NEW MUSIC: Mercvrial – Pink Frost

‘Pink Frost’ stands as one our favourite singles, certainly a contender for our favourite New Zealand song of all time. With that in mind we approached this cover by Mexican quartet Mercvrial with caution but they definitely pull it off. They retain that haunting, swirling melancholic mood, inject some electronic elements (sounding like mid-period Depeche Mode) but without sacrificing the sad heart of the song. The … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Mercvrial – Pink Frost

VIDEO PREMIERE: Life Strike – Dear Life

Melbourne post-punk trio Life Strike have a way of combining that genre’s obtuse angles and edges with a jangly lo-fi aesthetic. It positions them somewhere between the Dunedin underground guitar pop merchants of the 80s and a darker, more garage rock attack and smear. Here’s their brand new single and video from the album Primitive Future which came out last month. ‘Dear Life’ clears away … Continue reading VIDEO PREMIERE: Life Strike – Dear Life

Sunny Flynn Hugo, live @ Sonic Sherpa

Brisbane band Sunny Flynn Hugo first impressed us with their self-titled 2018 album which artfully and seamlessly blended Americana and indie rock sensibilities. Songs that sparkled and chimed with melancholy and warm melodies. Since then they’ve released the EP City Always lets You Down, which continues their exploration of introspective mood-driven songwriting. They recently played an in-store at the fine Sonic Sherpa record store in … Continue reading Sunny Flynn Hugo, live @ Sonic Sherpa

NEW MUSIC: Milly – Talking Secret

Some woozy, slow moving shoegaze sounds for you today. ‘Talking Secret’ is a new track from Milly, a Los Angeles band fronted by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brendan Dyer. The song blends UK and US styles really nicely. There are echoes of post rock and grunge in the mix. I guess a band that you could draw some parallels with would be Swervedriver and the way … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Milly – Talking Secret

NEW MUSIC: Waldo’s Gift – Kaleidoscope

Here’s some wild and freakish playing and composition from UK trio Waldo’s Gift. Jazz, post rock, avant prog and more combine on this fluttering, frenetic, precise yet freeing instrumental track that features an equally compelling video clip by Waveform Media. This beast grows and mutates, centred around that incessant metronomically pummelling rhythm. Hypnotic and thrilling stuff! Their debut album ‘Improvisations’, released May 10th consists entirely of music … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Waldo’s Gift – Kaleidoscope

NEW MUSIC: Edwin – Lucky Penny

Americana sounds are the order of the day on this lovely understated track from Chicagoans Jacob and Matthew Boll, under the name Edwin. There’s not a lot to find online about the American duo other than they’ve previously released two EPs. They’ve got a nice autumnal and melodic sound, reminiscent of Wilco, Elliott Smith and The Lemonheads. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Edwin – Lucky Penny

ALBUM REVIEW: Aldous Harding – Designer

Aldous Harding Designer 4Ad / Remote Control Aldous Harding’s artistic trajectory continues to billow skyward on her third album, the second produced by John Parish for the 4AD label. Long gone is the stark and fragile folk of her debut, though it still lurks under the surface of what is now lush and detailed avant chanteuse pop music. The quirkiness of Harding’s vocal delivery has … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Aldous Harding – Designer

NEW MUSIC: The Klubs – Loosen The Crown

For fans of Protomartyr, METZ, Viagra Boys, Pissed Jeans Lay down a rhythm section that has the heft and swing of Jesus Lizard, guitar that scissors and slashes across the speakers and a suitably belligerent and unhinged post-punk vocal and you’ve got a damn fine song from South African band The Klubs. It’s a hell of a bass line that drives this thing, leading it … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: The Klubs – Loosen The Crown

NEW MUSIC: Donny Benét – Second Dinner

The smooth sailing prince of low-slung synth pop and disco funk is back with a new single Second Dinner’. It’s another winning slice of coy 80s electronic pop with shades of Bryan Ferry fronting a sultry disco house band with Giorgio Moroder producing. TOUR DATES: 04 Oct – Fat Controller, Adelaide, SA 10 Oct – The Zoo, Brisbane, QLD 11 Oct – Beach Hotel, Byron … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Donny Benét – Second Dinner

NEW MUSIC: Domiciles – Sinking Sun

Domiciles (Fife, Scotland) have released this new seven minute slab of hypnotic psych rock. ‘Sinking Sun’ is the second single taken from debut album This Is Not a Zen Garden, set for release this Friday (16/08/19) via Last Night From Glasgow. The vocals are subdued, buried in the shadowy corners of the song as the rhythm section does the heavy lifting, laying the foundation for guitars that … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Domiciles – Sinking Sun

NEW MUSIC: TOVE – Gin & Lemonade

This track from TOVE caught our ear recently with it’s sweet, warm and mellifluous feel. There’s a breakbeat anchoring it, some lush shoegaze guitar, atmospheric sliding guitar moans and across it all is the beautiful voice of Sweden’s Tove Tejlar with her hypnotic, circling melodies. Lovely stuff. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: TOVE – Gin & Lemonade

NEW MUSIC: Dope Lemon – Give Me Honey

This is a curious and intriguing new track from Australian sonic trip merchant Dope Lemon (Angus Stone). ‘Give Me Honey’ is a psychedelic country song, a musical mirage of a psilocybin-drenched lock-in at a sleazy saloon. It sounds like Beck and Jason Pierce from Spiritualized facing their demons in a smoked-out house of mirrors, to a soundtrack by DeMarco and Vile. ‘Give Me Honey’ comes from … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Dope Lemon – Give Me Honey