IVY have returned, nearly a year later, after their glorious nine-track album Hush. This time, the Dunedin band have offered up Gutter, a haunting, full-throated release that fuses expansive production with glorious falsetto vocals.
Glorious guitars, spearheaded by Jesse Hanan and James Axton, paired with freewheeling bass riffs from Connor Cooper and strings from Louis Stevenson, meet drums from Ocean Temple Wilson. Jesse Hanan’s vocals are glorious and controlled, radiating emotive clarity, putting this band’s songwriting far beyond their years. Having met in high school back in 2020, this five-piece discuss the release firsthand.
“Gutter is about the general disappointment in the state of the world, the frustration felt toward our current political landscape, both nationally and internationally. Gutter takes the perspective of the ordinary soldier (not associated with any specific country), who slowly discovers that what they once fought for was either a lie or ultimately in vain. The soldier serves as an analogy for the constant narratives given to the general population about how we should behave, from what we should eat and wear to the social norms we follow and the routines we devote ourselves to, all while the rest of the world struggles to sustain itself. It is, simply, a trade off: local stability in exchange for global and environmental instability.”
The single arrives as the band continues their relentless momentum, having sold over 15,000 tickets and performed at Southern Sounds, UCSA Orientation, and Going Global, to name a few. Now, they head out to Australia for a five-date tour in October.
- 15 October — Frankston, VIC, Pelly Bar*
- 16 October — Torquay, VIC, Torquay Hotel*
- 17 October — Melbourne, venue TBC
- 17 October — Sydney, venue TBC
- 24 October — Wollongong University, NSW*
*Supporting Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers
