A new-music podcast, featuring interviews and gig reviews of the hottest Indie & Alternative acts coming out of Australia, and those that make the journey down under on tour. Luke Scanlan is your host...a Brit lost in Melbourne!
Hear the influences and inspirations to each artist's music and what name, dress code, free food and drink and support acts they would pick for their Dream Gig Venue.
This week on Alt. Down Under, Luke is joined by Ben Bray - front man of one of the most exciting bands coming out of Melbourne, Divers!
Fresh off the release of their acclaimed debut album, 'Odd Dog In The Capital', Ben chats about the band's evolution from a Covid-era studio project into one of the most exciting and distinctive voices in Australian indie music. The pair dive into the creative process behind the record, the pursuit of "new feelings" through songwriting.
Plus, why the band Divers were prepared for the album to completely flop if it meant staying true to their vision.
Plus, Ben takes on the Alt. Down Under Dream Gig Venue, featuring Mozart, corsets and one very questionable tavern.
All this, plus Luke's review of Thee Sacred Souls at Hamer Hall.
Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
25 Mar 2026
34: Alt. Down Under - Owelu Dreamhouse - “Black in Australia, White in Nigeria”
On this episode of Alt. Down Under, Luke sits down with Nkechi Anele, the voice behind Owelu Dreamhouse - one of the most exciting projects coming out of Melbourne’s soul scene right now.
Having cut her teeth as the frontwoman of beloved Melbourne six-piece, Saskwatch, Nkechi has spent years building her sound and her community.
With Owelu Dreamhouse, she steps into something far more personal - a project shaped by reconnecting with her Nigerian heritage and exploring what it means to exist between cultures.
She dives into the story behind the band’s name - inspired by her grandmother - and how that connection to family and identity runs through the music. From stepping away from music entirely to finding her way back with a renewed sense of self, this is a conversation about growth, belonging and creative honesty.
Plus… a brief but important debate about foreheads!
20 Feb 2026
33: Alt. Down Under - Cut Copy - From Indie Sleaze, early 2000s nostalgia, to Golden Plains
Cut Copy have spent more than two decades blurring the lines between indie rock and dancefloor euphoria. In this episode of Alt. Down Under, bassist Ben Browning reflects on the early 2000s collision of guitars and synths, the so-called Indie Sleaze era, and recording Zonoscope in a cold Melbourne warehouse.
We revisit the cultural moment that shaped the band - from The Strokes and bloghouse to Daft Punk and late-night warehouse parties - and explore what it means to see generations of fans now discovering Cut Copy for the first time.
Ben also shares his thoughts ahead of Golden Plains Festival, the magic of that Meredith amphitheatre site, and what makes playing at home in Melbourne still feel special all these years on.
Recorded during a week immersed in the local scene - Luke popped down to 'Drive Live', run by community radio station PBS. Things we love - live music, community and a platform for the next wave of Australian music.
Who has been a guest on Alt Down Under
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Will
Tom
Loki Liddle
Louie Hanna
Podcast Authority Score: 6 / 100
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