I recently got tuned on to Aussie quintet Foreign/National via their new single, "Tristesse." The band's groovy pop track definitely has some Tame Impala vibes happening. Via my Aussie friends over at Purple Sneakers, the band describes the new single - the first taste of their forthcoming debut ep - as a 'lovesick postcard' and ... a memory frozen in time, the recollection of a failed long distance fling. Sounds like sad disco of the best sort to me.
After beginning 2015 with the release of three acclaimed singles, Melbourne pop quintet Foreign/National stepped off the stage and retreated to the serenity of their home-base: the Mornington Peninsula. Shacking up in a small, sunburnt cabin with long-time producer and collaborator Joey Walker (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard), the band worked exhaustively on new material. Now, after nine months and countless trips between the city and coast, Foreign/National triumphantly return with 'Tristesse': the first taste of their thrilling debut album. 'Tristesse' is a lovesick postcard from the end of an Australian summer. Recalling the flutters and failures of a long-distance fling, the single delivers an intoxicating slice of Foreign/National's self-described "sad disco" style. Trading in their usual Krautrock pulse for something more at home in the club, the band conjure warped and abrupt guitar stabs, sweeping strings and wandering bass. It's less Michael Rother, more Nile Rodgers. Having already won fans at NME, The Guardian, Line of Best Fit, Earmilk, DIY, The 405, KCRW and Triple J, Foreign/National ready their full-length debut for eager ears. ARTWORK: Alex Jennings ( www.gdayajay.com )
