One of Australia’s leading post-punk outfits, dust shared their latest single ‘New High’, ahead of their appearance at London’s Alexandra Palace supporting Interpol. The single is an iceberg of bliss and struggle, maximising the divergent corners of solitude. Momentarily breaking dust’s typical songwriting form, a speedy bass line demo penned by Justin Teale continues to linger, uncertain of its final form and left in the background. Looking away from his own experiences as previously with ‘Trust U See’, Justin looked to the more abstract, where his subconscious would guide him to a swinging chorus melody and the dis/comfort of loneliness – a motif extension of Mount Kimbie‘s ‘Empty And Silent’. Of the single, Justin explains:
“It’s about those nights spent lying in a room illuminated by fairy lights, listening to dreamy music like Beach House, or watching the movie Her and feeling a deep sense of melancholy. Shifting between the warmth of solitude and the desire to move past the more painful aspects of isolation, it’s a reflection of both the comfort and complexity that come with being alone.”
‘New High’ reconciles that duality, acknowledging isolation as something both sought after and evaded. With moodiness amplifying a misty breakdown, it’s a musical rush as quickly felt as it is evaporative, leaving a quiet sense of resolution. Canvassed further with a music video by Nikola Jokanovic, filmed on Awabakal Land in their Newcastle hometown in Australia, the five piece revel in the nostalgia and introspection that night time provides. Biking through their all too familiar steel city landmarks shrouded in dusk, ‘New High’s visuals straddle sorrow and contentment.
From formative influence to tour mates, dust join Interpol on tour once again, supporting the group across the UK and Europe in celebration of their seminal record Antics’ 20th anniversary. This follows their prior joint tour run across Australia with Bloc Party in 2023, where crowds and media alike lauded dust as “an exciting live act” (Double J), instantly captivating and able to get “the wind-frozen crowd moving early in the night” (Scenestr); “definitely ones to watch” (Beat Magazine). A riotous SXSW Austin debut saw Monster Children claim “we will never be the same.” Earlier this year dust repurposed their debut EP et etcetera, etc with remixes of ‘Joy (Guilt)’, ‘Ward 52′ and ‘The Gutter’ reimagined by Soul Wun, Godriguez, 700 Feel GAUCI and others.
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