Luluc, pronounced “Lu-Luke”, caught the attention of my ears a couple of weeks ago when I heard their track Without A Face spinning on some radio station. The female vocals grabbed me first, with a broodiness that I hadn’t before heard combined with such an obvious Australian accent.
Without A Face no more are Luluc, who are proof that hard work and patience pay off. Their first release in 6 years, Passerby, is out July 11.
Luluc are Zoë Randell and Steve Hassett, two Melbourne natives who now reside in Brooklyn. Without A Face is their first release since 2008, but the relatively large musical break goes unnoticed. Luluc’s debut album, Dear Hamlyn, was released six years ago. It’s a collection of 11 tracks that are all appropriately dark and depressing – they truly soundtrack a Melbourne winter – conjuring up images of empty, unmade beds, cooling cups of tea and desolate, rain smudged suburban streets.
Without A Face is our first taste of the duo’s forthcoming album Passerby, due for release of July 11. Its peppier than it’s precursor, and although still unplugged, soft and intimate, it’s got an optimistic flair that marks an obvious divide between the two releases.
Passerby was produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, along with members of Bon Iver, Beirut and Sufjan Stevens. If that musical combination doesn’t hint at the sort of flavour you can except from Luluc, I don’t know what will.
Luluc opened for The National at their sold-out Opera House performances earlier this year, which would have been quite the baptism of fire for a band that hadn’t played a show in three years. The risk was a success. They absolutely killed it, winning over a whole new demographic of fans along the way. Proving that good things come to those who wait (6 years), I can’t wait to hear more from these two.
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