EXCLUSIVE: Sydney Band AMARNA Put Out Debut Single ‘Routine’

This post is part 1 of 4 in the series:
AMARNA

I think we can all relate to the feeling of being stuck in a rut. But local Sydney band AMARNA makes it sound so fun!

The boys put out their first-ever single, a feel-good Aussie surf-rock track called ‘Routine’ last Friday. It’s available on all streaming platforms, so do yourself a favour; jump on your favourite platform and chuck it on repeat!

In fact, give it a listen right now while I talk you through the reasons it’s an absolute banger in the making.

Spotify: Routine – AMARNA

First and foremost, all songs that start with a count-in are fantastic. Think Hey Ya by Outcast. Once you hear that ‘1,2,3,4!’, you just know you’re about to boogie. This song is no exception.

The first verse gives solid Ocean Alley/Pacific Avenue vibes. It’s dreamy, beachy, and Vocalist and Guitarist James Robson’s vocals are smooth and familiar in the best way. The lyrics do a great job of describing the feeling of waking up after a big night, which I think we can all relate to.

The main guitar riff is laced with comfort, like you’re sitting around the fire with your closest mates as the party dies down. The band says that even though the song is heavily influenced by Aussie surf rock, the chords are inspired by Jazz & RnB, which blends better than you might expect and gives it that great laid-back feel.

I haven’t been to a festival since September of 2019, but the first time I heard this song, it instantly sent me back to the atmospheric enthusiasm of a mosh on a stinking hot day. I can just imagine a sweaty crowd full of festival-goers shouting the chorus’s words back at the band. At the end of the bridge, the boys sing “CATCH UP WITH MOLLY AND JD”, and you can’t tell me that wouldn’t go off at a festival.

As the song goes on, the beats from Drummer Alex Berger get more and more addictive, especially in the last half of the song. This is the first song these guys have had the chance to record, and James says it was a great learning experience.

The vocal layers really pack the song full of that fun sound I love from this track. There’s this groovy bass work by their bassist Tom Dibdin that we don’t hear enough of in your everyday Aussie indie rock that comes through in the instrumental bridge. In combination with the light guitar and followed by those few fast drum beats and some stripped-back slowed down vocals, that bass is my favourite part of this whole track. The flow of this song is incredible; the last chorus is addictive; I could listen to it for hours (I HAVE listened to it for hours).

Last but certainly not least, that beautiful vocal layering we hear at the very end of the song leaves you with one last hit of this catchy, laid back tune. And I love that clean, sweet ending note. Every time you think the boys have chucked in everything that makes a song like this make our brains tick and our heads bob, they prove us wrong and somehow, it gets better. They made this excellent summer sound without having it feel forced or congested. It’s so chill, but if you really listen to what they’ve done with this track, it’s unbelievably impressive, especially for a first single. I can’t wait to hear this live someday.

If you can’t wait to see, these guys live either, good news! They’re playing a show at MoshPit in Erskineville on the 19th of June, alongside Pace Randolph and Pastuzo. You can grab tickets here. If you miss that one, they’re also on the Sunday Setlist to be performing at The Factory Theatre on the 20th of June 2021. You can score a ticket for that here.

Check out their Facebook page here and their Instagram here, and stay tuned for the undoubtedly awesome music to come.