<p><span><span>- Have you ever had that friend who you defend, despite everyone hating them, until one day they do something so bad that you lose hope? Post-2015 <strong>Drake</strong> is the musical equivalent of that friend. Before 2016, I defended the pop-rapper against his naysayers due to the ferocity of quality singles and projects he dropped that year. Something changed with the release of his hyped but ultimately mediocre <em>Views</em> album as every project since has been on a steady decline to the garbage heap.

<p><span><span>- Melbourne folk punk stalwarts The Go Set mark their 18th year of existence with a double EP set <em>Of Bright Futures and Broken Pasts</em>, which when combined essentially make up the band's 7th full length release.</span></span></p>

<p><span><span>- Dianas is a Melbourne based dream-pop three-piece, collectively having relocated from Perth following the release of their first album in 2015. Through this transition they’ve retained a sound that, to my ears, is distinctly reminiscent of their coastal origins. Blending elements of dream-pop bands like <strong>Cocteau Twins</strong> with the more aggressive stylings of surf and post-punk bands.

<span><span><span>- With equal parts glossy chamber pop and synth-driven singer-songwriter, </span><em>HiRUDiN, </em><span>the fourth record from Canadian composed </span><strong>Katie Austra Stelmanis</strong><span> aka Austra, is at its best when it wholeheartedly embraces its experimentation.