New Zealand’s indie sludge-pop rockers Soaked Oats are on a high. After a massively successful summer tour of Australia and New Zealand and, having just returned from their UK tour, the band released today their much-anticipated EP Sludge Pop - both digitally and on limited edition 10″ multi-coloured vinyl via Dot Dash / Rhythmethod.
Soaked Oats also reveal today their most ambitious music video to date for release-day focus track, 'Don't Chew'. Of the song itself, lyricist Oscar Mein shares "Inspired by the line from Cormac McCarthy’s ‘All the Pretty Horses’ - “my daddy used to tell me not to chew on something that was eatin’ you.” A song intended as the exhale of the EP; digestion of what has been and a reminder never to get too caught up in thought cycles, especially when they become detrimental. “Spit it out and let it breathe a little while”."
The video was shot and directed whilst on their recent 20-date tour of the U.S. by friend and noted video creative, Jake Munro (Avantdale Bowling Club, Yukon Era, Marlin's Dreaming). Munro joined the band for a stretch of the epic journey on the 1980's R.V., Driftwood. to capture all of the footage.
Sludge Pop was recorded in part in Dunedin by Tom Bell at the iconic Chicks Hotel in Port Chalmers as well as with Patrick Hill at Roundhead Studios in Auckland. Production of the EP took place in Auckland at Paquin Studios (The Lab) by Tom Healy (Tiny Ruins, Miss June, Finn Andrews) and Soaked Oats.
To celebrate the release of Sludge Pop, Soaked Oats will be playing both Australian and New Zealand tours. Dates for these shows below.
Attention on Soaked Oats has been building at an ever-increasing rate since their inception two year's ago in Dunedin, New Zealand catapulted by their infectious and joyful shows and fast evolving songwriting chops. Latest cover stars of the much loved NZ Musician Magazine, the band's latest single 'Coming Up' was discovered by New Zealand's recent visitor Sharon Van Etten. The indie rock icon shared the music of Soaked Oats to her 90 thousand plus fans last week. Oscar Mein also had the opportunity to swap notes with one of his favourite artists, Kevin Morby, as published by thespinoff.co.nz and Radio NZ this week.
“If you said they sounded like Mac DeMarco cruising around
the South Island and playing loose pop in the back
of a Britz camper you wouldn't be far off.” - Vice Noisey
"There’s something infectious about their sound;
it’s happy, it’s relaxed and a little bit cheeky.” - Pilerats
“Bold colours and dancing beats cut nicely through the
grizzly cold of the NZ winter, warming the bones with
relevant words and pop/rock’n’roll rhythms." - NZ Musician