melbourne music!

mini reviews 003

I’ve been working on this one for a few months now, chipping away at it bit by bit, but I thought I would finally finish it up now to start out the (now belated) new year. It’s a nice way to reflect on last year, as some of these songs/albums are some of my favourite releases of 2025, and it’s also a way to look forward to new experiences with music in the year ahead.

In studying my Masters of Arts and Cultural Management, I have been learning a lot about the struggles of small and independent artists in challenging larger artists and big corporations. This is of course something I was already aware of, but it’s just been further solidified in my studies. Subsequently, I’ve been really trying to support independent and local artists and have started exploring Melbourne musicians more intentionally. I’ve gone to a couple of local gigs, which have been so fun. It’s such a cliché, but there is no better way to experience music than live in person and so many of us forget that Melbourne has such an incredible live music scene.¹ We truly could be experiencing live music every weekend if we wanted to. It’s also such a different feeling to listen to music that is written from or about the place you live. You know the streets mentioned in the lyrics, the feelings and cultural references that are so specific to your city. So, I thought I would round up some of my favourite Melbourne born, raised and/or based musicians (loose category) and their music for this edition of mini reviews!

This list is actually quite long, but it’s certainly not exhaustive! There is an insane wealth of talent to discover in the Melbourne scene. Speaking of discovering music, I’ve been trying to get away from the algorithms. Not only has Spotify’s former CEO, now current Executive Chairman, Daniel Ek invested in AI-powered military weapons leading to boycotts from numerous artists and the company has been criminally underpaying artists for years now, algorithms have ruined our ability to discover new music.² I have lost so much interest in whatever music the Spotify algorithm spits out at me.³ Instead, tune in to your local radio, talk to your friends about your new favourite album, pick up a music magazine and engage with some music journalism.

I also want to note that I have, as much as possible, linked to artists’ Bandcamp accounts. Spotify and other streaming platforms notoriously pay cents per stream and on Bandcamp a much larger portion goes directly to the artist. There are new potential issues after Bandcamp was bought and sold twice over in the last couple years, but at the moment it still seems like the best option. If any of the artists didn’t have a Bandcamp page I have added their websites or a link to where you can buy a physical copy of their music. Support your favourite artists, buy their CDs or vinyls, buy their merch, buy tickets to their shows. Show them you love them. ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪

Would love to hear your music recommendations in the comments <3

love and fortune by stella donnelly

Love and Fortune is Donnelly’s most recent album, which came out in November. The album is an ode to a friendship breakup, an event I feel hasn’t been adequately explored in music or popular culture. As usual, Donnelly’s songwriting is filled with poignant lyrics, blending melancholy with humour and wit. Her lyrics are careful and meaningful. My friend and I were able to squeeze into the back of the crowd at her album launch and despite not being able to see Donnelly from our vantage point it was so lovely to hear these songs live, as well as hearing old favourites from her previous albums.

pre pleasure by julia jacklin

PRE PLEASURE is a comfort album for me. It was my most listened to album in 2023, a year that marked a lot of personal growth for me, and I continue to hold these songs close to my heart. My favourite song from the album is titled ‘Be Careful With Yourself’ and is a loving portrait of the care we have for others that they don’t always put into ourselves. We have to look after each other, so we can make the most of the time we have together. The album as a whole reflects on religious guilt, love, sex, friendship and family. Topics that are both universal and personal.

rosewater crocodile by cousin tony’s brand new firebird

I only discovered Cousin Tony’s last year, but I’m so glad I did. Their latest album Rosewater Crocodile is so fun and glittery. It feels reminiscent of the shimmers of the sun of the surface of the water. It feels made for Australian summer, days by a river or under the shade of a eucalyptus tree. The songs ‘Sky!’ and ‘Mercury Rising’ in particular are beautifully fun and groovy. I would also highly recommend their EP Melbourne Bitter. The EP feels more like winter in the city, sitting in multiple layers in a pub with your hands wrapped around a beer.

now would be a good time by folk bitch trio

The first thing I have to say about Folk Bitch Trio is that their harmonies are truly out of this world. I was lucky enough to see them live at the Corner Hotel and it was truly magical. The way Grace, Jeanie and Heide’s voices meld together is something rare. Now Would Be A Good Time is their debut album, which was released in 2025. The first song I heard from the trio was the lead single from the album titled God’s A Different Sword and it instantly drew me in. I don’t really know how to describe it other than beautiful. The trio’s harmonies soften the blow of the central refrain: Can I be good on my own accord? The music video that accompanies the song is similarly lovely following the trio as they run around Melbourne in matching double denim.

stiletto by gut health

I was introduced to Gut Health by a friend’s dad only a couple of days before going to see them live at the Night Cat. Before the gig, I only listened to one song in preparation: Inner Norm. The song is a sarcastic play on the stereotypes of the inner Northern suburbs of Melbourne/Naarm. At the show, they played songs of their most recent album Stiletto. The band blurs the lines between punk and dance music in their upbeat and…. Jumping head first into a live gig was probably one of the best introductions one can have to this band as their energy while playing live was incredible and it didn’t matter that I didn’t know any of the lyrics when I could dance along with the rest of the audience.

blush response by acopia

I heard about Acopia through a friend who asked me to go to their gig with her. I said yes, so quickly got on to listening through their discography. All three of their albums are great. Their latest, Blush Reponse, is a bit of a blend of dreampop and trip-hop, and reminds me a lot of Portishead. The mixture of electronic elements with guitar and, lead singer, Kate Durman’s vocals perfectly capture a sense of melancholic angst. The songs ‘Falter’ and ‘See You In Everyone’ stand out to me as my highlights of the album.

sentimentalism by the slingers

I saw The Slingers open for Thelma Plum (another great Australian musician, but from Meanjin/Brisbane) in late 2024. I had listened to a few of their songs previously because Plum had recommended them on her Instagram, but after seeing them live are started to listen to their 2023 album Sentimentalism. The album opens with Living in the Age of Loneliness, which, as the title suggests, is a meditation on finding love and connection in a time where people are feeling less and less connected. One of my favourite songs on the album is Streets of Tokyo, which is a synthy 80s-inspired song about losing someone you love. They feel quite quintessentially Australian to me. Particularly their single, One More Day which evokes images of a hot day out in the country sitting on the verandah of a house with a corrugated iron roof. They have released a couple of singles in 2025, so I am hoping that means they will be releasing more soon.

milly strange by milly strange

Milly Strange was one of the openers for Folk Bitch Trio at their show at the Corner Hotel earlier this year. I had been listening to the band’s debut album a bit before the show, but watching them live further solidified my love for this album and their music. While the album is probably considered alt rock, but it also feels a bit folky, particularly in the simpler songs on the record and the depth of the lyrics. The album was also the first addition to my budding cassette collection (that I started before I even owned a cassette player…), so I am keen to be able to listen to it in a physical format.

DJ set by mouseatouille

The owner of one of my favourite record stores told me this was his album of the year and I think that is a pretty fair call. It’s definitely been a significant part of the soundtrack of my year. I actually am not even entirely sure how I came to find Mouseatouille but I am so glad I did. I think the first song I heard off the album was Harry and the Jets, and I think it may also be my favourite. The band opened for Black Country, New Road on the Australia and New Zealand tour in 2024 and will be opening for them again on their upcoming 2026 tour, which is a fitting endorsement, as the two bands fit a kind of similar niche of combining rock sounds with more orchestral instruments, such as strings and brass instruments. Another thing I love about DJ Set is the art direction by Brayden van Meurs. The cover art for the album and the remix album released a few months later (which I also highly recommend), the tour poster and merch design are incredibly unique and all perfectly fit the vibe of the album. This album took the band several years to create, but I hope that it won’t take them that long before their next release!

only one laughing by hatchie

I am obsessed with the album cover of Hatchie’s latest album Liquorice. I also love the songs inside of it. This album could easily soundtrack a 90s or early-2000s coming of age movie. It is such a fun dreampop-y shoegaze-y album with some indie rock elements sprinkled throughout and filled with some really lovely lyricism. Throughout the album, Hatchie explores the feelings of falling headlong into a crush culminating in the final song, Stuck, as she asks “What am I meant to do? There’s never enough of you, you’re my favourite drug. I guess I’m stuck.”

caroline, please get out of my dreams by postures

This song is the first song by the band under their new name, Postures (formerly known as Ochre Trash). In Caroline, Please Get Out of My Dreams the singer laments the loss of a relationship, that now only lives in their dreams. The lyrics are beautifully accompanied by a soft backing vocals, smooth guitar, bass and drums, and the twinkling sounds of a glockenspiel interspersed in between. The music video was also directed, shot and edited by local artist Veronica Charmont, whose work I have admired for a while now and who also directed and edited a music video for the aforementioned Milly Strange. It’s a gorgeous music video, filled with dreamy visuals. I’m really excited to see what else the band comes out with.

again by the belair lip bombs

I recently listened to this on a roadtrip down to the beach and it was a truly excellent setting for the album. The album feels so perfect for an Australian summer and all of the hope and prospects of the new year. The Lip Bombs have been having an incredible run recently, performing with some great lineups at Gathering for Gaza in January and multiple cities of Laneway Festival in February. They’ve been touring their new album in Europe and are about to start their Australian tour, which will be followed by a US tour. They just released a Triple J Like A Version cover of The 1975’s Happiness. It’s amazing to see an Australian indie band doing so well! Again is such a fun album, full of catchy songs and great lyrics. I truly think it will one day be a classic Australian album. The lead singer, Maisie, also wrote this really beautiful Substack article on her feelings of imposter syndrome while songwriting.

Thoughts on imposter syndrome and songwriting

massive shoe by way dynamic

This album is a more recent listen. And I am obsessed. Massive Shoe is an incredibly nostalgic and an incredibly original album. Way Dynamic takes clear cues from the likes of Nick Drake, Neil Young, The Beatles, even the Talking Heads, but brings his own unique spin onto the sounds of all of these greats of the music industry. Every song sounds both like something you’ve heard before and something completely new. Miffed It is a clear stand out on the album as it reflects on a failed relationship through incredibly relatable lyrics and a simple and lovely guitar riff. The closing track, Evening Star, is another favourite of mine, telling the listener to “Be yourself, think about your health, maximise your wealth, keep a journal too…”

honourable mentions:

This list was getting a bit long so here are some more Melbourne musicians I love and/or I am excited to listen to more of in the new year!

• The Vovos

• Public Figures

• Radio Free Alice

• Daisypicker

• Shock Corridor

• Sleepazoid

• Spike Fuck

• Sweet Whirl

• Floodlights

• Wet Kiss

• Dumbhead

• Garage Sale

• Rain Dogs

• Kisses5eva

• Gluepot

• Alice Skye

• bodies of divine infinite and eternal spirit

• The Heart Shaped Aces

• Katie Dey

• The Gnomes

This list is just the beginning! There are so many more artists in the Melbourne scene, you’ll be sure to find one you love, and so much more from all over Australia.

And to finish it off, a quote from one of my favourite writers, Kurt Vonnegut:

No matter how corrupt, greedy, and heartless our government, our corporations, our media, and our religious and charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful.

If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED

FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

WAS MUSIC.

1. There are of course issues in the scene, as outlined in this Rolling Stone article, but we cannot make it a better and safer place without supporting the right artists and being better patrons at live venues. Girls to the front!

2. There are two recent books out on Spotify’s impact on the music industry that I am really interested in reading: Spotify Teardown by Maria Eriksson, Rasmus Fleischer, Anna Johansson, Pelle Snickars and Patrick Vonderau and Mood Machine by Liz Pelly.

3. I have admittedly not yet boycotted the app. It’s definitely something I want to do, but it really feels like having to choose between the lesser of evils when trying to find another streaming service. Definitely trying to get back to physical media and the memories of ripping CDs onto my iPod as a child.