In the last year or two, Wollongong has been the epicentre for a surf rock tidal wave which has stretched across the Australian continent. Eminent longhairs like Hockey Dad and the salty champions at Yours & Owls have practically invented a scene down there, and Archy Punker are the latest act to spit from the foam.
Today they drop Kiss In The Rain, the very first taste of their very first EP, a friendly gem called MATES RATES.
The oft-told story of a drunk, rainy walk home with a special friend, Kiss In The Rain is an endearing first taste of Archy Punker’s debut EP.
Any self-professed ratbag like the gents from Archy Punker has had more than a few long walks home in the rain. Whether it’s cause you’re boozed, rejected, riding high, or just for the sake of it, it’s a trajectory we’re all familiar with.
This walk frames Kiss In The Rain, a raucous surf rock track which embodies the live, granular noise we love the genre for.
Kiss In The Rain is scuzzy like a Dune Rats ballad but somehow remains endearing, likely due to how relatable it is lyrically. One moment Archy Punker is “having a smoke cause we’re broke”, the next they’re nice enough to “walk you home, despite the weather“.
The track was specifically recorded with a live sound in mind, and the state of the mix completely reflects it. Sounding more like it’s been jammed through an amp older than your dad than a set of studio-quality cans, it properly captures the fuzzy, sharp sound that I’m sure Archy Punker cooks up on stage.
Keep an ear to the ground for more MATES RATES news in the near future.
