Month: July 2019

Book Review: Inspector Gereon Rath returns in Volker Kutscher’s The Silent Death

The year is 1930. With talkies on the rise, the age of silent cinema is coming to a close, and it seems there’s someone on the Berlin streets who’s not quite ready to let it go. Cinema starlets are showing up dead at an alarming rate and, as if Inspector Gereon Rath doesn’t already have…

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Track of the Day: Viera Motel “Take Heart” (2019)

Let’s kick start the week with a delicious slice of 80s/90s inspired indie-pop goodness! “Take Heart” is the debut single from Melbourne four piece Viera Hotel, consisting of Jay Pollock (vocals/keys), Matthew Ferguson (guitar/keys), Dane Sorensen (bass) and Matt Colvin (drums). Citing such influences as Interpol, The Killers, New Order, and Joy Division, the band’s…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: BB Sabina “Feast” (2019)

We have the Exclusive Premiere of a new release from BB Sabina, an exciting new artist who hails from the Northern Territory. The track is called “Feast”, and it’s an impressively mature first release from BB Sabina. The vocals and delivery is self assured, in a style which can be comfortably compared to PJ Harvey…

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F1 2019 Review: Small changes, big finish

F1 2019 is in many ways, still the best Formula 1 racing game on the planet. But in doing so, it slows down its revolutionary formula for an evolutionary approach. While it makes enough changes year-to-year for this to remain a stellar instalment, I can’t help but feel it already had perfected things a year…

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If only the NBN was as reliable as this $850 Netgear gaming router

“Him chonk,” I muttered, placing the Netgear Nighthawk Pro Graming XR700 on my desk. The promise of its data throughput loomed as large as the device itself, a hulking rectangular obelisk that devoured the remaining space on my desk. But it would have to wait. It was mid-June and the NBN was, at long last,…

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Exclusive Video Premiere: Jordan Merrick “Low Country” (2019)

Jordan Merrick brings his bush-ballad groove, with a touch of Americana and Blues to this lovely track about desire and the reluctance to act upon it. We are fortunate to have the Exclusive first look at “Low Country”. Jordan hails from Brisbane, and prior to releasing his solo material, has released albums with his band Fugitive &…

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Interview: Ocean Alley (AUS) on “Infinity”, their humble beginnings and Spin Off Festival.

It’s bold to say, but 2019 is the year of Ocean Alley. Coming off the back of their Triple J Hottest 100 2018 win with their hit “Confidence”, this psychedelic surf rock band from Sydney’s Northern Beaches has seen exponential growth and their latest material is there to back it up. Ocean Alley is currently in…

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Guest Playlist: Singer-songwriter Eliott takes us through her top ten female artists

With debut EP Bold Enough already out in the wild, and fresh from supporting the likes of Matt Corby and OK Moon, Melbourne singer-songwriter Eliott is already having a killer year. Now she’s getting ready to strike out on her own, with headline spots in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. Ahead of the first show at…

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The Sinking City Review: A Lovecraftian world writ large

The surrealistic horrors imagined by New England author H. P. Lovecraft have always bled into the open plans of fantasy, which is why the eccentric writer has long been such a heavy influence on the video game world. With survival-horror picking up massively in popularity, especially since The Last of Us, his indelible prints have…

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Track of the Day: Boy & Bear “Hold Your Nerve” (2019)

“Hold Your Nerve” is the first music out of the group in 4 years, and it’s a worthy reminder of why we loved them so much. They have been absent due to a debilitating illness suffered by guitarist and vocalist Dave Hosking, and the track and forthcoming album have emerged from these challenges. He has…

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Mark Ronson playing 2 intimate shows – Sydney and Melbourne

Mark Ronson is bringing his latest album Late Night Feelings to our shores for two intimate shows. These Club Heartbreak shows will be in Sydney on Wednesday the 10th July, and Melbourne on Thursday the 11th July. Tickets are on sale now HERE These venues have limited capacity, so get in quick. All proceeds are going to…

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Track of the Day: Belle & Sebastian “Sister Buddha” (2019)

Scottish indie darlings Belle & Sebastian are busy working on the original soundtrack for upcoming Brit film Days of the Bagnold Summer, and have given us the first taste of what that project will sound like with lead single “Sister Buddha”. Glowing, summer-ready pop rock seems to be the direction if this gorgeous tune is…

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Track by Track: Joan Banoit takes us through their debut album, Clerical

Joan Banoit (otherwise known as former choirboy Julian Bright) recently dropped their debut album Clerical, and it’s an absolutely stellar collection of tracks from the rising electronic artist. Working with producer Artefact and mixer Stu Hunter, Clerical is the result of three years experimentation, development, and hard graft. It’s unlike anything else you’ll hear this…

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The Collectionist Review: Newtown’s funky high-concept hotel

Name any city around the world and you’re bound to find a cluster of its best hotels lying around the central business district or the bucketlist landmarks. Very few tend to play outside of these invisible borders, and when they do, they’re often of the “you get what you pay for” compromise. For visitors, this…

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Hotel Review: Mantra Collins Hotel sits at the heart of the best of Hobart

Built into an unassuming front, situated in the heart of Hobart and boasting water views from many of its rooms, the Mantra Collins Hotel delivers everything one may want from a visit to Tasmania’s capital. The rooms themselves boast a contemporary design with a touch of luxury, and a taste of the practical, with a…

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Theatre Review: After a night with Ruby Slippers and co, I LOVE GAY – and you will too!

Commander Ruby Slippers and her band of queer warriors are here and they’re ready to slay! Featuring acts from across Australia, I LOVE GAY is a cabaret style celebration of all the colours of the LGBTQ+ rainbow, and it’s damn near impossible not to get swept away in the fun. Produced by Slippers and Brisbane’s…

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Miles Franklin Literary Award announces 2019 shortlist

Six Australian writers have been shortlisted for the 2019 Miles Franklin Award at a ceremony held this evening at the State Library of NSW. Among those shortlisted are debut authors, Michael Mohammed Ahmad (The Lebs) and Jennifer Mills (Dyschronia), and two-time Miles Franklin award winner, Rodney Hall (A Stolen Season). Gail Jones, whose book The Death of Noah…

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Live Review: Polish Club + Approachable Members of Your Local Community + Dulcie – 170 Russell, Melbourne (28.06.19)

Melbourne’s 170 Russell St was lit up over the weekend by the high energy soul-rock of Polish Club as a for a big bash celebrating the release of their new album Iguana. The Sydney duo brought along Perth group Dulcie and Melbourne locals Approachable Members of Your Local Community for the party, giving the groups…

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Track of the Day: Miami Horror “Restless” (2019)

It’s great to see Melbourne electronica funksters Miami Horror back with new music. “Restless” is their latest release. It’s got a lovely cruisy feel to it, a little bit of R&B and some really beautiful soulful vocals. The electronica is deftly fused with the guitars, drums and delicate keys. It’s nearly 2 years since their breakthrough…

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Seven essential Splendour in the Grass sideshows you can still get tickets for

The sold-out Splendour in the Grass is just weeks away now, once again bringing in a line-up of local and international acts entirely worthy of the festival’s legacy. From headliners James Blake and Chance the Rapper to must see mid-cards like a returning Friendly Fires and UK emcee Little Simz, there’s going to be a…

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Olympia shares first look at new album (Flamingo)

We have a sneaky exclusive trailer for Olympia’s sophomore album Flamingo, which is due out this Friday (5th July).  It’s obviously a very heartfelt record, and one which we are looking forward to. We caught Olympia supporting Anna Calvi recently, and were lucky enough to hear a few of the new songs. Olympia explains ““The…

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Disneyland’s new adventures in Batuu go far, far beyond the Star Wars Ride

If you haven’t heard about the new addition to California’s Disneyland, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, by now, it’s likely you have been living under a space rock. The level of hype about the new attraction – which as we pointed out when it opened was just one single ride – has been the highest I’ve…

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What a free Economy Class meal looks like on a domestic American flight in 2019 (and who will give you one)

Back in 2017, I flew from Australia to the US with Hawaiian Airlines. At the time, they were the only airline offering a complimentary meal on a domestic US services. But this trip coincided with a couple of airlines bringing meal services back to certain routes – in particular the trans-continental route from California to…

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Theatre Review: La Silhouette brings powerful immersive theatre to Brisbane’s MELT festival

Brisbane’s The Sui Ensemble have brought immersive theatre to MELT, with the cabaret club inspired La Silhouette. Bringing tales from Brisbane’s queer history to life, audience members participate as club patrons, with (almost) entirely free reign to move and interact as they like throughout the show’s two hour running time. Will you accept owner George’s invitation…

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Come for the dumplings in Jordan: Hong Kong’s diverse and Michelin rewarded area

Jordan is a suburb you’ll find in Hong Kong’s Yau Tsim Mong District, and a lot like the rest of the city, it’s densely populated, with tens of thousands living in an area roughly one square kilometer in size. But it also is among the most diverse areas you’ll find in the entire country. With the…

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Female musos launch Strawberry Jam, a new women focused industry night at Brisbane’s Blute’s Bar

Blute’s Bar has fast become one of the Valley’s places to be since opening late last year in the Brunswick Street Mall, and latest event series Strawberry Jam is just another great reason to plant yourself on those comfy leather sofas. The brainchild of The Artist Vendor‘s Melissa Donley, Strawberry Jam is a monthly invitation…

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Photo Gallery: Polish Club + Approachable Members of Your Local Community + Dulcie, 170 Russell, Melbourne (28.06.19)

Polish Club, Approachable Members of Your Local Community and Dulcie put on a performance of the year at 170 Russell, celebrating Polish Club’s newest album Iguana with their usual flair.

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Film Review: An Unexpected Love is a thorough examination of that four-letter word

Darren Hanlon once sang that love is “Just a lazy generalisation that we use for one hundred different feelings and as many situations”. The film, An Unexpected Love (El amor menos pensado) certainly examines one of these kinds of love. It’s that of a mature couple who have been married for 25 years. They grapple…

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James Squire releases beer made from 220 year old yeast

James Squire have gone and pulled something very, very old from a shipwreck that dates back to 1797, the year in which merchant ship “Sydney Cove” went down just off Preservation Island north of Tasmania. The brewing team behind Squire have extracted a 220 year old bottle of beer recovered from the shipwreck and used…

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Live Review: Washington + Lovesongs – The Lansdowne, Sydney (28.06.19)

I was still in High School when Washington first started making a name for herself with the singles “Clementine” and “How To Tame Lions”. A lot has changed in the decade since those singles put her at the pinnacle of Australian pop. One variable that hasn’t changed in that time is her ability to not…

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