Month: September 2020

The Little Lord Street Band

Exclusive Album Premiere: The Little Lord Street Band – A Minute Of Another Day (2020 LP)

This week sees the release of A Minute of Another Day, the much anticipated debut album from Perth alt-country folk group The Little Lord Street Band. The album, which officially releases tomorrow, is a mixed bag of songs that crisscrosses the genres and highlights the songwriting talents of both James Rogers and Natasha Shanks. We’re big…

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The Mother Fault

Book Review: Kate Mildenhall’s The Mother Fault is deservedly one of this year’s most hyped Australian novels

In an indeterminate future Australia where everything is run by The Department, Mim’s husband, Ben, goes missing. Unable to track him using the technology that all citizens are fitted with, members of The Department begin asking questions. They claim to be concerned for his welfare, but they take Mim’s passport and those of her two…

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Series X

Xbox confirms Australian Series S/Series X launch date and pricing

Following the announcement of its low-cost Series S console on Tuesday, Xbox has formally announced pricing on the higher-end Series X. The Xbox Series X will retail for $499 in the US, in line with price points indicated in Tuesday’s leaks. This translates to $749 AUD, as announced by Xbox ANZ on socials earlier this…

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Women's Prize for Fiction

Maggie O’Farrell wins 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction

Overnight it has been announced that Maggie O’Farrell has won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction with her eighth novel Hamnet.  As has become the norm in the age of COVID, the announcement was made during a live digital awards ceremony, with 2020 Chair of Judges Martha Lane Fox announcing O’Farrell as this year’s winner…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Coast & Ocean “Valentino” (2020)

Hailing from Wollongong, Coast & Ocean has already demonstrated a flexible style with singles “Peaches n Cream”, “Cherry Cola”, and “Golden in April”. Now it’s time to switch to a spring aesthetic with “Valentino”, the playful new single that uniquely sketches a coastal vibe onto a seamless blend of R&B and rap and is premiering…

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KOGO

Track of the Day: KOGO “IN YOUR FACE” (2020)

Emerging Adelaide solo artist KOGO’s new track “IN YOUR FACE” is a departure from his earlier work in many ways. This tune fits squarely into an indie-rock mould, creating a juxtaposition with his previous electronic feel. About the origins of the song he says, “Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of pop-punk from the…

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Xbox Series S

Xbox Series S officially revealed, Series X pricing to follow

After images of the console leaked earlier today, Xbox has confirmed the existence of the Xbox Series S. Series S is a smaller, less powerful, budget-priced version of the Xbox Series X hardware arriving later this year. The Series S will set you back USD $299. As this story was being prepared, Xbox UK announced…

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Nominees revealed for the 2020 National Live Music Awards as public voting opens

The nominees for the 5th annual National Live Music Awards have been announced, which will be held on Sunday 20 October 2020 – both virtually and physically. Sampa the Great has received the most recognition, with three nominations – Live Act of the Year, Live Voice of the Year and Best Live Act in VIC…

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The 2020 Queer Screen Film Festival goes online

This year’s annual Queer Screen Film Festival, the little sister to February’s Mardi Gras Film Festival, will be held entirely online, allowing for anyone across the country to join the celebration. Running across 11 days from Thursday 17 September to Sunday 27 September, this year’s program features over 40 feature films, documentaries and shorts. With…

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Film Review: Bill & Ted Face the Music is a genuinely joyous slice of nostalgia that proves worth the wait for long-standing fans

As someone who was a kid when the first two Bill & Ted films were released (Excellent Adventure in 1989, Bogus Journey in 1991), and watched them on a regular basis throughout my childhood, I’m very much in the target demographic for the unexpected sequel that is Bill & Ted Face the Music.  As 1980’s-leaning…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Golden Fang “Spooner’s Lookout” (2020)

Sydney indie-rock band Golden Fang are about to release the second single, “Spooner’s Lookout” off their album Here. Now Here. We are thrilled to be premiering this track ahead of its release on Friday. This is a song showcasing significant musical maturity and a love of their craft. The track opens with melodic acoustic guitars and pensive…

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Track of the Day: Yawdoesitall Feat. Maina Doe “Armadillo” (2020)

Rising Sydney emcee Yawdoesitall hooks up with guest vocalist Maina Doe for new single “Armadillo”. Though early days for the rapper, with previous single “Get It” turning heads on the local scene earlier this year, the new cut is a sharp image of a young artist steady proving himself more than ready to rise through…

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Recipe: How to make the Pixieberry Cheesecake from Final Fantasy XIV

It’s not often that a game is so stacked with delicious food that it inspires IRL recipes. Final Fantasy XIV is an exception. As one of the most beloved MMORPG’s based on the classic Square Enix series, XIV maintains an enviable space in the world of video games, with a passionate fan base just as…

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Relicta Review: F**king magnets, how do they work?

Is Relicta trying too hard to be another Portal or can the first-person puzzler fashion its own identity from its magnetism-based mechanics? Yeah, kind of. I guess. The powers of magnetism and gravity are compelling when aggressively tested by complex level design and well considered puzzles, but the inconsistency in the game’s physics can easily…

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Arlo Essential Spotlight Camera Review: Finally, a budget smart security camera

Arlo’s lineup of battery-powered outdoor cameras has been growing nicely as of late, offering up a flexible range that positions the company as one of the frontrunners when it comes to smart home security tech. With their latest, the Essential Spotlight Camera, the team at Arlo have created what is their most affordable entry-level device…

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Cocktail Recipe: You’re Grounded by Melbourne Gin

Emerging craft gin label Melbourne Gin has just come from securing a Double Gold metal at the 2020 SIP Awards for the second year in a row, which certainly bodes well for their inventive releases as of late. To see what they’ve been playing around with in terms of flavour we hit them up for…

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Samsung’s outdoor 4K Terrace QLED is coming to Australia

Samsung has announced a game-changing QLED 4K TV designed especially for outdoor set-ups, forming a new category that nods to an increasing need for flexibility to complement a wider range of home designs. Dubbed The Terrace, the new TV will be arriving in Australia next month in 55-inch, 65-inch and 75-inch sizes, sporting the company’s…

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Film Review: Buffaloed is a vehicle for Zoey Deutch’s star quality and infectious enthusiasm

Zoey Deutch is a star, and as her infectious enthusiasm and penchant for live-wire-fuelled comedy proves in Buffaloed, the world is simply waiting to catch up to her.  In the same manner as someone like Anna Kendrick, Deutch does so much with so little, going-for-broke with a fearlessness that often elevates both the material she’s…

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‘Looking Past the Pandemic’ with Hussy Hicks from Gold Coast, Queensland

Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of…

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The ultimate ’90s R&B playlist: From D’Angelo to TLC

Running the gamut of emotions that fuelled R&B in the ’90s, The AU Review’s “Hip Hop and R&B Retrospective” playlist has turned away from 100 greatest songs by women in hip hop and turned attention to rap’s silkier, smoother cousin. From Janet Jackson and SWV to Maxwell and 112; Brandy and Monica to Usher and…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Doublethink Prism “#PAVLOVA” (2020)

We have the exclusive premiere of the song and video “#PAVLOVA” from the experimental electronic and spoken-word duo Doublethink Prism from Western Australia. The duo is comprised of Splodge who provides the words, and Steven Alyian who provides the sounds. This is a thought-provoking track, with an incredible video.  The band describes it as “……

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Julia Stone

Track of the Day: Julia Stone “Unreal” (2020)

Our track of the day is “Unreal”, a beautiful song from Julia Stone, tracking the complexities of love, loss and reflections on relationships. “Unreal” features samples and synths, adding many layers to the ethereal vocals of Stone.  Her vocals always conveys a feeling of honesty and an assured authenticity to them. The video was filmed…

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Film Review: The New Mutants is painfully full of dialogue and not enough horror scares

The New Mutants was going to be Fox’s attempt at re-invigorating the X-Men franchise, or at least, it probably was before it got bogged in production issues and a merger with Disney. The film, now released some two years later, gets dropped into cinemas whilst a pandemic is happening, which is probably a metaphor for…

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‘Looking Past the Pandemic’ with Mcclendon from Nasvhille, Tennessee

Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of…

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The mission that changes everything begins in latest No Time To Die trailer

There’s been a bit of radio silence on the 007 front ever since No Time To Die was one of the first major studio releases to react to the coronavirus pandemic and shifted its original April release to November 2020.  Now that the film’s local November 12th date seems locked and loaded, the promotional trail…

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Track of the Day: CXLOE “One and Lonely” (2020)

After her recent single “12 Steps” streamed over half a million, the flourishing Australian artist CXLOE returns with her latest single “One and Lonely.” She has been featured on multiple airplays and coverage from the likes of triple j, all pop-leaning commercial radio stations across Australia and across global titles. Co-written with Trey Campbell, Jessica…

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Track by Track: Hayden Calnin takes us through his latest EP Soon Forever

Melbourne-based songwriter and producer Hayden Calnin has just dropped a new EP today, Soon Forever. Continuing his organic melding of folk and electronica, Soon Forever is an atmospheric and evocative listen from start to finish. Calnin is renowned for his production skills, and once again on Soon Forever he delivers a beautifully layered collection of…

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Interview: San Cisco on Between You and Me, writing happy songs and isolation

San Cisco are staples in the Australian music industry – you’d be hard-pressed to find an Aussie music lover who hasn’t come across this three-piece Western Australia band. Their latest full-length album, Between You and Me, follows the recent release of their Flaws EP which housed singles ‘Reasons’, ‘Skin’ and their most vulnerable song to…

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Film Review: Mulan opts to be more than just a carbon copy of its animated counterpart

Given that the character of Hua Mulan has long been one depicted in poetry, novels, and film for almost as long as she has been a Chinese folklore figure, it’s wiser to view Mulan as another variation of her story, rather than a direct remake of Disney’s 1998 animated favourite. Whereas recent Disney live-action overhauls…

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The Bentley Group is opening an Australian inspired pizza joint

With four acclaimed restaurants in their pocket such as Bentley Restaurant + Bar, Monopole, Yellow and Cirrus, the Bentley Group have announced they are opening Ria Pizza + Wine. Whilst Monopole relocates to Sydney’s CBD, Australia square in October, the new casual pizza joint will be taking up residence in it’s previous dining space with…

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