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Ebony Buckle Returns with Highly Anticipated Album ‘Hearts Get Started’ – Backseat Mafia
Ebony Buckle is back, making waves once again with the release of her anticipated new album Hearts Get Started. The new album follows her critically acclaimed 2021 release Disco Lasers and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Buckle. After teasing fans with a series of singles throughout the summer, this ten-track project sees the London-based, Australian-born artist at her most ambitious and adventurous yet. Hearts Get Started is a sonic journey that highlights Buckle’s vast, genre-spanning influences. From the haunting and theatrical opening track, ‘Fall Behind’, to gently experimental alt-pop sweller ‘I Think I Just Saved My Own Life’, to piano ballads, moment of folk inspired writing and elegant blues rock…
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Soft Play / Panic Shack – Brighton Dome, Brighton 15.10.2024 – Backseat Mafia
By Henry Groves After releasing their latest album, ‘Heavy Jelly, ’ back in July and having a hectic festival summer, Soft Play (fka Slaves) were back headlining packed-out venues. Their 13-date tour had them travelling around the country before finishing in London on Halloween. We were lucky to see them on their first night of the tour, starting at the iconic Brighton Dome. They are joined on tour by Welsh garage-punk band Panic Shack. Their set was a superb start to the night. Full of energy, with their brash, powerful and fun performance, they certainly got the crowd moving. This is a big moment for Panic Shack, who have taken…
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SXSW Sydney in Full Swing as Local and International Artists Celebrate Day Four – Backseat Mafia
Day four of Sydney’s coveted SXSW meant many things. Firstly, everyone had become more aware and in tune with the layout, as I spotted the same faces while bouncing around the city to different venues—a rat race to catch the coolest acts, if you will. The highly anticipated Peking Duk show at The Commons had drawn a sizeable crowd out front, while the unrelated Olivia Rodrigo show saw thousands of fans moving across the city. Kicking off the night at The Lansdowne, I caught the magnificent Pyra, the dystopian pop singer. Pyra is known for her politically charged lyrics, calling out capitalism to the backing track of what sounds like…
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Norwegian/Scottish Duo amilost Return With Heartfelt New Single ‘Tiny War’ – Backseat Mafia
After a rejuvenating summer, the rising Norwegian/Scottish alt-pop duo amilost are back in the spotlight with their latest single, ‘Tiny War’ released via Icons Creating Evil Art. While amilost first captivated listeners with their unique blend of Scandinavian pop and cinematic grandeur in 2022, ‘Tiny War’ represents a return to the raw, vulnerable sound that originally defined the duo. Centered around themes of heartbreak and personal transformation, the single, largely driven by delicate piano, gradually builds into a swirl of ethereal strings, delicate acoustic guitar and electronic layers. Comparable to Birdy the single is at once commercial through its pop melodies and also cinematic and expansive through its rich and…
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The debonair Geoffrey O’Connor is back with news of album ‘I Love What We Do’ and he unveils the elegant title track ahead of live dates – Backseat Mafia
Singer/songwriter/producer Geoffrey O’Connor last blessed us with his presence in his stunning album of duets ‘For As Long As I Remember’ back in 2021 (read my review here). O’Connor today announces his new album ‘I Love What We Do’ which is slated for release on 14 February 2025 via Dinosaur City Records, and the title track has been released as the first single. The single indicates it is business as usual for this indie pop connoisseur with the return of his dulcet tones and lush arrangements, a luscious aquatic instrumentation bubbling underneath. There is a soft and delicate pop sensibility reminiscent of The Lightning Seeds or Pulp with a sixties…
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Dolium – Get Off on My Machine – Backseat Mafia
Get Off On My Machine’ is the first single to be taken from Dolium’s previously unreleased third album, Brother Transistor, now to be released on 18 October. BSM is honoured to bring you the premiere of the video. 2024 marks the 20th Anniversary of Sister 9 Recordings, and to celebrate, the label are releasing a special limited edition four CD Set titled The Products Of Our Own Demands And Commands‘ in November, telling the story of Rhys Bloodjoy‘s first band. The single has been described as “a dirty variant of T-Rex via Sigue Sigue Sputnik…Mutant garage glam grunge to go…The bollocks in short!” by The Sunday Experience—sets the scene for…
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Minotaur Shock – It All Levels Out – Backseat Mafia
A chance encounter with an old school friend provided the inspiration for It All Levels Out, the 10th album from the Bristolian electronic producer Minotaur Shock, aka David Edwards. The original plan for the album was to make something a bit looser than usual; more ambient but still melodic, like the 90s music that made a big impression on Edwards, such as Global Communication and Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works Vol 2. But as it turned out, this random reconnection took the album in a different direction — not so much musically, but more in the inspiration and mood. It All Levels Out is the result, a hopeful meditation on getting older.…
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Olivia Rodrigo Launches Her Sydney Shows Under a Supermoon 17.10.2024 – Backseat Mafia
Tonight, the biggest, brightest supermoon of the year hangs over Sydney like an omen, casting its glow over a city already buzzing with anticipation. And what better night for Olivia Rodrigo to kick off her run of shows here? Her rise has been nothing short of celestial—a swift, blazing ascent that feels both unstoppable and inevitable. The unofficial dress code for the evening is clear: mini skirts, boots, and attitude. It’s a sea of mothers and daughters sharing a generational bond through music, shoulder to shoulder with dads doing their best to blend in. One, sporting a purple cowboy hat, catches my eye—he shifts awkwardly, as if unsure how he…
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More heartfelt hauntological pop from a singular sound artist. – Backseat Mafia
The Breakdown Hive Mind Records – 8.9 There’s something reassuring about the music of sound artist boycalledcrow regularly sneaking through all the noise and getting some attention. It restores faith that singular, outsider work will always find its way to listeners who want something less defined, tinged with eccentricity and creative determination. It also suggests the lineage which extends from Syd Barrett through Ivor Cutler and Robert Wyatt onto Broadcast and Pye Audio Corner right up to Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan, Cosmo Sheldrake and Sam Lee, still has a healthy pulse. Former folk singer Carl M Knott, now boycalledcrow has been exploring these pastures for a while now, since…
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SXSW Sydney, Hidden Gems and Last Minute Punk-Rock Miracles – Backseat Mafia
Kicking off the third night of SXSW Sydney at The Rolling Stone House, the energy across the city was electric and spreading fast. The night opened with a serious dose of rock ‘n’ roll, courtesy of Full Flower Moon Band. Babyshakes Dillon stood at the centre, her vocals cutting through their dense wall of sound with a clarity that anchored the performance. Their blend of heavy psych-rock felt unfiltered, untamed, and unapologetic. Next up were The Grogans, delivering a perfect shot of our favourite kind of garage-surf rock. Their set was laid-back yet electric, capturing the coastal punk essence they’re known for. The reverb-heavy guitar riffs washed over the crowd,…
