indie

Interview: Marcus Wynwood talks new EP, analog techniques, and getting shut down

Tasmanian singer-songwriter Marcus Wynwood is not one to be put in a box. Formerly a member of punk act Captives, his latest EP Never Stood Out and Never Fit In – independently released 17 October – is a mixed bag of backyard wisdom and playful experimentation. The seven-track project is a self-produced collection of densely…

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Spotlight on Talent: Sony Catchlight Film Festival 2024 shines

2024’s Sony Catchlight Film Festival awards night was a vibrant celebration of filmmaking talent, held at Sydney’s iconic White Bay Power Station. Now in its fourth year, the festival recognises filmmakers from Australia and New Zealand who tell their stories using Sony cameras. The 2024 edition was nothing short of inspiring, with awards given across…

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Interview: PRETTY BLEAK talk new EP, broad influences and stage theatrics

Since unveiling their new EP an introduction to a theme on 31 July just months after their debut album in retrospect, Melbourne emo pop quartet PRETTY BLEAK have asserted themselves as the next big thing in local indie rock. Engineered by vocalist/guitarist Sam Thomas and mixed by Jarred Nettle (Teenage Joans, TOWNS), an introduction to…

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Here’s every announcement from the Nintendo Indie World Showcase

Nintendo’s new Indie World Showcase took place overnight, highlighting some impressive smaller titles that certainly deserve the hype. We’ve wrapped up all the announcements and accompanying trailers for your convenience below. Enjoy! Little Kitty, Big City Steamworld Heist II Europa Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate Cat Quest III Yars Rising Valley Peaks Sticky Business…

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Sturt Avenue release double single and announce forthcoming album

Ahead of their forthcoming sophomore album, Bury Me in the Garden, scheduled for release on November 23, indie family folk band Sturt Avenue have released two singles. The soul-stirring tracks “Against the World” and “Still in Love” are two quite different sounding tracks. “Against the World” is an evocative track that explores the importance of…

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PAX AUS 2023: Our top 5 indie games from the weekend

PAX AUS celebrated its 10th year this weekend at the Melbourne Convention Centre. For ten years, gamers have come from all across the country to celebrate all kinds of video and tabletop gaming. A big highlight of the weekend is PAX Rising, otherwise described as a huge indie area that offers a chance to chat…

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Guest Playlist: There’s A Tuesday share the songs that inspired their new single “Familiar”

Dream-pop group There’s A Tuesday is one the most exciting bands to emerge from New Zealand. The band, led by the talented front-women Minnie and Nat, are known for their ethereal and atmospheric sound that transports listeners to a dreamy realm. Despite being relatively new on the scene, There’s A Tuesday has already made waves…

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Krooked Kings share new album All Out of Good Days and favourite Aussie artists

Salt Lake City indie-rock quintet Krooked Kings have returned with their awaited sophomore record All Out of Good Days, released yesterday via Nobody Gets It. After a successful debut album with The Comedown in 2021, the band have gone on to perform at SXSW, sell out their West Coast tour and dominate Spotify playlists. Featuring…

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Guest Playlist: Safety First share the songs that inspired “Office Romance”

Sydney indie-rock quintet Safety First are starting the year off strong with their fun new single “Office Romance” – released 27 April – to get you through the day. The track is their fourth since emerging in 2022 and demonstrates their knack for spotlighting the interesting stories in everyday scenarios. Inspired by workplace sit-coms like…

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Molly Rocket drop debut EP Syrup and share their favourite desserts

Adelaide indie-rock quartet Molly Rocket have today released their debut EP Syrup. The five-track project from these young hopefuls is not as sweet as it sounds, with darker lyrical undertones and grungy guitars inviting chaos. Featuring the singles “Rabbit Hole”, “Asphalt” and “Methany”, the EP is the band’s first collection of songs since emerging in…

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Live Review: The Wombats + Jaguar Jonze at Palais Theatre, Melbourne (27.11.22)

Sunday night was the return of beloved English band The Wombats to Melbourne for the second time in 2022. With the earlier tour focusing on the release of their 2022 album, Fix Yourself, Not the World, this tour off the back of Spilt Milk Festival was to celebrate their recently released EP, Is This What…

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Photo Gallery: The Wombats + Jaguar Jonze – The Palais Theatre, Melbourne (27.11.22)

Sunday night displayed why Melbourne loves The Wombats so much as they graced the stage of the Palais Theatre on the first leg of their tour for their recent EP Is This What It Feels Like To Feel Like This? They were joined by Brisbane artist and firecracker Jaguar Jonze for an enjoyable evening that…

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Live Review: The Lumineers + Hollow Cove – Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, (18.11.22)

While the weather was cold outside, it was a night of warmth and music at Margaret Court arena, as it hosted Colorado heavyweights, The Lumineers. Hollow Coves were a great opening act for The Lumineers. The duo from Brisbane put on a fantastic set and allowed the atmosphere to rise throughout their performance as the…

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Photo Gallery: The Lumineers + Hollow Cove – Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne (18.11.22)

The Lumineers put on a wonderful celebration of music on Friday night at Margaret Court Arnea in Melbourne to see out their Brightside album tour. It was great to see the band in Australia again and putting on such extensive performances. Dan was there to bring you these photos  

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Live Review: Spacey Jane + I Know Leopard + Teenage Dads, Forum Melbourne, Melbourne (23.08.22)

While many would have been cozy at home on a cold Tuesday night in August, the Forum hosted a packed house for the first of Spacey Jane’s five shows in Melbourne on their Here Comes Everybody tour. Even though this opening show was for an underage crowd, Spacey Jane, I Am Leopard and Teenage Dads…

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Photo Gallery: Spacey Jane + I Know Leopard + Teenage Dads, Forum Melbourne, Melbourne (23.08.22)

Spacey Jane‘s opening show was one to remember with the band and guests I Know Leopard and Teenage Dads putting on three stellar performances for the all-ages crowd on Tuesday night. Dan was there to bring you these images.

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Jaguar Jonze sits

Album of the Week: Jaguar Jonze’s debut Bunny Mode gives us what we wanted, plus a little extra

After a long line of single releases since her Antihero EP last year, Jaguar Jonze has finally released her debut album, Bunny Mode. The album is full of spice and emotion, with thrilling vocal runs and powerful messaging that seep through the album. Known for exciting costuming, great lyrics and energetic live performances, Jaguar Jonze has…

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Photo Gallery: Holy Holy + Hayley Mary – Forum Theatre, Melbourne (28.05.22)

After a cold week, Holy Holy warmed up Melbourne on their Forum leg of the ‘My Beautiful World’ tour. Over the course of an hour and a half set, they played the fan favourites from earlier albums, including “True Lovers”, “Sentimental and Monday” and “Teach Me About Dying”. They also made sure the new album…

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Live Review: Methyl Ethel + Ash Baroque & Les Fleurs d’Ombre, The Night Cat (27.04.22)

It’s been an alluring three nights for any fans of dreamesque Indie rock in Melbourne, as Methyl Ethel and their haunting opening act, Ash Baroque & Les Fleurs d’Ombre spent their evenings at the Night Cat. The opening act of Ash Baroque and Les Fleurs d’Ombre had a flair for the dramatic. Including drag, operatic…

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Happy Mallrat

Live Review: Mallrat + Ninajirachi – Forum Melbourne (07.12.21)

After multiple postponements, one wouldn’t be surprised if Mallrat decided to cancel her run of two shows at the Forum in Melbourne. Thankfully, she persevered and we were finally able to get a taste of her emphatic pop sounds once again at the Forum on Tuesday night. To make sure the evening started off with…

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The 5 best indie games we played at PAX Aus 2019

PAX Rising has always satisfied my craving for new and inventive experiences, and this year is no different. So once again, I decided to roam the floor and dive into as many indie titles as I can, picking out my top 5 indie titles from PAX Aus 2019. Keep in mind, these are not reviews…

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Damsel Review: Into the Fray

Damsel is the debut title from Brisbane-based developer Screwtape Studios, and a that weilds is distaste for corporate culture like a cudjel. It’s a balletic, side-scrolling arcade shooter about a special agent on a mission to investigate Red Mist, a drink created by a corporation owned and run by literal, actual vampires. Damsel’s pulpy, comic…

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Aussie Game Armello coming to Nintendo Switch in Late September

In exciting news for fans of the game, it has been announced that the critically acclaimed Aussie game Armello will be coming to Nintendo Switch in late September. Let’s have a look at the announcement trailer. Armello received wide-ranging support in 2015, sweeping up indie awards left right and centre. It’s Aussie born, by Melbourne team…

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Games Review: Hand of Fate 2 (Switch, 2018): A good deal more

Hand of Fate 2, the card-based role-player by Brisbane-based Defiant Development, launched on major platforms last year. Its Nintendo Switch port took a little longer to arrive, but arrive it has and, for Switch owners, it was worth the wait.

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Watch this trailer for a game in which you play as an arsehole goose immediately

Australian indie developer House House (Push Me, Pull You) dropped a trailer on Monday for their next title, an untitled honk-em-up in which you play a goose that terrorises a village garden.

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Video Games Review: Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles (PS4, 2017) is an adventure game that won’t tell you what to do

Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles is a game that pulls from all sorts of different places for inspiration. It pulls from literature, it pulls from movies and (most often) it pulls from other games. While its inspirations are worn quite proudly on its sleeve, it’s what Yonder does with them that makes it memorable.

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The Working Lunch is giving women the tools they need to enter and flourish in the games industry

Almost half of the of all Australians who play video games are female. In the games development space however, women make up only 19% of the total workforce. The Working Lunch, a new initiative from the IGEA and some of Australia’s most prominent female games industry veterans, aims to change that.

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Scott Ludlam’s resignation is a massive blow to the Australian gaming industry, and we’re devastated

Earlier this afternoon Western Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlam resigned from his positions in the Australian senate and the Greens deputy leadership. The resignation came following the discovery that he had never formally renounced his New Zealand dual citizenship before running in the 2016 federal election. With Ludlam’s departure, the only voice the Australian games…

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Video Games Review: INSIDE (PS4, 2016)

Developer Playdead arrived on the scene in a big way with their moody puzzle-platformer LIMBO only a few years ago. They’re back now with INSIDE, a game that embraces the lessons learned from LIMBO and takes them a step further. INSIDE is so good that I don’t want to spoil it one bit for anyone who hasn’t had…

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E3 2016: EA announces EA Originals program designed to give indie devs a leg up

EA have used their EA Play press event to announce EA Originals, a program designed to give independent developers the support they need to complete and release their games.

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