Album Reviews

Album Review: Father’s Awful Swim (2018 LP) feels like a house party in hell (and we want to go)

Father, the ringleader of cutting-edge Atlanta multimedia label Awful Records, has returned with a new album in collaboration with Adult Swim – a DIY label and a DIY network coming together to craft something truly unique. Father’s style is one that many try to replicate and often struggle to do so – his odd delivery,…

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Album Review: Kira Puru – Self-Titled (2018 EP)

If you haven’t heard any of Kira Puru‘s music, exactly how big is that rock you’re hiding under? Her single “Molotov” has had a lot of airplay on Triple J, and her undeniably cool ‘Like A Version’ performance of Katy Perry‘s “Last Friday Night” is what dreams are made of. Her debut self-titled EP contains the…

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Album of the Week: Cloves’ debut One Big Nothing (2018 LP) both hits hard and emotionally simmers to touch your spirit

Debut albums play an important role in the life of an artist. They are generally full of emotion, heartfelt messages, life experiences and the artist’s passion for their craft. After three years of hard work, Cloves’ debut, One Big Nothing fulfils these expectations grandly, guiding the listener through a journey of Cloves’ blossoming music career,…

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Album Review: Milo’s Budding Ornothologists are Weary of Tired Analogies (2018 LP) is a masterclass in complexity

milo has been active for some years now, releasing music both under his own name and his alias, Scallops Hotel – as well as his Nostrum Grocers collaboration with Elucid. His output is consistently high, releasing 2 projects in 2018 alone before the unveiling of his 4th studio album Budding Ornothologists are Weary of Tired…

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Album Review: Noname’s Room 25 (2018 LP) is one of the best releases of the year

Noname (FKA: Noname Gypsy) is a central figure within the underground Chicago rap scene. Her debut album Telefone was an incredible, melancholic project – dealing with sexism, introspection, and wider racial and social issues, all delivered in her trademark wispy yet warm delivery. Following the great reception this project received, the level of anticipation for her…

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Album Review: John Williamson’s 20th studio record Butcherbird (2018 LP) reinforces his status as a national treasure

When the opportunity to review the new album from Australian legend John Williamson came up, I jumped at it. I listen to his singles more than what’s probably healthy, so much so that he’s listed as one of my ‘top artists’ on my Bumble profile. I have vivid memories of myself and a friend requesting…

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Album of the Week: Thundamentals – I Love Songs (2018 LP)

Over the last 12 months the Australian hip hop scene has seen an overhaul of the last era of popular artists like Seth Sentry and Bliss n Eso, handing over the baton to fresh new talent like Baker Boy and Kwame. Recently embarking on their 10 year anniversary tour “Dekade of the Thunderkat” and now releasing…

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Album Review: Metric – Art of Doubt (2018 LP)

Canadian rock band Metric have returned with their seventh full length project. Following the slick and electronic-influenced Pagans in Vegas, the band have shifted towards more driving instrumentation and brighter vocal melodies. Sitting at just under an hour, on Art of Doubt the band have opted for slightly longer-form songs, allowing the instrumentals to breathe and…

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Album Review: Joey Purp’s QUARTERTHING (2018 LP) shows incredible progression from the rising hip hop star

The stellar year for music that has been 2018 delivers once again with the new release from Chicago rapper Joey Purp. Off the strength of previous project iiiDrops (featuring the bouncy hit ‘Girls @‘ featuring Chance the Rapper) he’s released QUARTERTHING, a new album that shows incredible progression for the rising star. A member of the…

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Album of the Week: Emma Louise finds her voice in Lilac Everything (2018 LP)

Cairns-born singer/songwriter Emma Louise is unrecognisable on her third album, Lilac Everything. Fans expecting the delicate soprano heard on “Talk Baby Talk” and “Jungle” will be shocked to hear the digitally-manipulated low pitch she adopts across the entire album. That voice booms over the soft piano of opener “Wish You Well”. As the song continues,…

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Album Review: Bob Moses – Battle Lines (2018 LP)

The Canadian electronic duo Bob Moses, consisting of Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance have returned with their sophomore album Battle Lines. The pair have great different musical backgrounds that shine through; Howie has a strong rock and vocal basis, whereas Vallance has trance and electronic roots, with releases on labels such as Ultra Records. These two…

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Album Review: Lakyn’s & Pains (2018 EP) demonstrates real beauty through his lyrics and growth in his sound

Emotion is often at the centerpoint of many artists works, with Lakyn’s upcoming EP & Pains drawing heavily on his feelings and experiences, causing the listener to be enraptured by Lakyn’s sound throughout six delicately cultivated tracks. Lakyn has been in and around the industry for some time, but his powerful songs have helped him open…

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Album Review: Troye Sivan welcomes a new age of Dark Pop in the remarkable Bloom (2018 LP)

With the journey his new release takes, Troye Sivan’s sophomore album Bloom comes to encapsulate and define a new age of dark pop. Released last week, the 10 track record creates a more danceable and synth driven atmosphere with tracks like “Bloom” and “Dance To This” featuring Ariana Grande. But the album does take its moments…

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Album Review: Skegss capture life perfectly in debut album My Own Mess (2018 LP)

Since breaking out in 2013, Skegss have been on the long path to their debut album. In the time since, the trio from Byron have released a swath of singles and multiple EPs, all growing on the previous release and helping the band evolve into something bigger. 2018 has been no different and Skegss have…

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Album Review: Hey Geronimo deliver a worthy journey in Content (2018 LP)

Brisbane based indie-rockers Hey Geronimo have just unveiled their sophomore album Content. The eleven track concept album utilises artificial intelligence to replace an exited guitarist, resulting in a convenient yet ironic effect. Self-produced, and featuring the AI dubbed ‘Alex’ on half a dozen tracks, Content is a bizarre and bold exploration into the future and the ever evolving technological landscape surrounding…

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Album Review: Old Cities – Old Cities I (2018 EP)

Sydney based artist Old Cities’ self-titled debut EP was released on Friday, mixed and produced by the man himself, Jordi White. Old Cities I paints the last 10 years of White’s life, written and recorded around the globe, each song embellished by these distinct influences. The EP carries an anthemic design, conjuring comparisons to Coldplay, Gang of…

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Album Review: Hermit and the Recluse – Orpheus vs the Sirens (2018 LP)

“Devestation laced in my presentation” Ka’s delivery of this line from Orpheus, part of a collaboration project with producer Animoss, is one of the best stylistic summations of an album written in recent memory. The duo, operating under the pseudonym Hermit and the Recluse have worked together on a beautifully dark piece of music, heavily…

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Album Review: Mac Miller – Swimming (2018 LP)

On the back of the soulful and romantic The Divine Feminine, Mac Miller has returned with another album cut from this cloth. Swimming is similar in style, but more mournful and self-reflective than romantic and starry-eyed, with welcome introspection from Mac, reminiscent of his earlier rap-oriented projects like Watching Movies With The Sound Off and Faces….

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Album Review: Skee Mask – Compro (2018 LP)

As a self-proclaimed purveyor of anxiousness, I have often been told about the merits of ambient and ‘background’ music as a way to find relaxation and a bit of peace. I tried, believe me, I tried to agree with this. I’ve sifted through Brian Eno albums, gone down weird spacey and airy rabbit holes, but…

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Album Review: The Kooks – Let’s Go Sunshine (2018 LP)

The Kooks’ 5th Album Let’s Go Sunshine is the perfect accompaniment to the Greatest Hits Tour they’ve just embarked on, modestly named their “Best of Tour.” The Brit band have had a big year, opening for music royalty The Rolling Stones, and in the new year they’ll be rolling in to Beyond the Valley in Lardner…

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Album Review: Typhoon’s latest Offerings is a gamble that doesn’t come up short

Some four and a bit years ago, I was wandering Austin City Limits on my way to see someone or other. I brushed past a stage where no less than eleven people were producing some of the most impressive music I’d heard in sometime. The band, it turned out, were Typoon, an outfit out of…

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Album Review: Florence + The Machine – High As Hope (2018 LP)

There’s something about Florence + The Machine‘s new album, High As Hope, that can leave a listener full of confidence, ready to burst. This feeling isn’t exactly new, when looking at a back catalogue that includes the likes of “Shake It Out” and “Dog Days Are Over”, but as you take the journey with Florence Welch from…

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Album Review: Jack River – Sugar Mountain (2018 LP)

There’s always been a strange sense of beauty in melancholia and pain when conveyed in music. Whether it is how relatable or genuinely makes the listener empathise well beyond belief, that’s still up for debate. What definitely is known, however, is that Jack River manages to expertly pull off her debut album Sugar Mountain and…

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Album Review: The Presets – Hi Viz (2018 LP)

As I write this, the thudding beats of “Until The Dark” – the album closer for The Presets‘ new record Hi Viz – are still ringing out in my head. Over the course of almost seven minutes, Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes explore heavy, pulsating electronic territory that pulls each thread of the album together flawlessly. Of course, there was much…

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Album Review: Biffy Clyro – MTV Unplugged (Live At Roundhouse, London) (2018 LP)

When you think of Biffy Clyro live you’re most likely to think of a night out which leaves you sweaty, with ringing ears and a raw throat, and possibly some sort of discombobulation at a cellular level. The Scotsmen are known for their high-energy gigs, with raucous sing alongs and lack of upper body clothing…

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Album Review: Frank Turner – Be More Kind (2018 LP)

I’m not ashamed to say that I find the world a frightening and desperate place of late, with its increasing loss of humanity and decency in the face of rising uncertainty and aggression. More and more it seems we’re losing sight of each other as individuals and hiding behind the safety and anonymity of our…

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Album Review: DMA’s – For Now (2018 LP)

I was out having a Thai dinner with friends recently, the day after I first sat down to listen to the second album of Sydney band DMA’s. As we sat down and ordered a vast variety of dishes for this midweek banquet, it dawned on me that this dinner I was about to pay $30…

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Album Review: Dr Octagon – Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation (2018 LP)

In 1996, Dr Octagon was insane. During a time when gangsta rap reigned supreme, a concept album about a time-travelling gynaecologist from Jupiter was something from another galaxy. But the trio of rapper Kool Keith, producer Dan The Automator, and DJ Qbert created a hip-hop masterpiece with their debut album, Dr Octagonecolygyst (the group doesn’t…

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Album Review: Confidence Man – Confident Music For Confident People (2018 LP)

I preface this entire review by saying Confidence Man are a live band; they’re not a physical release band. There are plenty of acts that fail to live up to the hype when it comes to a live set. Then there are bands that absolutely crush the live performance. And that is exactly what Confidence…

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Album Review: City Calm Down – Echoes In Blue (2018 LP)

When sitting down to listen to new music, I’ve recently taken to making the first listen of an album a passive experience. In a time poor society, using the album as the soundtrack to your daily tasks, whether they’re mundane work tasks or other articles you’re reading and creating, having those new sounds play in…

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