Category: Album Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

GEM Lets Audiences In With “RUINS”

Has it really been three years since LA-based Aussie DJ and producer GEM brought us The 2070s? That album showcased what she could do with classic pop songs, but with her latest single “RUINS” she’s revealing a little more of herself. It’s a beautiful slow-burn ballad with GEM’s ethereal voice front and centre. If you love what you hear, you won’t need to wait too much longer for more. GEM’s new EP Healing Feelings drops tomorrow.

“I wanted the EP to reintroduce myself, starting with the parts that I hide the most. The story begins with ‘Ruins’,” GEM explained. “I was holding on so tightly to an idea that didn’t exist anymore – once I let that relationship shatter, the breakthrough begun and the healing started. I wanted the EP to start in mess, tangled, unsure, inching your way into the day as we all sometimes do and slowly, step by step, track by track find that voice, that inner knowing that sets you right again. I made a very deliberate decision to connect all the pieces of myself and make whole, regardless how popular that may or may not be”.

If you’re new to GEM’s music or like me you’re ready to get reacquainted, make sure you listen out for Healing Feelings tomorrow.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Jordan Knight

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole Reunite For Another Album and Tour

Everyone deserves a friend like Adam Harvey. A friend who doesn’t just reach out when you’re doing it tough, but really steps up to make you feel better.

“A few months ago when I wasn’t doing so well, my friend Adam Harvey checked in on me every week or so,” fellow Central Coast-based country artist Beccy Cole shared on social media. “He asked if there was anything he could do and I said ‘you could tour with me again, they are my happiest times.’ So he changed his year around and orchestrated this whole project. He said if I got better he would tour with me till the bloody wheels fall off! That’s what you call a friend.”

That project was The Great Country Songbook Volume 3, a sequel to the Great Country Songbook Volume 2 they released in 2017. I revisited that album yesterday and was so struck by the genuine love that radiates from these recordings. Adam and Beccy may be the closest Australia has to Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, and not just because they do a mean cover of “Islands in the Stream”!

As we await the album’s release, it’s time to get excited about that tour. Expect music, stories, and plenty of laughs when Adam and Beccy visit your town.

9 September 2022 – Northern Beaches Bowls Club, Yuibera Country/Mackay
10 September 2022 – The World Theatre, Gudjal Country/Charters Towers
11 September 2022 – Dalrymple Hotel, Bindal and Wulgurukaba Country/Townsville
15 September 2022 – Brolga Theatre, Tuaggra/Maryborough
16 September 2022 – Twin Towns Services Club, Goodjinburra Country/Tweed Heads
17 September 2022 – Caloundra RSL, Cullowundoor/Caloundra
18 September 2022 – City Golf Club, Tawampa/Toowoomba
23 September 2022 – Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre, Wiradjuri Country/Bathurst
24 September 2022 – Penrith Panthers, Darug Country/Penrith
29 September 2022 – Lighthouse Theatre, Dhauwurd Wurrung Country/Warrnambool
30 September 2022 – York On Lilydale, Wurundjeri Country/Mount Evelyn
1 October 2022 – Palais Theatre, Wadawurrung Country/Geelong
8 October 2022 – Red Hill Auditorium, Boorloo/Perth
14 October 2022 – The Street Theatre, Ngambri/Canberra
15 October 2022 – Anita’s Theatre, Wodi Wodi Country/Thirroul
16 October 2022 – Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre, Wiradjuri Country/Wagga Wagga

Image used with Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Karen Harding Starts Releasing Songs From Debut EP

Karen Harding has already released six singles, and there’s plenty more on the way. Today marks the release of “I’ve Got a Secret,” the title track of her debut EP. I think this haunting number might be Karen’s best yet. I love the dramatic instrumentation, which adds an extra level to her haunting vocals. Written during last year’s lockdowns, it explores the fear and anxiety so many of us experience when we let ourselves be vulnerable.

Karen will drop one track from the EP every month until all four songs are out in the world in October. You can purchase the EP in digital or EP forms through her Bandcamp page.

Image used with permission from Karen Harding

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

GUTHRIE Drops Stunning Single “Best You Ever Had”

I know it’s early, but I’m pretty sure GUTHRIE’s new single “Best You Ever Had” will be the best thing you hear all day. The blending of folk and electronic influences is gorgeous, but it’s the direct, introspective lyrics that have really floored me. GUTHRIE wears their heart on their sleeve here, creating a track that’s so compelling to listen to. If you love artists like Bon Iver and Phoebe Bridgers, you’re going to flip for this.

““Best You Ever Had really is a sort of painful celebration of new love and its vulnerability,” GUTHRIE explained. “For me, every time I’ve fallen in love has changed who I am, and changed the way I look at things. So the song also says things don’t have to work out in order for them to be meaningful.”

“Best You Ever Had” is the opening song from GUTHRIE’s debut EP INCUBATOR, which drops on July 8. They’ll launch the EP with a show at Leadbeater in Richmond, Victoria, on August 26.

Image used with permission from Star Crossed PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Carry on Dancing With Xani’s Disco-Inspired Single, “Dreaming of You”

Enjoy a couple of minutes of bliss listening to Xani’s new track “Dreaming of You”. It’s a sugary blend of disco and pop lifted from Xani’s upcoming concept album, An Inaccurate History of Electronic Music. This track and others from the album ponder the question of what it might be like to never dance again.

Like many of us during last year’s lockdowns, Xani contemplated the idea as dancing with others was something she desperately craved. Through this album, she created her own fictitious world of dance, a place where movement, connection, and music lived on. An Inaccurate History of Electronic Music is a party album that tells the (inaccurate) history of dance music in this imagined universe. It sounds fascinating!

There’s no release date for An Inaccurate History of Electronic Music yet, but Xani has announced some Victorian shows. You may just get to hear more music from the forthcoming album at these gigs.

9 July 2022 – Major Tom’s, Kyneton
15 July 2022 – Terang Live, Terang
16 July 2022 – Apollo Bay Hotel, Apollo Bay (FREE)
30 July 2022 – Merri Creek Tavern, Northcote

Image used with permission from This Much Talent; credit: Oli Sansom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Matthew Gilbert Impresses with Epic Single, “Out of the Contempt”

Matthew Gilbert has really impressed me with “Out of the Contempt,” an epic slice of indie-folk. It’s got a soaring score, created by overlaying more than a hundred audio tracks sourced from around the world. Its introspective lyrics anchor this beautiful song written and recorded last year during Melbourne’s stage four lockdowns.

“‘Out Of The Contempt’ is the crowning jewel of my upcoming album Getting Over All Of It,” Matthew admitted. “It completes the story of moving through the last five years of my life. Filled with depression, relationships, church hurt and restoring faith. ‘Out Of The Contempt’ sings about moving on from all the hurt, regardless of getting closure, for the sake of healing. ‘Out Of The Contempt’ is an alternative cinematic soundscape full of orchestral elements and authentic ambient tones.”

If you love what you hear, you won’t have to wait too long for more. The album, Getting Over All of It, drops on June 23. Matthew will celebrate its release with a launch show at The Wesley Anne in Melbourne on June 30.

Image used with permission from Beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

DICE Goes From Strength to Strength With Latest Single, “Bad Tattoo”

DICE have only been together for 15 months, but they’ve made a big impression during that time. Aside from winning my heart, they’ve released six singles, clocked up 900,000 streams, and sold-out headline shows. They might just crack the magic million with their latest effort “Bad Tattoo.”

“’Bad Tattoo’ steers away from deeper meanings like our past tracks had (self belief, the mental and physical strain of gigging, how to cope with young relationships),” the band said. “We wanted to create a track which can embody our cheeky, light-hearted side of experiencing young adulthood. With reference to past experiences, we portray bad tattoos as a good thing, a representation of a memory rather than regret.”

DICE are also preparing to drop their first EP Adolescent Arcade. To celebrate its release, the Perth band will tour their home state next month.

“Our upcoming EP tour is a huge milestone for us and a major achievement after only 15 months as a band. We have been privileged to be able to support other bands tours such as Dear Sunday and Death by Denim but there is something extra exciting and special about doing it yourselves,” the band added. “This is definitely a big mark in our career and we are ecstatic to be able to perform our own shows at some of our favourite places such as Margaret River and also do our first all-ages show at YMCA HQ.”

Get those tickets while they’re hot!

1 April 2022 – Mandurah Top Floor, Mandurah (with Ra Ra Viper & Little Guilt MANDURAH, WA
8 April 2022 – YMCA HQ, Leederville (All Ages with Ra Ra Viper)
9 April 2022 – The River Margs, Margaret River (with Ra Ra Viper and King Blue)
30 April 2022 – DICE Fest @ Badlands, Perth

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Odin Fahey

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Wanderers EP is Out Now

What do you say about a band you’ve already raved about so many times? Every time Wanderers dropped a single from their recently released EP, I heaped praise on it. So now that their self-titled EP is out in the world, with just a couple of new tracks, I’m not sure what’s left that I haven’t already said before. However, this EP is so damn good that I can’t let its release go without some kind of fanfare.

So I’ll say this. Drop what you’re doing and listen. While you’re listening, you might want to read back on my reviews for “Malibu”, “Nothing in This World”, and “Penny”. Or maybe you just want to discover for yourself how good their classic rock sound is. Either way, just make sure you’re listening. If you love soulful rock with the retro influence of synths and saxophone, I know you’re going to flip over these guys.

Wanderers will soon jet off to South by Southwest but don’t worry Aussies; they’ll be back before you know it for EP launch shows around the country:

1 April 2022 – The Night Cat, Fitzroy
29 April 2022 – Felons Barrel Hall, Brisbane
30 April 2022 – Waywards at the Bank, Newtown
27 May 2022 – Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide

Images used with permission from Big Oak Records; feature photo credit: Samuel Graves

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Afterthought Live Up to Early Promise With New EP and Single

Pop-punk seemed to fade away for a while, but it’s definitely back with a vengeance here in Australia. There are so many stellar pop-punk acts on the local scene, and Afterthought are up there with the best. Right now I’m really digging “Summerset Stunner,” the latest single from the band’s recently released self-titled sophomore EP. Everything on the EP is fantastic, so once you check this song out make sure you check out the rest.

Afterthought says “Summerset Stunner is about “wanting to tell someone that you love them but never finding the right time and fearing that you may never find that time.” And haven’t we all been there?

Expect to hear a lot more from these guys in the future. They’re generating a lot of buzz from tastemakers like triple j, 4ZZZ, HEAVYMag, and Milky, and their talent lives up to the hype.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Young Robin Drop New EP “Imago” Today

With Perth act Young Robin dropping their new EP Imago today, I thought it was the perfect time to bring them to your attention. These guys have grown a massive fanbase in Western Australia, selling out shows up and down the West Coast, but I think it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the country is turned on to their sound.

My favourite track on the EP is the current single “Violent.” This catchy indie bop had me grooving from the get-go. Sophian Manik (vocals and guitar) and Jed Begho (lead vocals) co-wrote the track, which has a deep personal meaning for them both.

“For me, this song is about internal struggle and finding peace through personal discovery and faith,” Jed explains. “For Sophian, it’s written from the perspective of his relationship with his significant other during the Covid pandemic. It’s about the struggles he had and how they persevered through it and came out stronger at the end. Even though the song is called ‘Violent’ the song does not refer to any form of physical violence, but more so mental battles that we have faced.”

Wrap your ears around it and I know you’ll want to listen to the rest of the tunes from Imago. Get onto it music lovers!

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Mastu Photography