Sydney
Track: Sydney’s glorious Johnny Hunter is back for more with an evocative and shimmering slice of ‘Life’
One of the most exciting and dynamic bands in the antipodean region, in my humble opinion, Johnny Hunter, is back with another exciting release ‘Life’. This follows the July release of ‘The Floor’ (reviewed by me here) and last year’s EP ‘Early Trauma’ (reviewed here). ‘Life’ is infused with the same vitality and theatricality we …
Album Review: Youth Group’s Toby Martin’s solo album ‘I Felt the Valley Lifting’ is an uplifting amalgam of mystical realism and the minutiae of everyday life.
Toby Martin (Youth Group) has a distinctive angelic voice and astute ear for indelible melodies, but more than anything his new solo album ‘I Felt The Valley Lifting’ reveals in greater focus on his ability to weave vivid and fascinating tales: reaped from the ennui of everyday existence as well as drawing on folklore and …
Track: Sydney’s A Swift Farewell are welcomed back with another anthemic blast of ‘Sunburn’
Following the release of the effervescent ‘Mousetrap’ (premiered by Backseat Mafia) , Sydney outfit A Swift Farewell are back with another sparkling piece of pop/punk joy. While eschewing the blast of their last release, A Swift Farwell showcase their ability to switch moods and tones, providing quiet reflective interludes with an anthemic chorus – all …
Track: Darren Cross releases new single and video for the exquisitely delicate track ‘Rabbit Hole (Polka Dot)’.
Fresh from the release of his astounding album ‘DISTORDER’ (reviewed by me here), Sydney’s Darren Cross has just released a single and video for the track ‘Rabbit Hole (Polka Dot)’ from the album. This track is a soothing break from the often bleak and abrasive nature of the album – it represents Cross the folk …
Premiere: North Arm unveils their gorgeous new single ‘Bring The Daylight’ and announce new album
Sydney artist Roderick Smith works under the project North Arm and we are honoured here at Backseat Mafia to premiere his new single and video ‘Bring The Daylight’. Soft as a Sydney breeze skipping across the waters of Sydney Harbour, and with a dappled sunshine light, this is an absolutely gorgeous, reflective track bursting with …
Premiere: Sydney’s Pluto Jonze releases double sided psychedelic singles ‘Moonmaking’ and ‘Dot’: two dollops of sweet ethereal goodness.
We are very proud to premiere the double sided single release from esteemed Sydney-based artist Pluto Jonze (Hey Geronimo). ‘Moonmaking’ and ‘Dot’ are two sides of the same sparkling coin: psychedelic-tinged melodic delights that literally float on a bed of harmonies and shimmering instrumentation. ‘Moonmaking’ is the more ethereal of the two: Jonze’s velvet melancholic …
Track: Sydney’s Imperial Broads look for ‘Another Planet’ and announce news of album ‘Counterpart’
The new single from Sydney band Imperial Broads, ‘Another Planet’ sees a slight divergence from their earlier single ‘Control’ (reviewed by me here) into a more reflective two-speed sixties-infused dream pop serving: something more restrained, swapping leather jackets for prom dresses and beehive hairdos while maintaining the swagger and pose. A swooning hypnotic start is …
Premiere: Sydney’s Ona Mota get down and boogie with an effervescent style in their new single ‘Dance With U’.
We are very pleased to provide an exclusive listen to the funky new dance single from Sydney’s Ona Mota. This is a song so packed full of an irresistible funky vibe that even a hardened miserablist like myself is won over. And that’s a major achievement. Infectious, louche and utterly cool: this is such a …
See: Darren Cross creates a panoply of images for the track ‘Are USS Are?’, from his album ‘DISTORDER’
Last month we reviewed the superb album ‘DISTORDER’ from Sydney’s multi-talented songwriter, producer and videographer Darren Cross, calling it a brilliant expression of our times: discordant, unsettling and at times bleak, but delivered with a swagger and a panache. Cross has assembled an engrossing video for one of the tracks – ‘Are USS Are?’ – …
Track: Sydney-based indie rockers Bellwether release the anthemic ‘Shortsighted’
Bellwether have released a dynamic slab of indie rock with their single ‘Shortsighted’, incorporating a Pixies-style quiet/loud ethic and a huge anthemic blast of melody. What is even more impressive is that this is their debut single. Based in Sydney, the band has grown from a number of local acts into something of some stature: …