Muloobinba/Newcastle alt-pop duo RAAVE TAPES have had a transformative few years, to say the least. The band have become a mainstay on the live scene over the years, and although their passionate live show and infectious dance-punk attitude has certainly remained intact; their sound has changed dramatically.
The band have been slowly moving closer to the electronic sphere since the release of ‘Red Flag’ back in 2020, and on their past few releases it’s become clear that they’ve truly found their feet. Their latest offering ‘k hi’ is a blistering masterclass in pop songwriting, full of serotonin-inducing melodies, passionate, hard-hitting vocal performances and an unrelenting bass line that elevates the chorus ten-fold.
The chemistry between Joab (Guitar/Vocals) and Lindsay (Bass/Vocals) is especially strong here, with both vocal styles perfectly balancing each other throughout the track. As explained by front man Joab Eastley, ‘k hi’ is a love letter to friends and family living overseas.
“This track is dripping in nostalgia for us, both thematically & sonically. Put very simply - we wrote this one for our friends & family living far away/overseas who we miss dearly. We name check one of our favourite local pubs in the opening line, The Seven Seas Hotel, which has hosted many late night “no I love you more” sessions. To the friends who’s lives have taken them elsewhere across the globe, this song is audible proof that we actually do love you more.”
JOAB EASTLEY, RAAVE TAPES
Working alongside producer-extraordinaire and frequent collaborator Fletcher Matthews (Stumps, Dear Seattle, Trophy Eyes, Clews), the track was the result of a recording and writing session at the family home of bassist/vocalist Lindsay O’Connel in Stanhope, NSW. ‘k hi’ was written to mirror their previous track ‘K Bye’ (2018), serving as a beautiful representation on the progress the band has made since then.
“We approached this song very simply - with 3 power chords & a dream. Our wonderful producer/collaborator/bestie Fletcher Matthews stripped things right back & tapped into our raucous garage/punk beginnings, before turning the production up to 11. Sonically, we used almost the exact same guitar & bass tones from one of our old tracks k bye. We then ran these sounds through bit crushers, filters, tremolos & a host of fun pedals/plugins to juice ‘em up. The main choppy guitar riff running throughout the song is dripping with Chemical Brothers squelch, while Lindsay’s bass goes from a filtered, subby 808 thump in the verses to all out chest crushing fuzz in the choruses. The track really does feel like a wink & a nod to our day ones both sonically & thematically, with our eyes squarely fixed on where we’re headed.” JOAB EASTLEY, RAAVE TAPES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzbsOZ6-VZs
The music video for ‘k hi’ was filmed under the Stockton Bridge in Newcastle, and features the band showing off their skills on dirt bikes in an attempt to one up the helicopter-based shoot for their last single ‘Goodbye’.
“Tbh, everything about this song just screams bedazzled bright orange dirt bikes. We knew that we wouldn’t be able to reach the lofty heights of our last clip Goodbye, where we literally flew above the city in a helicopter, so we decided to get down into the dirt with our ride or die (pun intended) director Maya Luana. She absolutely crushed our last clip & we just love working with her.
We name check the local suburb Stockton in the track, so it just felt right to shoot this clip under the iconic Stockton Bridge. A true marvel of modern architecture. A classic spot for local band press shots. Had to put some respect on the name.” JOAB EASTLEY, RAAVE TAPES
On a local scale, the band have been instrumental in fostering the now flourishing Newcastle Music scene since their inception. Co-founders of the NoFi collective (alongside fellow Novocastrians Vacations), the band have curated and organised countless mini festivals and warehouse parties, bringing together some of the countries best emerging talent (such as Teen Jesus and The Jean Teasers, Cry Club, Stumps, Ruby Fields and more), giving local bands a platform and building a strong community that has grown exponentially since.
On a larger scale, the band have become regulars on the national live circuit, touring with bands such as the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and These New South Whales , supporting the likes of The Presets, Northeast Party House and Slumberjack, and impressing audiences at Laneway, Groovin The Moo, Mountain Goat Valley Crawl, Festival Of The Sun and more over the years. They recently made appearances at both BIGSOUND and SXSW in 2023, boasting one of the largest crowds at BIGSOUND which was even highlighted by UK promoter Kate English (Parallel Lines) during her keynote speech as her favourite set from the festival.
They’ve seen huge amounts of support from triple J and Unearthed over the years, with multiple spins across the two stations and a full rotation spot for their single ‘I Will Let You Down’, which dropped in early 2023. The dynamic pair were also guests on the Like a Version from Brisbane band BUGS, which hit #91 on the Hottest 100 of 2021 and #25 on the Hottest 100 Like A Version countdown in 2022. Their most recent single ‘Goodbye’ was given a first play on triple j’s Good Nights, and has been sitting atop the Australian and New Music playlists on Tik Tok since its release 3 months ago. The track has also had over 1K+ Shazams, and was added to rotation on Radio 1 in New Zealand.
UPCOMING RAAVE TAPES SHOWS
Sunday, 31st of December - New Years Eve Party - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC (w/ Slumberjack and Kinder)
Saturday, 13th of January - Shark Bar, Manly NSW supports tba
Sunday, 14th of January - North Gong Hotel, Wollongong NSW supports tba
Saturday, 10th of February - Mountain Goat Valley Crawl, Brisbane QLD, TICKETSFriday 22nd of March - supporting The Presets, King St Bandroom, Newcastle NSW