TV Review: Amazon Prime Video’s Upload is a thought-provoking comedy on the realities of the afterlife

As easy as it is to compare Upload to a program such as The Good Place – given that both series’ deal with the afterlife – Greg Daniels‘ romantic-comedy-cum-mystery is more a commentary on capitalism, a topic it tackles as successfully as it does ineffectually. Set in the not-too distant future (2033, to be exact),…

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KitKat gets indulgent with Gooey Caramel and Cookie Fudge

Crispy wafer chocolate KitKat has gone hard on the flavour twists, flipping the beloved sweet treat with two new distinctive flavours to add to your next online delivery shopping list. Made available across Australia from today, in all the typical places, KitKat Gooey Caramel and KitKat Mint Cookie Fudge are hoping to redefine the sweet…

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Phaidon

Recipe: Baked Apricots with Bay and Honey (from Aaron Bertelsen)

During these unprecedented times, when staying at home is of the utmost importance, us here at The AU Review are going to be doing everything we can to help readers live their best lives, indoors. As with many other media companies who typically focus on getting folks out and about, we’re shifting to adapt to…

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Fauna

Book Review: Donna Mazza makes a spectacular return with Fauna

It’s been thirteen years since WA writer, Donna Mazza, won the prestigious City of Fremantle T.A.G. Hungerford award for her novel, The Albanian. But her second book, Fauna, out earlier this year through Allen and Unwin was certainly worth the wait. Set in 2037, in an Australia which shows only subtle differences from our own,…

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Nuria

Track of the Day: Nuria “Love” (2020)

Tasmanian singer-songwriter Nuria returns with her second single of 2020, “Love”. It’s an emotive and poignant balm for the uncertain times we all currently find ourselves in, and another strong release from the Tasman singer. Much like her previous single, “Noise”, the new release benefits from some elegant (yet understated) production. This time, however, production…

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Xbox 20/20

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla debuts bloody, brutal first trailer

Yesterday we brought you the announcement of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the 12th mainline entry in the popular stealth action series. This morning, Ubisoft released the game’s first trailer. The four-minute cinematic sets a grim and bloody mood. Set in The Viking Ages between 793–1066 AD, Scandinavian forces have settled in England and have begun building…

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Film Review: The Flood overcomes its melodramatic narrative thanks to topical sensitivity

The opening scrawl of The Flood states that at least 18,000 people who have been displaced by persecution, conflict and violence in their own habitats around the world have died in the last 5 years alone in their bid to reach Europe.  It’s a shocking statistic regarding those trying to enter another country, but in…

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Portland Maine

Recipe: Pan Seared Local Cod from Portland, Maine

During these unprecedented times, when staying at home is of the utmost importance, us here at The AU Review are going to be doing everything we can to help readers live their best lives, indoors. As with many other media companies who typically focus on getting folks out and about, we’re shifting to adapt to…

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Album Review: Car Seat Headrest – Making a Door Less Open (2020 LP)

Will Toledo, frontman of Car Seat Headrest, is surely one of the most prodigiously busy artists in music. While slowing down from his rate of releasing more than two albums a year, the American artist continually pumps out new music and reinvents his sound with every release. Returning in 2020 with Making a Door Less…

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Sony Master Series A9G OLED TV Review: I swoon every time I turn it on

Light, lean and already considered one of the best OLEDs available, Sony’s Master Series A9G earns its place amongst the company’s finest products and, with a powerful symphony of super features, justifies its reputation as the “best TV of 2019.” The hallmark of a good OLED is that the technology can still blow you away,…

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Track of the Day: Trace Decay “Sad Dance” (2020)

Having sold out shows in their hometown Melbourne, up-and-coming duo, Trace Decay have released their latest single, “Sad Dance”. To date, the indie-rock pair have released two singles, “Hindsight” and “Passivity”. Gaining popular demand from multiple radio stations such as Triple J, Purple Sneakers and Abduction Radiation (USA). The track presents a complex mixture of spellbinding beats…

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Seattic

Exclusive Single Premiere: Seattic “bit” (2020)

Melbourne-based songwriter and synth-pop artist Seattic is back with a brand new single, “bit”. It’s his first slice of music since the release of his debut album Retrospeculation in February 2019,  and we’re stoked to bring you its exclusive premiere.  “bit” takes the nostalgia tinged tones of debut Retrospeculation and dials up the moodiness levels….

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Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is all about vikings and axes

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will become the 12th entry in the popular stealth action series. Ubisoft announced Valhalla this morning via an art stream hosted by artist Bosslogic, real name Kode Abdo. The game moves the series from the isles of Ancient Greece seen in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey to somewhere more Scandinavian. Fans have been requesting a…

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Album Review: Trivium present their ninth studio album What the Dead Men Say

  In historical measures Trivium means an introductory course at a medieval university involving the study of grammar, rhetoric and logic. In today’s age Trivium is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1999 and since then the band has released nine studio albums with over twenty singles. What the Dead Men Say is…

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The Delta Riggs to frontline next installment of Boost Mobile’s live streaming initiative

Amidst the COVID-19 quarantine, musicians have been left practically and financially uncertain, losing a substantial portion of their income having lost the ability to play live shows. Thankfully, new opportunities are popping up, and in a time where the touring industry has been effectively made redundant, the music industry has found a new way to…

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Aurora Glass

Track of the Day: K.L. Mazlin “Aurora Glass” (2020)

Melbourne-based artist K.L. Mazlin has taken the leap into solo territory and released his debut single, “Aurora Glass”. For some Mazlin might be a recognisable name, having spent the better part of his musical career plying his trade across several bands, most notably Hungry Kids of Hungary.  Produced by good friend and bandmate, Holy Holy’s…

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DoubleTree by Hilton

Recipe: How to make Hilton’s legendary DoubleTree Cookie

During these unprecedented times, when staying at home is of the utmost importance, us here at The AU Review are going to be doing everything we can to help readers live their best lives, indoors. As with many other media companies who typically focus on getting folks out and about, we’re shifting to adapt to…

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Australia’s best bartenders are doing live mixology classes via Facebook

While we are (hopefully) all doing our part in lockdown, many have taken to perfecting different types of skills, or learning new ones from scratch. One obvious winner has been the home-bar, with plenty of people practicing the art of mixology with whatever they can their hands on. It’s better when experts are guiding you,…

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Poof Doof Sydney will be streamed live from ivy this weekend

Legendary LGBTQI+ Sydney club night “Poof Doof” is going digital now that we’re all isolating at home. The inclusive club night, which shifted to ivy for a weekly residency towards the end of last year, hasn’t given up despite the whole not going out thing, pushing forth into a “Poof Doof Direct” concept which takes…

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Travel by Taste: 11 food shows on Netflix to binge through

Although we’re currently unable to head on out to a far-flung destination and indulge ourselves in local flavours, we’ve still got ‘armchair travel’. Whether you’re glued to the TV or cooking up a recipe in the kitchen, using your senses to immerse yourself in another culture, as vividly as possible, is the closest we can…

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This “Best of USA” beer pack brings America’s top breweries to Australians

With travelling by your taste buds a more popular trend, given the whole lockdown thing going on, Aussie beer barons Craft Cartel Liquor are launching a new “passport” series. In an attempt to bring the world’s best breweries to Aussie beer lovers, the CCL’s online store will be rolling out curated, packs of rare craft…

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Recipe: Picon Punch from Winnemucca, Nevada

During these unprecedented times, when staying at home is of the utmost importance, us here at The AU Review are going to be doing everything we can to help readers live their best lives, indoors. As with many other media companies who typically focus on getting folks out and about, we’re shifting to adapt to…

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ABIAs

2020 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) shortlist announced

The shortlist for the 2020 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) has been unveiled today. The awards are a key fixture in the Australian literary scene, and are designed to celebrate the very best in homegrown literature and publishing. Usually a red carpet affair, this year the awards gala will be heading online, with the winners…

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The Last of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II suffers major plot leaks, sets new release date

A number of major spoilers for The Last of Us Part II have leaked online. The leaks Videos showing pivotal moments from the game appeared online overnight. Those videos were quickly spun into detailed lists containing the game’s plot, characters, and ending. How accurate many of the details are, and how old the leaked footage…

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Sydney Film Festival joins major film festivals across the world for We Are One: A Global Film Festival

Tribeca Enterprises and YouTube jointly announced today We Are One: A Global Film Festival, an unprecedented 10-day digital film festival exclusively on YouTube, bringing together an international community of storytellers to present festival programming for free to audiences around the world. Set to begin on May 29 on YouTube.com/WeAreOne, the festival will feature programming curated by…

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Interview: Diet Cig (New York) on quarantine dreams, double denim and why streaming services needs to step up

While many bands are postponing their releases,  New York duo Diet Cig are delivering us a gem of a record in Do You Wonder About Me? this Friday. I caught up with the band over the phone last week to chat about releasing the album in these difficult times, and how they’ve leveled up in…

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PLGRMS

Track of the Day: PLGRMS “Disappear” (2020)

Sydney duo PLGRMS released their new single, “Disappeared”, on Friday. It is their first release since they were forced into a hiatus in early 2019. With singer-songwriter Jacob Pearson working to overcome his battle with chronic pain. Cut to 2020 and they’re back with the gloriously moody new single and some stunning black and white…

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Arnotts Monte Carlo Recipe

Recipe: Arnott’s have revealed how to make Monte Carlo biscuits

During these unprecedented times, when staying at home is of the utmost importance, us here at The AU Review are going to be doing everything we can to help readers live their best lives, indoors. As with many other media companies who typically focus on getting folks out and about, we’re shifting to adapt to…

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My Friend Pedro

My Friend Pedro Review: this John Wick-esque banana shooter rocks

After ridiculous amounts of hype on Switch and PC, wickedly over-the-top side-scrolling shooter My Friend Pedro has parkoured its way to the PS4. With it, the title has brought all the juicy adrenaline, fist-pumping acrobats, and stylish gunfights with it. Not bad for a game where you’re killing people because a weird floating banana told…

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Creature Fear

Track of the Day: Creature Fear “Barely Alive” (2020)

Melbourne-based indie-pop 5-piece, Creature Fear, have released “Barely Alive”, their first single since signing with the Daily Nightly / Caroline Australia record label. Prior to this, they were releasing singles independently, the previous one being “Makeup” late in 2019. This is an exciting release and milestone from this fresh vibrant band. They are working towards…

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