It’s Acrylic Leans Into Catharsis On New Single, ‘Blossom’
“I definitely want my audience to feel like I'm crying the tears they can't.”
It's Acrylic (Supplied)
Brisbane-based “sad" alt-rockers, It’s Acrylic, have decided to lean into catharsis, releasing their new single, Blossom, today (December 12).
Speaking to The Music ahead of its release, frontman Tay Michael explained that Blossom came out of a shared troubled childhood.
“I wrote it about, like, the mutual experience of growing up in a poor, dysfunctional, icky childhood with somebody who I fell in love with. And it's really about seeing her sort of overcome aspects of it, and aspects of it become a part of her. It's drawing a little bit of inspiration from her, but also being a little bit bitter and jealous, because she sort of pulled through a little bit better than I did, I guess,” he said.
Though touching on some sombre topics, the ultimate message of the track is that of resilience and growth.
“All you really need to change is your perspective. Like you can't undo things that have happened to you, but you can forgive and embrace them. It's not undone, but if you can be critical with yourself, you can identify your own cognitive biases and dissonances. You can embrace aspects of that, and you can forgive aspects of that. You can survive, and you can heal a little bit.”
Writing the track itself also felt like a healing process for Michael, who uses his music to work through his feelings.
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“I think that the reason I make music definitely is catharsis, you know? When we perform it, and when I listen to it, it's valuable for me to remember the transformation; to have seen the before and see the after, and know that, even if you're never not un-fucked-up, I guess it's possible to improve.”
The “cathartic” theme plays throughout It’s Acrylic's upcoming album, Some Kind Of Butterfly, which is slated for release in May next year. Taking a narrative approach, the LP will explore different experiences and challenges from the band’s lives - and how they’ve grown through that.
Sonically, Michael describes It’s Acrylic’s music as “The Smith Street Band covering a Phoebe Bridgers song”, with heavy influences from Brisbane icons like Violent Soho, WAAX, and DZ Deathrays: “That sort of weird Australian punk stuff definitely had its grip on us in a formative way.”
To celebrate the release of Blossom, It’s Acrylic will be headlining a gig at The Brightside on December 21, with Lottie McLeod and Happy Valley supporting.
“I'm honestly, really, really excited. It's the first gig that we've played in maybe six months, because we've all just been doing the album, and it's the first headline show we've played in several years. And, The Brightside is the first venue that we ever played, so it's definitely like a really nostalgic favorite for us.”
And, according to Michael, It’s Acrylic’s music is best experienced live - so this isn’t one to miss.
“I definitely want my audience to feel like I'm crying the tears they can't - like catharting for them. I can get so angry on stage. I can get so sad. At least one of us will cry every gig, like 100%. We really lose ourselves in the music.”
It’s Acrylic’s new single, ‘Blossom’, is out now. Tickets for their release party - set at The Brightside on December 21 at 7pm - are on sale now. Find tickets and more information here.
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
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