Premiere: Buttercats continue their breakthrough year with It's Ok (Fall Apart)

One of our favourite discoveries from the start of this year came in the form of Buttercats, a Brisbane-based ensemble specialising in this blend of rich disco and subtle R&B / soul that at the time, was being showcased on their second single Thunderstruck. Thankfully not an AC/DC cover, it was instead a decadent blend of electronic-meets-soul that was drenched in this 90s-esque nostalgia, grappling with this stripped-back funk/disco production that moved perfectly alongside this swelling R&B sound with ease, drawing comparisons to the likes of Kaytranada and Tom Misch as they went.

"We are a mix of all the funky, soulful things," they said, introducing themselves with the single earlier this year. "We take inspiration from bands like Daft Punk, Rhye, Khruangbin, as well as a lot of old school soul and disco from the 70s and 80s. The sole purpose of our music is to do what soul and disco do - let you lose yourself for a little while and get lost in the smooth times."

Despite not having the chance to maybe showcase their live show as much as they would've liked in the time since, they haven't exactly slown down either. Thunderstruck proved a blossoming success that elevated them amongst the Brisbane electronic space, and back in August they teamed up with Ngaiire - one of Australia's best, full-stop - to cover How Deep Is Your Love? - and what a brilliant, damn impressive moment that was.

Now, we're stoked to premiere their second major single of the year in It's Okay (Fall Apart), a song that makes it two for two in 2020 and further elevates Buttercats as an act you should be keeping an eye on in the year ahead. It's butter-y smooth, diving more-so into the R&B influences that define their work as they come together for a quite therapeutic return; "it's okay to fall apart" they sing with an almost family-like comfort that really takes you away from the moment and assures you in a time of need.

The more disco-tuned sounds of their past are reduced to a shading this time around, sitting within a more organic instrumental vibe as they bridge their electronic tones with sounds that feel more aligned with the indie-pop world, more than anything. As a result, a lot more of the focus is on these swirling, comforting vocals, and that's something we can't exactly complain about, given that it's where the single's peak lies and how in a time like now, these words no doubt mean a lot to some people out there.

"It's Ok (Fall Apart) is dedicated to Mama Watkin, who we've seen go through some difficult things this past year," the group say on the single. "She’s used to putting on a brave face to keep us from seeing the pain, but it's in expressing our hurt rather than burying it that we become stronger than ever. This song is about being there to catch the ones you love, and trusting the ones around you when you need to fall apart."

It's a brilliantly touching piece perfect for the current day, and you can take a dive into it below as it premieres on Pilerats ahead of its official release this Friday, September 25th:

Follow Buttercats: FACEBOOK