Ha the Unclear have announced their first new material since 2024, 'Cumberland St (Astigmatic)'. It's the first single from the group's forthcoming EP, Astigmatic! – due out 16 October.
Of the track, vocalist Michael Cathro says:
The song came from living in Dunedin after being away for a long time – Cumberland Street is this stretch of State Highway 1 going through the city, past the hospital and the university with heaps of traffic lights. The way the phasing is set up, you can get all greens, but your timing has to be very particular.
So, it started off being about these small joys. And I wanted to pair this with a very early memory of pointing out stars to my parents on a Dunedin evening, not realising they were just streetlights on the opposite hill – which became the chorus.
Recorded with producer Tom Healy at his Auckland studio, 'Cumberland St (Astigmatic)' is the band's first new material since they released their amalgam album A Kingdom in a Cul-de-Sac in 2024 on Think Zik!/Virgin. This resulted in the band playing their debut European headline show, which saw them warmly received by French press and radio, including FIP – which described the record as a kaleidoscopic and surreal pop journey.
Since forming in 2014, Ha the Unclear have built a loyal following internationally and in Aotearoa, broken into the Top 10 on the NZ Albums Chart, been longlisted twice for the APRA Silver Scroll, and have supported The Shins and toured with Courtney Barnett and The Dandy Warhols.
After showcasing at MaMA Festival and signing to a Paris-based imprint, the band made their European debut in 2024 with a headline Paris show at Supersonic, plus dates supporting Lime Garden (Paris) and Feldup (Nantes). A Kingdom in a Cul-de-Sac was praised by Le Figaro, Libération, Télérama, Rock & Folk and Rolling Stone France, with rotation on France Inter, FIP and Europe 2.
The Astigmatic! EP will be followed by a full LP in 2027.
Tracklist:
1. Cumberland Street (Astigmatic)
2. The Cold
3. Underground
4. The Good Times Always End In Tears
5. Earth Grazer
Astigmatic! is available to pre-order via Bandcamp
PRAISE FROM MEDIA:
Spontaneous, electrifying and kind. – Rolling Stone France
Never encumbered by any pretence. – Le Figaro
Hook-laden, vocally rich. – Rolling Stone AU/NZ
Cheerfully oblivious but secretly smart – Radio New Zealand
Infectious pop music with lyrics that are as quirky as they are heartfelt. Irresistible. – François Gorin (Télérama) (Translated from French)
Astigmatic! Tour
6 November – Crown Hotel – Ōtepoti / Dunedin
13 November – Whammy – Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland
14 November – Space Academy – Ōtautahi / Christchurch
4 December – Meow – Pōneke / Wellington
