Lively indie-rock outfit Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever are undoubtedly a product of their hometown down under. The Melbourne band first formed in 2013, slowly but surely churning out jangly pop singles. Three years later, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever (often shortened to Rolling Blackouts C.F.) grabbed the attention of the famed U.S. indie label, Sub Pop, whose credits span from the dreamwave duo Beach House to the noise-rap collective, CLPPNG. On their latest EP, The French Press, these Melbourne rockers reassert their bright energy with surf-inspired hooks and literary lyrics.
The French Press is a crisp collection of six rich tracks that will leave you eager for more. The airy guitar lines are mellow and simple, but not stagnant. From beginning to end, the EP doesn’t lose focus. It’s an amplification of everything that made their 2016 EP Talk Tight so impressive; expertly designed chillwave accompanied by relentless energy. “French Press” starts the series of six on an incredibly high note, and Rolling Blackouts C.F. hardly lose that momentum over the following 23 minutes.
There are moments in which the cadence and deadpan delivery of the verses mimic that of fellow Australian artist Courtney Barnett, but it’s more of an entertaining coincidence than a distracting similarity. Stand-out single “Julie’s Place” is snappy and light, a riff-heavy but elegant reflection of chaotic young love. In all its bravado, the track somehow still emits the vulnerability of heartache. The sunny sounds of “Fountain of Good Fortune” perfectly counter the slightly cynical sentiment of basking in a success that is so obviously not universal. But even the wry lyrics can’t detract from the kind of effortless, laidback melody Rolling Blackouts C.F. do best.
The French Press is available to stream or purchase now. Check out the infectious title track below!