Track of the Day: Kae the Goat & Droopo “Dex Up” (2019)

As part of Melbourne’s Gremlns crew, rappers Kae the Goat and Droopo are aggressively aiming for the coveted top spots in Australia’s ever-changing hip hop industry. Fuelling those ambitions is new track “Dex Up”, a collaboration between the two artists which has immediately grabbed attention across the country thanks to its pounding production and slick…

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48 Hours in Amsterdam: Seven places you have to visit on bike in Westerpark and beyond

Armed only with an I amsterdam City Card, which provides entry into almost all of the city’s iconic attractions, free public transport, and the city’s preferred mode of transport, a bike, I set out on a 48 Hour journey around Amsterdam – in particular checking out the hip Westerpark area of the city. Along the…

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Review: The Hotel Indigo in Cardiff brings Welsh industry to life in the city’s epicentre (Wales)

Arriving on a train into Cardiff station, it was a 15 minute walk through the heart of the busy city on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to take me to the relatively recently opened Hotel Indigo Cardiff; hidden away in the Dominions Arcade. Like many Hotel Indigo’s around the world, this hotel has been built into the…

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Guest Playlist: The songs that inspired Jackson Carroll’s “Holy Hell”

Sydney singer-songwriter Jackson Carroll dropped his sublime debut single, “Holy Hell” last Friday. The single is the first taste of Carroll’s forthcoming EP, and if the rest comes anywhere close to this single then we’re in for a treat. The single was recorded at Sydney’s Noisegate Studios, with Luke Carra (Caravana Sun) and Ian Pritchett…

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Sydney’s Carriageworks plan epic food program for 2019

Sydney institution Carriageworks is doubling down on their incredibly popular food program this year, announcing a number of events and a special conversations series that will address current issues in the industry. Central to this program will, of course, be the Carriageworks Farmers Market which returns in July for a winter theme, but there will…

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Tour Diary: The Pinheads take us behind the scenes of their SXSW adventure

We might only be in April, but Illawara rockers The Pinheads have already had a busy year. Freshly returned to Australia from a scorching run of shows in Austin for SXSW, the band have dropped new single “Feel It Now” – another hint at what to expect from their forthcoming sophomore album, Is This Real,…

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Interview: BATTS talks The Grand Tour, working with NASA and Outer Space

As you might have guessed we are big fans of BATTS here at the AU. With her debut album, The Grand Tour, released last week we sat down with the Melbourne singer-songwriter to find out a little bit more about the creation and recording of the album, how NASA got involved, and – just for good measure…

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My Time At Portia on Nintendo Switch is a Bit of a Mess

My Time At Portia is a solid and inoffensive little farm sim. It has all the usual trappings of the genre – travelling to a new city, taking over a farm, building some things, farming other things. Remarkable moments are few and far between, and that’s okay too. Sometimes, a game can just be a…

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Sydney welcomes tiny cocktail and meze bar “Baraki”

Sydney favourite Alpha has opened up a tiny new cocktail and meze bar named Baraki, carved into the ground floor of 240 Castlereagh Street with just 8 seats. The smaller-than-small bar will extend Executive Chef Peter Conistis’ vision beyond Alpha and upstairs cocktail bar Beta, channelling the Athens neighbourhood of Plaka with two backlit walls…

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All the delicious things you can do in Sydney this Easter long weekend

More than just an excuse to fill up on chocolate, Easter means a long weekend filled with good food, friends and family (usually in that order). There’s no lack of exclusive Easter treats to eat around Sydney this year, both for the savoury and sweet lovers, so we’re rounded up five of the best to…

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Aussie Tabletop VR Adventure Table of Tales: The Crooked Crown is out now!

Here at the AU, we love a good Aussie game, and Table of Tales is one of the shiniest and newest of the bunch. Developed by Melbourne studio, Tin Man Games, the game puts you in the shoes of a virtual reality tabletop adventurer as you discover a magical, living board game in your Aunt’s attic. The game will…

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The Bali Spirit Festival – a seven day eclectic experience

Every year in March thousands of spiritually enlightened individuals flock to Ubud for the Bali Spirit Festival. This 7 day event promises everything from yoga, ecstatic dance, workshops, meditation, sound healing and so much more. I was beyond excited to be taking part in such a special event, so with yoga mat in hand I…

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Interview: Charlayne Woodard on reuniting with M. Night Shyamalan after 19 years for Glass, film secrecy and the “other”

While she was on the Upper West Side in NYC, filming the second season of Pose for FX, I caught up with Charlayne Woodard to talk about her role as Mrs. Price in the film Glass, which is about to enjoy a home release. It’s a role she first came to perform some 19 years…

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Track of the Day: Waxhead “Disco Etiquette” (2019)

Byron Bay surf/psychedelic quartet Waxhead are back with “Disco Etiquette”, a track fans might recognise from their debut Self Titled. Consisting of Finny on lead guitar, Shrecky on drums, AL Dogg on Bass, and Froggy on Vocals and Guitar, this is one hard-working foursome, with two EPs, several singles, and a slew of Australian and international…

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Live Review: Basement Jaxx vs. The Metropolitan Orchestra bring the Baroque Bangers to the Sydney Opera House

Contemporary act-plus-orchestra shows aren’t a new phenomenon in rock, with arena-size bands churning out orchestral projects since the 80’s; an attempt at legitimising corporate rock, re-selling already existing albums and making mums proud. With dance music reaching maturity, EDM acts and DJs are beginning to jump on the bandwagon as their audiences age and new…

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Time-lapses, AI camera features and tips: using Huawei’s P30 Pro in Paris and around Sydney’s foreshore

Having already focused on the P30 Pro’s Leica Quad Camera System whilst we were in Paris for the P30 Series launch recently, the phone packs too many modes for one piece (and even one city) so here’s a look at some of the hidden AI photo and video modes that the camera system offers. NB:…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Blood Bank “Shadow Boxing” (2019)

Today we’re stoked to be bringing you the exclusive premiere of “Shadow Boxing”, the latest track from rising Brisbane foursome Blood Bank. High school mates Sam Pennisi (vocals/guitar), Tom Ryan (vocals/guitar/synth), Will Kilah (drums), and Peter Katsanevas (bass/vocals) have been ripping up the Brisbane post-punk scene since they formed back in 2016. Counting Joy Division, Iggy…

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Track of the Day: Dress Thèque “Gone Mad” (2019)

Brit-pop inspired genre benders Dress Thèque are back with their third single, “Gone Mad”. The Sydney based band is made up of Julian Wilkinson, Michael Thurbin, Daniel Nutton, John Wineberg, and cites Pink Floyd, New Order, and The Stone Roses amongst their influences. “Gone Mad” is described as “an ode to everything that’s come out…

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Forget Hot Cross Buns: Mode Kitchen & Bar is doing Sydney’s best Easter weekend menu

Created especially for this coming Easter long weekend, an exclusive three-course menu lovingly curated by Head Chef Francesco Mannelli will reiterate just how essential Mode Kitchen & Bar has become to Sydney’s discerning gourmands. Truly earning its place in the opulent lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, the highly regarded Mode Kitchen & Bar…

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Borderlands: GOTY Edition is f***ing gorgeous

They say you always remember your first time, but the original Borderlands was determined to prove this wrong. With a muted colour palette, confusing map system and generic post-apocalyptic worlds, it was good – but not memorable. Borderlands GOTY Edition is memorable! The original game has been given a complete facelift with this remaster, and…

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Book Review: Melissa Ferguson’s The Shining Wall explores scientific possibilities through fiction

The Shining Wall, the gripping debut novel from author Melissa Ferguson, is an exploration of scientific possibility through the lens of feminism and fiction. The novel tells the frightening story of the orphaned Alida and her younger sister Graycie, who are left along following the death of their mother in the Demi-Settlements outside the wall. …

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Live Review: Art of Fighting + Leo Mullins, Howler, Melbourne (11.04.19)

For what was a return to music after over a decade, Art of Fighting‘s live return on Thursday night was a low-key affair. Sporting a sold out crowd, the mid 2000’s outfit, brought Leo Mullins, along in support, with Mullins quickly garnering a crowd as excited to see them as they were the evening’s headliners. Leo Mullins…

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Film Review: Little (US, 2019) is a big disappointment

Just one week after the superhero genre gave us a Big-style blockbuster with Shazam!, we’re being offered up a by-the-numbers reverse version. Taking inspiration from the Tom Hanks classic, Little flips the age transformation and genre of its protagonist, which, for better or worse, is mildly refreshing.  By all accounts, this was the brainchild of young…

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Track of the Day: Holly Alison “Cigarette” (2019)

Australian singer/songwriter Holly Alison is back with latest pop fusion single “Cigarette”. Dubbed the “Amy Shark of Dance” by Hit 101.3, the NSW artist blends upbeat pop with electronic and RnB sounds, and previous tracks “Give Me Your Heart”, “Balance Beam” and “Come Here” have been racking up the streams on Spotify. “Cigarette” stays true…

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Book Review: Gerald Murnane’s A Season on Earth shines new light on early classic for potential Nobel winner

It is rare that at the age of eighty and after publishing sixteen books – a mixture of novels, short story collections, and non-fiction – that an author comes into the light of the public consciousness and begins to find notoriety. But the works of Gerald Murnane have begun to garner considerable interest in recent…

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Interview: Georgia Mooney talks about her “Supergroup” shows in Sydney with Tim Rogers and more

Over the last two Sundays, a songwriter night has been running at Giant Dwarf Theatre in Sydney under the helm of Georgia Mooney of All Our Exes Live in Texas. With two more shows left to go, we caught up with Georgia to learn more about the show, find out how it’s gone so far and…

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The first Star Wars: Episode IX trailer is here, and there’s a lot more Skywalker than you expected

The first trailer for Star Wars Episode IX just dropped and there is a LOT to unpack. Firstly, the title of the film: The Rise of Skywalker. Though both Luke narrates the piece and Leia makes a tearful appearance (cue the tissues), this will no doubt once again enlighten debate as to the lineage of…

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Track of the Day: James Parm “I Know I Know I Know” (2019)

Montreal’s James Parm released his debut record, Oh My Darling, last week. The album is a striking blend of Parm’s musical influences: 90’s garage rock, jazz and hip hop. With the single, “I Know I Know I Know”, a propellent slice of post-punk falling more towards the garage rock end of the spectrum.  Parm has…

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Record Store Day: What’s on and where!

Everyone loves that vinyl sound and, since today is Record Store Day, there’s no better time to head down to your local independent record store, pick up a few bargains, and maybe even snap up some of those legendary limited editions! But there’s more than just great tunes on offer! Plenty of stores have loads…

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Interview: BROODS (NZ) on their North American tour, family bands and VANFEST.

New Zealand brother and sister duo, BROODS, have been jumping from strength to strength since releasing “Bridges” in 2014. Since then, they’ve supported the tours of international superstars such as Taylor Swift, Haim, Ellie Goulding and Sam Smith; collaborated with the likes of Lorde and Tove Lo; and have won numerous ARIA and NZMA awards. This year, their single,…

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