Month: July 2018

The 20 Best Albums of 2018 (so far…!)

This week, we’ve been taking a look at the albums that have properly made their mark this year; yesterday, we took on releases from Australian artists that struck a chord as the strongest albums of 2018 so far, and today, we look to the international players. From Zeal & Ardour‘s Stranger Fruit to the vibrant and powerful Janelle…

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Tech Review: Elgato Game Capture HD60 S: Easy does it

Younger audiences don’t give a shit about television. They watch Netflix, they watch YouTube and, in greater numbers than ever, they’re watching Twitch. This means that Twitch has become an attractive platform for streamers of all stripes to get their start. Elgato’s HD60 S is, for the first-time streamer, exactly the kind of kit you…

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Games Review: Paladins: Champions of the Realm (Nintendo Switch, 2018) provides fast team-based action on the go

Let’s get one thing straight. Paladins does little to hide its Overwatch inspirations. Team-based multiplayer action tied together with an expansive and varied roster of heroes, it may come down to poor timing that Paladins lacks the originality it arguably deserves. But it doesn’t end there, as the Switch version gives users an experience so far…

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Music Video of the Day: Hideous Sun Demon “Antithesis” (2018)

Hideous Sun Demon are back, baby. Gearing up for the release of their third album FAME, EROTIC, DREAM later this month, the WA group have released a biting new single in “Antithesis” to get the juices going in the meantime. Explosive and rollicking, “Antithesis” is a great portrait of a young band kicking genre’s expectations in…

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Interview: BIRDZ hints at massive new music roll out from the Bad Apples crew

Tomorrow night, Levi’s and Bad Apples will be hosting a highlight showcase at the Laundry Bar as part of this week’s CHANGES music industry summit, currently underway in Melbourne. Set to showcase the talents of BIRDZ, Mojo Juju, Philly, DRMNGNOW and Soju Gang, the Bad Apples event will also be demonstrating the strength behind the country’s most prolific Aboriginal record label. Ahead of the…

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All episodes of the Australian Music Vault’s Sound As Ever podcast available online now!

The Australian Music Vault has been a popular mainstay at Arts Centre Melbourne since its debut, providing visitors with an excellent insight into the way Australian music and the industry has developed over the decades – from iconic outfits to instruments and handwritten lyrics and arrangements, there’s so much to see and learn and best…

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WWE SuperCard‘s Beach Bash Promotion Lets Loose Summer-Themed Superstars and Fusion Beach Balls

Beach Bash, the newest promotion for 2K’s WWE SuperCard series launches today with brand new Fusion Ingredients and themed superstars to collect. Beach Balls Fusion Ingredients can collected in sets of eight to form Sandcastles, which can then produce Summer Sizzle Packs containing one exclusive Beach Bash superstar card ranging in tier from Beast to…

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Games Review: Prey: Mooncrash (PS4, 2018): Giant Steps Are What You Take

The surprise release of Prey: Mooncrash flew under radar at E3, buried among hype for the next Elder Scrolls, the bombastic Rage 2, and Starfield among other brilliant announcements. The original title has often been similarly ignored, and considering it was a strong early contender for game of the year in 2017, it’s high time…

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Games Review: Paladins: Champions of the Realm (PC, 2018): Something borrowed, something new

There is a trend in modern AAA game design of pinching the best ideas from other games and building on them to create something new. Hi-Rez Studios is a developer that has built a successful portfolio by doing exactly this. They are very good at looking at successful multiplayer games, distilling their most enjoyable components…

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Finland’s new taxi service only accepts singing as payment

Travelers heading over to Finland’s famous three-day Rusirock Festival to see the likes of N.E.R.D and The Chainsmokers will be the first to test out a new electric Taxi service that has found a different way of charging customers for rides, one that doesn’t involve cash, credit or any cryptocurrency. Those taking advantage of the…

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Review: Tally-ho towards The Stables for more Modern Australian (Sydney)

Paddington, is the ‘Sunday Best’ suburb of Sydney. Boasting equally chic and affluent Australian fashion labels and hole-in-the-wall art galleries, a quick jaunt down Oxford Street is all you need before you find your steps a little lighter, your smile a little wider. It’s also home to some of the best eateries known throughout Sydney….

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The 20 Best Australian Albums of 2018 (So Far…)!

As we enter July, a stacked second half of 2018 awaits us when it comes to new music and if the first half was anything to go by, music fans are in for a good one. We’ve been poring over some of our favourite homegrown releases of the year so far, from Middle Kids‘ long awaited…

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Single of the Day: Aurelia “America” (2018)

Aurelia engages with the dreamiest of sounds on her new single “America” and proves her worth as a rightfully in-demand songwriter and musician. The Grammy nominated artist established a gorgeous and celestial soundscape with this one, the ideas coming together when Aurelia was in LA. “I was staying in a friends arts studio in L.A….

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8 Gigs You Can’t Miss at the 2018 Leaps and Bounds Music Festival

Taking place for its 13th year this month, Melbourne’s Leaps and Bounds Music Festival is bringing some excellent live music to venues throughout the City of Yarra. Supporting an ever thriving music community, Leaps and Bounds is a favourite amongst many; with a stacked program ready to jump into, here are just some of our picks for…

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Games Review: Unravel 2(Xbox One, 2018): A Common Thread

Unravel 2 is the sort of game that strengthens interpersonal bonds.  It’s a wonderful team building exercise, a game cut from the same warm emotional mould as its predecessor but with a rather different point to make.

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Watch: Queer Eye cast head down-under for “Mini Make-Better”

With the Fab Five finally back a full fifteen years after their Emmy Award-winning series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the  popularity of their Netflix series Queer Eye has led down-under, in the form of a ‘mini make-better”. Their journey led them to the rural town of  Yass, bringing the style to match the name. They begun…

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Photos: Behind-the-scenes of Rachel Ward’s upcoming Australian film Palm Beach

Images for the upcoming Australian film Palm Beach directed by Rachel Ward (The Thorn Birds) have been revealed, with the project currently shooting on Sydney’s northern beaches. Palm Beach is a drama-comedy based around a group of lifelong friends reuniting to celebrate a special birthday, with Palm Beach acting as a gorgeous backdrop for the dramatic…

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Screen Makers Conference reveals full Adelaide program for 2018; Scott Hicks, Fiona Eagger and more to attend

The Screen Makers Conference and Marketplace has announced its full program for 2018, with Every Cloud Productions’ Fiona Eagger (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries) to speak on relevant issues in the industry. The event will take place from Friday the 27th to Saturday the 28th of July at Adelaide’s Mercury Cinema. Other notable sessions include Casting…

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Win a double pass to see National Theatre Live’s production of Macbeth in Sydney

Shakespeare’s most intense and terrifying tragedy, directed by Rufus Norris (The Threepenny Opera, London Road), will see Rory Kinnear (Young Marx, Othello) and Anne-Marie Duff (Oil, Suffragette) return to the National Theatre to play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The ruined aftermath of a bloody civil war. Ruthlessly fighting to survive, the Macbeths are propelled towards…

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Film Review: Show Dogs (USA, 2018) is a big “bark-you” to the audience

“Live-action family movies are somewhat of an endangered species these days as most family entertainment is now animated.” That is a line that is spoken by the director of the film Show Dogs, Raja Gosnell, who has a long pedigree (pun intended) of films that involve canines, as well as family entertainment. Starting off with…

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Five Things You Need To Know About Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee Season 10

The show Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee has found its home on Netflix. The program sees comedian, Jerry Seinfeld driving around with a guest in a cool car where they chat and stop to consume coffee together. The tenth season is about to premiere and we have put together the top five things you need…

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What’s next for Virgin Australia? We talk to Group Executive Rob Sharp on board the inaugural Sydney to Hong Kong flight

While en route from Sydney to Hong Kong on the inaugural flight with Virgin Australia, I caught up with the airline’s Group Executive Rob Sharp to talk about the flight and where VA plans to go from here. You’re launching this Sydney to Hong Kong service a year after your Melbourne flights launched; what have…

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Win a double pass to see Swan Lake On Ice at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney

The world’s premier theatrical ice skating company, The Imperial Ice Stars, returns to Australia with its award-winning masterpiece Swan Lake On Ice, touring to Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney this July. Sydney audiences can enjoy the classic tale at the Capitol Theatre from 25 – 29 July. Set to Tchaikovsky’s glorious score in the intimate setting…

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Win a double pass to see Funny Girl at the Sydney Opera House

The bright lights of Broadway will shine on the Sydney Opera House 12-14 July as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra presents the classic Broadway musical Funny Girl in Concert. With the film celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2018, this special concert production directed by Mitchell Butel will feature some of Australia’s favourite leading ladies who each…

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Brisbane Festival announces mammoth line-up feat. Ball Park Music, Violent Soho, Sarah Blasko, Meg Mac and more

Music lovers in and around Brisbane are about to be spoiled for choice with this year’s Brisbane Festival, which stretches from 8th to 29th September, book-ended by an opening night and closing night that both feature massive line-ups taking to the Riverstage. The former will be headlined by Ball Park Music and San Cisco in addition…

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Single of the Day: Reija Lee “Love Nobody” (2018)

“Did you finally find love, and it didn’t wait for you?” – this is the line that hits the hardest for me, when listening to Reija Lee‘s new single, “Love Nobody”.  It cuts through the glimmering synth lines and retro-pop tones to make the listener sit up and realise that beneath the shiny surface, there’s a darker…

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Spotify redefines their free user experience with the launch of ‘Active Media’ for Australian users

This is a bit of an interesting one. From today, Spotify have announced the premiere of their ‘Active Media’ experience (for audio and video), on offer to all users of the free ad-sponsored platform of the site. If you find your vibe is interrupted by ads a little too much, this experience will give you…

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7 acts from around the world we discovered in Wales earlier this year

Now in its 7th year, the discovery festival/conference Focus Wales sits as one of the most exciting emerging events on the annual calendar, having grown from a tiny showcase in the city of Wrexham, into a world class event that rivals any smaller sized conference in the world. If you want to discover new music,…

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Album Review: Typhoon’s latest Offerings is a gamble that doesn’t come up short

Some four and a bit years ago, I was wandering Austin City Limits on my way to see someone or other. I brushed past a stage where no less than eleven people were producing some of the most impressive music I’d heard in sometime. The band, it turned out, were Typoon, an outfit out of…

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Down Under, Maeby? Arrested Development star Alia Shawkat set to attend 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival

American actor Alia Shawkat, best known for her role in cult TV comedy series Arrested Development is set to attend this years’ Melbourne International Film Festival, for the screening of biopic Blaze directed by Ethan Hawke (Training Day), in which she stars. The accomplished actor will also participate in a special In Conversation event at the Comedy Theatre on August 18th,…

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