Australian folk-jazz singer Jack Phemister is from the small town of Yass in New South Wales but now resides in metropolitan Melbourne. His folk-jazz stylings are imbued with soul-pop, and if two hyphenated genres aren’t enough, throw in indie-rock and singer-songwriter for good measure. This amalgamated modus operandi rests onContinue Reading
The Italian city of Padua is home to the oldest botanical gardens in the world and was the scene for Shakespeare’s “The taming of the shrew”. Such a connection to history may lead one to imagine its artists are still inspired by antiquity. However, as evidenced on “Mindflux” by Tracya,Continue Reading
The “American Dream” has long promised a life of freedom and financial prosperity to those willing to work for it. Coined by James Truslow Adams in 1931, the term is now used ironically to point out the injustices and despair that come when faced with the cold reality of aContinue Reading
Norwegian painter Edvard Munch once said, “Art comes from joy and pain, but mostly pain.” And while the cliched tortured artist trying to realise their vision has been heavily romanticised in our culture, art has a more utilitarian function as a salve. Perhaps the greatest pain is that of a parent whoContinue Reading
In the days of the Roman Empire, salt was a much sought-after luxury. The now-ubiquitous seasoning was once so valuable that “salt money” was the name given to soldiers’ pay, a term which eventually evolved into the modern-day word “salary”. In our current epoch, Salt Money are a Brisbane-based hardcoreContinue Reading
We all want somewhere to belong. Feeling like a valued part of a family, community, or the larger world, is necessary for good mental health. Yet, security is scarce in a world in constant flux. The cultural, socio-political, and environmental aspects of our environment greatly influence the running dialogue ofContinue Reading
Berlin has long been a hotbed of cultural activity, particularly electronic music. Artists from all over Europe and the world flock to the artistically vibrant capital to stake their claim in the healthy experimental scene. One such artist, Dutch composer and producer, Yelmur (Jelmer de Haan on his birth certificate),Continue Reading
The word ‘Sisyphean’ means to continue doing something even though it is futile and is derived from the Greek legend of Sisyphus, who had to fruitlessly push a boulder up a hill for eternity. Sisyphes, a musical group from the coastal town of Margate, UK, have no such trouble andContinue Reading
Swedish guitar virtuoso Janne Schaffer has been a fixture of the Swedish music scene since the ’60s. Having worked with luminaries such as ABBA and Bob Marley, he has contributed to various projects, including the Electric Banana Band and, most recently, The Night Agent. The Night Agent are a synth-popContinue Reading
Johann Sebastian Bach once quipped: “It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time, and the instrument will play itself.” While this tongue-in-cheek statement is technically true, instruments can be utilised creatively, and even an instrument as ubiquitous as theContinue Reading