SINGLE REVIEW: Smiling (BLAIRE)

SINGLE: Smiling ARTIST: Blaire

The whole "gaze" musical territory was originally jilted with its relentless walls of sound and pedal worship, but its present-day existence has seen an injection of fresh perceptions and ideas, and one group lending a swirling hand to the genre is Gold Coast punk-gaze trio Blaire with their new single 'Smiling'.

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Having already unveiled their rollicking chill with their previous single 'Youth', the boys have returned with a reverb love-letter that jangles clean guitars over crushing distortion and a perky punch of punk rock beats that calmly invades your brain and lures you into an uneasy stupor. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the motivation behind the track is one of self-reflection, with lead guitarist and vocalist Ben Stagg explaining: "'Smiling' is about being really into something, when you know deep down it's probably killing you".

Considering the humble beginnings as a solo moniker, Blaire have consistently demonstrated a solid command of their grungy, sizzling sounds, and 'Smiling' is just another shattering breath of fresh air from this riveting trio. Check out the new track and more below:

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BY TIANA SPETER