Naarm/Melbourne postpunk maestros HighSchool have been enticing us with a series of stunning singles over the past few years and they have announced the release of their self-titled debut album slated for 31 October 2025 through [PIAS] Australia. This follows up their magnificent EP ‘Accelerator’ last year (see my 9/10 review here), and as an added enticement, the exquisite single ‘Dipped’ has been released.
Stripped down to a duo, the band continues to produce the most enticing post punk music coming out of the land down under. It is essentially the project of Rory Trobbiani and Luke Scott, with live support from Lilli Trobbiani and Lucy Lamb.
‘Dipped’ starts with crystalline Antarctic-chilled guitar shards with the distant louche vocals etching contrails in the sky with a trademark sense of insouciance and cool. Genetic traces of The Cure with touches of Interpol and The Strokes can be detected, but this is original and delicious fare, imbued with black leather jacketed swagger and a thousand yard stare.
The band says of the track:
This track explores themes of luck, chance, and gambling, using the Greek tragedy of Achilles as a metaphor for addiction, impulse, and human weakness. The cold, gothic, minor-key verses contrast with a warm, major-key chorus, creating a push-and-pull dynamic that feels both tense and euphoric. We recorded it in Lewes and added the final touches at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne with Aaron Dobos.
The lyrics are distant and observant:
She’s twenty five yeah she just got her license
She’s got nice hair, she’s full of surprises
She’s divisive, Cancer in her rising
She’s a Libra balancing her vices
The video, directed by Trobbiani and Joel Wilson adds to the quiet enigma:
‘Dipped’ is out now and can be downloaded and streamed here.
You can pre-order the album here.
