The London-based Melbourne post punk duo HighSchool – much loved and admired here at Backseat Mafia – today announce the release of a new EP entitled ‘Accelerator’ – their second – due for release through [PIAS] Australia on 19 April 2024. And to increase the levels of anticipation, a new single entitled ‘Doesn’t Matter’ is out today.
HighSchool’s trade mark iced guitar sound and cool insouciance is at the fore in the new track – atmospheric and ethereal with distant observant vocals buried deep and in the distance. Throughout, the scaling melodies drift like crystalline snow throughout the shoegaze drones: epic and cinematic. The band says of the track:
‘Doesn’t Matter’ is a song about unrequited love. It’s about your beloved being unaware or uncaring of your affection and deep desire for them. It’s about longing and the places your imagination takes you when you yearn for someone.
The lyrics are filled with a yearning melancholy:
I know it’s hard to say that I’m sorry
I won’t be back till the weekend don’t worry
The sunlight hurt my eyes
You caught me by surprise
The doomed air of melancholy and darkness that permeates the song seeps into the stylish gritty video directed by Henry Gosper and self-produced by the band. They share:
The video was shot over two days at three separate locations in and around the outskirts of Melbourne. We were trying to capture a modern Southern Gothic atmosphere with an Australian flair, taking inspiration from classic Australian Gothic literature and film as well as crime stoppers adverts and the T.V. programs like Highway Patrol.
The atmospheric video with its bleak and brutal prison blues ethos captures the raw, unadulterated elements of the band’s music, a frisson of danger and moral turpitude:
Possibly one of the most exciting bands around at the moment, ‘Doesn’t Matter’ is out now and available to download and stream here.
Produced by rising London producer Finn Billingham, mixed by GRAMMY-winning engineer Philippe Weiss (Earl Sweatshirt, Nas, Drake) and mastered by Blur and Depeche Mode producer Ben Hillier, ‘Accelerator’ pulls effortlessly from the gamut of indie rock history, from shoegaze and dream-pop to new wave, slowcore, jangle pop, slacker rock, art pop and beyond.
The announcement of their second EP – available to pre-save here – comes right as the band prepare to kick off their headline Australian tour. Presented by Frontier Touring, the run sees HighSchool playing two dates, including a stop at The Night Cat (Saturday, March 2) in their hometown of Melbourne, as well as a long-awaited debut headline Sydney show at The Lansdowne (Thursday, February 29). Following that, the duo will then jet off for a headline tour of Japan, followed by their appearance at SXSW Austin 2024 and a further USA tour supporting Provoker.
Tickets and links here.
UPCOMING HIGHSCHOOL TOUR DATES
AUSTRALIA
February 29 | The Lansdowne – Eora/Sydney | Tickets
March 2 | The Night Cat – Naarm/Melbourne | Tickets
JAPAN
March 6 | Conpass – Osaka
March 7 | Wall And Wall – Tokyo
March 8 | Shimokitazawa Three – Tokyo
USA
March 10 | Drkmttr – Nashville, TN *
March 14 | Sounds Australia [SXSW] – Austin, TX
March 15 | Clash Magazine Showcase [SXSW] – Austin, TX
March 16 | White Oak – Houston, TX *
March 19 | Rebel Lounge – Phoenix, AZ *
March 20 | Eagle Aerie Hall – Las Vegas, NV *
March 21 | Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA *
March 22 | Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA *
March 24 | Barboza – Seattle, WA +
March 25 | The Spanish Ballroom – Tacoma, WA +
March 27 | Polaris Hall – Portland, OR +
March 29 | The Atrium – Santa Cruz, CA +
March 30 | Harlow’s – Sacramento, CA +
April 1 | The Independent – San Francisco, CA +
- Supporting Provoker
- Supporting zzzahara
UK/ EUROPE
April 28 | Covo Club – Bologna, ITA
April 29 | Bellaezza – Milan, ITA
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