Music

Yesterday, the final nail in the Soundwave coffin was well and truly hammered in, with AJ Maddah (in usual style) taking to Twitter to announced that the festival would not be going ahead in 2016 due to poor ticket sales. Following on from the previous announcement that the festival would cease to exist nationally in…

With the Falls Festival and Southbound tours kicking off just after Christmas, we’re faced with the exciting opportunity in welcoming some of our favourite bands and artists back to Australia. Some of them have only just been out this way on other festivals or headline tours of their own, some are making their debut and…

Adelaide duo Problems have released maybe one of my favourite tracks this year in “Pretending”. Having been working consistently through 2015 on new music, developing on the live front and generally establishing a presence for themselves not only in Adelaide but with a wider audience beyond, Justin Walkden and Shane Lock have demonstrated with this…

As Alicia Keys first belted out, This girl is on fire, and this could easily apply to Brisbane native, ROMY. Armed with a smoky R&B aesthetic ready to burn up, the LA-based songstress has dropped the video for her debut single “Wild Heart” and we are all about the direction she is headed in. Directing…

Now this was a bit confusing; David Bowie has released a new song of his forthcoming ★ (pronounced “Blackstar”) album, and it’s the title track from his off-Broadway production “Lazarus”. It was performed live on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but it wasn’t Bowie who was behind the microphone – of course – it…

We continue our countdown of best albums of the year, as voted by the AU review’s contributors… If you want to look back at the first ten on the list, head HERE. 30. Justin Bieber – Purpose “This was a surprising one for me. There seems to still be a stigma around vibing on this…

Earlier today we finished up the countdown of our 40 favourite songs of 2015, and now we commence our top 40 albums of 2015, showcasing an eclectic mix of music from all over the world – including plenty here at home… Here we go with 40 to 31: 40. Miguel – Wildheart “This album is pure…

Lisa Crawley has been an artist we’ve loved getting to know more about this year. Releasing her new EP, Up in the Air, at the tailend of November, Crawley showcased a refined sense of songwriting, blending some great melodic pop sounds that evoke a classic retro vibe without planting herself solely in one era of…

Future Classic and the Museum of Contemporary Art have revealed the artists taking part in next year’s FCxMCA series in Sydney and again, these summer nights are going to be musts in your calendar. A fusion of contemporary art and music showcased in the surrounds of the MCA’s Sculpture Terrace, FCxMCA already has enjoyed a…

One cannot overstate the importance and influence that has been surrounding Big Daddy Kane ever since he stamped hip-hop with one of it’s most endearing styles back in the 80’s. The likes of Jay Z, Common and Black Thought regularly note the impact Kane has had on their understanding of the technical side of emceeing,…

Any chance to feature Lisa Mitchell, we’re gonna take it. The songstress recently linked up with Georgia Fair and Anita Lester (Lester the Fierce) for this cute track, “The Coldest Night of the Year”. The single is part of the It’s Coming on Christmas compilation that also features tracks by the likes of Marika Hackman…

Ahead of their long-awaited new shows, Dave Larkin of Melbourne’s Dallas Crane fills us in on how the group has been operating since they made the decision to get back in the studio with each other to record their new album Scoundrels. The band will be on the road from Boxing Day through into February,…

Don’t let their name fool you, Sunflower Bean aren’t purveyors of lilting sun-kissed pop music. The New Yorkers have a debut album in Human Ceremony coming out early next year and today, we’re stoked to be sharing their new music video for “Wall Watcher” with you. The single is a fuzzed out, catchy piece of…

While at Australian Music Week in Cronulla last month, I sat down with Alistar Richardson from The Cairos to talk about the band’s year: departing from their label, releasing new music and balancing the band with his solo work as Zefereli. Welcome to Australian Music Week, the first of its kind. You’re probably not used to having…

We continue our countdown of 40 favourite tracks of 2015 with a fantastic run of local talent to kick us off. If you want to look back at the first 10 tracks, click HERE. Watch and listen to the run of 10 songs first and then read through our thoughts on the tracks after… 30….

We move swiftly now onto our next 10 tracks, as we look back at the best music of 2015. If you’d like to look back at part two, head HERE and part one of the countdown is HERE. Listen up and enjoy: 20. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Ur Love One Night “The song is just…

Here we go. Our top 10 songs of 2015. What do you think of our list? Sound off on our Facebook page or Tweet us what we missed! 10. Dick Diver – Waste the Alphabet “This is Australian music at its best” – Larry Heath 9. Foals – Birch Tree “My favorite cut off their…

Legendary Irish singer/songwriter Luka Bloom has just announced he is returning to Australian shores in early 2016.Showcasing his brand new album, Frugalisto, Bloom returns for his 12th Australian tour since 1992. Of the upcoming trip, Bloom is incredibly keen, noting the connection he’s maintained with our country and how it’s been felt on the record….

British folk-punk band Levellers are coming to Australia to perform their classic, platinum-selling 1991 album, Levelling The Land, in its entirety, along with an extensive list of their impressive back catalogue. From playing pub gigs in Brighton to becoming the headline act at Glastonbury, Levellers were propelled into the musical consciousness of the UK through this…

Bluesfest have continued to prove that they’re the festival that keeps on giving, today announcing their latest artist additions! 2016 is already going to be seeing the festival branch out and explore more genres outside the traditional blues and roots genre and this latest round of names is only a further testament to the fact…

Missing out on the Falls Festival this year? Don’t fret, the ABC has you covered. This New Year’s Eve you’ll be able to tune in to a special live broadcast of the festivals in both Lorne and Byron Bay from the comfort of home! Just think, with a simple channel flick, you’ll be able to…

Hailing from Portland, the gorgeous Charlie Hilton has recently shared a new cut from her forthcoming solo album, Palana. “100 Million” is a dreamy offer of a single, demonstrating a veer towards playing around with different sounds and textures – it’s light, acoustic and endearing. For “100 Million”, Hilton (who you may know for her…

In This Issue: The year is just about over, Summer is well and truly in and there’s probably a dozen festival timetables strewn across your room so why not add these new releases to your holiday playlist! Another short and sweet december issue sees some EPs and LPs from rock to accoustic. Savages Savages second…

Seven and a half years is a long time to do anything. OK, I’m rounding up slightly – but 7 1/3 years doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. That’s longer than you’re at High School for. Longer than a University Degree (unless you realllly drag that sucker out). And that’s as long as I’ve…

Dragon are rock royalty in this country, and I recently got to chat to Todd Hunter from the group about their upcoming Countdown Years tour around the country. We talk about the shows, their memories of Molly and Countdown, longevity in the industry and more… This tour is all about the Countdown Years, which is…

Australia’s sweetheart Troye Sivan has finally unleashed his talents into the stratosphere with his debut record Blue Neighbourhood. Primarily known for his YouTube channel, Sivan is not just another vlogger who earns an income from doing the Chubby Bunny challenge – he has expressed his personal journey into adulthood in a collection of songs that prove the…

This is actually not a drill. Nor is it some internet hoax. The Wu-Tang Clan are coming to Australia. They’re coming to tour soon. Of course, theirs is a hip-hop career that has been littered with equal parts success and controversies that has elevated the collective to a slight mythological status with some fans. Since…

R.W Grace has continued to be one of Australia’s most interesting performers and in 2015, her profile has only continued to reach more people. I first saw her perform a few years ago supporting Matt Corby, back then she was performing as Grace Woodroofe. Immediately struck by her stage presence, a deep and intense vocal…

Angsty pop-punk isn’t a new thing. It isn’t a bad thing. It will always have a place within the lives of adolescents trying to find something to connect with. And frankly, I’m not ashamed to admit that some of my favourite times listening to music now is when I revisit the music I listened to…

Sydney hospitality juggernaut Merivale have teamed up with Corona Extra to bring in the new year with a packed program of live music featuring some of Australians best established and rising talent across three of the group’s waterside venues. A total of 39 Aussie (and some international guests) artists will be taking part in this…