Brisbane's sunbleached open the shoegaze floodgates with alt/emo EP, 'Delicate Places We Hide'

Brisbane’s sunbleached turn up the intensity and emotion, letting their alt/emo flag fly high on their sophomore EP, ‘Delicate Places We Hide’. The EP compiles previous singles, ‘Spinning Around’ and ‘Toyfriend’, along with latest single, ‘Heavy Turn’ and the previously unreleased, ‘Closer’.

Produced by Tristan Higginson (Waxflower), and mastered by Grant Berry (All Time Low, Stand Atlantic, Being As An Ocean), ‘Delicate Places We Hide’ maintains sunbleached’s signature emo shoegaze sound.

‘Delicate Places We Hide’ opens the floodgates to the pent-up post-hardcore and shoegaze that has been damming up in the background, letting waves of flanged distortion and swirling vocals, blended with massive drums, pulse and wash over you. Opener, ‘Spinning Around’ bludgeons with a slow bounce and a wall of guitar, ‘Toyfriend’ eases you in to fuzzy emo, gradually dialling in the intensity until that two minutes and 15 seconds mark, leaving the guitar alone to phase and scratch before bringing the track home. Latest single, ‘Heavy Turn’ sees the bass and drums at the front in this more rock-friendly take for sunbleached, with the guitars and vocals bringing all the loved-up feelings, and EP closer, aptly titled ‘Closer’ brings back the intensity and anxiety.

All the tracks on ‘Delicate Places We Hide’ blend seamlessly from the first to track to last, something that has been missing from modern extended (or full length) plays for some time. sunbleached have carved out gritty, well-crafted emo/shoegaze for heavier ears, paying homage to the originators of the genre, while showing off Australian alt flavours. The EP is a slow-mo mosh delight.

sunbleached have been working towards their extended play since last year, teasing two singles in the process. The quartet have showcased their new tracks live across the Brisbane circuit.

Fresh from playing BIGSOUND 2022 on the Destroy All Lines showcase, previous single "Spinning Around" was released last September and "Toyfriend" rounded out the year in November. Both singles featured on Spotify’s Local Noise and Rock Out. playlists, with "Toyfriend" securing an additional add to Fresh Finds AU + NZ. Both tracks were spun on triple j and were added to triple j Unearthed rotation, earning the band a spotlight on the homepage.

sunbleached is Josh Baker (vocals), Bradley Maddaford (guitar), Zane Hughes (bass) and Joey Keating (guitar). With all members winding down from previous music projects, sunbleached set out in 2020 to create a fresh and authentic alternative rock project ripping inspiration from decades past, reimagined for the present.

The quartet's previous 2-track release from 2021, 'Rose Tinted’, was a couplet containing the light hearted title track "Rose Tinted" and the polar opposite offering, "Flowers Grow From Ugly Places". The pairing garnered radio support from triple j on Home and Hosed, Lunchtime, short.fast.loud, Unearthed TOPS and secured an Unearthed Track of the Day placement.

sunbleached have performed alongside the likes of Holding Absence (UK), Void of Vision, Deadlights, Mirrors, Pridelands, Dregg and Waxflower to name a few, gaining the backing of booking agency Destroy All Lines.

‘Delicate Places We Hide’ is out now on all streaming platforms.