January 2 - Noteworthy New Releases
Our favourite releases of the week.
PASH – ‘Tracy’
It’s 2025 and boy bands are back. A sonic sidestep for Pash, ‘Tracy’ is taking the wheel and swerving the group to a new, lighter, poppier sound; the sound of summer. Nothing about this track takes itself too seriously. It’s playfully percussive, carried by a bubbly acoustic guitar and endearing, crush-drunk lyrics delivered with a wink. Singer Jett Gazley leans into the charm, his vocals smooth and warm, carrying a natural frontman confidence. The bridge’s “and if I got three wishes, she’d be everyone,” is a straight shot back to the mid-2000s boy band era, growly hook and all. Pash’s discography has always been quietly brilliant, but ‘Tracy’ feels like the moment they’ve stepped into the exact sonic space they were meant for.
Sounds like: Every teen girl suddenly wishing they were named Tracy.
By Millah Hansberry
Purée – ‘Better’
Emotionally driven, Purée’s closer ‘Better’, from their sophomore EP What Happens Now?, takes listeners on a windy rollercoaster. Placing you in a sense of nirvana, the song enters with a soft, soulful performance by vocalist Matt Holland, backed with subtle acoustic guitars gently setting the base of the track. The song ebbs and flows, driving through a journey of pain, relief and hope. With the new addition of strings and keys sprinkled throughout this track, Purée have been able to express a new, refreshing version of themselves, while reflecting back on their earlier projects. Bookending with a big finish, featuring Purée’s classic hits, the song reaches its climax in a way that feels like you’ve reached the light at the end of a tunnel, leaving you with hope that it’s all better.
Sounds like: The feeling of a loved one being proud of you.
By Asher Hammat
Night rites – Nine of Swords
Drenched in reverb, saturated in fuzz and modulating in and out of reality is Night Rites’ Nine Of Swords. The opening track, ‘In’, awakens the palate for a psychedelic banquet - what Pink Floyd might have called ‘Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast’. If being dragged through a black hole had a soundtrack, ‘In’ would be it, provided that black hole was plugged into a reverb pedal. Effortlessly heavy guitar tones, haunting vocals and hypnotic drum grooves form, swaying between slow, brooding ballads and full-throttle, face-melting attacks. The closing piece, ‘Waiting for My Spaceman’, is the perfect full stop. A nod to ‘90s psychedelic spearheads Spacemen 3, it’s safe to say Jason Pierce would approve. “Here comes the sound, the sound of confusion.”
Sounds like: If the afterlife folded in on itself and heaven and hell collided.
By Oscar Ellery
The Hazys – ‘Common Ground’
Add “wholesome rock” to the infinite swathe of sub-genre jargon; it sums up The Hazys quite well. Their latest track, ‘Common Ground’, ruminates on seeking self-assurance amidst drifting friendships, but being an optimistic band at heart, The Hazys offset this introspection with soaring vocal harmonies and playful ad-lib quips. The Hazys like to keep things in-house, with drummer Blake and vocalist Asher Hammat forming a father-son duo, and guitarist Dan Heath handling mixing duties. This chemistry seeps into ‘Common Ground’; above all else, the band seems to be having a hell of a time playing music together.
Sounds like: A campfire song, but played through amplifiers.
By Finn McCole
Grace Vandals – ‘Rewind To January’
Grace Vandals’ single ‘Rewind to January’, off her brand-new album What Can I Burn Here?, is one of those tunes you can’t skip. Vandals’ softly landing lyrics feel completely candid: “We were all but 19 when you held my soul in your shaky hands,” barely seeping through the cracks of the guitar and drums, shattering any expectations you might have had for the song within the first few seconds. Her voice flickers in and out of focus, releasing a breath-like beat, almost reverberating like a calming lullaby. Each time the song changes tempo, we, the listener, are suspended above speeding cars and flooding rivers – and are reminded of Grace Vandals’ honesty in conveying family, connection, and continual change.
Sounds like: Standing in the middle of a road, adrenaline rushing through you.
By Ella Cortazzo
Dropsink – ‘Impressions (She Said)’
Everyone knows the familiar adage that “first impressions last.” That couldn’t be truer with the latest single from modern-day punks DROPSINK. This third single comes off the back of supporting the likes of Surf Trash, Mac the Knife and Semantics. For first-time listeners of DROPSINK’s music, the sonic influences of Violent Soho and other punk icons are immediately clear. But this by no means makes ‘Impressions (She Said)’ a copy of those powerhouses of Aussie punk. The instrumentation is raw and heavy, complementing the dynamic vocals that hit like a tidal wave. Lyrically, the song explores anxiety and addiction, and how we navigate through it. Dark concepts, sure – but ‘Impressions (She Said)’ is destined to be stuck in your head all summer long.
Sounds like: Crowd surfing at a festival gig in the blistering sun.
By Brad Pine
