Music

Gig Review – BAYNK at Howler, Melbourne 4/7   New Zealand born BAYNK (also known as Jock Nowell-Usticke), graced the band room of Howler in early July and Selin Kaya was there to capture it.    BAYNK is a perfect example of new-age DJs in the modern world, with his tropical house sound being sourced directly from his laptop and fingertips. That’s not all that was on show in his live performance, however, as BAYNK’s talents span from his ability to generate his own synths, play his saxophone, and sing with a mic – all whilst enjoying himself, with his

  By Selin Kaya   MC Pressure expands on fears and inner-workings ahead of Hilltop Hoods’ world tour, The Great Expanse Selin Kaya speaks with MC Pressure (a.k.a. Dan Smith) from acclaimed Australian hip-hop group, Hilltop Hoods, on their eighth studio album and up-and-coming world tour.    Australian hip-hop royalty, Hilltop Hoods, have been around for as long as I can remember, as I distinctly recall my mum putting on an old Triple J’s Hottest 100 CD, with the renowned flute melody from Nosebleed Section playing in the kitchen. In primary school, we used to send Hilltop Hoods songs via

Crooked Colours released their sophomore album, Langata, just over a week ago. And judging by the crowds’ response on Sunday night at The Forum theatre – it has been received very, very well. Over the past few weeks, the Perth indie-electronic trio consisting of members Philip Slabber, Leon De Baughn, and Liam Merrett-Park, have played shows as far down south as Hobart, and then headed west to Fremantle, followed by Brisbane, Coolangatta, Sydney, and now completing their Melbourne run of shows, with their Saturday night being sold out. Although last night didn’t sell out, there wasn’t a spare spot on

Perth born electronic trio, Crooked Colours, have released their much awaited sophomore album, Langata, two years after their debut album, Vera, which was released back in 2017. The trio consists of members Philip Slabber, Leon De Baughn, and Liam Merrett-Park, who are yet another stellar act to come from Perth, Western Australia. In late 2018 and into 2019, it was clear that Crooked Colours had developed a new sound, showcasing it with the release of two songs, I’ll Be There and Do It Like You, which gave their avid following a sneak peek of what was going to come. The

Selin Kaya writes on a number of young, emerging musicians around Australia, detailing what they mean to her, their styles, personalities, and more.   Kat Edwards – Hobart – Acoustic, Roots Sounds like: Missy Higgins, Bon Iver,Vera Blue I’d always found it difficult to unwind from the stresses of day-to-day life – usually just collapsing on my bed as soon as I got home. I tried meditation and yoga, but nothing seemed to work.  That was until I stumbled across Kat Edwards– an angelic singer-songwriter from Hobart, Tasmania - and have never felt more at peace since. Her velvety-smooth vocals,

Bart Lewis A little boy from Darwin went to a couple of medium music festivals in Melbourne (See: Groovin’ the Moo) and came out with a big appetite for electronic music, recommending the stylings of Cosmo’s Midnight and Lane 8. Maybe he takes one step up this year and goes to Earthcore? Annabelle Ballard If you know a local band, chances are AB knows their entire catalogue off by heart. She showed us feminism’s answer to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, aptly named Lizard Queen, as well as the queer pop band, Crystal Myth. Stop listening to those mainstream

When Syd performs, there’s sly confidence in her body language as she knowingly grins and moves to the smooth soul and alternative R&B which permeates over the room like honey. The 25-year-old openly gay African-American musician (she has credits as a singer, songwriter, record producer, and audio engineer), currently fronts the Internet and has a solo music project. She initially entered the wider music scene as a member of Odd Future, an infamously irreverent and subversive hip-hop collective (members included Tyler the Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, and Frank Ocean).The paradoxical nature of the group was commented on by many critics; Odd

The atmosphere was intoxicating. A proliferation of smoke was brought to the forefront of my awareness by the scents of tobacco and cannabis, giving way to pungent notes of amyl, alcohol, and sweat only when carried away by an all too rare breeze.   Within the sea of people, the air was stale and warm. One could only breach the surface by standing on their toes to take a breath of anything that wasn't an odious mixture of carbon dioxide. My shoulders were pressed against five other people; personal space was a foreign concept here. I was in Melbourne, Australia, standing

Fire up the wind machines, cover yourself in glitter, and get the pyrotechnics ready, because the second edition of FAQ is going to be about the Eurovision Song Contest!    What is Eurovision and why does it exist?  The Eurovision Song Contest (Eurovision or ESC for short) is a song contest which began in 1956 to promote peace and unity within Europe after the Second World War. In the contest’s first year, only seven countries participated. 62 years later, this year’s Eurovision Song Contest has 42 participating countries both within and outside Europe.  Modern Eurovision is like the Olympics, X Factor,

And now, for the piece you’ve been awaiting with bated breath: the extended second edition of The Set List. While I slowly replace my social life with gigs, unironically substitute all normal conversations for “Dude, have you heard this new song? It’s such a tuuuuuuuuuune” and spend all my spare change on Spotify, I’m proud to share my latest symphonic discoveries with you. With my extensive* music knowledge, the completely accurate and not-at-all-bullshit descriptions below will likely make you at least the second-coolest member of your friendship group. (If, like me, your only friend is your dog, then you were

Genre: Pop If you love… Taylor Swift, circa 2008 You’ll like… Gretta Ray The 19-year-old singer-songwriter continues to rise from strength to strength. Her insightful lyrics exhort a maturity beyond her teenage years, while the substantial nature of her guitar-pop style is a testament to her wealth of experience. One to keep an eye on in 2018, her starry-eyed ballads will win you over if you’ve been pining about the death of the ‘old Taylor’. In a word: Lyrical Favourite song: Drive   Genre: Electronica If you love… Flume You’ll like… Ninajirachi ‘Dance music made in an ice cave’? 18-year-old

Australia is a big, lonely island and Jen Cloher feels it: as an artist, as a woman, as a gay woman and as one half of a relationship that is often stretched across continents. Over a decade since the release of her debut record Dead Wood Falls, the ARIA-nominated Melbourne punk-rock figurehead is at her powerful best on her self-titled fourth studio album. Crushingly candid, deceptively funny and vivid in its imagery, Jen Cloher is a bona fide album of the year contender that remains strikingly authentic whether Cloher is decrying the tyranny of distance, skewering armchair critics or sharing