Premiere: Meet Loiter, who make their mark with new single, It's Not Me, It's You

Header image by Samantha Kiley.

Brisbane-based outfit Loiter are an act worth catching up to speed on, if you aren't across them already. The six-piece band pluck members from all over the country and beyond - Brisbane, Newcastle, even the UK - to create a striking blend of alt-rock and pop-punk that capture the versatility of their influences and how they're able to condense it down into one precise sound, something they've been attempting to dissect and show throughout their last few years worth of material.

Initially, they made an entrance with their 2019-released debut single Oceans, which took on a grungier-like sound amongst a hot bed of indie-rock and pop-punk guitars. Then, with their three-track debut EP Alternative Sidekick, they built upon these foundations and twisted their work into each and every direction, exploring different facets of their sound even within the restrictions of a relatively short, three-track release.

With their late-2020-returning single In This Town, Loiter showed how they've evolved and furthered themselves since their debut EP, and with their newly-minted single It's Not Me, It's You premiering today, they're showcasing that again; etching towards their breakthrough moment with a charming mix of punchy guitar, hook-ready vocals, and pace-keeping percussion. It's Not Me, It's You sits amongst the more collected side of their work thus far, with Amber Hudson taking the lead position as she gives Loiter a more emotional and intimate edge - something that really shows on It's Not Me, It's You.

"I wrote the lyrics when I was dating someone that didn't want to commit, but wouldn't let me go. At the time I was trying to play it cool, even though there were so many red flags and I had questions," she says on the single. "The song is about the uncertainty of modern dating, which I think everyone can relate to on some level. The lyrics are about not knowing where you stand with someone and being too afraid of having hard conversations until you've had some liquid courage. It's also about how dating a narcissist can make you question your reality to the point where you find yourself apologising all the time.

"I wanted to keep the song fun and playful, because I don't believe in holding on to anger and the experience helped me write something I'm really proud of."

It's Not Me, It's You definitely ticks the fun and playful checkbox, but does so in a way that really showcases Loiter's building versatility, and how they're always capable of blending new mannerisms into their work as they evolve. Take a dive into the single below as it premieres on Pilerats ahead of its official release on April 8th, and stay tuned for more to come. Oh, and if you like what you're hearing, further introduce yourself to the group underneath:

Tell us about yourself?

I was lucky enough to grow up around a lot of music, so it's always been a passion of mine. Before Loiter I'd never really played in a band, but after going through a hard breakup I decided I wanted to channel my energy into something creative (instead of crying into a bag of Maltesers). Safe to say I'm pretty happy with my decision!

What’s your music like? What does it sound like? What kind of themes does it usually cover?

I would say it's a mashup of The Wombats, WAAX, Ball Park Music, Slowly Slowly, Smith Street Band and Teenage Joans just off the top of my head. It has a happy sound through our arrangements while our lyrics are driven by events in our lives whether it traumatic, happy moments or just memories we want to explore. A couple of the guys in the band have recently been engaged which brought in some lyrics of love while some songs like Underwater Blues tackle what cancer can bring into a relationship. We try to balance it out as we write, record and release.

What are your production and writing processes usually like?

I'm definitely an emotional writer. I tend to keep things to myself and use music as my way of expressing and processing my feelings.

Can you tell us a bit about this new single, It’s Not Me It’s You?

I wrote the lyrics when I was dating someone that didn't want to commit, but wouldn't let me go. At the time I was trying to play it cool, even though there were so many red flags and I had questions. The song is about the uncertainty of modern dating, which I think everyone can relate to on some level. The lyrics are about not knowing where you stand with someone and being too afraid of having hard conversations until you've had some liquid courage. It's also about how dating a narcissist can make you question your reality to the point where you find yourself apologising all the time. I wanted to keep the song fun and playful because I don't believe in holding on to anger and the experience helped me write something I'm really proud of.

What does Loiter have planned for 2021?

We started 2021 by adding a new member. Her name is Evie Cowen and she is an incredible cellist and singer which has allowed us to add extra layers in how we write. This meant we have been back into writing and are very eager to get back into recording and hope to release a song or two before the year ends. We also have Best Served Loud Mini festival which is very exciting to be apart of on the 30 April at Greaser Bar.

What do you want people to take away from your work?

That life's too short to hold onto anger, when you can just use your experiences to write banging tunes instead.

Where can we find more of your music?

Check us out for your commute to work, stroll in the park or in your worst pair of earbuds at either our SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Apple Music, Spotify or our Triple J Unearthed page here. 

Follow Loiter: FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM