- More than five years have passed since Helen Franzmann released her last McKisko record Eximo; it’s been the object of cultish adoration all that time, for those who know. Five years lets a lot of water pass under the bridge, which is an apt turn of phrase, given the aquatic themes of McKisko’s latest LP, Southerly, but more than that there’s a slow and subtle yet fundamental change, in the heart of this record.

- When you blow the world away with your debut album, it can be hard to top the expectations pushed on you and often your second record falls flat. However, Australian indie-folk artist Julia Jacklin has surpassed that stigma with her follow up record, Crushing. It’s a ten track album stacked to the brim with soul-crushing ballads about life, love and loneliness.

- To say that Melbourne band U-Bahn are inspired by Devo would be as big an understatement as suggesting that the state of music festivals in New South Wales isn’t the strongest it’s ever been right now. Everything from their ostentatiously geeky art rock aesthetic to the five-member set-up of the band screams Devo, or perhaps The B-52s. After building a strong following through some memorable live performances throughout Melbourne, the band has put out their unabashedly off-kilter self-titled debut.

- So.Crates, Alnitak Kid & Nelson Dialect are set to release a new collaborative album entitled Sunset Cities. Bedroom Suck has really broadened their musical palette since its genesis: Sunset Cities being a completely unexpected example of a solid hip-hop album. The collaboration itself is between Melbourne duo SO.Crates (comprising of beat-maker Skomes and Cazeaux O.S.L.O), Adelaide rapper Nelson Dialect and producer Alnitak Kid. The result is a laidback and confident record, full of musicality.

- It's no secret that I'm enamored with London's jazz scene. 2018 was a breakout year in terms of both international popularity and the sheer amount of quality material released. Fyah follows up an incredible twelve months from its members: Theon Cross' tuba contributions helped earn Sons of Kemet a MOBO nomination, Moses Boyd released one of the decade's best live albums, and Nubya Garcia led a debut from spiritual ensemble Maisha.

- A neat bit of synergy has occurred with Chaka Khan releasing her twelth studio album twelve years after her previous studio album. In that time, she’s faced a few demons, such as addiction to prescription medication, including the one that caused the death of Prince, whose unexpected passing had a deep affect on her. Taking time out to reassess things has proven to be beneficial, judging by the seven tracks on Hello Happiness.

- Uboa’s last EP, The Sky May Be, featured a single, Thigh High Cat Tights: a brief, stunning sucker-punch of digital hardcore, power electronics and old school noise that might lead you to pigeonhole Uboa right at the most extreme end of the noise genre’s spectrum. Yet you’ll find Uboa is capable of surprising in other ways than that: as the soft, gentle opening to her latest release, The Origin Of My Depression, abley demonstrates.