Year: 2021

Holy Holy

Album of the Week: Hello My Beautiful World is Holy Holy’s best album yet

Holy Holy are whole. After years of plying their trade on anthemic stadium-ready rock tinged with hints of 80’s glam guitar and synth, the Australian act now feel complete; like they’ve managed to pull it all together once and for all. Here on Hello My Beautiful World, the anthemic beauty of the band continues to…

Read More

Meet the Republic of Georgia – The Wine Country With Rich Culture and Delicious Food

I know you’re itching to get back to travelling the world. To help you get into the mood, let me introduce you to the Republic of Georgia – the country where I’ve been fortunate to spend the pandemic period. Often confused with the unrelated U.S. State, this former-soviet country is nestled within the mountainous Caucasian…

Read More

Film Review: Reminiscence showcases the bold and original creativity of filmmaker Lisa Joy

Adopting a futuristic setting and applying a noir mentality to its narrative, Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy shows bold, original footing in her debut as a feature filmmaker.  She may not always stick the landing, but it’s hard to deny her talent and evident vision with Reminiscence, a mystery thriller at its base that incorporates romance…

Read More
Pasiflorez

Exclusive Single Premiere: Pasiflorez “Dream Girl?” (2021)

Lovers of psychedelic surf rock are going to love Pasiflorez. We are stoked today to be premiering their latest tune, “Dream Girl?”, ahead of its release on Friday, 20th August 2021. Psych rock is one genre that, when done well, always gives me the impression that the band is totally vibing on what they are…

Read More
Jacob's Wife

Film Review: Jakob’s Wife is a fun splatter horror comedy about a disintegrating marriage that could use some vamping up

Jakob’s Wife tells the story of small-town couple Jakob and Anne Fedder (horror veterans Larry Fessenden and Barbara Crampton); a local minister and his dutiful wife who have been married close to 30 years. Anne feels that after all the tasks of being a housewife – including the cleaning, cooking, gardening, housekeeping and more cleaning…

Read More

Guest Playlist: Getting to know Sydney’s Southey

Sydney’s singer/songwriter Southey has launched himself onto the scene with his debut single, “Run River”. This is a track that would have you believe he had a couple of albums under his belt. With beautifully delicate guitars and layered vocals, Southey has nailed his debut with aplomb. “Run River” has a beautiful richness to it….

Read More
Macros

MACROS meal delivery: the healthier choice

After a long day at work, it’s easy to lean towards UberEats and takeaway overcooking and clean-up. While that may be fine as a treat, making it a daily ritual quickly affects us all not only monetarily, but also with regards to our health. That’s where MACROS comes in. Their ready-made meals make it easy to…

Read More

EPOS H3 Headphones Review: High-end competitor

The EPOS H3 is the latest gaming headset from Sennheiser’s nascent gaming arm. Though Senny has released scores of gaming headsets in the GSP series, the EPOS label now picks up the slack. I feel good In the H3, EPOS seems to be trying hard to veer away from the chunky, heavy GSP range and…

Read More

Film Review: The Night House is a thought-provoking horror film exploring the thematics of grief

The idea of marrying grief and the horror genre together isn’t exactly a bold, new concept, but thanks to a thought-provoking script (courtesy of Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski), deceptively inventive set design, and a wholly committed central turn from Rebecca Hall, The Night House explores a tested theme in a fresh manner. Hall stars…

Read More
Steven Bamidele

Track of the Week: Steven Bamidele (UK) “You Were Wrong” (2021)

Steven Bamidele is a neo-soul artist hailing from Brighton in the UK. He first burst onto the scene in 2017, and his next EP, Uncrowded is due to drop on October 15, 2021.  The first single from the EP has just been teased out, “You Were Wrong”, and we are thrilled to have it as…

Read More

Exclusive Single Premiere: Aodhan “Three Leaf Clover” (Teenage Joans Cover) (2021)

Aodhan, the talented Dharawal singer/songwriter from Albion Park in NSW is certainly going through a purple patch. Only last month he released his outstanding debut EP, Flies In My Room, and he is following it up with a cover of the stellar Teenage Joans song, “Three Leaf Clover”. We are thrilled to be premiering the track…

Read More

Interview: Hugh Jackman, Thandiwe Newton and Reminiscence writer and director Lisa Joy on the creation of a new futuristic world in cinema

Written and directed by Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy and starring Hugh Jackman, Thandiwe Newton and Rebecca Ferguson, Reminiscence is a mind-bending new thriller that asks the question of how far you would go to hold on to the ones you love? Speaking with our own Peter Gray ahead of the film’s release, Hugh, Thandiwe and…

Read More

Film Review: Come Play is an effective scarer for those seeking easy thrills

One of the few horror efforts from 2020 that dared an American theatrical release last year – only one minor delay period and no being sold to a streaming service – Come Play, though perhaps stuck with the stigma of being a “direct to digital release” here in Australia, is a worthy scarer that utilises…

Read More

Fantasia Film Festival Review: The Last Thing Mary Saw takes pride in the subtle and suggestive nature of religious horror

Religious principles and the notion of intolerance run thematically rampant in The Last Thing Mary Saw, a horror-leaning drama film that announces first time filmmaker Edoardo Vitaletti as an intriguing mind to keep our radar on. Opting for tension and unease rather than overt gore, Mary… is an 1843 set period chiller that opens on…

Read More

Interview: Still Woozy on If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is, his wedding & feelings.

Portland-based Still Woozy is at the forefront of the psychedelic pop scene, with an ability to create lush production that’ll have listeners hearing a new layer on every listen. He combines his carnival sound with a mixture of melancholy and rambunctiousness, creating a dichotic world of emotions which he relates to the feeling of airports….

Read More
Happy Fits

Guest playlist: Brooklyn’s The Happy Fits share songs of resilience that inspired their track “Another Try”

Brooklyn-trio The Happy Fits make well-crafted pop-rock with catchy choruses covering themes we can all relate to. It’s a style of music that has strongly resonated, with the band racking up some impressive numbers in the process. They’ve hit north of fifty million streams worldwide and 4 million YouTube views. Attracting a keen audience in…

Read More

Close Comfort’s Cool Focus Review: Personal air conditioning is starting to get interesting

I love personal air conditioning. I know that’s a strange thing to say, but ever since owning the Dyson Pure Cool Me, a portable air conditioner that selfishly focuses on me has become a summer essential. Can Close Comfort’s Cool Focus compete? It definitely tries too, and does a bang up job doing so, offering…

Read More

Film Review: Respect feels like a greatest hits package rather than an album of cohesive work

A capable cast, led by a worthy Jennifer Hudson, and a plethora of recognisable hit records may be enough to satisfy a surface level bassline when it comes to the story of soul legend Aretha Franklin, but Respect, for all its good intentions, doesn’t quite feel like the story such an icon deserves. At around…

Read More

LG Tone Wireless FN7 Review: Muscling through a competitive market

Let’s be blunt here. LG isn’t the first brand that comes to mind when you think of the hyper-competitive market for true wireless earbuds. Personal audio is always going to be a fiercely competitive scene, but dominators Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, Apple, Samsung, and JBL are always going to come out on top. That’s not to…

Read More

Zega Digital Pot Review: A unique Bluetooth walk-away cooker that completely changes the game

There are plenty of kitchen gadgets on the market if you’re after quick and easy slow-cooked meals which require very little effort. Always has, always will be. But there’s something uniquely satisfying about Zega Intelligent Cookware and their nifty little (little in effort, medium in size) app-enabled pot – the currently $199 Zega Digital. For…

Read More

Win a double in-season pass to see horror sequel Don’t Breathe 2

Thanks to Sony Pictures we have five double passes to give away to the upcoming release of Don’t Breathe 2, the chilling sequel to 2016’s Don’t Breathe, in Australian cinemas from August 26th, 2021. The sequel is set in the years following the initial deadly home invasion, where Norman Nordstrom (Stephen Lang) lives in quiet…

Read More

JBL Multibeam 5.0 Review: One of the best $600 options on the market

JBL entered the soundbar game a few years ago, but their output to date has invariably paled in comparison to the likes of Sonos, Sennheiser, and Bose. The JBL Multibeam 5.0 is a swift, impressive change to that, bringing the notoriously party-minded audio brand and shaping it nicely for a home cinema experience. The Dolby…

Read More

Interview: Australian YouTuber and professional gamer LazarBeam on being invited into the world of Free Guy

Having earned his prolific status in the gaming world through his commentary videos and comedic riffs, Australian YouTuber Lannan Eacott, aka LazarBeam, is upgrading his screen configuration to those of the theatres.  Earning his own credit among the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, and Taika Waititi in the new virtual comedy Free Guy, LazarBeam…

Read More

QT Sydney introduces premium ‘Man Tea At Home’ boxes so you can still own Father’s Day in lockdown

Father’s Day is right around the corner, coming at you on Sunday 5th September. Old man itching to get out? Where are you going to… oh. Wait. If you’re in Sydney right now you don’t many options because, you know. And while there is a small possibility of easing some restrictions for anyone fully vaccinated…

Read More
Sistersong

Book Review: Lucy Holland’s Sistersong is a compelling folkoric fantasy, perfect for fans of Circe

The Romans have left Britain, abandoning it to warring tribes and the invading Saxons. Already set to inherit a land torn asunder, the children of King Cador and Queen Enica watch as their parents bend increasingly to the will of Gildas, an influential and dangerous Christian leader. Under his often cruel guidance, the people of…

Read More

Film Review: The Ice Road is a by-the-numbers actioner buoyed by a surprising emotional current

Seemingly defined at this point in his career by the grizzly, no-nonsense avenger-types he encapsulates – first realised in the 2008 actioner Taken – The Ice Road eases up on Liam Neeson‘s menacing persona and gives his somewhat-everyman a blue collar temperament. He’s still out there risking his life, mind you, but it’s comparatively slightly…

Read More
Archie Roach

Interview: Archie Roach on his Kitchen Table Yarns and his foundation stage at the Port Fairy Folk Festival

Archie Roach is a national treasure who has led an extraordinary life. As a two-year-old, he was forcibly removed from his family, as part of the “Stolen Generation”. This dislocation was to have a profound effect on Archie and his siblings, as he battled alcoholism and struggled to find his identity. He was able to…

Read More
Romanie

Exclusive EP Premiere: Romanie – Little Big Steps (2021 EP)

Little Big Steps is the title of the sophomore EP from Melbourne-based singer/songwriter Romanie, and we are delighted to be premiering it ahead of its release tomorrow. Lead singles “Fake Friends”, “I’m Anything But Myself Around You” and “Stranger In My Skin” have dropped in the last few months in the leadup to the EP’s…

Read More

Album of the Week: Now We’re Cookin’ is Polish Club at their best, most melodic and entirely complete

Since coming through with the goods on their debut album in 2017, it’s been a relatively constant burn for Polish Club, the Sydney duo known for their live shows and ability to craft punchy classic rock tracks. With Alright Already debuting 4 years ago only to be followed up with the stellar Iguana in 2019,…

Read More
Planet

Track of the Week: PLANET “Resign” (2021)

Sydney’s indie-rock outfit PLANET have released another highly infectious guitar-driven banger, “Resign” and it’s our Track of the Week. These boys know how to write a catchy tune, with more than a passing nod to Brit-pop with some earthy garage rock keeping it grounded in the Antipodes. With spring just around the corner, this track…

Read More