Crixus, an MC, producer and DJ all rolled in to one, returns with his follow up EP 'Prototypecast', available both digitally and as a delicious  12”.

Continually pushing the standards of Tasmanian hiphop and raising the bar of professionalism, all the songs are written, recorded and mixed by Crixus himself, who is no stranger to the DIY ethic that purveys the local music scene. 

He smartly features the talents of vocalist Urshula Leung and electric cellist Nicholas Mercer from fellow Tasmanian band Little Bear and provides a whole stack of digital download bonuses to accompany the vinyl release. Instrumentals of all six EP songs, remixes by feature producers, and extra unreleased songs are all available via the digital download code included with each record. 

Personally I'm a fan of the urgency of the track The Awesome Things My Parents Have Taught Me. But have a listen over on the bandcamp and make up your own mind.

Tasmanian singer/composer/arranger Aly Patmore has returned from overseas study with a burning passion to keep jazz alive, and with the help of some of Tasmania's finest musicians, she's created the Hobart Jazz Octet.

The collective are interested in taking the small ensemble form to a new level, spirit and energy. Utilising the medium of Jazz and the great composers and arrangers it has produced during the last half a century of music.

Five members of the Hobart Jazz octet will come together to form the ‘Ebony and Ivory’ project quintet, playing as part of February's Jazzivory event THIS FRIDAY.

Have a listen to Aly's interview on Tasmusica this week in the audio player below. Interview is courtesy of Edge Radio.

Photos courtesy of The Point of Difference photographer Dave Pullen.

On January 15th 2013, anti-cultural trash three piece Wasted Idol scheduled a performance in the food court of a shopping centre in Hobart to release their album 'Three Coffin Fire'. The video below shows almost the entirety of the performance. Although it sparked a bit of controversy on the interwebs from those who didn't quite see the point of the exercise, a little birdy tells me it got the attention of more than just the shopping centre manager, with a person who shall remain nameless offering the boys a future gig and promising not to unplug them.

Damo has returned with some local punk goodies from the last few months of 2012.

He captured Cashman, Depths, Luca Brasi, Explosions, Isaac Bowen and Redemption Denied at the November and December Damage Club events, as well as Bastardfest.

http://dpeckphotography.com
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Folks, The Point of Difference has regrettably had to take a little hiatus due to the bushfires that occurred across Tasmania.

Business as usual will resume very shortly.

In the meantime, head on over here for all the info on different bushfire appeal fundraisers that musicians around Tassie are putting on:

https://www.facebook.com/TassieFires2013MusicHub

The Tote in Melbourne is also putting on a kickarse bushfire benefit gig featuring an amazing lineup that includes ex and current Tassie artists. More info here: http://thetotehotel.com/node/738

After a good year in hiatus, All Fires return with their new (kind of third) album 'Caves', recorded with Chris Townend.

Their launch location is as suitably dark and dreamy, brittle and brutal as the album - at MONA's Void Bar this Friday at 6pm.

I had a chat to Adam and Chris earlier this week about their recording process, development in sound and line-up dynamics.

Audio courtesy of Edge Radio.

Also take a look at the film clip for their first single Tokyo Honeymoon.

www.allfiresmusic.com

My Favourite Illusion is the project of songwriter/producer Phil McPhee, who also moonlights on the bass for Spiral Kites and Housework.

I had a chat with him this week about his new album The Breathing Room.

Audio courtesy of Edge Radio 99.3fm.

Photo courtesy of The Point of Difference photographic contributor Dave Pullen.

http://myfavouriteillusion.bandcamp.com    

He's young, he's certainly talented, has a penchant for attempting ab workouts at 10:30pm and a wild sense of independence that would make my teen self cringe. 

More importantly he has a brand spanking new EP recorded with Tony Sayer and he's doing a run of launch gigs around the state kicking off this Friday.

I captured Jed performing the single, 'This Old Town', from his EP in the Edge Radio studio last night. (Don't blame me if you wake up tomorrow morning with the words "I'm cold and I'm tired and I wanna go home" streaming through your mind).

www.triplejunearthed.com/jedappletonthequartet

You have to respect a band that knows exactly what their brand is and sticks to it.

If you've seen a bunch of guys looking distinctly Beatlesque and out of place around town recently, chances are it was The Breed filming their new clip for 'The City'.

The Breed play 60s style music in an 80s power pop/post punk style and suggest you "Think Ramones with musicianship, better manners than the Sex Pistols and less political than The Clash, yet sounding like none of these bands". I can hear you thinking about that from here.

They've just released their second album That Life and you can listen to 'The City' and watch 'The Radio Told Me', both from the album, below.

thebreedaustralia.com

The wonderful davepullen.com.au has captured King Carousel after I interviewed them this week.

Their follow up album Alpha Omega Asperger will be digitally released this Sunday.

It's a big departure from their first album and earlier sounds, now drawing on more electronic and sounding like the perfect soundtrack. I highly recommend it.

kingcarousel.bandcamp.com