Originally from Melbourne, Australia, HighSchool burst onto the scene with an ethereal mix of the Cure-esque lo-fi goth that would have at the same time been entirely at home in the Hacienda.
Relocating to London, they released one of the EP’s of 2021 ‘Forever At Last’ before releasing the anthemic ‘Only A Dream’ as the 42nd 7” on Dan Carey’s Speedy Wunderground label. It was clear that big moves beckoned.
Teaming up again with Carey, ‘Colt’ is the first glimpse into the band’s progression. Their new single leans heavily into the dancefloor, bringing swathes of italo-disco and electronica to their heady post-punk stylings. Before you tune into the lyrics, the track distils the euphoric energy of the early hours at a rave into 5 minutes of pure dancing fuel. It’s an insatiable groove.
Diving below the surface though, you find singer Rory’s internal battles laid bare. “Made her laugh but it was not on purpose. I’m not … worthless”. His fragility is displayed in every bar he sings, all building to the climactic refrain “I’m falling in love, don’t ever let me down.” His internal angst cannot be subdued by the euphoria. The accompanying video, showing Rory dancing and singing in Rome encapsulates this duality perfectly.
It all comes together to create one of the most relatably heart-wrenching tracks. A real tantalising taste of the aforementioned big moves coming with their second EP.
May Tour dates:
The new issue of So Young is out now. You can purchase in print here or read the digital edition below.