Premiere: RAAVE TAPES make an explosive return with stabs

Our love affair with RAAVE TAPES isn't something that's gone undocumented. Over the last two years, the Novocastrian three-piece have gone from strength to strength, consistently raising the bar as they mix tongue-in-cheek lyricism with essential topics like making sure your drunk mates aren't pests while adding charged-up, dance-rock instrumentals which thrash around underneath. As a result, they've become not just one of our most-adored Australian bands, but one of the whole country's, selling out large-cap shows in their hometown while playing everything from BIGSOUND and Mountain Sounds to Groovin the Moo and Yours & Owls. They're an act that keeps getting better and better both musically and visually, from 2 U xoxo's "pleasantly raw" sound and k bye's Saddle Club-themed video right through to SUDS, which really brought everything we've come to love from RAAVE TAPES into one tidy release.

Now, we welcome their next move, premiering their first track of 2019, stabs. It's the first tease of a forthcoming EP due in a couple of months, showcasing a whole lot of that RAAVE TAPES charm as their signature dance-punk sound makes a comeback in an explosive and high-octane fashion. It's wild and unpredictable, with Joab Eastley's frenzied scream welcoming a rush of percussion and guitar that doesn't quite settle back down at any point, bar the slight intermissions that feature bassist Lindsay O’Connell on lead vocals for the first time - something much-applauded after seeing how she crushes the vocals in their live show. It's frantic and invigorating, yet humorous and accessible at the same time, bringing everything we love from RAAVE TAPES to the table for a burst of energy that makes us real damn excited for their first EP in three years.

Arriving ahead of a this month's The Hills Are Alive Festival, Joab says the single touches on the vulnerability that comes with entering a crowded space alone. "We’re aiming to convey the emotions that cloud your judgement in that anxiety-inducing moment," he says on the track. "It centres on the feeling of being exposed and how it’s possible to internalise and misinterpret the glances and proverbial ‘daggers’ that get thrown your way." Watch the single's fun video clip below:

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