If you’ve had your finger on the pulse of the Naarm/Melbourne music scene in recent years, then the arrival of Casuarina, the debut EP from the genre-shifting outfit Intermood would have a day you’ve been counting down to.

Having made their official recorded debut back in 2023, Intermood retained an air of mystique about them until the release of November’s gorgeous Hypnagogic. Now, following the release of the title track last month, the band have today shared their debut four-track release by way of the Casuarina EP.

An instrumental release that straddles the line between dream odyssey and mystical club raves, there’s something intensely alluring about the music that Intermood make. While their work has been described as “dystopian waiting room music,” it can be easy to listen to, but far removed from the ‘easy listening’ genre.

Alongside touches of disco, psychedelia, and jazz, Intermood harness a blissful blend of nostalgia and catharsis, mixing in elements of eerie familiarity with the sort of progressive nature of a seasoned jam band.

Above all, it’s a mesmerising piece of work; one that washes over the listener as each and every part that makes up its whole presents as a truly resonant experience.

As bassist Ollie McIntyre explains, the EP has its foot in the past thanks to its presentation as a culmination of their myriad influences, but still retains the cutting-edge focus that Intermood bring to their work.

“Conceptually, I think this EP was something we always wanted to make, kind of like an homage to everything that’s come before us or is happening right now,” he explains, with guitarist Will Fanning adding; “Casuarina feels like an honest blend of our collective tastes, a deep dive into our live sound and of what we’ve seen work on dancefloors”.

While opener Hypnagogic swirls throughout its exceptional almost-nine-minute runtime, it never once feels as though there’s a wasted moment. As title track Casuarina tends towards the breezy nostalgia of ‘80s yacht rock, the bouncy Bongalow provides the perfect dancefloor anthem as it blends a changing synth line with tropical drums.

EP closer New Krush! feels like an odyssey in and of itself, with its reflective nature tending toward a kaleidoscopic mix of what makes Intermood one of the bands you need to be paying attention to in 2025.

Intermood will launch their EP with a show at Collingwood's Grace Darling Hotel on Saturday, March 15th. Joined by Kuzco, L Lewis, and DJ Gracie Ann, tickets to the event are on sale now.

Intermood’s Casuarina EP is out now.