card are going to be slammed once those tickets come on sale. Australian fans woke up to the good news that yes, Styles will be returning Down Under (block April out) but what has also caught attention is the eclectic…

Norway’s feminist fury Sløtface are back with single “Nancy Drew”, ahead of the release of their debut album Try Not To Freak Out. The accompanying visuals are somewhere between lyric video and film clip, the animation by Norwegian illustrator jellyvamps exploring “all of the tinder cliches you come across online… and illustrating them all in cool clever ways.” The…

What can I say about Ceres that hasn’t already been said – often by me? Ceres is my favourite Australian band, hands down. Their first album, I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here, is one of my favourite albums of all time. Their second album, Drag It Down On You, is a melodious, cathartic,…

Angst manifests in many different forms, and deny it all you want, it’s a necessary outlet for the frustrations of the mundane. It’s just a part of life and thankfully, we have music to get us through. More specifically however, we have Girlpool. Self titled as an anti-debut, the Californian duo recently dropped their latest record…

Adelaide soul-folk duo, Sitara, have brought us a special insight into their new album Alchemy, with the release of this full visual album piece. It is the first time sisters Erin and Tess Fowler have embarked on a creative project like this, teaming up with Director Morgan Wright and Cinematographer Ella Kroning of Repeater Productions in bringing their vision to life. Collaborating with Nick Graalman on…