EP Walkthrough: Future Haunts dissect their new EP Rushmore, premiering today

Header image by Zara Duffy.

Regulars amongst the Brisbane live music scene might already recognise Future Haunts, with the rising four-piece having supported some of the country's best acts in crafty indie-pop and alt-rock: Middle Kids, Hockey Dad and Bad//Dreems just the beginning. For everyone else, however, the group have emerged as an exciting fresh face of Australian rock whose versatility and genre-defying range refuse to have them placed inside a box; a sense of musicianship and consistency something that's kept the band one to watch since their early arrival back in 2016 with their debut EP Rubicon.

Three years later, and the band are having somewhat of a revival moment after a couple of quiet years release-wise, sharing a string of singles in 2019 - Weather Vane, Fall In Line and Far Away to cap it all off back in November - amongst showcases at BIGSOUND which place them back on the Brisbane live music map. It's a good thing, too. Seemingly, the group have spent that three years away from the limelight to work on their craft and raise themselves to the next level, something that was shown on the brilliance of their work across the last twelve months and how it showcases how far they've come over the his period, something their latest EP promised to double down on.

Premiering on Pilerats today ahead of its official release this Friday, Rushmore - the group's second EP and first in four years - does exactly what's promised. Spanning six tracks (including the three previously released), Rushmore is an exploration of the band's gripping indie-rock and its ability to swerve in between different textures and shadings; washed-out guitar melodies meeting the sensibilities of The War On Drugs at one point, but then flared up and high-energy - almost like they've evolved into something more punkier and gritty - just one or two songs later.

One thing that connects the entire EP, however, is that it feels distinctly Future Haunts. It's tough to have yourself a 'trademark sound' just a few EPs deep, but Rushmore feels like the perfect extension of what's already out there: not too far away from the band's previous work, but different enough to showcase how they've grown and refined their sound as they age. "Everybody’s in a race. To build more, to consume more, to expect more, to rush more," says the band's vocalist Ben Speight on the EP, which according to Speight, depicts the go-go-go grind of 2020.

"We’ve lost sight of the bigger picture, of looking after each other and the planet we live on," he continues. "These songs capture the essence of a world that’s got itself in a big hurry and pushes back against the conservative zombies that feed off it."

Dive into the EP below ahead of its release this Friday with a track-by-track walkthrough from the group, then catch them on tour this February/March, with dates across the east coast kicking off with Brisbane's infamous Mountain Goat Valley Crawl this weekend.

Far Away

Dodgy airlines, airport claustrophobia and last minute lyric changes. I wrote this stuck in an airport for 24 hours with nowhere to go, it’s really about having your patience tested and trying to keep your head screwed on straight. It was the first track we started writing but the last one to be finished, completely scrapping and re-writing the lyrics about a week before we sent it off for mixing.

Fall In Line

Lockouts, knee jerks and one giant backflip. A lot of frustration comes through this one, but it’s also a bit of a positive nod to the music industry to keep your chin up and keep doing what you do no matter what gets thrown at you.

Weather Vane

This one really set the tone for what this EP would become. One of those songs that come together really quickly and seems to write itself. It’s about trying to let go of the things you can’t change and become comfortable with who you are and the choices you make.

Silence Is Golden

Listen to the kids - this one’s for them. I see the youth as the bright future of the planet and admire that they have such an untainted view of what really matters as human beings. But too often they’re automatically brushed aside by those in power – so you’re on notice big fellas, the kids ain't dumb no more.

Jesus Tote Bag

This one’s about shedding your skin, thinking on your own two feet and letting go of indoctrination without fear or guilt. Religion’s got a lot to answer for and until it does I don’t want a bar of it.

Slow Evolve

“The great person is the one who draws upon, but is not beholden to the past, dealing with the challenges of the present…and who does so in the certain knowledge that the challenges and the environment of that future will not simply be a replication of past experiences”. That’s part of a Bob Hawke speech I sampled in the track, which to me is more relevant today than ever. The only way we can evolve and grow is to challenge the conservative status quo and try new ideas.

Tour Dates: 

SAT 15 FEB | Mountain Goat Valley Crawl, Brisbane | QLD
FRI 28 FEB | Grace Darling Hotel, Melbourne | VIC
FRI 6 MAR | Vinnies Dive, Gold Coast | QLD
SAT 7 MAR | The Foundry, Brisbane | QLD
SUN 8 MAR | Yours & Owls Sundays, Wollongong | NSW
FRI 1- SUN 3 MAY | Jungle Love Festival, Mary Valley Region | QLD

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