Premiere: The Valley Ends - 'Dark Emu'

If you're from Melbourne, then chances are over the last few years you've seen local prog/math rock outfit The Valley Ends support the likes of Emarosa, Young Lions, Slaves, Bayside and Dance Gavin Dance, all off the back of their self-released DIY concept EP, 2014's 'Falls'.

But that was all then and this is all now, and currently, the five-piece are gearing up for the release of their debut album, 'Hearth', due out later this year. Armed with plenty of sonically lush new material, 'Hearth' builds off of the band's intricate guitar melodies, soothing high-register vocals, and their lovely, diverse landscapes that they once explored on their previous EP four years ago.

Produced, mixed and mastered by the band's own guitarist Blake Drenth, this new LP's grand debut single is 'Dark Emu'; a damned strong showcase of how this budding Australian act has matured and developed in terms of a darker sound, their dynamics, soothing vocal hooks, songwriting flow, interesting rhythms, more detailed textures, and how they've maintained that same ol' gorgeous melodic alternative sound. Which if I was being honest, is by far one of the best defining traits of The Valley Ends!

This new track's lyrics were purposefully written to all be up to interpretation on the listener's end, but lead vocalist Tim D'Agostino has mentioned in a press release that the lyrics speak about themes of lost knowledge and people's need for community, in one way or another. A key lyric that leans heavily into this theme of the past being forgotten comes with this little gem: "Time moves on an endless thread/We create so we don't forget, our dreams and ambitions, our sacred traditions/Time moves on an endless thread, please don't forget this." Which all ties nicely in when you consider that the band's singer pulled this vibrant new song's moniker from a book of the same name by Bruce Pascoe, a work that challenges the world's pre-conceived history and culture of pre-colonialist Australia and how we now view the smaller societies that made up Indigenous Australia.

The Valley Ends will be launching this wonderful new track next week on Friday, May 11th at The Curtin in Melbourne, alongside Slow Talk (who also just put out an amazing EP), Dr Sinha's Jazz Lobotomy and Cold Tide. Tickets and all further info right here.

Check out the music video for the atmospheric 'Dark Emu' below. It personally took me a couple listens but goddamn, now I love this song!

KYS & The Valley Ends would also like acknowledge and pay respects to the traditional owners of this land and to their elders past, present and future.