shoegaze
Premiere: LA’s the black watch exclusively unveil new stand alone single ‘There Are Solutions to Each & Every Problem’ ahead of new album in early 2026.
We are honoured to premiere the new stand alone Christmas single from those iconic dream pop exponents the black watch, the band headed by multi-talented John Andrew Frederick. This follows the magnificent double album ‘For All The World’ released earlier this year (and reviewed by me here) and precedes new material on their twenty-sixth LP on …
Track: Meanjin/Brisbane’s Ancient Channels unveil new single ‘Chimera’ ahead of new album and appearance at showcase label gig organised by False Peak Records.
Ancient Channels are a supergroup of sorts, consisting of members from the myriad of talented bands operating in Meanjin/Brisbane( including Terra Pines, Apparitions, and Deafcult), many of whom have been enthusiastically covered by us here at the antipodean outpost of Backseat Mafia. Their new single ‘Chimera’ is a gloriously dense wall of shimmering sounds that …
Track: Meanjin/Brisbane trio, the inimitable Fingerless, release anthemic new track ‘Grotesque’.
The magnificent Meanjin/Brisbane trio Fingerless are back after a long absence with their new single ‘Grotesque’ and it is a spectacular anthem that soars like an eagle. The band has always managed to create a majestic sound even though their style and genre is difficult to pin down. ‘Grotesque’ mixes a little psychedelia with indie pop, delivering …
Premiere: Spanish dream pop shoegaze titans Celestial Bums exclusively unveil video for the shimmering new track ‘The Letters’
We are very excited to premiere the video for the new track ‘The Letters’ from Barcelona’s shoegaze/dream pop maestros Celestial Bums. It’s the second single from the band’s forthcoming album ‘Minutes From Heaven’, out in February 2026 via the Italo-American label We Were Never Being Boring (WWNBB). ‘The Letters’ is a shimmering, glittering tack that …
Premiere: ‘Silence is Golden’ but you really have to hear the glorious new single from Sydney supergroup Victoria.
Back in 2023, Sydney supergroup Victoria released their magnificent debut album ‘Treats’ which perfectly captured the vicissitudes of life with warmth and compassion, wrapped up in a series of tracks that positively sparkled (see my 9.5/10 review here). Now, two years later we are exceedingly honoured to give you an exclusive taste of their new single …
Premiere: The superb The Nagging Doubts exclusively unveil their luscious new single ‘All To You’ with launch date announced for debut album.
Signed to Wayne Connolly’s prestigious Scenic Drive Records, we at the antipodean outpost of Backseat Mafia have long been fans of The Nagging Doubts, admiring their post punk/new wave sound that has an antipodean flavour and a genetic code that, despite their tender age, goes all the way back to Velvet Underground. We are therefore …
Premiere: A welcome return to the Big League with their sparkling new single ‘Neverlandfill’ ahead of new EP and launch date.
A favourite outfit at the southern outpost of Backseat Mafia, Naarm/Melbourne band Big League began as a series of lounge-room recordings by husband and wife team Travis (guitar, vocals) & Marie Velthoven (bass) before expanding into a full band and an even fuller sound. We are proud to premiere their new single ‘Neverlandfill’, the first since the release of last year’s album …
News: Dream Pop Queen Hatchie returns with the epic, glittering single ‘Lose It Again’ and announces new album ‘Liquorice’.
It feels like eons since we heard from Meanjin/Brisbane Queen of Dream Pop Hatchie but in fact it was only in April last year that she released ‘Kiss Me (Kill Me)‘ with RINSE (partner Joe Agius). These days based in Naarm/Melbourne, Hatchie (the nome de plume of Harriette Pilbeam) has made a sneak return with …
Track: The enigmatic Parisian-based band SCHØØL release ‘OK <3’ from their forthcoming album ‘I think my life has been OK’.
Ūber cool Parisian-based band SCHØØL, consisting of members from France, the US and Australia, today release their final single ‘OK <3’ off their forthcoming album ‘I think my life has been ok’. Already promising much in their previous singles, ‘NSMLYD‘ (already a contender for single of the past few years for me), ‘The End‘ and …
Album Review: Deep within the ‘Winter Palace’ The Valery Trails unleash an indie pop master class filled with soaring anthemic tracks that jangle and sparkle.
The Valery Trails have today released their new album ‘Winter Palace – their first release since 2022’s ‘The Sky Is Blue’ (reviewed by me here) and absence certainly makes the heart grow fonder with the welcomed return of their indelible melodies and harmonies. Opening track ‘Another Time’ provides an anthemic entry point with its thundering, chiming …