More about: HighSchool

Melbourne newcomers HighSchool have been moving at an alarming speed since their formation last year. Pulling in listeners with their dark sound and visuals, their debut EP has excited tastemakers across the world. Forever At Last arrives 1 November on Dalliance Recordings, with a music video for each track.

Like many of their post-punk contemporaries, there is an obvious influence from the likes of New Order and The Cure throughout the EP, but what stands out is that HighScool are not afraid to go beyond the sonic precedent set by those who came before them. Every element, whether it’s guitar, bass, synth or drums, is used to their greatest advantage. HighSchool are also known for heavily prioritising their visuals, with impressive music videos complementing each of the six tracks on the EP.

EP opener ‘Frosting’ starts off as a fairly standard dark indie-rock song, but it’s quickly elevated to something more with the band’s emphasised use of synth, giving the track an almost orchestral feel and adding depth and dimension to the classic post-punk sound. The same star quality is achieved in ‘New York Paris London’ and the gorgeous synth breakdown in ‘De Facto’.

‘De Facto’ is a delightfully gothic highlight of the album, reminiscent of The Cure’s Seventeen Seconds and more recent darkwave sounds from the likes of The Birthday Massacre. To top it off, a lot of the accompanying video was filmed in an old church, adding to the eerie vibe that creeps throughout the song.

‘Forever At Last’ brings us HighSchool at their most intimate and reflective. And if you’ve ever spent the evening with your friends getting ready for a goth night out, you’ll find this documentary-style music video their most touching. A change from their more horror-influenced videos, ‘Forever At Last’ exudes pure warmth.

An intriguing contrast arrives in the form of ‘Sirens’: although sonically it’s one of their more upbeat songs with their catchiest chorus, the visuals turn it into something else entirely. Filmed at a decommissioned psychiatric hospital in rural Victoria, there’s a real Southern Gothic horror vibe to the whole experience. With ‘Jerry’ comes more glorious synths and a spooky music video. HighSchool are consistently using these darker elements in their favour, with a visual eye that promises more exciting things to come down the line.

HighSchool have achieved a lot in a short space of time. And they managed to do it all under one of the strictest lockdowns in the world. With a fully-formed debut EP that’s already turning heads, it’s safe to say that HighSchool have a bright future ahead of them, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.

Forever At Last EP arrives 1 November via Dalliance Recordings.

More about: HighSchool