backseat downunder
Track: The wonderful Summer Flake release double singles ‘Barnacle Bill’ and ‘Ordinary’ and announce a launch gig on the eve of their new album ‘One Less Thing’
The rather brilliant dream pop maestros Summer Flake are fluttering their collective eyelashes at us on the eve of the release of their new album ‘One Less Thing’, with a double blast of goodness in the form of singles ‘Barnacle Bill’ and ‘Ordinary’. ‘Barnacle Bill’, accompanied by a simple performance video (interspersed by the odd …
Track: Hollow States ask ‘Who Knows What A Man Is?’ – a track cloaked in a delicate and shimmering glow
Huck Hastings is a frequently reviewed and beloved artist here at Backseat Mafia both through his solo work, collaborations with other artists (see his gorgeous collaboration with Charlie Gradon last year) and as part of the trio Hollow States along with Joel & Hayden Woolf. The reason? His is an eloquent and velvet voice that …
Track: Arty Ziff feels like a ‘Rockstar’ with Lemonade Baby in a joyfully ambient track.
Naarm/Melbourne producer Arty Ziff (nom de plume of Mitch Kelly) has teamed up with Brisbane musician/producer Lemonade Baby to produce a snaky ambient piece of electronica entitled ‘Rockstar’: a slightly tongue-in-cheek proclamation delivered over smooth bubbling syncopated rhythms and vocoder-touched smooth-as-velvet vocals. As with his last released ‘Byebyebaby’ featured by us late last year, Arty …
Premiere: KEZRA says we are all a little bit ‘Insane’ via an effervescent blast of pop goodness and a launch party.
We are very honoured to premiere the new single ‘Insane’ from Naarm/Melbourne singer KEZRA. This is a vibrant hyperkinetic blast of pop brilliance that fizzes and bubbles with verve. Jangling guitars shimmer underneath KEZRA’s velvet, expressive vocals and a dramatic anthemic chorus creates a euphoric burst. And, as any pop song should, there is a …
Premiere: Hobart ambient magicians follow sparkle and shine with their new single ‘Isla’
Last month we brought you the extraordinary debut single ‘Sentimental Health’ from the ambient Hobart instrumental band follow and it is with the greatest of joy we premiere their shimmering follow-up track ‘Isla’, with its gorgeous video as a spectacular visual accompaniment. Crystalline guitars etch delicious sonic contrails across the clear blue sky, sparkling and …
Premiere: Chloe Booth is not sticking to the ‘Backseat’ – a vibrant pop debut brim full of attitude and melody.
We are honoured to premiere the debut single ‘Backseat’ from Melbourne’s Chloe Booth: an anthemic blast of pop vibrancy that heralds a solid future for the artist. The single has all the pep and verve of artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift with an indie attitude found in The 1975 or Haim, all delivered …
Album Review: Gena Rose Bruce’s ‘Deep Is The Way’ is an ethereal, majestic triumph. Australian and UK tour dates also announced.
We here at Backseat Mafia have been long time fans of Melbourne-based chanteuse Gena Rose Bruce with her smoky, sultry voice and reverb-inflected laconic style that comes across as a melange of Mazzy Star and P.J. Harvey: a femme fatale with a steely spine cloaked in luscious velvet and a smoldering style. We first noticed her soon …
News: Lazy Ghost release the good times video for latest single, Summer Is Here and announce 15 date national tour
Originally formed in Canada by Kyle Leeming (lead singer & songwriter who originally hailed from the Byron shire in northern NSW) Lazy Ghost relocated to the Southern Hemisphere in 2020 and is set to make a splash with their Summer Is Here national tour in March & April. Summer Is Here is an exuberant song …
Premiere: Brisbane’s Shugorei exclusively unveil the beautiful and visceral track ‘Meet The Sun (feat. Shêm Allen)’ along with a pulsating, dynamic video.
We are very honoured to exclusively unveil the new single ‘Meet The Sun (feat. Shêm Allen)’ from Brisbane’s enigmatic duo Shugorei as well the exciting immersive video. I first saw Shugorei at the brilliant 4000 Records second anniversary gig in Brisbane back in September 2021, and my impression at the time was of ethereally beautiful …
Track: Indie icon Mick Harvey announces new album, European tour and releases the ethereal single ‘A Suitcase in Berlin’ to whet the appetite.
There aren’t enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe the impact Mick Harvey has made on music. As a founding member of seminal and legendary bands, The Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, his contributions to indie music are self-evident, his ability to write and co-write some of the classic songs of …