Category: Single Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Alt Fiction Drop Pop Bop “Why Are You Still Here?”

Alt Fiction haven’t dropped a single since March, but their follow-up to “Yesterday” is definitely worth the wait. Their latest track “Why Are You Still Here?” is a pop anthem, with all the energy you need to move forward in your working week. The band was inspired to write the song after seeing concertgoers booing after an interlude video featuring Greta Thunberg was played during a show from The 1975. I can definitely hear the British band’s influence in this track!

“It got us thinking about how there’s always a group of people that just go to gigs just to get a shot for their socials, ruin the experience for other people, and are just generally crappy,” they say about the experience.

If you’ve ever been frustrated by other punters at a gig, this one’s for you. I also love the film clip, which Alt Fiction made using an iPhone in two days with zero budget.

“We’ve made music videos ourselves before but this one was the most ambitious for sure,” they enthused. “We knew we wanted to involve the carnival because it’s so colourful and wild. We pretty much just dressed up in the brightest vintage clothing we could find on Depop and then ran around for two days just acting like idiots. It’s pretty embarrassing trying to film a music video at a carnival tbh – most of the footage didn’t even make the cut,” shares Alt Fiction

Thankfully it doesn’t sound like we’ll be left waiting as long for more new music, with the band promising that an EP showcasing “the absolute best of Alt Fiction” is on its way.

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia; credit: Layla Hutchins

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kyle Lionhart Wows Me With “Chemical Heart”

Folky, acoustic guitar-driven music is my kryptonite. Needless to say, I’m powerless to resist “Chemical Heart,” the latest track from Kyle Lionhart. He wrote the song after reaching a crossroads in his musical career.

“Being away and constantly on the road chasing something – that hungry ghost of needing to be validated through music – was so powerful that I was willing to just ruin the rest of my life to get it,” he explained. “I hit this point at end of 2019 – after touring relentlessly for more than six years – when I realised that my family was gonna leave me and I hadn’t spoken to my friends in years, and it took its toll on my mental health. I knew it was getting bad, but I ignored it to chase a ‘successful’ music career. And it worked, but almost every other facet of my life was suffering and falling to pieces.

“Then when I had to stop, because the pandemic forced me to, I realised everything was so turbulent. And I had to start working on myself and my relationships. It was kind of like, ‘Alright, I’m ready to get to work.’ I wrote the song Chemical Heart about that; it’s a song that was very much about everything I had just experienced.”

“Chemical Heart” comes from Kyle’s new album The Silence of You, which drops on November 18. After eating up his singles, I can’t wait to listen. He’ll also play the following shows next year to support the album release:

20 January 2023 – Milk Bar, Boorloo/Perth
21 January 2023 – Jive, Tarntanya/Adelaide
27 January 2023 – The Factory Theatre, Eora/Sydney
28 January 2023 – Corner Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne
3 February 2023 – Mos Desert Clubhouse, Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast
4 February 2023 – The Zoo, Meeanjin/Brisbane
10 February 2023 – Solbar, Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country/Sunshine Coast
11 February 2023 – The Northern, Cavanbah/Byron Bay

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pretty Bleak Impress With “other people’s heads”

Pretty Bleak are serving up some of the best pop-punk tunes around. Their latest single “other people’s heads” is an absolute belter with some really insightful lyrics about the influence of social media on modern society.

“Just before the pandemic, I was thinking a lot about the fact that if you have a social media account, at any given moment someone could be creating a model of your personality in their minds that you have very little influence over,” explained vocalist Sam Thomas. “In the past it would have been quite unusual to meet someone for the first time and discover that they already know significant and intimate things about you … I wanted to describe both the uneasiness that an individual might feel about being in a situation comparable to that, and the absurdness of the fact that this paradigm has become the expected state of our social interactions.”

This smart song is matched with a really clever film clip directed by Tom Thomas.

“The use of mirrors and cameras constantly reflecting and perceiving us throughout the video represents obsession our society has with the perceptions of those around us, and how this pathology is exaggerated by how prevalent social media is in our lives,” Sam added. “As with all of our videos, we like to intersperse visual metaphors with intense performance shots that mirror the content of the lyrics of our songs, because we like the video to act as a coherent augmentation of the song itself.”

Pretty Bleak will celebrate the release of “other people’s heads at Stay Gold in Naarm/Melbourne on November 25. They’re also heading to Great Escape in Lutruwita/Tasmania on March 3.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Tom Thomas

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Fresco Kyoto Releases Dreamy Single “You Save Me”

Meeanjin/Brisbane quintet Fresco Kyoto has really impressed me with their new singer “You Save Me.” Their sound is so beautifully layered and frontman Robbie Balmer’s vocals are incredible. They’ve been garnering comparisons to Rufus Du Sol and Hayden James, which I can certainly hear, but they’ve also got that indefinable something that sets them apart.

Talking about the single’s inspiration, Fresco Kyoto explained “A person has realised that they have entrapped their love in a relationship that is proving to be defined by their own flaws. Through self-sacrifice the person determines the way they rise above their ailment is on their own, and that their partner must move on to a better life. This song is an ode to time and the revelations it unveils.”

It seems these guys have a lot of hometown support, recently winning Best Live Artist and Best Emerging Artist awards from Brisbane Council and supporting acts like Custard, Jaguar Jonze, and Greta Stanley at local venues. Surely this track is the one that makes the rest of the country sit up and pay attention.

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Vivid Visual Co

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Eves Karydas Releases Beautiful New Single “Last Night When We Were Young”

Singer-songwriter Eves Karydas has won me over with her nostalgic new single “Last Night When We Were Young.” This beautiful ballad beautifully captures the freedom of youth. I’m smitten.

“We had spent the day at Jon’s [Buscema, writer/producer] house alternating between the swimming pool and the studio, chatting about the fast-moving feeling of life,” she recalled. “Where does all the time go? It’s like we’ve suddenly woken up, we’re adults, we have responsibilities.”

Eves said the song came out of a time when she felt she was taking things for granted, and wanted to hold on cherishing the small moments that really mattered more.

“Like at the start of a new relationship when the hours feel like minutes, and you know those moments aren’t going to last forever. That’s the feeling we wanted to capture in the song.”

Job done I’d say!

Image used with permission from Gyrostream

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Austin Mackay Impresses With “Dancing Through the Fire”

Austin Mackay is one of those artists who is so good, it’s hard to stop at just one song. I intended to give his latest single “Dancing Through the Fire” a listen to decide whether to write about it or not. That was about three hours ago, because I found myself listening to the entire Dancing Through the Fire EP. Multiple times. It’s honest folk-rock with just a sprinkling of pop to make it extra irresistible. As for the single, I can imagine cranking it up on my next road trip. The synths and sax make it sound so good, but this track came from a fairly difficult chapter of Austin’s life.

“’Dancing Through The Fire’ is a song that I wrote about the realisation of a relationship that was falling apart right in front of me,” he explained. “That initial moment when clarity kicked in and I finally saw the warning signs that had been there all along … I noticed the string of bad habits and unhealthy compromise that caused me to become so far removed from myself. But for some unknown reason I tried to hold the damn thing together.”

At least he got a great song out of it, right? Austin is currently touring all over the country. Catch him at one of his remaining shows:

28 October 2022 – The Workers Club, Naarm/Melbourne
29 October 2022 – Commonfolk, Boonwurrung Country/Mornington
31 October 2022 – Westernport Hotel, Yallock Bulluk Beek Country/San Remo (FREE)
4 November 2022 – The Chippo Hotel, Eora/Sydney
5 November 2022 – Bitter & Twisted Festival, Minderibba/Maitland
17 November 2022 – Beach Hotel, Cavanbah/Byron Bay (FREE)
18 November 2022 – Felons Barrel Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane (FREE)
19 November 2022 – Solbar, Kabi Kabi Country/Sunshine Coast
27 November 2022 – Summer Sesh Festival, Gumbaynggirr Country/Coffs Harbour

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Kieran Tunbridge

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Loretta Start Your Week Right With “dad’s mercedes”

Eora/Sydney indie-pop act Loretta are back with a new single “dad’s mercedes”. I fell pretty hard for these guys with the release of “Late Night” last year, and I’m so glad they’re back on my radar. Its optimistic energy is just what you need to feel better about your Monday morning.

“Lyrically, this one came from a time in our lives when we felt like love had lower stakes,” the band explained. “Exploring the narrative of two young lovers chasing after one another, in a place where you may be ready for love and relationships and all that comes with it; but one of you can’t quite commit, both being fully aware of each other’s feelings. It comes from a happy place where nothing feels like it needs to be too serious. We made sure to capture that feeling sonically; it needed to feel youthful.”

Loretta are currently playing shows around the eastern states to support the release of “dad’s mercedes”. They’re at it again this weekend with shows in New South Wales. Catch them at the following venues in the coming weeks.

4 November 2022 – Cambridge Hotel, Awabakal/Newcastle
5 November 2022 – La La La’s, Tharawal/Wollongong
10 November 2022 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeanjin/Brisbane
11 November 2022 – Oxford Art Factory, Eora/Sydney
2 December 2022 – Vanfest, Wiradjuri/Bathurst

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

thndo Drops Captivating New Single, “Fall”

Many of us met Thndo when she appeared on The Voice earlier this year. However, I didn’t feel like I really got to know her musically until the release of her Life in Colour EP a few months back. She’s continuing to reintroduce herself to audiences with the release of her new single “Fall”. It’s an utterly captivating piece of neo-soul that perfectly showcases the creativity and vocal chops of this exceptional artist.

“I’m really excited for people to hear my latest offering,” she enthused. “I completely wore my heart on my sleeve with this track, and said all the things I felt I couldn’t when I was still in my last relationship.”

I let you know about thndo’s The Reintroduction tour months ago, but if it slipped your mind you can still get tickets to the remaining dates.

27 October 2022 – Mary’s Underground, Eora/Sydney
28 October 2022 – The Street Theatre, Ngambri/Canberra
29 October 2022 – Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Wangaratta
17 November 2022 – Lefty’s Music Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane
18 November 2022 – Imperial Hotel Eumundi, Kabi Kabi Country/Eumundi
19 November 2022 – Wynnum Fringe Festival, Wynnum

Image used with permission from This Much Talent; credit Leila Maulen

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Nocturnal Animals Drop Anthemic New Single, “Passive Tone”

Nocturnal Animals has released their latest track “Passive Tone”, an anthem for anyone who’s ever weathered a rocky relationship. It starts out like an acoustic guitar ballad, but those drums and aggressive vocals kick in soon enough.

“Passive Tone is about the feeling of someone not being able to say it to your face; they speak in a passive tone making you feel like you aren’t worth their time,” the band explained.

There’s more where this came from, with Nocturnal Animals dropping their long-awaited debut EP Paint a Picture on November 4.

Image used with permission from Ruckus PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sunday Lemonade Release Gorgeous New Single, “Runaway”

Sunday Lemonade are back to charm you all over again with “Runaway.” If you’re familiar with this Naarm/Melbourne duo, you know what you’re getting. Their organic folk songs are super sweet, with melodies that instantly lift you up and make you feel better about the world. This single doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but if it ain’t broken, why try fixing it?

“‘Runaway’ is a pop/folk story of reciprocated but unspoken lust, exploring the fascinating hints and moments with another human yet frustrating lack of courage to actually act on it,” the twosome explained. “The fairy tale dream of what would happen if that person would hurry up and grab your hand, take you on an adventure and you’d finally have the chance to fall in love.”

Sweet Lemonade will perform at the Passport To Airlie 2022 Finals, part of the Airlie Beach Festival of Music, Whitsunday Sailing Club in Ngaro Country/Airlie Beach on November 3.

Image used with permission from Kick Push PR