Liz Stringer has unveiled her seventh studio album, The Second High, due for release on March 28 via Dot Dash Recordings, and offered a glimpse into its expansive sound with the release of the title track as the record’s captivating second single. After a stint in the UK in 2023, Stringer is also set to return to Australia this April for a highly anticipated East Coast tour.
“The Second High is a reminder to myself to appreciate what I have and to not sacrifice the present moment by indulging the compulsion to want, immediately and without delay, whatever is coming next. The phrase refers to the feeling of the first hit, or the first drink, which addicts and alcoholics chase by consuming more and more, which is ultimately a losing game. I’ll be nine years sober by the end of this year and the main vein of the song is about reiterating to myself how much better my life is without it, while understanding that those proclivities to want more and more, and to escape from myself, are still very much alive inside me. And in all of us, to some extent. The grass is always greener, the neighbours always happier. I’m trying to savour what’s right in front of me, right now.” – Liz Stringer.
Stringer spent three transformative months at Iguana Studios in Brixton, working alongside Grammy-nominated and Ivor Novello Award-winning producer Beni Giles (Lianne La Havas, Oscar Jerome). The result of those sessions, The Second High, is a bold sonic leap forward, blending jazz, funk, and soul into a swirling, keys-driven exploration of identity, justice, and social reflection.
‘The Second High’ glides in, built on the kind of effortlessly cool hip-hop beat that makes you lean back just a little. Breezy, shimmering keys float above it, not just decorating the groove but softening its edges, like sunlight filtering through blinds. There’s something inherently seductive here—an understated elegance that pulls you in without trying too hard. It’s Sade-like, not in a copycat way but in the way it carries that same quiet confidence, the kind that knows restraint can be its own form of power.
Stringer’s return to the spotlight builds on the momentum of her 2021 triumph. First Time Really Feeling was named Album of the Week by RRR, PBS FM, and 2SER, while also debuting at #14 on the ARIA Charts. It won the 2022 AIR Award for Best Blues and Roots Album and earned a spot on the APRA Song of the Year shortlist for Dangerous. But The Second High aims higher—an artist boldly stepping into new sonic and emotional terrain, determined to leave her mark yet again.
Listen to ‘The Second High’ HERE.
Liz Stringer Album Launch Tour Dates
Friday 11th April – Night Cat, Melbourne
Tickets
Saturday 12th April – Vanguard, Sydney
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Sunday 13th April – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra
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Wednesday 16th April – Grand Junction, Maitland NSW
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