Month: November 2020

Reolink Argus 3 Review: Cost effective scalable solution for smart security

As far as affordable, no-fuss smart security goes, Reolink is a name that deserves a lot of respect. Balancing a very attractive price point with quality is hard no matter which tech sector you’re prying open, and it’s clear the designers behind this smart home company know a thing or two about value propositions. This…

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Smallest Horse

Exclusive Video Premiere: Smallest Horse “How To Be A Human” (2020)

Brissie folk-punsters Smallest Horse have just dropped their latest tune, “How To Be A Human”, and we are thrilled today to be premiering the video for the track. This band has the folk-punk genre down pat, combining quirky story-telling with upbeat melodies and just the right amount of attitude. Humour and acute observations are the…

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The Indios

Track of the Day: The Indios “La Primavera” (2020)

London-based Colombian band The Indios have just released their new single: “La Primavera”. The single is the creation of production duo Juan Contento, the band’s lead singer, and Felipe Rojas, the drummer.  Slow-tempo and laidback but captivating, “La Primavera” blends the different musical cultures brilliantly. The band has managed to make Urban latin influences rub…

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Bose Frames Tempo Review: Second-generation wearable audio fares much better for the audio giants

When Bose first released their wearable Bose Frames, I was a bit sceptical. The dependable audio company opting out of the bone-conduction approach many other competing open-ear headphones use was an odd choice. On the other hand, it’s Bose – good sound is expected. The company said that they avoided the prevailing approach to wearable…

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Darlinghurst barber shop UNOIT is an ambitious play for grooming in Sydney

Sydney has some incredible high-concept barber shops for when you need that necessary touch-up, or complete remodel, but the city has never seen anything like “UNOIT” before. Positioned between a wine shop and a gym, where Crown meets William at the edge of Darlinghurst, this ambitious, newly opened unisex barber shop is the brainchild of…

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Hendrick’s Gin is bringing a hot air balloon bar to Sydney

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to soar through the sky with a gin in your hand, then wonder no more as Hendrick’s Gin launches its first exclusive bar in a hot air balloon.  The free event is for one day only and with a limited number of people, the ‘Hendrick’s Gin’s…

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The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 5 sees an animated fan favourite go live action

The latest episode of The Mandalorian sees creator / writer / director Dave Filoni not only get to bring a treasured animated character from 2D into live action 3D but simultaneously cement himself as a creative force to be reckoned with. Spoilers ahead with our episode review.  Mando (Pedro Pascal) and the Child have finally…

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A summer of rock: Girls Rock! Adelaide, 2021 Summer Camp opens applications

Local music mentoring organisation, Girls Rock! Adelaide, have announced applications are now open for their 2021 summer camp. A swiftly growing local youth organisation, Girls Rock! Adelaide is all about making space for girls, trans, and non-binary young people in the music scene. And while they’ve been rocked by Covid-19, their key program for the…

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Alive

Alive: Nuria takes us song by song through her soulful debut album

Tasmanian indie-pop artist Nuria has just released her debut album, the aptly titled Alive. Regular readers of the AU will have noticed I am a fan of the Tasmanian musician, having featured several of her singles over the past year; many of which feature on this new album.  In many ways Alive is an album…

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Track of the Day: Yergurl “Until We Meet Again” (2020)

If you’re looking for a new track to obsess over, look no further than Melbourne based artist, Yergurl with her latest single, “Until We Meet Again”. After releasing her debut EP Love Bite earlier last year, the 20 year old is known for her unique style of dreamy beats and unapologetic lyrics. Capturing the core…

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Film Review: Oliver Sacks: His Own Life is a rather ordinary doco about an extraordinary man

Oliver Sacks was an incredible man. The neurologist, writer and naturalist forced us all to rethink our understanding of the brain with his absorbing medical case studies and books. He showed a real empathy towards his patients at a time when the establishment were sceptical about such treatment. Now he is the focus of Oliver…

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2020 Aria Awards

ARIA Awards 2020: Tame Impala, Sampa The Great and Archie Roach own the night

In what has been a tough year for the music industry, last night’s 2020 ARIA Awards marked a mighty, although socially distanced celebration at Sydney’s The Star Event Centre. Tame Impala surfaced as a big winner, taking home five ARIA awards, including Album of the Year for the third time, as well as Best Group, Best Rock Album, Engineer of the…

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Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Review: AKA The Bokoblin Grind

Age of Calamity is the latest in the Hyrule Warriors series, revolving around The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent the whole of 2020 waiting for more sequel news. And I’m gutted that I haven’t heard anything yet. While Age of Calamity may act as somewhat…

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Win a Hydragun for your portable premium percussive massage needs

With percussive massage guns now becoming more popular in Australia, it’s good timing for Hydragun to enter the market. The flexible massager, with six different speeds and six different attachment heads, was designed by a Muay Thai enthusiast and offers users a well-designed, super premium recovery tool for various uses such as deep-tissue massage, preventing…

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Watch Cyberpunk 2077 in action on Playstation 4 Pro and PS5 via backwards compatibility

Inching closer to the long-awaited release of the game of the year, Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt has dropped a new taster of gameplay. The new footage features a look at PlayStation 4 Pro and PlayStation 5 versions through backwards compatibility, the 6-minute gameplay captures a section of the Nomad Lifepath, one of three playable…

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The Betweeners: Brisbane’s The Bonnie Doons walk us through their sophomore EP

Brisbane indie five-piece The Bonnie Doons released their new EP, The Betweeners, late last week. The four-track release champions a sound rich in groove, rhythm and soul, with the band dipping in and out of a few genre pools.  Recorded at Brisbane’s Alchemix Studios, The Betweeners is a release rooted in optimism, and in making…

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6 Events not to miss as Perth Festival celebrates local artists and stories in 2021

With international travel still on hold, Australia’s summer arts festival have a distinctly local flavour this year. The freshly announced program for Perth Festival 2021, for example, is focused on celebrating and contemplating Western Australian artists, creatives, and landscapes, in all aspects this summer. Built around the theme of “Bilya”, meaning river, the 2021 festival will…

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Album Review: Wolf & Cub – NIL (2020 LP)

After a long absence, Wolf & Cub are back, but not as you know it, armed with a new drummer, a heavier sound and a ‘zero-f**ks-given’ attitude all on show with new album NIL. NIL is Wolf & Cub’s fourth studio album. But, their first since 2013’s Heavy Weight which failed to deliver the commercial success…

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Markus Saastamoinen

Exclusive Album Premiere: Markus Saastamoinen – Puzzle Pieces (2020 LP)

Melbourne-based musician Markus Saastamoinen will tomorrow release his long-awaited debut album, Puzzle Pieces. This talented multi-instrumentalist has featured in a number of bands over the years and has finally stepped out as a solo artist.  We are excited today to be premiering this wonderfully diverse album, and Markus has provided us with a track-by-track description, which…

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Hot Donnas

Dunedin’s Hot Donnas share new single “Two Brains”, a new EP and some favourite memories of touring

Earlier this month Dunedin’s Hot Donnas returned with their new EP The Adventures of E-Wan, featuring new single “Two Brains”. Carrying a similar sound to the early Arctic Monkeys and Queens of The Stone Age, “Two Brains” is heady rock’n’roll tied up in one. Grinding guitars build the pace on this body-moving track about overthinking, indecision…

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Life After Truth

Book Review: Ceridwen Dovey’s Life After Truth might just be the book we need to round out 2020

Ceridwen Dovey‘s latest novel is a bit of a departure from her previous offerings. Set at Harvard University, during the week of a fifteen year reunion, Life After Truth follows five friends as they navigate the many parties and events of the week, all the while wondering if they’ve taken the right path in life. The…

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Track of the Day: Sam Kaiser “Good Things” (2020)

Today’s stunning Track of the Day comes courtesy of singer-songwriter Sam Kaiser. Splitting his time between Hong Kong and Ontario, Kasier’s sound is folksy and intricate, all bound together by a soulful voice that belies his youth. Fans of Passenger and José Gonzalez will find plenty to enjoy here. Latest track “Good Things” might just…

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Clio Renner

Album Of The Week: Clio Renner – Nothing Breaks, Nothing Mends (2020 LP)

Musicians like Clio Renner are what makes the musical landscape go round and round. For every act you know as a near household name, there’s those musicians working in the periphery, as touring or session musicians helping create those songs you’ll play on repeat and love year in, year out. And if you’re lucky enough,…

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Film Review: David Byrne’s American Utopia is an authentic bridge towards human connection

David Byrne is no stranger to starring in concert films. In 1983, as frontman of Talking Heads, he appeared in the acclaimed Stop Making Sense. Now he stars in his very own: American Utopia, courtesy of director Spike Lee. The result is something that is stripped back yet ultimately brimming with authenticity. For American Utopia,…

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Acclaimed Australian drama The Furnace to premiere at Perth Festival

Fresh from its triumphant world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, Roderick MacKay‘s acclaimed debut feature The Furnace will have its Australian premiere during the Lotterywest film season in the lead up to the Perth Festival (5th – 28th February, 2021). Starring Australian screen legend David Wenham, rising star Jay Ryan (It: Chapter Two), and…

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Track of the Day: Dominic Breen “Lovelost” (2020)

Sydney-based singer/songwriter Dominic Breen has just released another belter of a track, this one is called “Lovelost”. The highly talented multi-instrumentalist played all but the bass on “Lovelost”, an upbeat song about being somewhat downbeat. There are some punchy lines in the song – “You left me with a cancer” delivered in a sunny, bouncy, joyous…

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David M Western

Exclusive Single Premiere: David M. Western “Instant Life” (2020)

Country Victoria has spawned a gifted singer-songwriter in the form of David M. Western. His indie-folk-rock exhibits charmed musicianship, and he has an uncanny ability to write songs which make you pay attention to what he has to say. We are thrilled today to be premiering his latest release “Instant Life’ before its release tomorrow….

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Interview: The Croods: A New Age director Joel Crawford on finally getting a sequel off the ground and the coup of the original cast returning

To coincide with the US release of the hotly anticipated sequel The Croods: A New Age (set for a North American date of November 25th), our own Peter Gray caught up with the film’s director, Joel Crawford, to discuss the coup of reuniting the original cast and furthering the emotional aspect of the original story….

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Film Review: Let Him Go is a western-slanted revenge thriller that’s an odd mixture of subdued quietness and unnerving thrills

Despite Kevin Costner and Diane Lane perfecting the kindly rural American in Man of Steel, in no way should they be confused with the kindly rural Americans they embody in Let Him Go.  Superman’s parents they are not in Thomas Bezucha‘s slow-burn thriller, a 1960’s set, western-slanted revenge piece that takes a little longer than…

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Hydragun Review: Percussive massage at a whim

As the cross-section of wellness and tech continues to grow, we’re bound to find more percussive massage guns on the market. That’s a good thing, since to this point the market has been dominated by Therabody and their high-end theragun, with their latest top-tier model asking for an ambitious $899. At over half the price,…

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