ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Paint

For fans of Soccer Mommy, Horse Jumper of Love, and Slow Pulp.

My last visit to the west coast felt like a (fever) dream. I was mid-tour, sleep-deprived, and halfway through watching Parasite (2019) on the flight over. When we landed, our mates generously offered up the big rehearsal space beneath their sharehouse for us to rest. With some sleep finally banked, we even had time for a swim at the beach before the show.

The share houses here were considerably bigger than the workers' cottages of Red Hill/Kelvin Grove that I was used to, the ocean never felt too far away. It was hot, but not in a disruptive way like how some of our summers back home can feel. I got a sense for how WA was consistently producing incredible artists and bands.

The latest act from WA to catch my ear is Paint, a four-piece from Fremantle that blends the best of Jangle Pop, Grunge, Bedroom Rock, and Shoegaze.

Tracks like ‘Field Trip’, ‘Your Friend’, and ‘I Don’t Mind’ have melodies that linger in the back of your mind all day, while the wall-of-noise guitars in ‘Driving To Sloane’s’, ‘Gift Shop’, and ‘Sometimes’ could rival any band from this country’s guitar capital (Brisbane, of course).

A must-listen for fans of Soccer Mommy, Horse Jumper of Love, and Slow Pulp. There are touches of that dog., Pavement, and even Blink-182 in their songwriting, layered with textures and tones you'd expect from shoegaze heavyweights like My Bloody Valentine or The Jesus and Mary Chain. They’ve got an impressive resume having shared stages with acts like Narrow Head and Fleshwater.

Their latest EP Gift Shop has been on repeat at Somersault HQ. Our favourite tracks? The title track Gift Shop, Dial Tone, and Puzzle. If you haven’t already, get some Paint in your ears and thank us later.

Listen to Paint below and check them out on Instagram.