SINGLE IN FOCUS

But what differentiates this new one is the prominence of the bass guitar. Not only does it introduce the song, but we’re exposed to a prolonged version of it in the form of a solo, which follows a second chorus.

Yes, that’s right; a bass solo. These don’t come by very often in a pop song, if at all, yet the rhythmic tendencies highlighted on Tonight? prove to be a suitable platform for such a thing.

Fear not, though; this is no prog rock indulgence. These deeper, spotlighted tones are wedged between a smooth and relatively expansive chorus.

MUESLI TONIGHT?

Since forming in November 2020, Muesli has wasted no time. Quickly establishing a writing, recording, and gigging cycle, they have performed alongside local and national acts such as Ruben Styles (Peking Duck & Y.O.G.A), Rum Jungle, Tim Rogers, and local bands ARCHIE, Kirklandd, and Koebi Faumui.

The group’s debut release, Hello Out There , was voted 2022 Independent Debut Single of the Year at the MAMAs and was licensed by Visit Canberra to score Canberra’s spring national marketing campaign.

Tonight? is the band’s fifth single release and perhaps its most resolute sounding and adventurous. Although such self-assuredness might seem at odds with taking risks, Tonight? manages to tick a number of different boxes that prove otherwise, and help firm up their hybridised style.

The funk-tinged melodic approach featured on their previous songs is intact, as is the amiable intimacy of the vocal performances, and the playfulness of the instrumentation.

Add to this a chant-like hook, which not only reels us in but acts as a dynamic counterpoint to the preceding verses.

The prior mentioned solo acts in much the same way a tastefully extended guitar break might, relying on agreeable patterns and steadily building anticipation—with the aid of other instrumentation—for the chorus outs.

Tonight? denotes more than just a reaffirmation of Muesli’s style but an exuberant willingness to reveal its progressive, evolving nature.

VINCE LEIGH

Canberra’s Mangrove, comprising Matt Duprez and Callum Selmes, released its debut Howlin in 2022. They swiftly followed that up with the EP Hooks In The Eyes of The Deaf, and single XPA, earlier this year.

The new one is a fulminating blend of psychedelic blues rock with tinctures of early heavy rock. It’s raw and replete with a decimated blues rhythm, a whole bag of vocal manifestations, guitar riff wailing, and unruly splendour. It’s a striking indie rock amalgamation that showcases the band’s self-possessed talent for crafting searing guitar-driven tracks augmented by tight yet unleashed musicianship.

From the opening chords, Dear Sir or Madam establishes a propulsive, urgent energy that only builds as the song progresses. The vocals decisively convey frustration and defiance mirrored in the pugnacious guitar work and chaotic reverie of the late ‘60s Mitch Mitchell drum adaptations. The commitment to creating a high-energy, cavernous, larger-than-life sound is evident throughout, with each element contributing to the overall intensity of the track. What differentiates Mangrove from other indie rock bands is the ability to incorporate a slew of influences and stylistic

Canberra metal band, Black Iris, formed in 2018 and dropped its debut track, Death Beckons, in 2022. Eviscerate is the sophomore track, and eviscerate it does! Albeit in not quite the way one would expect from the metal genre.

Well, not necessarily a contemporary representation of that genre, despite the splintered stylistic variances that now exist.

Black Iris fuses a curious combination of old school and tinges of relatively new metal, with the vocal being the main attribute which counts for such a thing as old school. It may also mean a more instantly recognisable approach that empowers the song and its effect with a greater degree of assuredness.

Whereas Death Beckons explored a textured guitar-centred palette, Eviscerate harnesses a more formal structure to bring the band’s creative vision to life.

Kicking off with a chorus, we are led from segment to segment without a bump. The following verses are dissected by a recurring chomping guitar interlude that acts as a breather before each hit of the sly-yet-strangely-alluring menacing vocal. But it is only menacing insofar as it’s playing up to the genre. Such a voice feels refreshing in the way it alludes to more fundamentals into their sound—including those of the post-punk and post-grunge era—without sacrificing their more traditional-based sensibilities.

The guitar work is intricate and layered, utilising cascading, colliding riffs that are both hard-hitting yet strangely, and enticingly, melodic. The rhythm section is tight and dead-on, with a sense of urgency that perfectly matches the lyrical explorations of the track.

And the production is clean—just what the indie rock doctor ordered—allowing each aspect of the song to shine through without overpowering the rest. The mix is well-balanced, with the vocals and guitars taking centre stage while the drums and bass provide a fluid sort of foundation. It remains reliably supportive for the rest of the instrumentation and indeed, for the track.

Stirring, enervating stuff. VINCE classic-sounding metal vocalists of the past. There is no attempt to entrap with more snarly, guttural, inflexions.

That said, the always enjoyable dramatics of the metal oeuvre are present, but are executed in such a confident, conclusive manner it becomes a main attraction.

Amid the typically strident metal hooks, the accents, the dynamics, and the candid energy, there are many lyric hooks also. The song’s arrangement is strengthened by lines such as ‘remove your heart so I can feel it beat’ and ‘come with me it’s not a dream.’

Indeed, Black Iris has invoked a kind of heavy metal slash rock dream, eschewing contemporary tropes save for occasional guitar garnishes to produce a more timeless and enchanted musical netherworld.

VINCE LEIGH