I am absolutely vibing with Butter’s new single “Baby I’m in Love.” Featuring the talents of 1800 Sleep, this is a cool neo-soul number that’s probably better suited to Saturday nights than Monday afternoons. However, maybe playing it now will put you right back into that relaxed weekend state. It’s worth a shot, right?
“The recording process really captured our energy as a live band,” lead vocalist Lachlan Payet explained. “A relaxed studio environment helped us to feel comfortable and brave with the creative choices made. I feel it’s the most Butter thing we’ve ever made as our personality and humour really shines through in the absolute sweetest way possible!”
Butter will celebrate the release of “Baby I’m In Love” with a single launch on February 14 at Mills Records in Walyalup/Fremantle. With free entry, it’s the perfect way to spend your Valentine’s Day.
The Melbourne Guitar Show is back for 2025 with a brand new venue and massive line-up featuring Dallas Frasca, Paul Dempsey, Gretta Ziller, and heaps more. You can see all two days of action at the Victoria Pavilion at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
Expect performances from guitarists of all genres and plenty of opportunities to buy from global brands and local luthiers. For the first time the show features a special Fender room and showcase of Aussie guitar brands. You can also improve your skills at the playing and songwriting workshops. With a licensed bar and plenty of food vendors, you can really make a day or two of this event.
“This will be an unmissable event for guitar fans,” assured the event’s product, Alex Masso. “You will just have to be there to see our new home and what we have planned for this year. We have picked up new ideas from our audience, brands, musicians and other events. Fans of the Melbourne Guitar Show will recognise it but we’re making the show even better for more people to enjoy.”
Check our the Melbourne Guitar Show at Melbourne Showgrounds on March 1 and 2. Tickets are on sale now from the event’s website. Get in quick, as discounted early bird tickets are available until February 12.
Eora/Sydney emo powerhouse A Swift Farewell are back with their first single of 2025, “Silence.” Don’t let the title or gentle start fool you. This track really kicks in when the chorus drops.
It’s also the first song the band recorded with their new bassist, Gabrielle Michael. “I’m beyond excited to be teaming up with my very best friends in A Swift Farewell,” they enthused. “It feels like a long time coming after filling in on bass for them on tour. Nothing feels better than sharing the stage with people who you not only love, but know that they share the same deep passion for the art you create together.”
A Swift Farewell have a couple of gigs at The Lansdowne coming up to celebrate the release of “Silence”. Catch them at the following hometown shows:
There’s not a lot that’s fun about Mondays. While I can’t do anything about your back-to-work hassles or the gloomy weather that’s lingering around my part of the country, I can introduce you to Miramar’s new single “Work It Out.” This dance-pop single is the aural equivalent of a dopamine hit, so pump up that volume! It sounds upbeat, but it’s got a strong message if you pay attention to the lyrics.
“The lyrics are a really vulnerable, personal story of taking a minute during a fight with someone you love to remember that you still love them and you’ll get through it,” the Eora/Sydney-based band revealed. “It’s a conversation we had to have with ourselves about music as well. There’s been many times we were burnt out and needed to remind ourselves that we love it and need to keep going – we’re actually doing okay and we’re going to make it work. We originally wrote the song while we were still in a bit of a burnout spiral. When we finally went to finish we were coming out the other side of that, so it ended up a much more hopeful and optimistic song which we love.”
“Work It Out” is the latest single from Miramar’s sophomore EP, which drops later this year. Before that they’ll play the following shows around New South Wales in the coming weeks.
28 February 2025 – Beach Road Hotel, Boondi/Bondi 16 March 2025 – Hamilton Station Hotel, Mulubinba/Newcastle 22 March 2025 – Pleasure Club, Gadigal Country/Newtown 28 March 2025 – The Landsdowne, Gadigal Country/Chippendale (supporting Mickey Kojak)
Think you know Owl City’s “Fireflies”? I promise you’ve never heard it quite like this. Local talents Bailey Pickles and Hugo Hui have teamed up with the Sydney Conservatorium Choir for a magical version of the synth-pop smash. With its lush orchestral arrangements and harmonies from the choir, it sounds like it belongs on an epic movie soundtrack.
“Our goal was to take the magic of ‘Fireflies’ and expand it into something that feels like the soundtrack to a dream,” Bailey said. “Collaborating with the Sydney Conservatorium Choir was an incredible opportunity to push our vision to the next level.”
“’Fireflies’ is a celebration of everything we love about music, nostalgia, creativity, and the power to transport listeners to another world,” Hugo added. “We’re so grateful to the Sydney Conservatorium Choir for helping us bring this vision to life.”
This is the latest single lifted from Bailey and Hugo’s highly anticipated EP, which features four cinematic covers and two original pieces.
Benny J Blake is appropriately ushering in a new chapter of music with his uplifting new single “Begin.” He has around 20 years’ experience in the music industry, but this is his first release under his current musical moniker. It all came about after Benny left his previous band and split with his long-term partner. Such big life events are bound to shake things up!
“’Begin’ is an exploration of healing,” Benny explained. “A cathartic starter pistol to “begin” the long road to recovery and acknowledging the small wins along the way. While slowly eliminating distractions and vices that have kept me stoned and frozen in existential dread and maladaptive coping mechanisms while accepting my human flaws and practicing foreign self-love and compassion.”
Benny took control of this project, playing most of the instruments and recording them in his home studio in Gadigal Country/Newtown. But you will hear guest vocals from Georgia Jones and Wade Keighran of Wolf and Cub on bass. He also produced this amazing track.
“Begin” comes from Benny J Blake’s forthcoming debut album, The Sharpest Tooth in the Jaw.
As we inch closer to the release of his New Love album, Ziggy Alberts has dropped another romantic folk ditty for your listening pleasure. His new single “I’m With You” is another beautiful song that celebrates being with the right person.
“Love in its purest form, has a way of bringing us back to ourselves. This song is about embracing that with open arms,” Ziggy said. “Sometimes we are blinded by desire when some things are right in front of us. It’s a really, truly happy song; it’s not even sentimental; it’s simply happy-go-lucky, which I love.”
You can hear more from Ziggy when he releases New Love on February 21. He’ll hit the ground running playing some local shows from release day through to early April before heading to North America, Europe, and the UK. They’re all selling out left and right, so if you want to get along make sure you grab some tickets soon.
Fiercely independent, Alexander Biggs is an artist who plays by his own rules. His music doesn’t sound like anything on the radio. He takes his time releasing it, waiting five years after hitting my radar before unleashing his debut album Hit or Miss and another four years before following it up. But today, we get the opportunity to hear his sophomore effort Stay With the Horses.
Of course, when you’re self-recording, self-producing, and independently releasing your music as Alexander does, you have time. To experience life and find inspiration, to experiment with lyrics and sounds, to get it just right. I hear the benefit of time in these songs. They embody the elements that drew me to Alexander’s music years ago. The hushed vocals have such a quiet power, drawing in the listener and creating intimacy. The lyrics are beautiful, poetic, and authentic. The melodies are simple, allowing us to hear the words that Alexander almost whispers.
But don’t think Alexander’s simply delivered more of the same here. This is everything I love about his music, but better. The melodies seem more approachable and a little catchier. You’re still not going to belt out these songs at karaoke, but you might find yourself humming them unexpectedly. His songwriting has evolved too. I found myself marvelling at his way with words, admiring phrases that hit my ears and heart. Alexander has elevated his music without alienating his fans here. That can be a delicate balance, but he achieves it with these songs.
Stay With the Horses is a really special album. It’s music that matters from an artist that isn’t afraid to buck trends or reveal their heart. Listen to it on your favourite streaming services now or purchase a limited edition vinyl copy here.
There are few things I enjoy more than an angsty, female rock artist. So you can bet that I’ve got Hassall’s latest track “Dinner Table” on repeat. With its powerful vocals and vulnerable lyrics exploring her experiences with misophonia, this first single lifted from Hassall’s debut album sets a high standard.
“Ever since I was a young teenager, I’ve had a pretty severely negative aversion to the sound of people eating,” Hassall explained. “I would struggle to stay at the dinner table with my family and hated it when people got too close to me. Any kind of eating or loud breathing or sniffing sounds would result in me yelling or crying or leaving. I always thought this would be something that I got over, but the condition has only thrived over the years. This song’s about that, and any other of my traits I naively hoped would ‘just be a phase’. I’m always suspiciously appreciative of anyone who’s still willing to date me or be a close friend once they’ve uncovered this crazy-woman side of me, and the song is about that too.”
I can’t wait to hear more from Hassall when she releases her debut album Means More to Me Than It Does to You on July 3. Fans should get a sneaky listen to more new material when she launches “Dinner Table” at Persa Bar Fitzroy on February 22.
Naarm/Melbourne-based artist Jess Ball has really impressed me with her latest single, “Nightmare.” It’s a polished-sounding pop track with enough edge to keep things interesting. Perhaps that’s because Jess is more influenced by groundbreaking acts like Cigarettes After Sex and Massive Attack than the latest pop princesses.
About the Author
Lauren Katulka cannot remember a time when music was not a part of her life. Raised on an eclectic diet of Van Morrison, The Eagles, Cold Chisel, and Barbra Streisand, she remembers saving all her pocket money for weeks so she could buy cassettes featuring her favourite singers. At the tender age of 11 she saw her first live concert when Jimmy Barnes took his Soul Deep tour to Newcastle’s Civic Theatre. There was no looking back.
Today Lauren is a happily married freelance writer living on the New South Wales Central Coast. When she's not obsessing about the latest band, or some old favourite, she loves to roller-skate, experiment with new recipes, play pub trivia, and watch indie films.
If you would like to get in touch, you can email lauren@qblix.com. Alternatively, click here to learn more about opportunities to collaborate with me and 100s of other curated blogs on Musosoup. As an Amazon Associate, I earn money on eligible purchases.
