AC/DC meets Aladdin on ‘Distant Mirage’, the hypnotic new rock single from Sydney four-piece Stitcher.
Stitcher have been swept up by the winds of a barren desert on their mystical sophomore single, ‘Distant Mirage’.
A rock cut with Arabian undertones, ‘Distant Mirage’ sees the Sydney four-piece create a vivid soundscape that feels both classic and wholly original.
Dipping into the Arabian influence, Stitcher open the track with the sounds of windblown sand and guitar melodies seemingly pulled from Aladdin, instantly transporting us to what feels like a vast, sunbaked dune.
This distinct feel is helped along by the vocals of bandmate Annabelle Piper, who delivers mystic-like coos as ‘Distant Mirage’ saunters towards its first verse.
It’s here that Stitcher dip into their classic rock bag, as guided by Miles Agius’ driving bass and the head-thrashing riffs of guitarist Sykes.
Punctuating each moment of the track is Harry Colhoun, whose drums provide a pulsating rhythm as the band switches between sounds.
Stitcher possess a clear knack for the bread and butter of rock — recalling the likes of The Who and AC/DC — but it’s the Arabian flourishes that pull focus.
The hypnotic rhythms and desert-bound melodies bring freshness to the sound, helped in no small part by Piper’s versatile delivery.
She’s able to transition from rock’s grungier vocals to the enchanting harmonies of a soothsayer, and together with the band, takes us to a vivid sonic mirage that feels tangible.
Given its border-crossing sound, it’s no surprise that ‘Distant Mirage’ feels like something of an odyssey.
A feat in storytelling, the track continually builds toward a climax in the form of Sykes’ teeth-baring guitar solo, a moment of catharsis that feels purpose built for a heaving mosh pit.
Stitcher top it all off with some equally evocative lyrics, detailing the pursuit of someone in the harsh conditions and “desert plains.”
“Heat rises, sweat drips down my face,” Piper sings, “it’s been a dirty, messy journey as I quest on this chase.” What all of it amounts to is a track brimming with originality, a feat especially impressive given that it marks the band’s second-ever single.
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Stitcher will celebrate the single with a string of shows across Australia throughout June, with the first performance slated for Sydney’s Metro Theatre on June 14.
From there, the quartet will take to Brisbane’s Tomcat (July 13), and the Yah Yah’s in Melbourne (July 26), before wrapping up the tour at the Tote Hotel in Melbourne on July 27.
Find tickets for the Metro Theatre show here, and scroll down to listen to Stitcher’s new single ‘Distant Mirage’.
