Month: June 2020

Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera review: Security never looked so good at night

Wires suck. That seems to be the consensus when it comes to smart home devices nowadays, and whenever a wireless option drops it is instantly more attractive than the opposite. Requiring wires was one of the few issues I had with the recently launched Arlo Video Doorbell, which is otherwise an exceptional part of the…

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The Surf House is Byron Bay’s newest accommodation

Millett Group, the team behind Lord Byron, have officially opened doors to The Surf House – Byron Bay’s newest accommodation with its own distinctive rooftop bar. Seeing as the Millett Group are also behind the award-winning Wake Up! Byron Bay hostel, this boutique, design-forward property should be an attractive option for the the inevitable influx…

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Sydney is getting its first ever KitKat Chocolatory in July

Those in need of a delicious break (everyone) should start stretching their queuing-up muscles because Sydney’s getting its first ever KitKat Chocolatory flagship. Opening on 6th July, the debut store will stretch it’s legs at Mid City Sydney, offering up a sizable collection of personalised, premium chocolate experienced inspired by and dedicated entirely to the…

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Cocktail recipes from the best bars in Colorado, USA

Domestic travel is on the cusp of a resurgence with states across Australia beginning to relax lockdown measures. International travel? That’s a different story. With many countries around the world struggling in the fight against COVID-19, we’ve been given conflicting information on when international travel will resume to a sense of normalcy anytime soon. Some…

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Travel Gear: Fjallraven brings gorgeous Kanken Art Collection to Australia

Premium Scandinavian outdoor and lifestyle brand Fjällräven has officially launched its new Kånken Art collection in Australia, bringing expressive designs to their reliably high-end gear. The art-forward collection is a limited edition offering in collaboration with Swedish artist Moa Hoff, focusing on playful designs and unique patterns to stand out in a crowd. With domestic…

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Amazon eero Wi-Fi Mesh Router review: Excellent coverage, lacks features

Thanks to the deluge of connected home devices on the market, it’s highly probable that most households are going to need to reconsider how they handle their Wi-Fi. That’s particularly true for larger households which may have patches where the signal is a bit weaker than those closer to the single – likely ISP-supplied –…

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D&D Live

D&D Live is a perfect introduction to Dungeons and Dragons

Have you ever wanted to play D&D but you aren’t sure where to start, or even how the game works? The latest D&D Live festival, an annual celebration of the world’s most popular role-playing game, may be the best, simplest, and most instructive lesson in how to play this side of Critical Role. Playing Dungeons…

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The Harriets

Track of the Day: The Harriets “Trip To The Moon” (2020)

With the release of the debut album Hopefuls all set for next month, let us introduce you to The Harriets. Fronted by lead vocalists Daniel Parker-Smith and Ben Schrodel, The Harriets are a Leeds-based alternative rock/pop four-piece. Live, they’re joined by Jess Womack (keys) and Ryan Bailey (drums).  The band head towards the release of…

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Powerbeats Pro Lava Red

Beats Powerbeats Pro review: Best sounding exercise buds

Few personal audio devices have seen such a massive leap on quality in recent years than true wireless earbuds. The careful juggling act between sound quality, battery life, connectivity and comfort has been nearing perfection with recent releases from Sony and Sennheiser. Although those two focus on just being lifestyle buds, with little consideration for…

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Track of the Day: Leanne Tennant “Record Stores” (2020)

Our track of the day is “Record Stores” from Leanne Tennant. For anyone who has wondered around a record-store on a bad day, looking for an album to either sympathise with or to shock yourself out of the funk, then this song will resonate with you. “Record Stores” is a beautiful stark tune; an acoustic…

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Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077’s new trailer gives most detailed look yet

Last week, CD Projekt Red debuted Night City Wire, a new web series dedicated to their upcoming RPG Cyberpunk 2077. It aired very early in the morning here in Aus so there’s a chance you may have missed it. If so, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Hosted by CDPR UK’s head of communications Hollie…

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Exclusive Video Premiere: Lamalo “Jungle Train” ft. Little Green (2020)

We have the exclusive first look at the video for the latest offering from Lamalo, “Jungle Train”. Lamalo is a duo of multi-instrumentalists Michiya Nagai and Yossi Cascun. They formed in 2016, and since then have created a signature sound of layered sounds, combining modern and traditional instruments.  “Jungle Train” features Little Green, the moniker for…

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Is Netflix’s Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga worth watching?

Given the state of the world right now, a little comedy would be the perfect antidote to distract us.  And, on paper, a satire-cum-love-letter surrounding the Eurovision Song Contest starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a duo of Icelandic popstar-wannabes desperate to win said contest sounds like a potential winner. The reality, unfortunately, is…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Tullara “Let This Go” (2020)

“Everyone has fooled themselves into a happy ending once or twice”, says NSW-based singer-songwriter Tullara on her new single. “I’d been holding onto the hope that this new love of mine was going to work itself out”. That’s what’s captured here in “Let This Go”, a piercing and poignant folk song, exclusively premiering on The…

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Dine With Them: 5 Sydney restaurants reopened for dine-in (2nd edition)

The sound of creaking hinges echoes around Sydney as restaurants reopen their doors to brunch starved patrons looking for a quality foodie experience once again. With new menus, weekday specials, live performances and scrumptious food, your grand debut back into society will have been worth the wait.  This should be obvious but if you do…

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CicciaBella Trattoria is opening its second restaurant in Western Sydney

Restaurateur Maurice Terzini, best known for Icebergs and The Dolphin Hotel, is set to launch CicciaBella Trattoria + Bar’s second restaurant in the new Parramatta Square Precinct.  Following in the footsteps of Bondi’s venue, CicciaBella Parramatta will encapsulate the spirit of robust Italian cuisine and hospitality. The restaurant will focus on classic food inspired by traditional…

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Disintegration Review: A unique shooter, but only flashes of potential

Aggressively blending real-time strategy and first-person shooter elements works, on paper. Disintegration is the latest title to hybridise the two genres, promising a new kind of gameplay that, while interesting, lacks the necessary depth to truly set it apart from novel sci-fi games of the past. Driving the hype behind this game is the involvement…

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Track of the Day: Keegan Calmes “Broken Heart” (2020)

Keegan Calmes’ latest single “Broken Heart” is still lingering in our ears. Known for for his work with Vinyl Theatre and signed by Fueled by Ramen, the talented singer and songwriter has made a comeback as a solo artist. Growing up with inspiration from John Mayer, The Killers, & Two Door Cinema Club, Calmes has…

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Recipe: Spice Temple’s Kung Pao Chicken

Neil Perry’s stalwart Spice Temple is back. After a few weeks of having Rockpool transform the basement venue, the popular Sydney restaurant has fired up the wok for diners to explore the wonders (and heat) of regional Chinese. And that, of course, means 10-dish Golden Banquets, lunchtime Yum Cha, and also signature dishes like Executive…

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Track by Track: Key Out talk us through their new record Anthropomorphia

Sydney trio Key Out have released today Anthropomorphia, the follow-up to their debut LP, What (do) you see. This is a seriously beautiful album, with tender harmonies, pulsating walls of sound and lush layers of synth and guitars. Lovers of New Order, Joy Division and local legends, the Underground Lovers should find plenty to dig in this short…

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Ten Years On: Sleigh Bells’ blistering debut Treats

Ten years ago this month, Sleigh Bells released their debut LP Treats – an album which I gave a perfect 10 out of 10 score. In a period where it felt like so many albums were feeling like carbon copies of things that had come before, Treats was a breath of fresh air. It was unapologetic fun,…

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Bondi’s famous Bennett St Dairy now sells cookie dough through Ben & Jerry’s

The ice cream lords of Ben & Jerry’s have teamed up with Sydney’s Bennett St Dairy to take their cookie dough to the next level with a new limited edition range. The popular Bondi bakers have been amplified through select B&J stores, supplying their Original Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough so Ben & Jerry fans can…

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Track of the Day: The Psychedelic Furs “Come All Ye Faithful” (2020)

No, this isn’t a Throwback Thursday. Legendary Brit band The Psychedelic Furs are back and prepping their first album in almost three decades. Although they’ve been reformed and touring since the 2000’s, this marks the first new studio music released since the very early 90’s, which kicked off with the release of single “Don’t Believe”…

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Tom West

Track by Track: Tom West walks us through his new album Antarctica

Singer-songwriter Tom West released his new album, Antarctica, on Friday. The album, produced by Allen Tate in Brooklyn, was written following the death of West’s father from motor neurone disease.  It is the culmination of a three year journey around America; touring, couch surfing, and playing as much as possible. That was until a Husky…

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Sean Baxter’s five mixology rules for amateur bartenders

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that homemade bars can be just as special as your favourite speakeasy, and a good beverage doesn’t need to be reserved for the pub or restaurant. Anyone is capable of creating and enhancing their mixology skills, whether it’s making a nice cocktail for virtual work drinks or whipping…

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The AU Review’s 20 best albums of 2020 (so far…)

2020 has surely been a weird year, and you’d be forgiven for being a bit taken aback when we remind you that we’re halfway through it already. Since at least mid-March, many have largely been in lockdown, economies have threatened collapse, bushfires have devastated, systemic racism has been confronted head-on, and we have been rightfully…

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Jetlag The Podcast: What is it like flying to Australia during Covid-19 and experiencing hotel quarantine?

On this week’s episode of Jetlag, we talk to radio presenter Nic Shields who has just returned to Australia after a stint living in the U.A.E. He takes us through the experience of passing through the airport in Dubai, what the flight was like, what it was like landing in Australia and what happened when…

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These 10 Sydney hotels have “post-iso staycation” written all over them

With hotels now throwing their doors open for guests, we’ve made the very hard choices to narrow Sydney’s excellent spread of hotels down to ten we’d recommend for a post-iso staycation. From a luxurious restoration in the leafy suburb of Mosman and a Double Bay mansion, to the CBD’s best design-forward luxury hotels, book into…

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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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Exclusive Video Premiere: Josh Kroehn “Never Found” (2020)

Like the crackle of a flickering candle, Josh Kroehn‘s aching “Never Found” is the perfect companion on a slow-moving winters night. That’s why we’re proud to bring you the exclusive premiere of this new music video today, showcasing the talent this Adelaide songwriter has for capturing the heady themes of self-acceptance and change both through…

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