sleepmakeswaves to release three EPs in 2020, starting with 'No Safe Place' in February

28 January 2020 | 4:33 pm | Alex Sievers
Originally Appeared In

sleepmakeswaves are back!

sleepmakeswaves are back!



The last time that we here at KYS caught up with Sydney's residential feel-good post-rock lords, sleepmakeswaves, was the band's incredible ten-year-anniversary show in 2018. Yet the band's been mostly quiet ever since then. But sleepmakeswaves' time away has been spent creating their next release, titled 'these are not your dreams,' which is due out in May, and is their first record since 2017's chilling ARIA-nominated 'Made of Breath Only' LP.

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Broken up into three smaller EPs, the first step in this three-part process is called 'No Safe Place' and it releases Friday, February 21st, with two EPs coming in April ('Out of Hours') and May ('Not an Exit'), with limited vinyl runs, merch, and CDs to follow. Culled from this fast-approaching new EP next month is the first single, 'Cascades,' and it sees sleepmakeswaves branching out and trying new things. Keenly aware that they needed to push themselves forward and not simply offer people more of what they already have, the Australian band wrote the following to fans, sharing where they musically were coming from with the intent of this next release:

"We're different now & we've got more going on personally & collectively than the freewheeling road dogging band we were in the past. It's damn hard keeping the artist ship afloat, when being an artist doesn’t mean what it used to. And we know we're rubbish on social media, but we've been keeping our heads down and working hard on new material. It's taking shape.

Every song has been an experiment in how far we can push ourselves creatively and sonically... because what else is there? There's so much going on all the time, why do people need more? We've set ourselves the challenge of answering that question every day we've worked on our material. And we wanted to work harder than ever to justify it in an age of limitless novelty."

The guitars, synths and mid-tempo drum beats that all fall like snow, soft acoustic strums, mellow dynamic feel, cold winter vibes, guitarist Otto Wicks-Green adding some great vocals (not the first time they've included singing), a meaty production, and a notable change and reinterpretation of their much-loved, pretty "crescendo-core" sound sees 'Cascades' mark a new detour for the Australian band. Seeing them becoming self-sufficient and doing things on their terms with this new release, too. While this is far away from being my favourite sleepmakeswaves tune, it's great to hear this talented, hard-working act change things up and take brave musical steps with their songwriting. After hearing this, I'm more eager than ever to hear what else the group has cooked up during their time off.

Expect more singles, further EP news, and live show announcements to come soon!