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Cistern reveal brilliant new video for the awkward beauty of new track Pendulum – Backseat Mafia
Cistern’s new video for Pendulum is as wonderfully off-kilter as the song itself. Animated in stark black-and-white by Noah Varley, it feels like stepping into a surreal sketchbook that pulses and shifts with the jittery, high-wire energy of the track. The band describes Pendulum as a song about “seeking balance in a world that won’t let you achieve it,” and the video perfectly captures that teetering tension with its jagged, morphing shapes. The track itself has this awkward, angular beauty—like it’s barely holding itself together but all the more striking for it. Cistern’s raw, DIY aesthetic shines through in every tremble and tape-warm groove, making their signature “strange realism” all…
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Brand New Heavies – Boiler Shop, Newcastle 16.11.2024 – Backseat Mafia
Words and Photos: Victoria Wai. Excitement for the 30th Anniversary of Brand New Heavies ‘Brother Sister’ album ascended into Newcastles’ Boiler Shop with true weekend party vibes as the early excited revellers entered the venue they were met with a warm up DJ bringing the soulful club classics. A SOLD-OUT audience were in place as the band took to the stage, with band founders Simon Bartholomew and Andrew Levy getting rapturous applause as the very aptly titled opening track on both this night and the album Have A Good Time laid the foundations of the night. Then, the arrival of lead vocalist Angela Ricci entered the stage, and the crowd…
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Leeds Stylus 10.11.24 – Backseat Mafia
I’ve never seen a queue at Leeds University Stylus quite as long as the one that snaked around the area directly below the famous refectory. This was, though, the first time that fans had the chance to see Wasia Project in Leeds, and there was a lot of excitement up and down the queue. It was a young crowd, ranging from some early teens who had brought a parent along to sit at the back, to students who probably hadn’t travelled that far from their accommodation. Wasia Project have been away from the UK for a minute, as Will Gao – seated at the piano – points out early in…
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Australian Headline Shows Confirmed After 5-Year Hiatus – Backseat Mafia
Róisín Murphy, Ireland’s reigning queen of electronic indie pop, is finally returning to Australian shores for her first headline shows in over five years. The avant-garde icon will kick off the Live at the Gardens March series with a performance under the stars at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens on Friday, 7 March 2025. Murphy’s upcoming tour will include one Melbourne appearance, along with stops in Brisbane, Sydney, WOMADelaide in South Australia, and New Zealand. Róisín Murphy has redefined the boundaries of electronic pop, earning her place as one of the genre’s most innovative and daring voices. Her fearless creativity has made her both influential and utterly unique. Murphy’s journey began…
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Kesha Releases ‘Joyride’ Music Video and Announces New Single Ahead of House of Kesha Tour! – Backseat Mafia
Kesha has unleashed the long-awaited music video for ‘Joyride’, a glittering anthem that’s become a global sensation since its release earlier this year. The video showcases a thrilling desert 007-esque car chase featuring Kesha as the (our) audacious “Mother”, evading a series of bad guys in a campy, high-octane showdown. Directed by Dimitri Basil, Cooper Roussel, and Laura Gorun, the visual is a bold celebration, mirroring the song’s high-energy, unapologetic spirit. ‘Joyride’, released via Kesha’s own Kesha Records, has already hit over 100 million streams worldwide and was hailed as Kesha’s triumphant return to the glitter-infused dance-pop she’s celebrated for.Adding to the excitement, Kesha has announced her next single, ‘Delusional’,…
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Bonsai say ‘No Cleo’ – a luminescent burst of perfectly formed pop. – Backseat Mafia
lutruwita/Tasmania band Bonsai have just released a very brilliant ray of sunshine in the form of the track ‘No Cleo’. Referencing an Australian kids TV series ‘H20: Just Add Water’, the track bounces along with the effervescence of a shaken bottle of soda that’s just been opened. Guitars jingle and jangle as the track launches with a bright sparkle and an indelible melody, burnished by a scaling chorus with male/female vocals sharing duties. There is a day-glo bounce and the harmonies shine: the track simply soars with a pop sensibility that is infectious and joyous. ‘No Cleo’ is out sparkling in the firmament now and you can stream via the…
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The Cult Kicks Off Australia Tour With National Support Act Mayatrix & The Psychics – Backseat Mafia
The Cult’s return to Australia is already shaping up to be something special. Kicking off their tour in Naarm/Melbourne tonight, the legendary British rockers will play six dates across the country, including a night at the iconic Sydney Opera House. As if their timeless blend of post-punk and hard rock wasn’t enough, they’ve enlisted Boorloo/Perth’s Mayatrix & The Psychics as their national support act. For Mayatrix & The Psychics, the invitation is more than just a milestone, it’s a moment to showcase their enchanting sound to audiences far beyond their underground beginnings. Fronted by Māori-Australian artist Moana Mayatrix, the band is known for creating hypnotic, genre-defying music that fuses industrial…
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March 2025 Dates Announced – Backseat Mafia
ERRA are bringing their unique blend of crushing heaviness and melodic finesse to Australian stages in March 2025 for their first-ever national headline tour. The CURE Australian Tour will feature the Alabama-based metalcore trailblazers alongside special guests Silent Planet (USA) and Resolve (FRA), creating an unforgettable lineup for fans of heavy music. Kicking off on Thursday, 6 March in Perth, the tour will hit Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Wollongong, Central Coast, Sydney, and wrap up in Brisbane on Sunday, 16 March. Since forming in 2009, ERRA has become known for their intricate guitar work, sweeping melodies, and dynamic songwriting. Their 2024 album CURE builds on their legacy, pushing boundaries while staying…
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Fraser Morgan – I Hope You Can’t Relate – Backseat Mafia
Fraser Morgan’s new EP ‘I Hope You Can’t Relate’, is an emotionally charged, cathartic journey that seamlessly blends raw honest lyricism with folk instrumentation and a vibrant, urgent punk energy. On ‘I Hope You Can’t Relate’, the rising singer-songwriter from the East of England brings a collection of tracks that feel both deeply personal and universally poignant, underscoring why he’s gaining attention as a powerful voice in the modern folk-punk scene. At its heart, this EP is a sonic diary, chronicling Fraser’s battles with mental health through four meticulously crafted songs. It feels like he’s baring his soul, not for sympathy but for connection—or perhaps, as the title suggests, in…
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WØLZT Shines On New Three Track EP ‘Tapes From The Maze’ – Backseat Mafia
French artist and producer WØLZT has carved a distinct niche with Tapes From The Maze, a mesmerizing three-track instrumental EP that fuses ambient soundscapes, post-rock textures, and cinematic grandeur to create soundscapes which are at once soothing and unsettling. Self-defining his genre and “hypnagogic rock”, the three new sprawling compositions move between ethereal electronica and elements of prog rock. Each over eleven minutes long, the tracks offer an auditory and emotional journey into the odyssey of WØLZT’s creative mind. Opening track ‘Noise’ moves from its ambient electronic intro to intricate guitar lines, live drums and bass that swirls between shoegaze and prog. The piece lingers in a meditative space as cinematic…
