PREMIERE: Slumberhaze - Neon Demon

Ambitious Sydney crew Slumberhaze will release the final instalment of their Rhyme, Rhythm & Romance EP trilogy a month from today, and The Music is stoked to help start ramping up to the release by premiering new single Neon Demon today.

The breathy, pulsating opening strains of the track give way to purposeful, dramatic, deep instrumentation before its open, movement-inducing refrain takes control of legs and head alike. A variety of influences are at play here — the band lists acts such as David Bowie and OutKast, though here there are more distinct washes of Modest Mouse and Broken Social Scene amid the reverb-flecked, horn-dappled and reflective journey of the song.

According to Slumberhaze, the song's roots lie in "European summer, progressive music for the early 2000s and David Bowie art dance":

"I actually loved a house track by James Holden back in 2003 and when I wrote the intro keyboard melody it really simulated it to an extent, so I continued with the house track vibe. The chorus evolved into a sing-a-long choir for pop value, but we have a B-Side that is pure neon light district material. We will release that later." 

Neon Demon continues the band's penchant for soulful ephemera, with previous releases Run As Fast As You Can, Kids and Nothing But You garnering both acclaim and swift, significant airplay on triple j, Double J, 2SER, FBi, RRR, 4ZZZ and Edge, as well as online via streaming services such as Spotify, no doubt in small part due to its relatable nature.

"It's a throw to the times of when we loved to dance and go to venues to watch music," the band explained of the new single. "The neon demon is that thing inside that calls you to escape your day and week. It was written in Europe last year in summertime and it made me feel free in the same way good music and dance and art does, the main narrative is being trapped and fleeing into neon lights. The common first-world problem."

To celebrate the impending third part of their EP trilogy, Slumberhaze will be setting off for a solid east-coast tour from Wednesday 15 June, when they get under way at Lizotte's, in Newcastle. The run will also include shows in Cronulla (Brass Monkey, 16 June), Sydney (Waywards, 17 June), Wollongong (Rad Bar, 18 June), Brisbane (The Brightside, Friday 24 June), Sunshine Coast (Sol Bar, 25 June), Canberra (Transit Bar, Thursday 30 June), Rye (Baha's, Friday 1 July) and Melbourne (Shebeen, 2 July).

Rhyme, Rhythm & Romance (Part 3) will be released on Friday 10 June. See the band's Facebook page for more.