Music

Max Leone has been making waves since his bold decision to drop out of Berklee College of Music and pursue his artistry in Los Angeles. The Portland-native draws from a vast pool of influences: from Jack Johnson inspiring his love of guitar, Tom Misch’s experimentation, Frank Ocean who he drew his pseudonym from, to his…

West-Australian trio, Pretty Uglys, have just released their sophomore EP, Party Friends. It’s a five-track collection of surf and punk-rock tunes, which have been a staple of their live set for some time now. The band were pretty pumped to get it out into the ether, saying “Feels epic to get this release into the world…

Kevin Mitchell, aka Bob Evans, has marked his genuine graduation from Suburban Kid to ‘middle age’ with his sixth studio album Tomorrowland, evolving musically with a level of grit combined with his treasured pop hooks. When I spoke to Mitchell ahead of the album launch, he said: “I’m in a period of my life/career where…

“We Got Gods to Blame” is the latest single from electro-folk singer-songwriter Hayden Calnin. Infused with hymn-like harmonies that will leave you feeling positively devout, it’s a gorgeous track from the Aussie artist, and a shoo-in for this week’s Track of the Week. When he’s not crafting his own tracks, and sharing the stage with…

Skybelly is the musical project for Melbourne-based singer/songwriter and producer Sara Nelson. We are thrilled to have the premiere today of her latest offering, “State of Disaster”, before its release on Friday. “State of Disaster” was inspired by the “what if we kissed?” meme during last years ‘state of disaster’ resulting in Victoria’s lockdown. The meme…

We’re big fans of EJ Worland here at the AU. His debut EP No One Left To Blame, which dropped earlier this month, was our Album of the Week. His single “Over The Pond” came in at 27 on our 40 Best Australian Tracks of 2020 too.  His is a sound firmly rooted in the…

Yours and Owls, the first major music festival held in NSW since the start of the global pandemic, went ahead in Dalton Park, Wollongong, this April 17 and 18, 2021. How was it? Well, let’s get into that. THE SETUP How do you run a festival when there’s a major pandemic going on? By developing…

New York outfit HOKO have just released their first fully realised collection of material, HEATHEN. As they look to their home city re-opening following the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the trio share their favourite spots for eats, beats and treats in New York City that will serve as a guide for locals and visitors…

Waywards in Sydney’s Newtown was treated to a night of the best up-and-coming bands, helmed by The Million for their single launch of “Last Call”. The crowd packed in for one of the first standing gigs back, with The Million frontman Jacob Thomas warning me that their crowd do mosh, despite their music being on the…

Bob Evans, aka Kevin Mitchell, releases his sixth studio album, Tomorrowland, today but it’s also his first since parting with EMI Music. Mitchell calls it his “entry into middle age”, with shades of Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and The Cure. Tomorrowland is a vision long held by Mitchell and with the “silver lining” that COVID-19…

Sydney indie-pop artist Taylor B-W has just released the video for her latest single, “Nunchucks”. She is an artist with a bullet against her trajectory. In “Nunchucks”, she is rocking a 90’s RnB vibe with soaring vocals. It’s a seriously infectious tune; fun, upbeat and packed with a killer groove. Talking about the song, Taylor…

I vividly remember the first time I saw London Grammar live. It was at Falls Festival Byron Bay in 2013/14 just as the band had exploded on the back of “Strong” and debut album If You Wait. With the sun having just set and vision from the stage obviously limited, frontwoman Hannah Reid politely asked…

Hailing from Sydney, but now a resident of London, Ed Wells has teamed up with fellow Londoner Manüka on their electro-pop single, “Tougher”. This is a track about the resilience we all have when faced with formidable challenges. We are thrilled to have the premiere of this tune before its official release on Friday. Last…

Our track of the week is “Chasing Heaven” and comes from Sydney-siders Highline. We might be heading into winter, but this bouncy song will take you back to the heights of summer. “Chasing Heaven” will be on their upcoming EP, Off Track, which is due to be released on 13th May this year. “Chasing Heaven”…

Roz Pappalardo is one of those talented artists who creates in many spheres in the arts. She is a singer and songwriter, an actor, as well as a play-write. Today we are thrilled to be premiering a song that Roz has written and sings, “Won’t Be Quiet”. This is the title track of her next…

Sydney artist Phondupe, the moniker for Rich Lucano, has just released his debut album, Onykia. It’s an album we’ve been eagerly looking forward to, having showcased Phondupe in our 20 artists to watch in 2020 list. Phondupe is a multi-dimensional artist with skills across the spectrum. Producing lush intricate soundscapes, and possessing a voice that…

I told myself that I wouldn’t entertain pandemic adjacent albums. But, Rhiannon Giddens’ latest, recorded with Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi, has proven to be an exception. It helps that it’s not an album of songs about sourdough and lockdowns. It also helps that it’s superb.  They’re Calling Me Home is a timely album, with pertinent…

Pinkish Blu are an iridescent Adelaidean pop band that will have lyric-lovers falling head over heels for their romanticised intricacy.  Their debut EP, There’s no such thing as good people, had consistent airplay on triple j and earned them support spots with the likes of G Flip, The Reubens, Trophy Eyes and more. In fact,…

Queensland’s oldest standing theatre, The Princess, is set for a new lease of life as the team behind Fortitude Valley’s The Tivoli announce the purchase of the Woolloongabba venue. The Tivoli’s owners, brothers Steve and Dave Sleswick, alongside prominent Brisbane businessman Steve Wilson, recently revealed their plans for revitalising the 133 year old Princess, aiming…

Perth’s NEW TALK have today released their sophomore album, Time & Memory. You might have known them under their previous name, Rag n’ Bone, where they released A Handful of Ash. We are stoked today to be able to have a track-by-track breakdown of this album which has been keenly anticipated. Time & Memory explores…

We are thrilled today to have the premiere of “Pretend”, from Sydney’s Hein Cooper. You might remember Hein from all the way back to 2016 when his single “Rusty” notched up more than 15 million Spotify streams. After the massive success of his breakout singles, Hein toured the global promoting his debut album, The Art…

The experience of a music festival is unlike anything else in the world today. The collective experience of being able to gather with thousands who all share something in common: The love of music. During a music festival throngs of people camp, stand, and sing together for several days on end. Sadly, Covid-19 took all…

The Monday night concluding a four-day weekend is a ghastly time to play and Illy knew it at this week’s Factory Summer Festival show at Perth’s Metro City. The gig had been rescheduled numerous times due to the changing goalposts around COVID-19 restrictions meaning Illy and his faithful fans settled for what they could get….

Ever heard an artist you instantly connected with? Like, from the first time you heard their music you just knew they were red hot? Having grown up in a household where I was force fed your 60s, 70s and 80s classics, I’ve developed a strong appreciation for acts who sound like they don’t belong in…

2021 is the year of JESSIA. The TikTok phenomenon uploaded a semblance of a song hook on January 1st, only to have the Internet demand to hear more. Now her hit single “I’m Not Pretty”, birthed through the platform and its power for collaboration, sits at over 46 million Spotify streams, 10.9 million TikTok views…

Brisbane-based singer/songwriter Paulina is about to drop her latest single, “Lonely Drives” and we are thrilled to have its premiere today at the AU. Paulina may only be sixteen years old, but the emotional intelligence in her songwriting is outstanding, and her voice is hauntingly beautiful. The opening verse, which begins with “I’m faking my…

“Devil’s Sound” is the latest synth-led slice of dark pop from Brooklyn’s HEN. HEN, who’s real name is Henry Kaye, is a rising Queer star, producer and singer-songwriter.  Last year saw him release his debut EP Velvet Rage and the stand alone single “Roll Back”; and now he’s teamed up with experienced producer Yoad Nevo…

The past year has been hard on the world and especially tough to live music fans. But as vaccines start to roll out and Covid-19 numbers go down the hope for a return to normal gets stronger. As Bonnaroo unveiled its 2021 lineup, it started to feel like the world might be slowly looking familiar…

Summer may be long gone but Perth’s Factory Summer Festival has been rolling the past few weeks, delayed due to the WA government’s restrictions, with The Presets the latest to grace the stage at Metro City. Factory has traditionally attracted a younger crowd with its inviting outdoor set-up and trendy image, so this year’s forced…

Western Sydney-born, London-residing Mali-Koa is best known as the older sister of Calum Hood – the bassist of global sensations 5 Seconds of Summer. However, she’s been cutting through the industry and making a name for herself outside of her family ties. In 2020, she released her debut album Hunger, featuring collaborators such as Grammy-Award…