CRUSH Return With 'Abstract Oils / Barcelona' + Video

Early in 2020, during the twilight hours of an otherwise uneventful Sunday, the sky turned a lurid shade of orange with the air carrying greater qualities of smoke than a West Auckland shed party. The sun grew so dim you’d be convinced it was barely a spark from a Bic lighter, blotted out by a thick blanket of smog which had drifted trans-Tasman from the bushfires raging in Australia. Given the extremely low light and poor visibility, I didn’t even think it was a good idea to drive that day let alone film a music video. However, that is exactly what dream-pop sensations CRUSH and co-director Martin Sagadin decided to do, setting their haunting, dub-infused new single 'Abstract Oils' to the backdrop of weather conditions fit to hail in an apocalypse.

CRUSH, if you haven’t yet crossed paths with them, is something of a "supergroup". Comprised of Richard Larsen and Bevan Smith from Ōtautahi's Glass Vaults, Charlotte Forrester of Pōneke sibling ensemble Womb and Cory Champion (Borrowed cs), the band serve lush, ethereal melodies with rich textural depth. The ghostly vocal harmonies of 'Abstract Oils' weave between each other, wistfully pulling the listeners attention between acoustic elements as they arrive and depart from the mix. It’s engaging listening which floats breezily from movement to movement — not unlike the several thousand square kilometres of bushfire smoke that showed up just in time to shoot one of the most beautiful music videos you’ll see this year.

‘Abstract Oils’ is released alongside a bittersweet, lo-fi tearjerker entitled ‘Barcelona’ — a catchy crooner punctuated by punchy, phase-washed bass and chirpy synths. These tracks have been pressed to a 7-inch lathe cut polycarbonate record, released through Melted Ice Cream that you can order HERE. As a final treat, the audiophiles amongst you will be ecstatic to learn that Side B of the 7" consists of mono mixes of the tracks. Hit play on CRUSH's clip for 'Abstract Oils'...

'Abstract Oils / Barcelona' is out now on major streaming services — order your 7-inch lathe cut polycarbonate record edition HERE.