New Music Review #10: ‘Softly Spoken’ by Blusher

An ethereal, brilliantly produced indie pop banger, guaranteed to sweep you off your feet.

This song is cinematic, but in a very real and intimate way. It’s unlikely to soundtrack an establishing shot of a stark and desolate landscape – but it would work in pretty much every scene of Euphoria.

It’s a song that swells and aches and seizes and releases. It could pulsate through a sweaty dancefloor, or accompany a good cry afterwards.

Blusher are a three-piece band from Melbourne, who clearly have a wonderful talent for crafting sophisticated, edgy pop.

The vocal harmonies are magnificent, the synths are ominous and uniquely arranged, and the lyrics are emotive, painful, darkly funny and endearingly candid.

I can’t give you an exact comparison for Blusher – there’s shades of Nasty Cherry, shades of Charli XCX, shades of Sky Ferreira, you might even hear some of The Veronicas in there.

This is their first release – and it’s incredible. If you like cool, eclectic indie pop, this could be the start of a beautiful love affair.

And a few others:

‘hair out’ by Stand Atlantic: Another blistering, fiery burst of exhilarating punk rock from the Sydney band, taking aim at online trolls and critics on the internet (oops!). Stand Atlantic are a walking mosh pit, a riot waiting to happen – this one will make you want to flip every table in a five km radius.

‘Who Would Have Thought’ by Just A Gent and Arno Faraji: Five years on from his surprising (but well deserved) triple j Unearthed High victory, Arno Faraji remains one of Australia’s most underrated MCs. On this track, his laid back delivery is magnetic, and is accompanied by spectacular production and a mesmerising hook by Just A Gent.

‘Honey' by Tyne-James Organ: A woozy, powerful message of hope and escape, with a rollicking bass line reminiscent of The Strokes. Tyne-James Organ is perhaps the most captivating voice in Australian rock music since Dave Le'aupepe emerged with Gang of Youths a decade ago.