Premiere: The Transits Drop New Album and Video for ‘Heartbreak Queen’

The Breakdown

The Transits' self-titled album offers a fun fusion, artfully blending the raw, unapologetic energy of pop-punk with the pulsating, neon-lit, synth-heavy rhythms of 80s dance floors.

– 8.5

The Transits first emerged as a teenage band in South Africa 30 years ago. These days, however the trio are spread between the contrasting landscapes of New Zealand and Durban, embodying the fluidity of our globalized world. The band is made up of Ryan Lunn (vocals, guitars, synths), Dom Antelme (vocals, bass) and Tyrone Smith (drums.) The trio were first known as Cabbage and were inspired by guitar-heavy pop outfits like Weezer and The Pixies.

Cabbage lasted only a few years, before adding two members and renaming themselves Manchuri Resin. This band toured heavily, released two albums, achieved four top ten radio hits and became one of Durban’s biggest bands of the 90’s. Manchuria Resin split and Antelme and Smith both emigrated to New Zealand.

Fast forward to 2022 and, the original Cabbage trio began writing and recording together, Lunn contributing his parts in Durban and Antelme and Smith from Auckland. The band released the single, ‘When You Went Away,’ in February 2023 and it went on to achieve chart success on the South African Top 40 and radio playlisting in New Zealand and USA Podcast radio.

The band has just dropped a new, self-titled album as well as a video for the single ‘Heartbreak Queen’. The Transits have said that the album embodies the joy and passion of the band’s reunion, overcoming numerous challenges along the way. As a group split between two countries and experienced in navigating through various musical eras and trends, they have found comfort in their current position. It’s as if they have recaptured the spirit of being 15 years old, but with added wisdom and a lighter touch.

Heartbreak Queen is about reflecting on the rollercoaster of relationships we have to navigate in our youth and how often we put people on pedestals only to realise they are not the person we thought rather and invention of what we wanted them to be.
The Transits

The album kicks off with the lead single, ‘Heartbreak Queen’. The high-octane drums and guitars propel it along, infusing the track with an infectious musical vigour. This is in contrast to the enchanting bridge, which adds an ethereal touch to the track. ‘When You Went Away’ is synth-heavy, but retains a robust pop-punk sensibility, creating a unique sound that resonates. ‘Fall Into Dark’ is a cracker of a song, a bit like dancing on the razor’s edge between the pit of desperation and a glimmer of light waiting at the tunnel’s end.

‘Renegade Heart’ is a sonic powerhouse, blending a fearless, pedal-to-the-metal chorus with a rich tapestry of 80s synth reminiscent of early Depeche Mode. The song strikes a perfect balance, with its heart-thumping chorus and nostalgic synth lines creating a rebellious yet deeply emotive anthem. ‘No Solution’ emerges as a captivating paradox, weaving a dark, gothic synth tapestry in its verses that evokes a sense of brooding introspection, and then, unexpectedly soars into an uplifting, hopeful chorus.

The Transits have cooked up a wild sonic stew in their self-titled album, a fun-fuelled frenzy that smashes together the raw, in-your-face guts of pop-punk with the throbbing, neon-drenched, synth-soaked beats straight out of an 80’s dance hall. It’s like they’ve taken a time machine back to the era of big hair and bigger beats, then mashed it up with the kind of punk attitude that’ll slap you in the face and make you like it.