Australian band Coldwave has dropped their first single of 2024, “The Ants,” featuring the B-side “Italia ’06,” via P.A.K. Records. Both tracks were produced and recorded by Bonnie Knight (2024 AIR Independent Producer of the Year) and mixed by James Trevascus.
‘The Ants’ is a frenetic yet controlled blend of jagged guitars, booming horns, and uncompromising vocals. The song captures the abstract in life’s mundane moments, reminiscent of an emo-tinged prequel to their 2021 single ‘Plagiarise.’ Vocalist Harrison Evans shares, “It’s built around reminiscing on childhood and is a bit of a soul-searching expedition around the realization that you’re one of many.”
‘Italia ’06,’ on the other hand, is a more narrative-driven song. It opens with negative space and spoken word before exploding into a sonic onslaught. The track references the classic “Aussie battler” trope through the lens of a controversial penalty awarded to Italy during the 2006 World Cup, a moment that many Australians consider a turning point.
Following the release of their debut EP Same Window, Different House in 2023, Coldwave quickly gained recognition. Named a triple j Unearthed Feature Artist, they performed at Laneway Festival alongside acclaimed acts like Turnstile and Fontaines D.C. Their highly anticipated debut at Bigsound 2023 also made waves, with triple j’s Dave Ruby Howe praising the band for “delivering heavily to a big room” and noting their “intense noodling, rumbling rhythm section, and demonic trumpet.”
Coldwave Tour Dates
- Fri 11 Oct – The Workers Club – Naarm/Melbourne – w/ Tongue Dissolver + Ella Ion
- Sun 13 Oct – North Gong Hotel Dharawal/Wollongong – w/ The Lonesomes + Courtney Bus + Stirr
- Fri 25 Oct – Jive – Tarndanya/Adelaide – w/ Swapmeet + The Munch
+ Showcasing at SXSW Sydney (14-20 Oct)