‘landline’ explores the emotional weight of coming out
Rapidly rising indie outfit FVNERAL have announced their forthcoming EP chosen family, arriving June 26.
It comes alongside the release of a deeply personal new single ‘landline’ featuring Melbourne emo favourites Bukowski.
Described by member Ash McGregor as a “queer supergroup,” FVNERAL brings together trans non-binary songwriter and producer Tay Blunt, whose wider production work spans acts including Stand Atlantic and Birds of Tokyo, alongside Madeleine Powers (RAGEFLOWER) and Ben Siva (jnr.).
If previous singles hinted at the emotional scope of the project, ‘landline’ cuts directly to its centre.
Built around swelling indie-rock tension and cathartic emo release. The track explores the fear, uncertainty and fragile optimism surrounding Tay Blunt’s experience coming out as trans non-binary.
“‘landline’ chronicles the inner turmoil that I experienced in wrestling with the idea of coming out,” Blunt explains. “It also describes the brief moments of optimism where I imagined what life could be like if I ever found the courage to come out.”
A palpable emotional urgency runs through the track, particularly as it crashes into its bridge. A moment Blunt says was always intended to release the song’s accumulated anxiety and tension. Bringing in Bukowski only intensified that feeling.
“As someone who grew up on emo music, having Bukowski bring the song to life with us definitely does something sweet, if not healing, to my inner child,” Blunt says.
More broadly, chosen family positions itself as a project rooted in vulnerability, identity and survival.
Despite how new the band is, FVNERAL have already built significant momentum, earning support from triple j, Rolling Stone, MTV and more.
With chosen family, FVNERAL aren’t simply making emotionally charged indie rock. They’re creating space for people who have spent much of their lives feeling outside of it.
chosen family track listing
1. hate u
2. landline (feat. Bukowski)
3. friendly fire (feat. Ben Lee)
4. rosie (feat. Late November)
5. front door
Stream ‘landline’ here.
