Year: 2021

The sounds of silence: The wisdom of New Zealand-based POW Studios and how they enhanced the horror of Coming Home in the Dark

When New Zealand-made horror film Coming Home in the Dark premiered at Sundance earlier this year, its use of sound was perhaps its most deceptive feature.  Forgoing the usual jump scare queues and obvious musical encouragement to goad audiences into a reaction, the film opted for a more subtle approach, utilising naturalistic sounds to give…

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The Soul Movers. Credit: Dani Hansen

Interview: The Soul Movers on Evolution, Sherbet and life post-Wiggles

The Soul Movers are aptly named for their body-driven music that will have any seated crown writhing in their seats. Fronted by Lizzie Mack and Murray Cook (aka the original red Wiggle), the group combine electrifying guitar riffs with 60s soul groove and a sprinkling of pop to form a night that audiences could never…

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Arlo

Arlo Pro 4 details announced: Australian availability and pricing

Taking a break from their flow of Essential series products, Arlo has announced the latest edition to their popular high-end Pro series. The Arlo Pro 4 is now being prepped for an Australia launch, designed specifically to focus more on an easier DIY setup, with features including 2K HDR video quality and a handy 160-degree…

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Telenova

Photo Gallery: Telenova + Glenn Hopper + Maia Marsh – The Lansdowne, Sydney (24.03.21)

It was a special night out at The Lansdowne in Sydney last night, where for the less than the price of a pizza, I got to see three outstanding acts. Heading the bill was Telenova from Melbourne. A three-piece which only formed eighteen months ago, they already seem like a complete unit. They came together…

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Film Review: Godzilla vs. Kong is a titan match not worth the spectator fee

You would think by now that the proprietors of the particular cinematic universe that encompasses films surrounding a giant ape and a radioactive lizard would gather that we really don’t care about the human characters involved.  Sure, it’s great for there to be suitably formed players, and in the case of these films they’re often…

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Flash Sale: Accor are selling ibis budget rooms for $48 per night

Hotel snobs may turn their nose at the bare-bones basicness of Accor’s least expensive brand, ibis budget, but they’d be missed the point entirely. The typically well-located hotels have always served as reliable and ultra-convenient bases for those wanting to save more money on exploring than staying. So it’s a surprise to see them cut…

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QT at Home Easter

QT Hotels are packing lush Easter dining boxes for home entertainers

Given they have some of the best hotel restaurants in Australia – shout out to Gowings & Parlour Cucina in Sydney and Santini Grill in Perth – QT Hotels and Resorts are doubling down on their at-home dining concept which was introduced late last year. QT’s best chefs from across Australia – representing awarded restaurants…

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Album of the Week: Ben Howard’s Collections From the Whiteout is a surprising return to form

Ben Howard is seemingly a reluctant, successful musician. His ongoing success and acclaim from fans and critics does not always sitting so well with himself. Instead, he comes across as an artist who is consistently and constantly looking to grow and evolve, all while perhaps being held back by his historical success. Having been a…

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Night Rooms

Book Review: Gina Nutt’s Night Rooms is a fascinating blend of horror tropes, poetic prose, and personal reflection

Shopping mall beauty pageants and wedding anniversaries meet true crime and Victorian taxidermy in Night Rooms, a stunning personal essay collection from Gina Nutt. There’s likely an expectation that, given that she’s writing about it, Nutt’s life is packed with adventure or trauma or something generally monumental. It isn’t. But Night Rooms is no less…

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Maple Mall

Guest Playlist: Maple Mall let us in on their favourite road trip tunes

Illawarra indie quartet Maple Mall are back with a new single — “Down This Way” — their second for 2021 so far; and only their third single of their career overall.  “Down This Way” is another cracking release from the lads from Illawarra. It really hits those chilled out late summer vibes perfectly. Three singles…

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The 2021 Stella Prize Shortlist unveiled

This morning the Stella Prize have announced their 2021 shortlist live on ABC Radio National’s Breakfast program.  The 2021 shortlist spans fiction and non-fiction and showcases the extraordinary talent and ingenuity on display across the Australian literary landscape. The 2021 prize saw the judges receive over 160 entries from Australian women and non-binary writers.  Earlier…

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Film Review: Peter Rabbit 2 should delight its target audience

One of the first 2020 titles to delay its release substantially from its original bowing date (in this case, March 2020) due to the Coronavirus, Peter Rabbit 2 has finally hopped to a release window that makes sense.  In a country where cinemas have been open and thriving (and how!) for the better part of…

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Banksia Bakehouse

Banksia Bakehouse has created a Hot Cross Croissant… and its beautiful

Sydney CBD’s Banksia Bakehouse has been making quite the name for itself with inventive creations that keep pumping across social media. And it seems the formidable kitchen isn’t slowing down anytime soon, nodding towards Easter with the creation of the Hot Cross Croissant. Keep in mind this was a bakery that just last week revealed…

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DMA'S

Yours & Owls Festival unveil Australian-first revolving stage details, as they change venues and replace the Kiwis

Yours and Owls is happily going ahead this April 17 and 18, 2021, with a number of measures in place to keep the festival stress-free and COVID-safe, without compromising on fun, sustainability, and the ability for festivalgoers to have a good party. One of these changes involved moving the party to Dalton Park, Wollongong, two…

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Super City

Exclusive Video Premiere: Super City “42 Years” (2021)

“42 Years’, is the latest tune from Baltimore outfit Super City, and we are stoked to be premiering its video today. The band was formed in 2014 by songwriters  Dan Ryan and Greg Wellham. Since then they’ve dropped a self-titled EP, and their first LP, Again Weekend. These guys are the go-to for dance-rock and…

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Appropriate

Review: Sydney Theatre Company’s Appropriate is a remarkable and intensely significant production

Ever notice how families will remember events from their childhood differently? How a conversation, a situation or a person that seems so clear to you can be viewed from a completely different perspective by your sibling. This concept of selective memory is sometimes heightened after someone dies, our brains often choosing to focus on the…

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Lord Huron

Track of the Week: Lord Huron “Mine Forever” (2021)

Lord Huron is back and with a new album on the way. On May 21st the alt-country outfit will release their fourth album: Long Lost.  The group have already kick started the album cycle with the release of the first single “Mine Forever”. Long Lost is billed as a concept album. It is centred around…

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Film Review: Nobody is aware of how smart it needs to be in order to sell its action-driven lunacy

A film like Nobody is inevitably going to be likened to similarly-themed actioners such as John Wick and Taken.  And that’s not a bad thing, given how well-liked those films are (or, in the context of Taken, at least the first one), with the middle-aged-man-defending-what’s-rightfully-his narrative proving an easy sell.  Nobody is perhaps the easiest…

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WAMAwards 2020

Spacey Jane win big at star-studded 2020 WAMAwards

Last night saw the best and brightest of WA’s music scene come together to celebrate the very best of 2020 at the WAMAwards.  Taking place as part of WA Music Week, the evening was testament to Western Australia’s vibrant, talented, and resilient music scene, with live performances from winners, Adrian Dzvuke, Noah Dillon and more….

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Film Review: The Mauritanian is a factual-based thriller grounded by Tahar Rahim’s central performance

As much as The Mauritanian can boast Jodie Foster (in her Golden Globe-winning role), Benedict Cumberbatch and Shailene Woodley as its headliners, it’s the central performance from the lesser-known Tahar Rahim that ultimately impresses and grounds the film around him. A factual-based dramatic thriller detailing some of the supposed inner workings of the 9/11 terrorism…

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Here’s where to find the best one-day hikes around Tokyo

The mountainous terrain of Japan means nature lovers are spoiled for choice when it comes to trekking. Simply embark on a short one hour train, nature-bound and watch the transformation of metropolitan Tokyo to scenic and serene inaka (Japanese for rural countryside). Even if you’re only traveller passing through, I encourage you to block out…

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AMP Winners The Avalanches announce Brisbane and Sydney concerts

The Avalanches have announced shows in Brisbane and Sydney in April and May. The duo will be bringing their latest album, We Will Always Love You to Brisbane’s Riverstage on Friday, April 30, and Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Thursday 27th May. It was one of our most anticipated albums of 2020, with our reviewer Dylan…

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Lake Street Dive

Interview: Lake Street Dive on Obviously, writing styles and women’s rights

Formed through Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music in the 2000s, Lake Street Dive has been a staple in the soul-rock scene, distinguished by their jazz prowess and genre transcendence. They hit the big time with their singles “Good Kisser” and “Rich Girl” from their 2018 album Free Yourself Up, only to back it up…

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Review: The Other Art Fair Sydney makes art affordable and relevant

Described as an art fair for a new generation of art buyers, The Other Art Fair in Sydney presents a selection of over 100 independent artists with works ranging in price from under $100 to over $1000. Presented by Saatchi Art and held at The Cutaway at Barangaroo, The Other Art Fair also delivers performance…

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Air New Zealand sets sights on Hobart with new service from Auckland

Once quarantine-free travel is up and running, Air New Zealand will introduce a non-stop service between Auckland and Hobart as its tenth Australian destination. The route will provide a much-needed economic boost to both cities and their respective tourism industries, as well as open Kiwi’s up to the absolute wonder of one of Australia’s best…

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Dyson target formaldehyde with their most advanced air purifiers to date

Look, I’m a bit of a Dyson fanboy so please excuse me if any of the below sounds overly-fluffed. And this isn’t even a review; it’s a news piece. It’s news to let our readers know that this week the renowned brand has lifted the lid on its latest generation of purification machines, headlined by…

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Pip Williams

Pip Williams and The Dictionary of Lost Words are the big winners at the Indie Book Awards 2021

For the second year the Indie Book Awards have been announced online, with The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams announced as Australian independent booksellers’ favourite book of the year. On winning the award, Pip Williams hailed the work of Australia’s independent booksellers as they adapted to working in a pandemic lockdown: “The Dictionary…

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Opera Kitchen is now a vibrant Italian & Japanese food hall

It’s one of Sydney’s most sought after dining spots, given it sides right up to Sydney Harbour, and now Opera Kitchen has reopened with a fresh new approach to dining. The venue is now a multi-cuisine food hall, giving Opera Bar more than a few new neighbours for anyone keen to mix-and-match their dining experience….

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Thandi Phoenix

Interview: Thandi Phoenix on “Count Me Out”, creativity and staying inspired

Thandi Phoenix rose to international prominence with her feature on Rudimental‘s 2018 track, “My Way”. In 2019, she wowed her fans with her eponymous debut EP including hits such as “Say It” and “Cleopatra”, and now she’s following it up with her latest single “Count Me Out”. The Sydney artist places her silken RnB voice on…

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Sad King Billy

Exclusive Single Premiere: Sad King Billy “Bad Man” (2021)

Sad King Billy is the solo project of Julian Peet, a native of Perth in Western Australia. We are thrilled to be premiering his latest release “Bad Man” today, ahead of its official release. The track is off the upcoming Sad King Billy album, Mental Wealth, due to be released in 2021. His songs explore…

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