May 2025: Beats Round Up
Zara Richards gets down with what’s happening in SA when it comes to hip-hop, house and techno.

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You Should Listen To
Motez – ‘Extra Hard’
Motez never misses. Returning with his first track for 2025, the Adelaide-based producer (who has amassed more than 20 million streams and sold out tours across Aus) turns the heat up to eleven on 'Extra Hard'. Pulled from Bad Boombox’s fourth Hot Meal Brigade mixtape, the two-minute-58 track demands you delay your seasonal hibernation. This hard-groove cut is dynamic and fresh, pulsating with enough energy to conjure damp, dense nightclubs – no matter what time of day it spins. Irresistibly bouncy, this hedonistic track is built for dancefloors at 2 am.
You Should See
Mount Kimbie (UK)
Headlining new festival Porch & Recreation this June, UK duo Mount Kimbie touch down in Australia for the first time since 2018. Born from London’s electronic underground, the two-piece have built a reputation as sonic shapeshifters, folding in “found sounds” that pull from electronic, indie and shoegaze influences to create “ambiguously danceable” tracks. A must-see.
June 1 | Burnside Ballroom | Tickets
Mall Grab
Marking 10 years behind the decks, Mall Grab embarks on his largest headline tour to date. The Australian-born producer and DJ is one of the most influential in the last decade, drawing on techno, trance and lo-fi house to build a noise that’s entirely singular. And with his highly anticipated second album on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to experience his deep cuts and future anthems live.
June 12 | Hindley Street Music Hall | Ticekts
Four More
2BSCENE x CMMONPPL x ACETIC
The beloved alleyway of Nevermind will play host to the union of these three platforms, plus selectors Ivy, xla (BER/MEL), Harry Prider b2b cu.b.
May 3 | Nevermind
Signal + Synthesis
Expect “an exploration of sound texture and communication,” when Passport Duo (ITL/USA) headline this immersive evening, ft. visuals by Joe F and stage design by Hari Koutlakis.
May 9 | The Lab
Mellow Magic Sunday
If you haven't made it to one of these intimate celebrations of SA’s DJ community, take this as a sign. The 2025 season kicks off with Gratts, Tory Kennedy, Ed Temple and more.
July 5 | Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club
Kiasmos
The Faroese-Icelandic experimental duo will ignite Adelaide’s electronic scene with their minimal techno and orchestral edge this Illuminate Adelaide.
July 18 | Hindley Street Music Hall
‘How You Get Down’ is taken from the five-piece’s upcoming album, Test of the Iron Mind.
The six track release includes new single, ‘State of Hawaii’.
Catch the Matchbox Twenty frontman performing solo at AEC Theatre in October.
The stacked lineup also includes Pitbull, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Jon and more.
The band are heading west for two special shows this June.
‘A.A’ is the first song from the duo under their Teenager alias in over 15 years.
The tour will consist of orchestral shows and straight-out rock concerts.
Perth prog rockers Karnivool have emerged from the studio for a run of Australian shows.
American singer-songwriter BANKS has three dates lined up this November.
The formidable troubadour is performing tracks from Johnny Cash’s American Recordings albums.
The Adelaide hip hop legends will be joined by Xavier Rudd, The Rubens, Meg Mac and more.
Sadly, the jazz meets funk collective won’t be passing through Adelaide on their 12-date national tour.
The accomplished singer will be joined on tour by Jack Carty and Georgia Fields.
“‘Disco Cowgirl’ is the first taste of a new era,” shares G Flip.
The Moon (The Dark Side) is dropping October 3 and is preceded by the Grinspoon sampling single, ‘Chemical Heart (GEED UP)’.
‘THIS CITY’ is the first taste of new music from ixaras in 2025.
Kiwi ratbags Dartz are dropping into Australia for four headline gigs this June.
The Cali metalcore collective will be joined on tour by Bleed From Within.
The Orange County pop punk icons return to Australian shores for the first time in seven years.
This year’s list of speakers includes music industry legends Darcus Beese, Anne Booty and Deb Grant.
Indie pop princess George Alice has lined up a one-off Adelaide gig this July.
The Aussie larrikin is also re-releasing a new version of ‘Catch My Disease’ with good buddies Phantom Planet.
The ‘Seventeen Going Under’ hitmaker is touring in support of his most recent album, People Watching.
“‘Alfie’ is a shot in the arm. It’s a homecoming and a rediscovery,” says The Living End frontman Chris Cheney.
The Original Wailers with Al Anderson are performing all the hits from Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers.
‘Deep End’ is the first single taken from The Lemonheads’ upcoming new album, Love Chant.
Meet the free gig platforming local artists you’ll want to say you heard first.
The alternative vets are hitting the road to celebrate three decades of rocking out.
The track is influenced by Orbital’s ‘Lush 3-1′ and ‘Lush 3-2’.
The rising three-piece are hitting the road in support of their debut album, Now Would Be a Good Time.