Playlists

The 40 Best Australian Tracks of 2020

As voted by our contributors for the 12th consecutive year, we’re thrilled to end 2020 with a list of our favourite Australian songs of the year. Unlike the albums list you saw last week, today we’re keeping things simple: inviting you to listen to a playlist of the 40 tracks our writers chose. We hope…

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Vinny Fire

Guest Playlist: Melbourne trio Vinny bring you the essential 80’s beats you need in your life

Melbourne trio Vinny capped off November with the release of “Fire”, their second release of the year.  Armed with infectious base lines and oozing swagger, “Fire” is as good an introduction as any to the Melbourne band. Think neon lit dance floors, a touch of hedonism and a smidge of seedy dance floor vibes and…

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Dust Of Us

Guest Playlist: Dust Of Us share 20 Songs to get through 2020

Sydney duo Dust Of Us have just released their latest single, “Punching Bag”, an exotic blend of layered electronica and moody ethereal vocals. Brothers Ed and Lloyd Prescott roped in guest vocalist Jess Chalker and her contribution is stunning. It’s a beautiful dark, smoky, track. The production is imaginative and leaves you wanting more. Ed Prescott…

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Lach Marshall

Guest Playlist: Aussie singer-songwriter Lach Marshall shares his top tongue-in-cheek tunes

Stripped-back and altogether mellow singer-songwriter Lach Marshall is out with a new single “Tired Old Gag”. Since the release of his debut song “December”, Lach has been pinpointed as an artist to watch, most recently collaborating with Alex Fasso on their joint track “Borrowed Nostalgia”. On “Tired Old Gag”, the singer-songwriter delves into indie heartland….

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Peking Duk

Guest Playlist: Reuben from Peking Duk’s choice of the most iconic collaborations of all time

Australia’s resident dance floor party specialist Peking Duk have teamed up with festival favourites The Wombats on collaborative electro-rock anthem “Nothing To Love About Love”.  The single is the second official release from Peking Duk this year, and follows on from the release of “Move” earlier in the year, which featured Alisa Xalayith of The…

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PLANET

Guest Playlist: Sydney’s PLANET reveal their pre-show hype tracks

2020 has dealt Sydney up-and-comers PLANET something of a rough hand. Thanks to COVID-19 their tours of Australia and the UK in support of their new EP Maybe Someday were cancelled.  And although they managed to sell out some intimate shows at Mary’s Underground in August, the Sydney quartet are determined to finish the year…

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MOBS

Guest Playlist: Melbourne’s MOBS unveil their top ten favourite remixes

This week sees rising Australian quartet MOBS release a reworking of their single “Big World” with DJ, producer and singer-songwriter Goldhouse.  The quartet enlisted the expertise of the esteemed producer during COVID lockdown earlier in the year. “We were in lockdown with COVID and decided to bring a different energy to a collective favourite song…

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Dust

Guest Playlist: Perth’s Dulcie share the tracks that inspired their latest single “Dust”

Late last month Perth indie girl band Dulcie released their latest single “Dust”. We enjoyed the song – a three minute burst of sunshine and positivity to help get you up and going – so much we made it our Track of the Day.  The song which is full of charm, personality and displays a…

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Vacations

Guest Playlist: Vacations share the inspiration behind their new album Forever in Bloom

It’s been two years since Newcastle indie pop quartet Vacations released their debut album. Now, the group have returned with their latest LP Forever in Bloom. The tracks on Forever in Bloom are full of bright synths, dreamy guitars and punchy drums, creating a danceable groove that is consistent for the duration of the album….

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The ultimate ’90s R&B playlist: From D’Angelo to TLC

Running the gamut of emotions that fuelled R&B in the ’90s, The AU Review’s “Hip Hop and R&B Retrospective” playlist has turned away from 100 greatest songs by women in hip hop and turned attention to rap’s silkier, smoother cousin. From Janet Jackson and SWV to Maxwell and 112; Brandy and Monica to Usher and…

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Guest Playlist: Georgia Mae imparts the meaning behind her songs

Penning her first song at the age of four, Queenslander Georgia Mae, is no stranger to the art of songwriting. Mae has amassed an incredible repertoire of experience in the past years. Her keen songwriting skills earned her a scholarship at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music where she graduated with a degree in Music Technology….

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Guest Playlist: Gretta Ziller shares the inspiration behind her new single “Unlikely Believer”

Melbourne songwriter Gretta Ziller has released her first song of 2020 with her latest single “Unlikely Believer”. The track bears an optimistic look on life, stridently led by Ziller’s heartfelt songwriting. To reflect the personal nature of the song, the music video for “Unlikely Believer” sees Ziller with her live band performing in a desolate…

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Playlist: Revisiting the Best Songs of 2011

As we continue to reflect back on the last decade of music, join us as we revisit 2011. We’ve taken the songs from our top 40 tracks of 2011 poll – as voted for by our contributors almost a decade ago – and curated a ripper playlist on Spotify. Gotye and Kimbra topped the list…

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Assassin's Creed Valhalla

This new Assassin’s Creed Valhalla EP is a viking symphony

Ubisoft has released a second EP of select tracks from the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. The EP, called The Ravens Saga, features music from composers Jesper Kyd, Sarah Schachner, and two originals by Einar Selvik. Packed full of hard-edged strings, thunderous percussion and strident, chanting choirs, it is every inch a viking symphony. Kyd is…

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Playlist: Revisiting The Best Songs of 2010

As Arcade Fire celebrate the tenth anniversary of their groundbreaking and Grammy award winning album The Suburbs, we thought we’d take a trip down memory lane and revisit our favourite tracks from 2010, with this new playlist on Spotify. Regine and Win from the Canadian band have shared a video of them performing a track…

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New Spotify Playlist: 100 tracks we “Stumbled Upon” between 2014 and 2016

Stumbled Upon was a series of new music discovery, established by Kat Hunter on the AU review in 2014. It ran 116 installments between then and 2016, with then Editor-in-Chief Sosefina Fuamoli taking over from Kat in the final year. Along the way we discovered acts like Serina Pech (pictured), IV League, Harrison Storm, Slumberhaze…

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Oracle Sisters

Guest Playlist: Oracle Sisters (FRA) reveal the tracks that influenced their debut EP Paris I

Parisian trio Oracle Sisters released their debut EP, Paris I earlier this month via New York independent label 22Twenty. Mixed by Noah Georgesen (The Strokes, Marlon Williams), the EP is an ode to their adoptive home and its imagined futures. Over the past twelve months, in the build up to the EP’s release, the band have worked to build…

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Best female rappers

100 of the greatest songs by women in hip hop

It opens with Erykah Badu rhyming over a beatbox from Rahzel, and closes with Missy Elliot threatening to slap you right across your melon. We’ve put together a 100-deep playlist for this month’s Hip Hop and R&B Retrospective, celebrating women in rap by spotlighting some of our favourites from the 80’s (Roxanne Shante, Queen Latifah,…

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Audio Settings: Songs to prepare you for Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima marks the end of an era. It is the final first-party exclusive for the PlayStation 4, which is both bittersweet and hard to believe. Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world samurai adventure developed by Sucker Punch. It recalls the drama and majesty of Kurosawa in full flight, putting players in the shoes…

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Last Cigarette

Guest Playlist: Melody Moko shares the songs that influenced new single “Last Cigarette”

Brisbane-based Americana singer-songwriter Melody Moko releases her new single, “Last Cigarette” this Friday July 10th. The single is taken from her forthcoming second album, which Moko recorded last year in Nashville, TN with acclaimed producer Neilson Hubbard, following a successful US tour with Catherine Britt.  Melody released her debut album, The Wreckage in 2017. Since then, she’s…

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Three new Hip Hop playlists to help you explore the rich history of the culture

The AU Review has always been about connecting readers with the best of arts, entertainment and culture. From music and books to travel and food, for more than a decade now the website has been dedicated entirely to discovery and re-discovery, celebrating the best experiences from around the world. To further that, we continue to…

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Joshua Moriarty

Guest Playlist: The songs that influenced Joshua Moriarty’s new single “Isolation”

Melbourne songwriter, composer and podcast host Joshua Moriarty has returned with his new single, the aptly titled “Isolation”.  The Miami Horror frontman wrote and recorded the song in 2019, working with the ARIA nominated producer Tony Buchen, in LA. The single forms part of Moriarty’s third record Melancholia, which is set to be released later…

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Guest Playlist: Marco gives us his isolation anthems

It’s been a couple of weeks since Brisbane’s Marco dropped latest single “Only Want You“, a dreamy slice of low-fi indie pop, perfect for fans of Shawn Mendes and Frank Ocean. Stripped back production gives Marco’s gorgeous vocals a real opportunity to shine, and though he’s never been one to reveal the true inspo behind…

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Guest Playlist: Bloods reveal the tracks behind upcoming EP Seattle

Inspired by and recorded in the city of the same name, Seattle is the upcoming EP from Sydney garage-pop-punkers Bloods. Fronted by Marihuzka Cornelius/MC, and with Dirk Jonker on drums, and Mike Morgan providing guitar, bass and backing vocals, the trio’s latest is a love letter to 90s rock and iconic turn of the century…

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Statue

Guest Playlist: Riley Pearce reveals the songs that inspired new single “Ceramic Real Estate”

  Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Riley Pearce returned with his new single “Ceramic Real Estate” this week. The track serves as an introduction to his forthcoming EP Maybe I Can Sleep It Off, which is out in September.  Recorded at Debaser Studios with Andy Lawson and with additional recording by fellow alt-folk artist Hayden Calnin, “Ceramic Real…

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SXSW 2020 – The One That Never Was: What Happened In Austin & 7 Artists I Wish We Saw

Every year in March, myself and a close band of music colleagues and friends from all over the world make a pilgrimage to the iconic new music and discovery festival South By Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. This year was set to be no different, and I was buzzing and more prepared than ever, having…

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Guest Playlist: Michael Dunstan reveals the music that inspired new single “Smoulder or Ignite”

Two weeks ahead of his debut album release, Michael Dunstan has dropped his latest single, “Smoulder or Ignite“. As well as being our final glimpse of the upcoming In The Grand Scheme, it’s also a cracking folk tune. In support of the album’s launch, the Wheatbelt folk singer has also revealed details of a huge…

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Re-Discovery: 40 of the best songs from the last decade you need back in your life

We’re excited to introduce a new Spotify playlist, designed to take you down memory lane, looking at a selection of songs that you might have forgotten about, or missed when they were first released. Our first Re-Discovery playlist looks at the last decade, taking you through some of the best music between 2010 and 2019….

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Guest Playlist: Wollongong rockers The Vanns talk us through the tracks that inspired debut album Through The Walls

On October 25th, The Vanns will drop their debut album, Through The Walls. The guys were keen to share the tracks that helped bring the much anticipated release to life, so we invited frontman Jimmy Vann to curate a guest playlist for you all! But before we get to all that juicy stuff (including a handy…

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