Music doesn’t and should not stand still; instead it follows a continual arc, complete with sidesteps, repetitions and leaps, pushed forward by a combination of innovations and happy accidents. The early 1950s saw the emergence of a new style of … Continue reading Musicology: The History of ‘The Nashville Sound’
Chicago rapper Noname’s excellent album Room 25 — technically her debut following the critically acclaimed 2016 mixtape Telefone — was released exactly a week before tonight’s sold out show at The Forum. That she barely touched on the new material … Continue reading Noname – The Forum, Melbourne (21/09/2018)
The Art of Pretending to Swim, the fifth album by Dublin quintet Villagers, is a focused affair that places singer-songwriter Conor O’Brien’s gentle voice, unnerving poetry and acoustic guitar in a carefully sculpted soundscape of digital bleeps, orchestral swells and … Continue reading Villagers – The Art of Pretending to Swim (2018 LP)
August 29th marked what would have been the 60th birthday of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson and the Internet paid tribute to him accordingly. Social media was flooded with dedications of all kinds, ranging from DJ sets, dance choreography, … Continue reading Here’s How The World Paid Tribute to Michael Jackson on his 60th Birthday
Even the greats weren’t immune to the lure of doomed technology — and thanks to some internet randos, you can still play these ‘games’ online. The early ‘90s were a strange time for the music industry. Advances in digital technology … Continue reading Remember When Prince and Bowie Released 90s AF CD-ROM Games? No? Well Luckily The Internet Knows Everything
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Korean pop bands have recently made history in the US charts. This is just one part of a methodical global expansion. Last month, in a staggering achievement for the Korean music industry, South … Continue reading How K-pop is changing the game for the global music industry
Lightsleeper, the first co-credited collaboration from father and son team Neil and Liam Finn admirably ignores expectations that may surround such a project, revealing itself to be a meditative and somewhat eccentric collection of songs. The Finn’s familiar gift of … Continue reading Neil and Liam Finn – Lightsleeper (2018 LP)
If you, like millions of others around the world, have listened to Drake’s new album Scorpion in the few weeks since its release, you will have heard the tracks ‘In My Feelings’ and ‘Nice For What’, the latter of which … Continue reading Musicology: How a Forgotten 1986 Single Influenced Bounce Music and One of 2018’s Biggest Releases
The 800 capacity Corner Hotel was, unsurprisingly, sold out, and as soon as the support act, Exhibitionist, quit the stage, after reaching a triumphant high point with the new song ‘Being A Woman’, the crowd pushed forward as one. It’s … Continue reading Kimbra – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne (19/07/18)
There are few figures in modern contemporary music that could lay claim to creating such a unique variation on an established sound that they are credited with inventing an entire genre. Producer, songwriter and artist Teddy Riley is one of … Continue reading Musicology: The History of Teddy Riley & New Jack Swing
When you think of Melbourne it’s possible that images of laneway cafes spring to mind, or perhaps it’s the river, the trams, Formula One, or the oft-cited statistics that place the city as the world’s most livable. But for anyone … Continue reading Interview: The Reclink Community Cup 2018
Even when it was together it was falling apart. Marshall Allen dropped his arm and the horns landed in unison on command, the dual alto, tenor and baritone saxes, the trombone and two trumpets creating a sound that was at … Continue reading Sun Ra Arkestra – Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne (06/05/2018)
