Now ensconced in Naarm/Melbourne, former Meanjin/Brisbane dream pop maestro Rinse (the nom de plume of multi-instrumentalist and producer Joe Agius) has just announced his signing to Cohort Records (home of the marvellous Juice Webster) and celebrated with the release of another shimmering gem ‘Stranger’, with Los Angeles-based producer and songwriter Caroline Loveglow.
Of course, Rinse’s 2021 EP ‘Wherever I Am’ remains one of my most favourite releases of the past decade and Agius has also been part of dream pop royalty Hatchie‘s glorious world. ‘Stranger’ moves Rinse a little way back to a heady dream pop world after more recent releases exhibited a more electronic techno genre.
Agius says of the collaboration with Loveglow:
I’ve been such a huge fan of her music ever since. I always felt like there was something major missing from the song which I couldn’t put my finger on and when she sent through that layered vocal choir bit and I added it into the intro and choruses, it just felt finally complete.
‘Stranger’ has the sort of shoegaze warble and dreamy atmosphere that harkens back to his 2021 material: anthemic and majestic with a glorious shimmer that moves and folds like a desert mirage. Agius’s vocals are muffled and melancholic until the chorus kicks in like a ray of sunshine glittering in the ether. In Rinse’s ubiquitous style, it is anthemic and cinematic, adding his electronic gold-plated filigree to the mix.
‘Stranger’ is out now and available to stream and download here and through the link below:
Rinse will be playing a few gigs to launch the single:
Thur 21 Mar – The Lansdowne – Eora/Sydney
Sat 6 Apr – Lulie Tavern – Naarm/Melbourne
More details and tickets available here.
Feature Photograph: Joey Clough
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