Year: 2021

koala cork sofa

Koala’s new cork sofa is a big step towards sustainable homeware

Koala may be best known for their ridiculously popular mattresses in-a-box, but the environmentally conscious furniture brand has just made a big, sustainable statement outside of the bedroom. Sourcing cork from regenerative cork oak trees in the Mediterranean basin, they have managed to produce Australia’s first ever soda made entirely from cork. Yes, cork. Cork…

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Australian director Shannon Murphy amongst BAFTA’s Best Director nominees for Babyteeth

Taking last year’s criticism on board for its predominant exclusion of people of colour and women in the majority of its categories, the British Academy of Film and  Television Arts (BAFTA) has overhauled its 2021 voting process with a far more inclusive mindset. Continuing to throw the eventual Oscar nominations into chaos, this year’s BAFTA…

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Jack Biilmann

Exclusive Single Premiere: Jack Biilmann “Legacy” (2021)

New South Wales-born, now Canberra-based indie-roots singer/songwriter Jack Biilmann is just about to release the first track, “Legacy”, from this forthcoming album Full Circle. We are delighted to be premiering this tune ahead of its release on Friday. “Legacy” features some beautiful crisp guitars fitting the soaring vocals like a glove. Fans of John Butler and…

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Catch Your Flow

Track of the Week: Syrup “Catch Your Flow” (2021)

Brisbane alt-pop duo Syrup are back with their latest single “Catch Your Flow”. Co-produced by Slum Sociable‘s Ed Quinn, “Catch Your Flow” is a certified bop, and should be added to your playlists post haste.  Tackling topics of uncertainty and longing for a ‘sign’ from the universe, the new single blends the duo’s now signature…

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The Last Bookshop

Book Review: Emma Young’s The Last Bookshop is a love song to bookshops and small businesses to warm your heart

Cait Copper loves books. As the owner of Hay Street independent bookshop, Book Fiend, she doesn’t have time for any other kind of love in her life; unless you count the weekly deliveries she makes to her housebound clients. She goes to work, deals with the gamut of questions about why her stock is so…

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Film Review: French Exit is quirky, controlled chaos primarily designed as a showcase for the glorious Michelle Pfeiffer

Towards the beginning of French Exit, Azazel Jacobs‘s at once tragic and surreal comedy, Michelle Pfeiffer‘s initially icy New York socialite Frances Price seemingly mocks the romantic uncertainty of her adult son, Malcolm (Lucas Hedges).  “Menstruating?”, she asks when he refuses to divulge any type of answer to his sullenness, confirming screenwriter Patrick deWitt‘s penchant…

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Xbox Bethesda

Microsoft’s ZeniMax acquisition finalised, Bethesda officially joins Xbox

Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of Zenimax Media, the parent company of Bethesda and its attendant studios, has formally concluded. As of today, Bethesda, and every studio under its umbrella, is officially a first-party developer at Xbox. Xbox says it will drop further Bethesda games onto Xbox Game Pass this week to celebrate the acquisition. In…

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GTW 270 Hybrid

EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid Earbuds Review: Wireless Audio for the Nintendo Switch

With the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid earbuds, EPOS is showing serious interest in trying something new. Many have tried to create gaming earbuds but none have ever had the punch of a decent set of cans. EPOS is a partner brand of audio maker Sennheiser. They are tinkerers and inventors, they like to throw ideas…

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Dropbear

Book Review: Past, present, and Australiana come under the microscope in Evelyn Araluen’s Dropbear

Poetry and prose, critique and compassion all come together in Dropbear, the debut collection from award-winning writer, poet and editor Evelyn Araluen. It’s a remarkable collection; smart, thoughtful and articulate. To put it frankly, it comes as a surprise that this is Araluen’s debut book. Dropbear explores the imagery and mythology surrounding popular ideas of…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: 3 Course Comedy serves up the laughs

To say that it’s been a difficult time for the arts industry over the last year is an understatement. The Adelaide Fringe was one of the last events held in 2020 before Coronavirus hit and is now back in a far reduced capacity and social distance friendly way. Which doesn’t mean that everything is smooth…

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Midnight Oil

Photo Gallery: WOMADelaide Day 2 with Midnight Oil, Vika and Linda, and MRLN x RKM

By the second day of Womadelaide, a certain peace and harmony had developed in the crowd. COVID precautions were understood and the mad rush to see everything had changed into a more relaxed atmosphere. Not that this stopped newcomer indigenous rappers MRLN x RKM whipping up some energy onstage. Marlon Motlop (AKA MRLN) was born…

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Six Aussie artists join a new international program for female-identifying producers

Today is International Women’s Day and it’s exciting to see that a new initiative by Canada’s National Arts Centre is cutting through gender imbalance in the music industry. And thanks to export office Sounds Australia, six Aussie artists are on-board. The Global Network for Female-Identifying Music Producers is the new virtual and global project, offering…

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Nanoleaf

Nanoleaf brings new Essentials Range of home lighting to Australia

Nanoleaf is bringing its Essentials Range of RGB smart lights to Australian retailers. The Essentials Range includes the 2m long Lightstrip and the A19 light bulb. Just the essentials The 2m Lightstrip sports four white LEDs per LED set, and a total of 21 LED sets per metre. That translates to 7 sets per 33cm…

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Whisky Loot taps the luck of the Irish with new themed whiskey boxes

Put down that bottle of Jameson. You can pick it up later – Jameson is fine. But there is much more to Irish whisky than one or two brands. Don’t believe me? Hit up Whisky Loot and they’ll tell you – actually, they’ll show you. The Australian online whisky subscription service has decided to turn…

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A local’s guide to Orange, NSW in 2021: Where to eat, stay, sip and play

Domestic travel is in full-swing, which means Sydneysiders should be swapping turns hopping between some of the state’s greatest spots. They all have their moments, but one of the most consistent in terms of both popularity and value has been, is, and will always be Orange. The pocket of serenity, wine, and some of the…

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Sneaker of the year, so far? New Balance’s 237 Silhouette is a wild and fitting tribute

The patchwork approach New Balance have taken to one of their latest silhouettes, the 237, is outstanding. Two colourways, both equally head-turning, are available for this recent drop, which is somewhat of an homage to the classic 327 and the aesthetic bent of the 1970s. A stitched and oversized N logo is an unquestionable presence…

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Dykes on Bikes

Photo Gallery: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2021 (06.03.21)

It was a year like no other, with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade relocating to the Sydney Cricket Ground for a COVID-Safe event. 36,000 spectators filled the SCG for a bright and vivid celebration by the LGBTQI+ community. The theme this year was “RISE”, a call to rise together through love, compassion,…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Reuben Kaye leads us down his Kaye Hole

Reuben Kaye is no stranger to Adelaide audiences. He is entertained and delighted us over several festivals and fringes. As emcee tonight, Kaye invites us down his late-night Kaye Hole with a group of fellow performers. The Kaye Hole is a safe place, except if you’re a straight heterosexual man who, for once, find themselves…

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Lior, Nigel Westlake and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra

Photo Gallery: WOMADelaide Day 1 with Archie Roach, Sarah Blasko & Lior and the ASO

The scaled-down COVID-safe Womadelaide still had plenty of the charm and community that we expect from this annual world music festival. Jamie Goldsmith presented a welcome to country and explained the meanings of the traditional greetings and names. King Rodney Park was named after a Kuarna elder. Womad opened with seasoned performer Archie Roach, who…

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Interview: Birds of Tokyo on Michael Gudinski, Rottnest Island and Human Design.

Birds of Tokyo are back in swing of things with 2021 already seeing the band jet across the country in an opportunistic symphony orchestra tour, Fremantle prison shows, and an upcoming gig on Rottnest Island for Cooper’s Live, Loud & Local series. Playing tracks from their latest album, Human Design, the Rottnest gig marks almost a year…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Paul McDermott and his PLUS ONE serve up some hilarious home truths

You may remember Paul McDermott from our television screens back in the eighties as one of the Doug Anthony All Stars. He’s not as stunningly attractive these days, but with his new bearded look, one could say that he’s still got a certain appeal – to other men with beards, perhaps. Forty years of entertaining…

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Film Review: Coming 2 America is a loving family reunion; warts and all

Set 30 years after the events of the original film, Coming 2 America sees Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his true love Lisa McDowell (a spirited Shari Headley) settled in the kingdom of Zamunda with their three daughters, living, as all fairy tale romances go, happily ever after. Prepped to take over the kingdom from…

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Blu-Ray Review: Possessor blends the psychological and visceral effects of proposed technological voyeurism

Opening with one of the most violently stunning set pieces witnessed in cinema in recent memory, Possessor suggests something of a techno-thriller is to follow in the 100-or-so minutes.  But, almost to be expected given it has the Cronenberg name attached to it, the rug is more than swept out from underneath us as the…

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Grill’d are giving away free lamb brain burgers this weekend

Grill’d isn’t widely known for experimentation. Sure, they’ve always been consistent in rolling out new, health-focused combinations, but they’ve never truly gone left-field with their inoffensive menu. That changes this weekend, as the burger chain partners with streaming service Binge to introduce a lamb brain burger. Yes, a lamb brain burger. And you don’t get…

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Ben Wright Smith

Guest Playlist: Ben Wright Smith shares the tracks which influenced his new album Echo Lodge

Ben Wright Smith, Melbourne-based singer and multi-instrumentalist has just dropped his album Echo Lodge. It’s a beautiful collection of songs, comprised of his two earlier EP’s, Psychotropical (2018) and Volcano God Head Explodes (2020), as well as three new tracks. With the contents of the album being recorded and gradually released over the past three years,…

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A guide to Japan’s three main performing arts… and where to see them

Japan is a nation well known for its far-reaching history and passion for keeping culture and traditions alive. From the ancient tea houses of Kyoto to the quaint building styles of Gifu’s Shirakawago, you can practically read the history of the nation through its architecture and city design. One of the more elusive forms of…

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Restaurant of the Month: Mister Percy – Pyrmont, Sydney

Sydney’s hotel restaurants are boring. Maybe that was a bit too definitive. Let’s just say, Sydney hotel restaurants are, for the most part, unmemorable. At least when compared to standard-pushing cities like Tokyo and New York City. Although, I’ve never eaten at a Chicago, San Fran or L.A. hotel restaurant that inspired much enthusiasm either….

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Stella Prize announces 2021 longlist

Now in its eighth year, The Stella Prize is the latest award to announce its 2021 longlist. Named for celebrated author Miles Franklin, prize’s goal is to address gender imbalances in Australian literary awards, and to celebrate the work of the country’s finest female and non-binary writers. Over 160 entries were whittled down to just…

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Bravely Default 2

Bravely Default 2 Review: Default by name and by nature

Bravely Default 2 is a long, bland parade of JRPG cliches, presenting one after another for 50 consecutive hours. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before From the moment its protagonist awakens on an unfamiliar beach, suffering amnesia, the groans and eye rolls began in earnest. Things do not improve from there. You are…

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New Nintendo Switch

Report suggests turbo-charged new Nintendo Switch to launch this year

Nintendo is allegedly preparing to reveal a new model of its Nintendo Switch hardware. The new Nintendo Switch will feature a larger Samsung OLED display capable of outputting 4K ultra-high definition visuals when docked. The news comes from a new Bloomberg report which claims Nintendo is looking to reveal the new model, banking on the…

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