Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Daphnie Releases Latest Pop Bop, “Alive (not dead)”

Daphnie has got me buzzing with his latest single “Alive (not dead).” Daphnie mastermind Alistair Hayes cowrote and produced this poppy gem with Vera Blue bassist Ross James before giving it the final mix in his bedroom.

“This one touches on the classic burnout and being ground into the capitalist machine of constant output, driving out actual feelings and relationships,” he said. “I’m someone who has to actively pay attention to my feelings or I don’t feel them and just exist. I’d rather not be boring, and try being alive.”

“One of my fav things about writing it, was that the guitar part in chorus 2+3 is so ridiculously fast and just isn’t humanly possible, so I’m strumming as fast as I can higher on the guitar neck, while Ross also strummed at the same time but lower down. Absolutely ridiculous.”

I’ve just added “Alive (not dead) to my Spotify playlist, Sounds of Oz Loves Pop. If you love pop music too, make sure you give it a follow!

Image used with permission from Alistair Hayes

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Brave Mistakes Release Two-Track EP, Heavy Idle

Tarntanya/Adelaide DIY band Brave Mistakes are back with a fabulous new mini EP, Heavy Idle. It features just two tracks: “Lie For My Love” and “Lines Around Colour.”

It’s a smart release which shows us a couple of different sides of this exciting act. “Lie For My Love” is a dark and brooding. It reminded me a little of early Nick Cave with its raw, post-punk intensity. “Lines Around Colour” is much lighter and more melodic. With more tenderness in Garrett R. Cooper’s vocals, it reminded me a little of a lost Roxy Music tune.

I was drawn to “Lines Around Colour” instantly, but now I’ve sat with Heavy Idle for a little while Lie For My Love has gotten under my skin. Listen to both songs on your favourite streaming platform now.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ama Shows Her Teeth With “Bite”

There’s something so special about hearing an artist step into their power. I’ve been a long-time fan of Ama’s music, but she takes it up a few notches with the release of her latest single “Bite.” Just wait until that beat drops and you hear her unleash on this angsty tune.

This song is a bit of a different vibe for Ama. Her previous releases have seen her squarely in the pop lane, but “Bite” has much more of a rock edge. Something tells me we’re just starting to get a taste of everything this talented local artist is capable of. Follow Ama on her socials to learn more about her new music as it drops.

Image source: Ama’s website

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Deadshowws Impress With “I Should”

Hit that volume and take a moment to rock out to “I Should,” the latest single from Darkinjung Country/Central Coast alternative-rock act Deadshowws. This is an anthemic single which takes its cues from 2000s emo music but reinterprets the sound for modern listeners. In short, it’s bloody good.

“It’s a song about battling yourself to get better,” the band explained. “It’s a short version, recounting my experience with the people I love begging me to seek help and my struggle in doing so while wallowing in a self-made pit of hopelessness.”

Deadshowws will launch the single with a string of shows around their home state this April. Here are all the dates you need music lovers:

11 April 2025 – Lass O’Gowrie, Mulubinba/Newcastle
12 April 2025 – Gallery Bar @ Oxford Art Factory, Eora/Sydney
25 April 2025 – La La La’s, Dharawal/Wollongong

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Tune in to Mika James and Her “Nonna’s Trolley”

Mika James has stepped out from behind the drum kit of Naarm/Melbourne punk act The Vovos to launch her solo career. Her first single “Nonna’s Trolley” is a joyous folk song with a splash of punk sensibility. Just see if you can resist singing along to those “la la las”!

“’Nonna’s Trolley’ is a song that was written out of the feeling you get when you overestimate how many things you can carry when you’re walking down the street – when you have to get from A to B but everything you’re carrying is impossibly balanced across bags strung on both shoulders, jean back-pockets and two waiter-style-full hands,” Mika admitted. “You’re in a target stare of the destination but you can feel something slipping – it’s a panic laugh in a La la la. I wrote it in a time of my life where everything was a bit off-kilter and retrospectively wild, but when I looked down at all the things I was carrying, and the people who were at the A and B – I think of it as a highly special time in my life. ‘Nonna’s Trolley’ is for the people who run into door frames and make Bolognese for their friends who come over and eat it in their bath, for champagne in the shower – It’s for the laugh when everything falls out of your arms after you try to pick up what fell out of the bag over your left shoulder.”

I’m obsessed with this song and the sentiment behind it and I can’t wait to hear more from Mika.

Image used with permission from Riot House Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Tom Nethersole Releases New Queer Love Song, “Ardmona Rd”

I’ve been thoroughly charmed by “Ardmona Rd,” the latest release from local independent folk-pop act Tom Nethersole. An exploration of young queer love, it’s brimming with optimism and nostalgia. Take a listen and I know you’ll be smiling by the time the chorus kicks in.

“It’s deeply personal but also relatable, especially for queer listeners who are searching for that fairytale moment we don’t always see reflected in music,” Tom said.

Tom is definitely an artist on the rise. He’s graced the stages of Midsumma Pride Street Party, Always Live, and the Rockhampton River Festival and amassed more than 180k streams. No wonder major media outlets like Rolling Stone, JOY FM, FBi Radio, and this blog are starting to take notice.

Image used with permission from Tall Poppy MGMT

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Tom Busby and Ben Kweller Team Up For “Waiting For Tomorrow”

For years we’ve known Tom Busby as one half of local indie-folk duo Busby Marou, but now he’s going solo. Sort of. Ahead of the release of his first solo album, Tom has dropped a fantastic new single “Waiting for Tomorrow,” which he recorded with Ben Kweller. If you know anything about Ben’s music, this song is everything you’re hoping for. I was a big Busby Marou fan, but I think this might just be the best thing Tom’s released.

“Waiting for Tomorrow” comes from Tom Busby’s new solo album Rockhampton Hangover, which we’ll hear in the middle of the year.

“This record is me at my most honest – no filter, no hiding, and ‘Waiting for Tomorrow’ sets the tone for that,” Tom said. “It’s about regret and restlessness but also about dusting yourself off and charging forward. Recording it with Ben Kweller in Texas, with my family there, made it even more real. It’s a new chapter, and I’m all in.”

Something tells me we’ll hear a lot more from Tom Busby this year as he enters this new musical chapter.

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

BB Sabina Releases Haunting New Single, “Multitude”

Naarm/Melbourne trio BB Sabina have blown me away with their latest single “Multititude.” This song defies categorisation, instead drawing elements of post-rock, electronica, trip hop and synthwave together to create something that’s so original and exciting. It’s only fitting that it doesn’t fit into a neat box though, as frontwoman Beth Uhe wrote the song as a protest against being classified or categorised by others.

“The song explores what it means to contain many facets and contradictions and to be in a constant state of flux – the beauty and magic of this,” she explained. “It’s a reflection on queerness, gender, and beyond. The song feels like a strong statement about who I am. How I don’t easily fit into a box, and feeling uncomfortable when someone tries to put me in a box, how this can feel so limiting.”

This is the second incarnation of BB Sabina. Beth formed the band in the Northern Territory and released a debut EP in 2019. However, in 2020 she moved back to her hometown of Naarm/Melbourne and began experimenting with new sounds and textures. She found bass guitarist and synth player Warrick Newman through an advertisement and soon recruited Warrick’s jamming buddy, drummer Travis Germaine.

Discover this exciting new lineup when BB Sabina launches “the single”Multitude” for hometown fans at The Gem on April 12. The show kicks off at 4 pm and entry is free.

Image used with permission from Young Ha Kim

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Future Looks Bright For Tomorrow’s Forecast

Up-and-coming Meeanjin/Brisbane indie-rock act Tomorrow’s Forecast have really impressed me with their latest single “Ribbons.” Frontwoman Bonnie Kruger’s emotionally charged vocals and bittersweet lyrics really resonate.

“Ribbons is a track I wrote about longing for an ex-boyfriend to come back into my life after breaking my heart,” she explained. “I found myself constantly waiting for, or maybe even expecting, him to lay his cards down and finally say everything I wanted to hear. The metaphor of ‘ribbons’ ultimately signifies commitment and that although you can attempt to mend a broken bond, the ‘ribbons’ tying you together will eventually unravel.”

The recording of “Ribbons” saw the band reuniting with Emily Hopley at Hunting Ground Studios.

“We had worked with Emily on ‘Pathetic’ so it was a really comfortable experience. It is a super refreshing – and unfortunately uncommon – to work with an AFAB producer and it felt like there was an immediate connection and mutual understanding of each other’s work,” Bonnie said. “Emily really helped me push my vocals in a way I hadn’t pushed them before, focusing on the grit and emotion of my voice, rather than the vocal quality itself.”

Tomorrow’s Forecast will launch “Ribbons” with two shows in their home state. Tickets are on sale for both gigs via OzTix.

28 March 2025 – The Bearded Lady, Meeanjin/Brisbane
4 April 2025 – Elsewhere, Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast

Photo credit: Aysha Swanson

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Charlie Bedford Proves His Range With “Violet Street”

If you thought you knew had Charlie Bedford’s sound pegged after hearing his recent single “(The Out of Town) Laundromat Blues,” his latest release will prove you wrong. “Violet Street” is a much more soulful endeavour fused with elements of pop-rock. This genre blend goes down easy. It’s just the thing I can imagine being a big hit on radio if the stations ever played new Aussie music!

Charlie recorded this one at Guffland Studios in Naarm/Melbourne with Mark Lowrie on producing and engineering duties. It comes from his soon-to-be released album Daydream, which based on his recent singles is sure to keep us guessing. Expect to hear “Violet Street” and more new tunes when Charlie plays the following shows:

4 April 2025 – Red Lion Hotel, Ballaarat/Ballarat
4 May 2025 – Shiraz Republic, Kulin Country/Cornella
24 May 2025 – Broken Hill Pub, Wilyakali Country/Broken Hill

Image used with permission from Charlie Bedford