DUST RELEASE SINGLE NEW HIGH
dust is one of our favourite bands to emerge from our local music scene and are by now one of the best-known too. The boys from Newcastle, who are currently supporting Interpol across the UK and Europe, have been consistently travelling the world on one high profile international tour after the next; but their newly released single New High reminds us of where they’ve come from and who they really are.
Singles like Ward 52 from their debut album et cetera, etc and trust u see from earlier this year caught and maintained attention of listeners worldwide, and put the band high on the list of Australia’s acts to watch. Their newest single could mark the next stage in the band’s sound. The song, and especially vocalist Justin Teale’s voice and lyrics, seem mature, showing the experience the band has gained in the past years. His delivery is cool, calm and punchy, navigating in and around the beat with confidence.
The song begins with the catchy bass line that defines the song. It drives and swings, and when the drums come in, it is hard not to move to it. The rhythm of the song is quick, with jazzy saxophone accents and layered guitars that seem to nod your head and tap your feet for you. The low tones of the bass and Justin’s vocals in the chorus feel strange but familiar, comfortably discomforting: “I waste my time alone / Where I will not go”. There is a fullness, a depth to the sound in this section that is irresistible. This single holds the same drive and grit of the post-punk style in their previous music but has a sophistication in form and content yet achieved.
The music video was directed by Nikola Jokanovic, long time collaborator of the band and fellow Newcastle local. Nikola’s style matches the song perfectly, it is real representation what the song feels like. Showing the band biking around their hometown streets, our eyes dart around the rapid cuts, flared streetlights and fast motion shots. It’s bright green tint reflect the interesting clarity that the night brings.
This song and its clip remind me of my own hometown experiences: driving around at night alone, content in my solace, listening to King Krule, the only music that matched the energy I felt in these moments. I felt this same discomforting comfort in this single and its video. The band truly has achieved a lot in the past year. Comparing ‘Ward 52’ or even ‘Trust U See’, both videos also directed by Jokanovic, with the sound and visuals for ‘New High’ make this easy to see.