Sounds of Oz

Posted on 29/10/202530/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

KYARNA Releases Folky Gem, “Forest Song”

I seem to be all about the calming music at the moment. I’m sure something with angst will inspire me soon, but when so many artists are releasing beautiful, gentle tracks I’m just going to roll with it. If you’re feeling the folky vibes, make sure you listen to KYARNA’s latest single “Forest Song.”

KYARNA wrote this song after spending time in Champagne, France for an artist’s residency. During her time abroad, she connected with fellow creatives who she says “quickly became part of my soul. We all spent a lot of time walking through the forest along the river, and every day I would sit with my feet in the freezing water and talk to the trees (as I do). At the time, I was grieving so deeply, I was trying to find meaning in anything I could, and I had this realisation that no matter where I go, Country holds me. I don’t have anything particularly profound to say about this next love letter, except that I hope you hear what Country is saying to all of us.”

KYARNA is about to tour the country with Liz Stringer. When that wraps up, she’ll play some of the country’s top folk festivals. If you’re attending one of these events, make sure you don’t miss her set:

16 November 2025 – Anglesea Memorial Hall, Kuarka Doola/Anglesea (supporting Liz Stringer)
21 November 2025 – Corner Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne (supporting Liz Stringer)
27 November 2025 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeanjin/Brisbane (supporting Liz Stringer)
28 November 2025 – Brunswick Picture House, Bundjalung Country/Brunswick Heads (supporting Liz Stringer)
5 December 2025 – Stag & Hunter Hotel, Awabakal Country/Mayfield (supporting Liz Stringer)
6 December 2025 – Mary’s Underground, Eora/Sydney (supporting Liz Stringer)
13 December 2025 – Meeniyan Town Hall, Brataualung Country/Meeniyan (supporting Liz Stringer)
16-18 January 2026 – Illawarra Folk Festival @ Bulli Showground, Bulla Bulla/Bulli
27 February – 1 March 2026 – Cobargo Folk Festival @ Cobargo Showground, Yuin Country/Cobargo

Image used with permission from Soul Sound Management

Posted on 28/10/202529/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

Leila Soars With “Butterfly”

After a draining day dealing with social media hackers, I turned to my inbox in the hopes of finding a little musical solace. I discovered exactly what I was looking for with “Butterfly,” the beautiful new single from Ngambri/Canberra artist Leila.

The press release describes Leila as a country-pop act, but I’m also hearing some soul influences in this beauty. Her unique voice sits beautifully amongst the piano melody and lush string section.

Leila has supported some of Australia’s best acts including Ella Hooper and The Eurogliders, but she’s ready to become the headliner. Catch her at the following shows supporting the release of “Butterfly.”

6 November 2025 – Society City, Woolyungah/Wollongong
21 November 2025 – The Polo, Ngambri/Canberra
28 November 2025 – Wesley Anne, Naarm/Melbourne

Image used with permission from Evergreen Artists

Posted on 27/10/202527/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

Prepare to Get Hooked on Reckless Coast’s “Addictions”

After wowing me with their debut EP Naked & Famous last year, Meeanjin/Brisbane trio Reckless Coast are back with the killer new single “Addictions.” They’re making the sort of straight-up rock music we don’t hear enough of these days. There’s no bullshit. The vocals from Jaeden Ogston soar and the band is tight without being buttoned-up.

“Addictions” explores the psychological toll of romantic dependency from the perspective of a protagonist feeling jaded by mislead relationships. Jaeden explained “Some people can’t stand the thought of being alone, rushing from one relationship to the next without healing or self reflection, which fuels an almost self fulfilling prophecy. I wrote ‘Addictions’ after a three year relationship ended, and I caught myself looking for something new at a time when I wasn’t emotionally ready.”

Reckless Coast have a couple of local gigs to close out the year. Catch them at the following venues:

7 November 2025 – Blute’s Bar, Meeanjin/Fortitude Valley (supporting VERUM)
4 December 2025 – The Brightside, Meeanjin/Fortitude Valley (supporting Dellacoma)

Image used with permission from Reckless Coast

Posted on 24/10/202524/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

Ruby Gilbert Drops Dramatic New Noir Country Single, “Goddamn Fool”

I had to check the date before posting about “Goddamn Fool,” the latest single by Ruby Gilbert. It sounds like it could score a classic Sergio Leone spaghetti western, but I assure you it’s a fresh 2025 release.

When asked about “Goddamn Fool,” Ruby explained “It’s about karmic justice; being outplayed, knowing you had it coming, and accepting the fall without asking for forgiveness or redemption.”

I just love how this one sounds. You’ve got country staples like the banjo and acoustic guitar, but also a Mariachi-style brass section in the mix. It’s so lush and layered, with Ruby’s unique voice the cherry on top. If you like your country music dark, feast your ears on “Goddamn Fool.”

Photo credit: Will Johnstone

Posted on 24/10/202524/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

Stella Dunai Makes Stunning Debut With “Can’t Sleep”

The last few days have been pretty rough, so I’ve been all about music to soothe my mood. I’ve got my latest serotonin hit from “Can’t Sleep,” the debut single from Stella Dunai. While this is Stella’s first solo single, you might know her as part of Naarm/Melbourne R&B collective Empress. This song’s a lot folkier with dreamy vocals that will get right under your skin.

Stella wrote “Can’t Sleep” while battling insomnia as she travelled through Italy. It’s a little ironic that it sounds like a beautiful lullaby, but I’m digging it.

“I was in the mid-summer heat in Florence with an old wonky nylon string guitar I bought for €20 in France and carried with me on trains and buses,” Stella recalled. “I went on to work at a vineyard in the Dolomites and the owner insisted I play a song for her. So the first people to hear ‘Can’t Sleep’ were Anna, the vineyard owner, and her two Italian friends who spoke very little English – under the stars up on a vineyard in the mountains.”

With her debut EP Nothing to Be Scared Of slated for a November release, we’ll hear a lot more from Stella soon.

Photo credit: Bridgette Winten

Posted on 23/10/202523/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

“The Significance of Time” – Tanya Ransom

From the moment I heard Tanya Ransom’s vocals open her new album The Significance of Time, I knew I was in good hands. This is her third full-length studio album and one that’s likely to fly under the radar. You won’t find it on the major streaming services, and its songs are unlikely to gain airplay on mainstream radio. But it’s so good that it’s worth the investment.

It seems fitting that Tanya has kept The Significance of Time away from the streaming services, because listening to it feels like a throwback. I was never tempted to skip or shuffle tracks, preferring instead to hear them in the order Tanya intended. I’ve heard this album countless times over the last week, with the sort of focus I used to feel when I’d purchase music as a teenager. There was no streaming then, so I’d listen to one album on repeat until I could afford the next. There’s no heavy-handed production either, just good songs presented without bells or whistles. I was reminded of classic acts like Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty as I listened. Tanya has a similar lack of pretence, a way of making music that seems so organic and honest.

Every song on The Significance of Time is a standout. Tanya has refined her signature sound, a blend of folk, alt-country, and Americana that serves as the perfect vehicle for her stellar songwriting. “Winter Song,” “Traffic Lights,” and the fitting closer, “The Light at the End” hit me hard, but ask me for my favourites next week and I may have different answers. It’s that kind of album.

The Significance of Time is available via Tanya’s Bandcamp page as a digital download, CD, or vinyl. She’s currently on tour to support its release. Catch her at one of the following venues around the country.

23 October 2025 – Wesley Anne, Wurunjeri-willam/Northcote (with Adele Oliver and Misty Harlowe)
24 October 2025 – Shedshaker Brewing, Djandak/Castlemaine (FREE- with Adele Oliver)
31 October 2025 – Hybrid Warehouse, Walyalup/Fremantle (Trio show with Adele Oliver)
7-9 November 2025 – Blues At Bridgetown, Geegelup/Bridgetown
29 November 2025 – Good Day Sunshine Festival @ Gloucester Park, Wooditjup/Margaret River
5 December 2025 – Denmark Arts House, Kwoorabup/Denmark (with Tracey Barnett)
6 December 2025 – Wilson Brewing Co, Kinjarling/Albany (FREE – with Tracey Barnett)

Images used with permission from Tanya Ransom Music

Posted on 21/10/202523/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

“Paper Cuts” – Lyn Bowtell

If the buzz surrounding the Australian premiere of The Golden Bachelor has taught it’s anything, it’s that Aussies want to hear from people who’ve lived a life. The Taylor Swifts and Sabrina Carpenters of the world might dominate the charts, but there’s perhaps a more important place for releases from seasoned talents like Lyn Bowtell. At almost 50, Lyn is sharing some of her most personal stories with the release of Paper Cuts.

The album’s name is so telling. Some say paper cuts are the worst kind. They sting while the rest of the world barely notices. But they heal, and you keep moving forward. In that spirit, Paper Cuts explores themes of pain and resilience.

Lyn eases us into the gritty stuff with the fun single “Cold Shiver” and uplifting blues number “I’m Here.” But by the time her Bella sisters Kate Ballyntyne and Karen O’Shea join her for “I Don’t Want to Stay,” she starts peeling back the layers. Lyn wraps some of the hardest-hitting words in upbeat music. The ukulele in “Small” feels playful, but its lyrics exploring insecurities are so vulnerable and relatable. “Scene of the Crime” has a cool country-rock feel, but it tells a powerful personal story drawn from Lyn’s own experiences of domestic violence, coercive control, and alcoholism. Paper Cuts also has some beautiful quiet moments, including the piano ballad “Ordinary” and the uplifting acoustic “Ride.”

There seems to be so much of Lyn in this album that it’s interesting that the final track, “Paper Cut,” is the only one with a solo songwriting credit. However, when talking about “Scene of the Crime” she explained that the song was too raw and personal to finish alone. I imagine many of the tracks had a similar songwriting journey. Lyn’s collaborators have helped her create an album which shares so much wisdom and makes a profound emotional impact.

Paper Cuts is out now. Lyn is currently on tour to support its release. See her anywhere you can.

Images used with permission from Bec Gracie Publicity

Posted on 20/10/202520/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

Clay Brown Rocks Out With “No Place”

Boorloo/Perth-based singer-songwriter Clay Brown builds on his sound with the release of his second single fronting Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town, “No Place.” It’s much grittier than their laidback debut “All My Friends (Atrophy),” but if you enjoyed that song I don’t think they’ll lose you with this evolution. As with the first single, Clay Brown hooked me with his superb songwriting, which this time explore grief and the way it can paralyse you.

“I wrote this song when I was going through a difficult time after losing someone very important in my life, and at the same time trying to start a new situationship with someone, but I was finding I just didn’t have myself all together yet for it mentally,” frontman Clay explained.

Can we also take a moment to appreciate Clay’s vocals? When so many artists attempt to disguise their Aussie accent, Clay’s is proudly on show. I also love the way he effortlessly moves from the conversational-style verses to high notes in the chorus.

Clay has been a key part of the Boorloo/Perth music industry for the last decade, playing with diverse acts like shoegaze outfit The Limbs, grunge band Filth Wizard, jazz fusion group King Proteus, and heavy stoner rockers MAGE. But his work fronting Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town is a little more personal. In 2023, Clay’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. He began writing poetry, then lyrics to process his emotions through her illness and death. This difficult period became the catalyst for his first solo songs, which he plays as an acoustic artist and with Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town.

Clay has recently returned from London, where he played a string of shows and recorded some music at Soho Sound Studios. Hopefully that means there are many more new tunes on the way. Until then, crank up “No Place.”

Photo credit: Dan Mac Photography

Posted on 17/10/202520/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

Anna Dine Makes Her Mark With Debut Single, “kind 2 me”

Eora/Sydney-based indie-pop chanteuse Anna Dine shows she’s a real creative force with the release of her dreamy debut single “kind 2 me.” Unlike so many acts in the pop scene, Anna’s taken ownership of her art by writing and producing this song herself.

Anna took out the prestigious Sonora Song Competition in January with this track. That victory helped her record and release it for your listening pleasure.

“‘kind 2 me’ is a song that punches you in the gut,” Anna said. “It’s a song for anyone who has been deprived of the bare minimum, invalidated, and ruthlessly gaslit. The track combines lyrical drama with lush synth production to illuminate the powerlessness of being enmeshed in a relationship with someone who won’t treat you with basic dignity.”

Anna will celebrate the release of “kind 2 me” with a launch show at the Sneaky Possum in Warrane/Chippendale on October 25. She’ll also support Martha Chess Phelps at Moshpit on November 1 before co-headlining a regional tour with Cate Guirguis later this year.

Image used with permission from Anna Dine

Posted on 16/10/202516/10/2025 by Lauren Katulka

Ella & Sienna Impress With “Taxi”

Sibling duo Ella & Sienna take their sound to the next level on their latest pop single, “Taxi.” The song showcases the harmonies that encouraged Rita Ora to turn her chair on season 11 of The Voice Australia, along with some incredibly sophisticated songwriting. It’s super catchy, as all good pop songs should be, but it’s also got real heart.

“Our newest single ‘Taxi’ is a dynamic coming-of-age track about the pains of growing apart from who you used to be and learning to let go,” the sisters explained. “’Taxi’ is a breakup anthem that encapsulates feelings of love, heartbreak, self-worth, and acceptance of moving into a new phase of life.”

“Taxi” is the latest addition to my Spotify playlist, Sounds of Oz Loves Pop. If you do too, make sure you give it a follow!

Image used with permission from Ella & Sienna