Track: Naarm/Melbourne’s Okay Dane unveil the epic anthemic single ‘Interstellar Nihilist’ with launch date.
‘Interstellar Nihilist’ is the new single from Naarm/Melbourne indie band Okay Dane and it reveals a cool and enigmatic burst of thundering pop that is cathartic and joyous. A detectable and delicious strain of melancholia threads though a track that is anthemic and nuanced, with a chorus that flexes its pop muscles with a quiet/loud …
Track: Office Dog unveil ‘The Crater’ ahead of northern hemisphere release of debut album ‘Spiel’ through Flying Nun and New West Records: a dreamy fuzzy soundscape.
New Zealand band Office Dog, signed to the legendary Flying Nun label in the southern hemisphere and with genetic roots to that mecca of indie music, Dunedin, are causing a lot of justified excitement. Having expanded their horizons by signing to northern hemisphere label New West Records and on the eve of the northern hemisphere release of their debut album ‘Spiel’, …
News: Meanjin/Brisbane’s enigmatic Shugorei announce new album and special one-off live show entitled ‘The Sounds of Chow Gar’
Having been stunned by Shugorei‘s live performance at the birthday bash of their esteemed label 4000 Records way back in 2021 and premiered their single ‘Meet The Sun’ this time last year, it is with great excitement that we can report their next move will be a one-off live performance in Meanjin/Brisbane entitled ‘The Sounds …
Track: Melbourne’s chanteuse extraordinaire Mathilde Anne invites you to ‘Break’ her in another thrilling single, with band Des Cortez, ahead of tour.
We had our socks knocked off when we heard the single ‘Way Up There’ from Mathilde Anne way back in July, and she has followed up with another brilliant tune ‘Break’ with the band Des Cortez. Again showcasing her velvet soft achingly melancholic vocals, ‘Break’ serves to confirm Anne as a vital and exciting new …
Feature: Backseat Downunder’s 50 Favourite Antipodean Albums and EPs of 2023
In many end of year ‘best’ albums of 2023, there has been a distinct absence of independent antipodean bands – an astounding omission given the depth of quality exhibited by Australian and New Zealand artists in 2023. For the past few years, to counterbalance this annual bias, I have put together a top fifty favourite …
Album Review: Mako Bron is ‘Halfway Home’ and it is a shimmering enigmatic journey filled with soaring anthems and an air of wistfulness.
The mysterious and criminally underappreciated Mako Bron is the moniker of one Chris Brookman whose work we have followed assiduously now for years – his EP ‘Cloudbites’ made our list of favourite antipodean releases for 2021 and, now, his debut album ‘Halfway Home’ has just slipped in under the barriers as a late entry to our …
Live Review: Lloyd Cole (solo), Theatre Royal, Hobart, 10.12.23
Lloyd Cole had a rather bad start to his Australian tour commencing in Hobart. He recounts that he had arrived a few days early to have a quick break in Hobart (Cole enjoys a game of golf), but the national carrier had decided to send his two guitars on their own solo tour elsewhere in …
News: Royel Otis are full of whimsy and ‘Heading for The Door’ with their new single, album and tour news.
The indefatigable Royel Otis are continuing their rapid ascent into the firmament with their new single ‘Heading For The Door’ and news of a massive Australian, US and EU tour. All this will be bolstered by their forthcoming album ‘Pratts & Pain’, being released through OURNESS on 16 February 2024 We here at the antipodean …
Premiere: Bryan Estepa delivers a powerful romantic epic in ‘That Was The Day’.
Philippine-born Australian resident Bryan Estepa is a powerful songwriter and musician whose work is greatly admired here at the antipodean headquarters of Backseat Mafia, and we are very honoured to premiere his new single ‘That Was The Day’. The track is in fact a cover of a track originally written and recorded as a solo …
Track: The fabulous HighSchool is out with haunting, atmospheric new track ‘August 19’, on news of signing to [PIAS]
London-based Melbourne trio HighSchool are back with another shimmering sparkling and enigmatic track, ‘August 19’, out now through the esteemed [PIAS] with whom they recently signed. With a more organic feel than their last single, there is a ambulatory liquidity about this track with its distant louche vocals and shining and chiming guitars, confirming their …