The passion project is true lightning in a beer bottle, a homage to the hometown heroes of inner-city suburbs, a manifesto of magic. 

Goo has always felt like one of those rare 4ZZZ shows that quietly becomes a compass for what’s bubbling under the surface of Meanjin’s music world.

Sonically evoking the spirit of a Jackson Pollock painting, the art-punk cacophony of unpredictable tempos, distortion, and ever-so-addictive chord progressions completely subverts expectations, entirely rewriting what listeners should come to expect from Miss Mardy. 

We caught up with LOS LEO to talk about what it means to build a world from scratch — the pressure and freedom of setting creative deadlines, the beauty of imperfection, and the challenge of staying human in an increasingly artificial landscape.

The trio’s latest project remains underpinned by cathartic songwriting and all encompassing crescendos, but dives head first into a newfound appreciation for unorthodox production.

Dirty Harry are an alternative-rock quartet who exercise a cathartic mesh of narrative, vulnerability and above all else — passion. 

Sophie Ryder is the sort of organiser who makes a town feel like a band — quietly coaxing lineups out of basements, turning community halls into front bars, and insisting that music stay messy, urgent and for everybody.

The Naarm-based indie outfit return with ‘Eggs in a Kettle’, the final single before their highly anticipated debut LP (due early 2026), and it’s a tender, nostalgic breakup track that simmers between love, loss, and self-awareness.

Sharp, sardonic, and caked in suburban dust, The Peep Tempel swing between pub talk and poetry - tales that’ll make you laugh before they swiftly punch you in the gut. The Peep Tempel have got that larrikin streak and a way of turning the bloke next door into a myth and a legend: a drifter, a dreamer, a danger to himself and anyone within arm’s reach.

Since moving to Meanjin, Charlotte has been building her own sonic canvas alongside bandmates Lily Wade (bass), Karissa Liu (piano), and Alex Smith (drums). Together, they’ve created something both intimate and expansive — a live-tracked piece that captures the warmth of being in a room with people you trust.

Cutting through their coalescence of grunge, post-punk, and most recently shoegaze, is a polish which is testament to their passion and authenticity.

The Antics are fast (their new song Takings clocks in at just 76 seconds), filthy, and absolutely not fucking around. They burn through the track with the urgency of a last round called five minutes too early, knowing that pace is part of the punch.

A high-school rock trio born from the renowned musical legacy of Newcastle, their sound and polish far exceed their young age.

40th Parallel are such an awesome band. 

Having been earmarked as one for the future so early into their career, Tear Drive are ready to push past the lofty expectations set by their launch into the Meanjin scene.

Though cliche, their music is very, very hard to box or label. It’s high paced, maniacal, and entertaining above all.

We caught up with frontman Aidan to talk through the album track-by-track, but not before diving into the why behind it all—where that cover came from, what it means to write about love (again and again), and why cringe is not just unavoidable, but maybe even essential.

Like a power ranger wearing a stetson and swinging lazily in a hammock, Fungas are always one eye open. It’s strange. It’s staunch. It’s groovy. It’s good.

On Speaking Terms, their second EP, the Meanjin-based four-piece lean into discomfort—emotional, sonic, and everything in between

In Bundjalung land (Northern Rivers), a DIY groundswell is gaining traction, led in part by The Messy Fuzz—an independent booking initiative run by creative powerhouse Alessandra Salviani. What started as a spontaneous show at The Northern in Byron Bay has quickly evolved into a full-blown grassroots music platform, booking eclectic lineups, throwing multi-band mini fests, and building space for community connection in a scene that’s often overlooked.