For those fans of growing Melbourne artist BATTS, the news of an album release was a quiet relief. The Grand Tour, draped in the magic of the stars, portrays the singer-songwriter as an artist and person, creating a wonderful fusion album that evokes her powerful storytelling in different ways. As a concept, BATTS’ The Grand Tour…
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Devin Townsend is a mainstay in metal circles, with an almost three-decade long career spanning industrial, speed metal, rock, ambient and even novelty projects. Empath, his 25th album and the 13th under his own name, sees him solidify the presence he has built up in the progressive metal genre over his last few projects. Epic is often…
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There’s something funny to me referring to Alexander Wolfe as “an unknown, unheard of artist”. Most definitely to almost all Australian audiences he would be, but the British folk singer-songwriter has been releasing music since 2009. And even though it would be impossible to find one of his physical CDs in a store, he’s quite…
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Brendan Maclean has had a varied career in film and music, from starring alongside Marcia Hines in the cabaret show Velvet in the 2015 Adelaide Fringe, to well known Triple J radio presenter for many years and to having his sexually explicit 2015 video to “House of Air” being banned by Youtube. So after several…
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With only 24 hours notice, veteran Flume dropped a 17 track mixtape with full accompanying visuals on Australian label, Future Classic. Hi This Is Flume (Mixtape) will be one of the most important releases of the year and reminds us that Flume is an artist but also a visionary. Breaking his two year silence, Flume and…
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I haven’t watched the movie School of Rock in maybe 10 years, but from memory there’s a scene where Jack Black’s character talks about sticking it to the man, as well as singing a song with lyrics “you’re not hard core, unless you live hardcore.” While Stella Donnelly may not be a middle aged man…
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Night Lovell has remained an underground heavyweight in the trap scene, with dark and harrowing production, with booming bass and some emo-inspired elements. Lovell deploys quick flows over these gruesome instrumentals, with all the trace elements of typical flex rapping, but altered to fit a completely different mood. With this new album, Lovell is looking…
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The bluesman appears to have become a rare and shy character in the age of synthesizers and auto tune. Still some loyal guitar heroes keep on carrying the torch for the moody genre. Among them is Texas born and raised guitarist and singer Gary Clark Jr. Even though he clearly has a passion for the…
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Brisbane band Sweater Curse have been making many waves in the Australian music scene over the past few years, with support slots for major artists, Triple J Unearthed support and a growing list of performances. Now, with their new EP See You, the band offer up a full showcase of just why they’ve become so…
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We’re a matter of days away from the release of Pond’s eighth studio album, Tasmania. Pond declares Tasmania something of a sister missive to their critically acclaimed 2017 album The Weather. The thematics of both albums are kindred in many respects. Tasmania explores place, history, hints of colonialism, and nature’s unfortunate submission towards humans – themes that…
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For those who haven’t heard about Chicago rapper Lucki, the 22 year old is one of the most promising underground rap talents in recent memory. First achieving notoriety in 2012 with his critically acclaimed project Alternative Trap establishing the 16 year old as a formidable rapper with a unique delivery style that has developed and…
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Triage, the third album from Methyl Ethel isn’t coincidentally named. Celebrating three albums, and lead singer Jake Webb’s 30th birthday, the album is a memorial and the capstone on a phase in the band’s journey. Whether that implies Methyl Ethel will be taking a different direction after this, we’re not sure. But what is constant right…
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For those who expected time travel to be possible by now, Walk Through Fire, the debut album by British singer Yola, will not be a disappointment. Together with Black Keys front man Dan Auerbach, the vocal prodigy lets her voice glister on the twelve country soul tracks, transporting listeners straight back to the peak of…
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It’s been a busy few years for Julia Jacklin. On the back of her all conquering debut album, Don’t Let the Kids Win, Jacklin has spent the better part of the past two years making her way round the globe, playing her tunes in just about every country and venue you could think of or…
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With how fast the world moves, there seems to be constant pressures and stressors in circulation – often it can all seem a bit too much. In situations like these, where it feels as if the Earth itself is crumbling, you need an album like Helium. Alt-Indie favourite HOMESHAKE are back with another beautifully composed,…
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Walls play an integral part in The Twilight Sad’s aesthetic. Since their first release, the Scottish band has used everything in their arsenal to overwhelm listeners with a wall of sound; from Andy MacFarlane’s roaring guitars to accordions and fire extinguishers. Other walls came in the form of singer James Graham’s lyrics, where situations and…
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A lot has changed in the world over the past twenty-six years. The era circa 1992 was a completely different time. For one, both myself and Millencolin were in our infancy. Without listing all the other similarities between myself and the band (there aren’t any), it would remiss of me to not note how influential…
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Man, can a lot change in six months! When readying the release of last August’s Sweetener, Ariana Grande was arguably at what many would consider her peak. The album was bathed in the then-glow of her whirlwind romance with SNL comedian Pete Davidson (he even got a song named after him), with the now-Grammy Award…
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As a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Kennedy Centre Honoree and with seventy years of performing under her belt Mavis Staples has in my opinion well and truly reached ‘National Treasure’ status in the United States. She is also one of the few remaining living links to the Civil Rights Movement, and a period…
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With a career that already spans half a decade, the evolution of American indie duo, Girlpool, is second to none. For five years, Harmony Trividad and Cleo Tucker have composed music that captures your attention and implores you to listen by tugging at your heartstrings rather than invading your personal space and screaming in your face….
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After 25 five years in the music industry you are either on the way of becoming a legend – if not already one – or awkwardly trying to keep up with what popular music has become in 2019. Somehow, The Dandy Warhols manage to do both at the same time. At their turn of the…
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Maggie Rogers isn’t an artist in a hurry. She doesn’t have to be. When you’re making music as pure as what occurs on Heard It in a Past Life, you can take as long as you need; the music listening public will wait for you. In saying that, it feels like Heard It in a…
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James Blake has long stood as a unique and talented artist within his own niche of alternative electronic music, with a formidable knack for contemporary hip hop inspired soundscapes as well as the ability to craft twinkling ballads of melancholy. The two sides to his talent occasionally have crossed paths previously (his remix of ‘Timeless’…
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Just Two People making music sounds pretty standard doesn’t it? Except that Phoebe Lou and Joey Clough are no ordinary people. With their five-piece band Snakadaktal, they gathered a loyal following in the indie pop scene until the outfit broke up in 2014. But this did not stop the childhood friends from pursuing their dream…
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Contrary to popular belief, Cub Sport by Cub Sport is not a fragrance but boy if you could wear it, you would be at least double-dosing. The third studio album from this four-piece Brisbane band takes them to a new strength, solidifying their reputation of colossal sound evolution in each body of work they release….
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This project from prodigious New York rapper MIKE dropped just before the end of last year, and may have flown under the radar as a result. Though it proves more than deserving of proper attention, despite being lost in the flurry that is the holiday season. MIKE’s style of music is an incredibly experimental take…
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21 Savage has, for the past few years, stood as a divisive character in modern hip hop. Though, regardless of countless criticisms he has definitely become an established figure on the scene – becoming one of the most commercially successful and well known members of the early soundcloud-rap renaissance of 2016. As a result, following…
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The knife edge between underground and commercial has never been thinner than now in current music trends – one song, catchy hook, or even just a throwaway lyric is enough to propel an artist to the next height in their career (look at YBN Nahmir, JPEGMAFIA, or many others), but sometimes things aren’t as serendipitous…
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Take five cups of rock n roll, two spoons full of Buddy Guy influenced electric blues, a sprinkle of 60s style soul, and top it all off with a voice as versatile as a chameleon… and you have something that resembles The Paz Band, a five-piece from Tel Aviv, who have been packing large venues in…
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Karrie Hayward is a Brisbane based songstress with a pop infused, indie edge sound. Spending the last few months travelling solo in a van performing shows down the Eastern coast of Australia from Townsville to Melbourne she recently released her debut EP Ephemeral. An album about the experiences of a past relationship and the raw…
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