Riding high on the momentum of their U.S. debut single “Just Exist,” Australian Indie Rock sensations Eliza & The Delusionals are ready to dish out more of their infectious sound with A State Of Living In An Objective Reality. Cooking Vinyl delivers the EP on Friday, March 20th, 2020.
Formed roughly five years ago on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, Eliza & The Delusionals take their name from their colorful frontwoman, Eliza Klatt. With the release of their 2017 debut EP, The Deeper End, the band began to spread their brand of Indie Rock across Australia and beyond, hitting the road to share stages with the likes of Luca Brasi, Ali Barter, City Calm Down, Nothing But Thieves, and more. Touring allowed the Aussies to finesse themselves into a tightly-wound unit, one that has drawn the attention of international media and fans alike.
Now, the results of all that experience and growth are available for the world to hear on A State of Living In An Objective Reality. Produced by The Belligerents’ Konstantin Kersting (Tones And I, Mallrat), the 5-song EP sees Eliza & The Delusionals—Singer/Guitarist Klatt, Guitarists Kurt Skuse and Ashley “Tex” Martin, and Bassist Ruby Lee—offering the world an impressive peek into their special brand of radio-ready, hook-laden Indie Rock with delightful Pop sensibilities.
A State Of Living In An Objective Reality splashes into being with the gossamer earworm “Swimming Pool.” Perfect for summer, the song places the spotlight onto Skuse and Martin’s guitars as Klatt croons about diving hair over ankles and taking a risk. Next, they present a universally relatable lament, the superbly infectious “Pull Apart Heart,” an ironically upbeat look at the tears we shed when love doesn’t go our way. Part somber look at heartbreak and part exploration of mental health, the song stands as a flawless representation of the EP as a whole: beautiful in the eardrums, bittersweet in the heart.
Then there’s their hit single “Just Exist,” whose twinkling guitars shed light upon the push and pull of depression and the creative process. Passionately, Eliza and her cohorts explore the desire to move beyond the sadness and yet hold onto the inspiration that it brings; the frustration of battling that thing you hate that delivers that which you love most. It’s appropriately conflicted, bittersweet, and a stellar representation of a band who are more than willing to share their feelings openly in the name of the songwriting process. In fact, it’s no doubt that it is the track’s relatability that has led to high rotation on SiriusXM’s Alt Nation, where it has been voted Number 1 on the Weekly ALT18 countdown and has remained within the Top 10 for over a month.
For those that revel in funky nostalgia, “ALIVE” has you covered. Here, Klatt’s candied but razor-sharp vocals build into soaring choruses that confess her inner-monologue and the desire to feel—alive and not alone. She continues with these visceral reflections on the aptly-titled album closer, “Feel It All (And Nothing),” a track that finds its bedrock in steady, low-key guitar riffs. As they close out a stellar but all too short collection, it’s fair to say that there’s something about Eliza & The Delusionals that sits between 1990s Alternative Rock and 2000s Dream Pop, with modern Pop sensibilities and a dash of ‘70s Guitar Rock tossed into that mix.
Commercial success or not, it would be impossible to deny that Klatt and her comrades have managed to craft an EP that hits heavy on topics that sit at the epicenter of mental health—from the risks taken to find love to the black pall that can inspire some of our greatest artistic moments. All of this is anchored by a sound that captures the somber beauty of bands like Mazzy Star, nostalgic guitar riffs, and wonderfully modern Pop sensibilities. The end result is catchy yet incredibly open, a sophisticated look at all the facets of what makes our hearts tick—or, at the very least, what makes and breaks Klatt. For this, Cryptic Rock gives A State of Living In An Objective Reality 5 of 5 stars.
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