Brisbane artist Austen has just released a sun-infused blast of pure indie pop in the track ‘North South East West’. Slinky instrumentation and an indelible melody serve together to create something that is vibrant and catchy while retaining an indie edge with the chunky guitars. Austen’s vocals are a delight – shining and bright during the choruses, darker and edgy in the verses. I can’t help thinking of Lily Allen’s style – an erudite exposition and a pop sensibility.
Austen says of the track:
‘North South East West’ is about that easy type of love where it feels like you’re living in a hazy dream, exploring new territory and not having to force anything – a love letter to the honeymoon period. I’d written a lot of songs about toxic love and I wanted this one to be the polar opposite…it’s a love song to simple, flirty love.
The video is fittingly enigmatic and poised.
Filmed by Teel Studios, the clip features Austen starring in every role, from drummer to audience member. Reflecting on the inspiration behind the video, Austen says:
I had the idea as a way to bring out the breezy, throwback vibe of the song, and also because it just feels like a song that needs to be played live. I was at home playing around on the song with my guitar and my bass and drum pads, and I thought if my band can’t cross the borders then I may as well play all the bits myself. I wanted to create different characters for each instrument, to form the ultimate girl band and embrace those different sides of myself.
There is a sense of untrammelled joy and a heart full of sparks that reflects the song itself:
This is a very welcome introduction (for me) to an artist that seems to have perfected the art of a good song: one that worms itself into your consciousness and makes a very pleasant and amenable aural companion.
You can download/stream ‘North South East West’ here.
Feature Photograph: Rose Pure
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