Category: Single Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rita B Explores the Highs and Lows of Getting Away With “Travel Companion”

Remember travel? It’s becoming a distant memory for many of us, but Sydney singer-songwriter Rita B makes us nostalgic for holidays with her beautiful new folk ditty, “Travel Companion.”

“Travel Companion” explores the ideas of escapism and isolation. As Rita B explains, it also touches on “safety as a woman in those spaces, in particular, whilst travelling. It’s a relatively stripped-back (singer-songwriter) track – not played with the band. Layers of sound, such as backing vocals and violin are added to create a melancholy, dream-like vibe as the track progresses.”

Creating a music video for a song about travel was always going to be challenging right now, so Rita did the only thing you can do: she went outback. This gorgeous video, directed by Maisie Cohen, captures the dramatic, arid beauty of regional New South Wales.

“Maisie Cohen was the brainchild of the project, who quite literally turned a song about road tripping, into a road trip throughout regional NSW. The destination was Mungo National Park with its unique and arid landscape, visiting many quirky/colonial regional towns along the way, taking advantage of the signature architecture and landscapes there within,” Rita explained. “It was ironic as I was able to share this journey with Maisie as well as Drew Norley and Ariki Hita, who helped with the video production. We all got along really well and were great ‘Travel Companions’. I really wanted to dance the waltz because I thought it complimented the longing feeling in the song and managed to include some scenes of beautiful Kiera dancing with me which added to the dreamlike element of the song. A few of my family members feature in the clip, my sister and her partner are mentioned in the storyline and my niece played the role of my imaginary daughter. Really proud and chuffed that they participated”.

Rita B is scheduled to play the following shows in the coming months. Hopefully they go ahead!

28 October 2021 – Get Folked Punk @ LazyBones Lounge Restaurant and Bar, Marrickville
4 December 2021 – The Townie, Newtown (with Josh Shipton)

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: D.H Norley

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rock Out With A Swift Farewell’s “Sunburn”

Sydney pop-punk act A Swift Farewell are back with “Sunburn,” a track that uses the physical pain of sun exposure as a metaphor for the wrong kind of relationship. By the time that chorus kicked in with powerful vocals from Emma Mather, I was right on board.

Like so many bands impacted by lockdowns, A Swift Farewell had to pivot on the single’s music video.

“We initially wanted to film a live music video of us playing the song at our headline show. However, with the ever-changing situation, we had to find an alternative,” explained the band’s drummer, Dwayne Morris. “Sarah, our bassist, messaged us one day and showed us a homemade green screen idea. From there, we hit up our good friend Robbie and the rest is history. It was a fun experience, especially since I got to hit my drums for the first time in god knows how long.”

Hopefully it won’t be too long before A Swift Farewell plays those live shows they’re craving. Until then, crank this one up!

Image used with permission from Good Intent; credit: Robbie Walcott

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

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Brisbane’s Selfish Sons Deliver Anthemic New Pop-Punk Track, “Hard Enough”

In the tradition of bands like Good Charlotte and My Chemical Romance comes Brisbane’s own band of brothers, Selfish Sons. The trio is made up of brothers Jordy and Finn and their pal Jonty. Jonty met the brothers in a commercial audition room at the age of eight, so surely he’s considered part of the family now! Together they’ve just released their new single “Hard Enough,” and I can’t stop listening.

This is a slick piece of pop-punk with an infectious guitar-driven melody and a chorus you’ll find yourself singing along with before the song’s out. No wonder these guys have recently inked deals with LA management teams Connexion Music and Goodlife Management. Expect to hear a lot more from these guys once the country opens up and they can tear up stages again!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Joe Mungovan Drops Hot New Single “Give Me Your Love”

South Coast singer-songwriter Joe Mungovan brings the sexy with his cool new jam “Give Me Your Love.” Before you press play, Joe sets the scene.

“Imagine yourself on a warm summer day in a beautiful city somewhere in Europe. You’ve been spending every day exploring the city, drinking wine in the sun and everything is new and exciting. On top of all of this, you’re falling for a person you’ve just met. ‘Give Me Your Love’ is the soundtrack.”

OK, got that visual in your head? Good. Now take a listen.

Joe directed the video with Mikey Conlon in his hometown of Kiama.

“We were quite restricted with making this video,” he admitted. “The initial idea for it had to change quite drastically when the second lockdown became quite serious in NSW. I decided to make it a one-shot through my beautiful hometown of Kiama. We came up with a rough map of where we wanted to go and winged it a few times. Although we stumbled across a few hurdles (car doors not opening and lights falling over) we got there in the end.”

“Give Me Your Love” gives us a little taste of what’s in store when Joe drops his long-awaited debut album A Flower in the Weeds this November.

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Mikey Conlon (Conlon Creative)

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Montgomery Drops Stunning New Single “Close to Being Apart”

It was love at first listen when I heard “Close To Being Apart,” the dreamy new pop bop from Melbourne singer/songwriter/producer Montgomery. All those titles should clue you in to her talent. Press play and there’ll be no doubt. I must admit, I wasn’t familiar with Montgomery’s music before, but I quickly remedied that after listening to this track. Her latest effort explores the idea of moving through life, forging new connections and letting old ones go in the process.

“I wrote ‘Close To Being Apart’ last year after moving house. There’s a mix of emotion when you’re packing up and moving on to a new place that holds no memories. I found myself reminiscing, holding on to sentiment, while another part of me was desperate to start a new chapter,” Montgomery explained. “’Close To Being Apart’ acknowledges that tension of wanting to move forward or change direction, while still clinging to old memories. Even those I’d proudly thought I‘d already let go of.”

“Close To Being Apart” is our first taste of Montgomery’s sophomore EP, which is due out later this year.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Charlie Collins Releases New Banger for the Broken Hearted, “Just My Luck”

Failed relationships are no fun, but sometimes the songs that come out of them are. That’s the case with “Just My Luck,” the upbeat new single from Charlie Collins. If you’ve ever invested your heart in the wrong person, you’ll want to crank this one up.

“It’s about the feeling of always throwing yourself in the deep end, but the other person isn’t there to catch you when you fall,” Charlie explained. Thankfully it’s not something she’s had to worry about lately, as she began writing the track in her living room with partner Mitch Sexty. The track went to the next level when Charlie began collaborating with Gabriel Strum, aka Japanese Wallpaper, at Sydney’s Forbes Street Studios.

“Just My Luck” is the latest track lifted from Charlie’s forthcoming sophomore album. There’s no word on a release date, but this song should tide you over until it drops.

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

8th Time’s a Charm for Crystal Cities

I’m not saying that the number of singles is a definitive measure of an album’s quality, but when the eighth single you release from an album sounds as good as “Blood-soaked,” from Sydney band Crystal Cities’ sophomore effort Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight, you know it’s outstanding. I’m rarely a drums fan, but Daniel Conte’s work here is so noteworthy. And let’s just take a moment to appreciate those stellar vocals from Geoff Rana.

“‘Blood-soaked’ tells the tale of the power of the mind,” Geoff explained. “Although you get to choose the outcome, you are not always the winner. Reality is your prize, and is your creation, and that creation can be your greatest achievement or your biggest downfall. I’ve tried to convey this message through the loose narrative of a prizefighter from ancient Greece in a battle of epic proportions, hanging on for dear life.”

The quality of this album is a testament to the band’s commitment. They recorded their debut album, Under the Cold Light of the Moon, at Abbey Road Studios, and where do you go from there? If you’re Crystal Cities, you try something totally new. This time there was no iconic studio or producer. Instead, Geoff decided to learn all he could about the recording process. He applied the lessons he learned from YouTube and other free resources to recording the new material in a Sydney home studio. He was learning on the job, but I can’t imagine him doing better. World-renowned engineer Paul Lani, who’s worked with the likes of Prince and David Bowie, gave the songs a final spit polish before they were released in the world. Give them all a listen on your favourite streaming service.

Image used with permission from The Right Profile

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Lady Lash Shows Serious Vocal Chops With “Love My Darkness”

Don’t you just love those voices that stop you in your tracks? Melbourne artist Lady Lash is the latest artist to get me super excited about her sound. Her powerful tone anchors her latest single “Love My Darkness,” forcing you to listen in and take notice.


“Love My Darkness” comes from Lady Lash’s new album Spiritual Misfit, which drops on November 22. If this track is any indication, it’ll be something really special.

Image via Lady Lash Bandcamp

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Audition Tape Encourage Dancing at Home With “If I Called Tonight”

Hitting the clubs might be a while off yet, but if you’re like me indulging in a few at-home dance parties, you’re going to want to crank up “If I Called Tonight,” the latest track from Melbourne duo Audition Tape. It’s a polished piece of dance-pop that reminds me of fine Scandi artists like Robyn and Sigrid.

“Written on the brink of calling an ex, I was frustrated and curious. I had clarity about the way I felt three months after the opportunity to say it. I had to answer the question, “What do I do with all of these thoughts and memories now?” And I guess that question was answered – crank the autotune, punch in a 4/4 kick, write a dance song.”

If you haven’t heard about Audition Tape’s music before, don’t worry; they’re just getting started. They launched and began releasing music this year, which is a pretty ballsy move in 2021 I’ve got to say. With that sort of courage and serious talent behind them, the sky’s the limit for Audition Tape.

Image used with permission from Audition Tape