Melbourne band Human Intrusion have released their first single since 2021, an atmospheric new wave cut titled High Fever.
Human Intrusion have released their latest single High Fever. An exercise in new wave splendour, the single is carried by a relentlessly pulsating rhythm and soaring vocal melodies courtesy of Penny Walker-Keefe.
Pairing spacey guitar strums with the sporadic flair of percussion, High Fever creates an unparalleled sense of atmosphere, helped along by Walker-Keefe’s stirring delivery.
The track opens with the fuzzy, almost surf-rock strings of Human Intrusion bandmate Lewis O’Brien, as Walker-Keefe sings of checking her vital signs.
There’s a vivid quality to the track’s storytelling, with mentions of pierced skin, beating hearts, lips turned blue. Lyrically, Human Intrusion explore topics of being emotionless, searching for moments of real feeling. “I can’t feel my toes,” Walker-Keefe sings, “aching, circulating.”
Equal parts goth-rock and post-punk, High Fever is every bit as frenetic as its title suggests. The major drawcard of the single is Human Intrusion’s seamless combination of both the dark and the light, with a grungy vocal delivery that perfectly juxtaposes the sometimes-shimmering production.
In other spots, the track leans more towards whirring ambience, with the end result feeling like a sonic odyssey through melodic punk.
“This is a personal song,” Human Intrusion said of High Fever in a press statement. “[It’s] full of the hesitance involved when creating art in our own personal isolation.”
Based in Naarm/Melbourne, Human Intrusion is the brainchild of Walker-Keefe and O’Brien, with Jess Maio handling the drumset for live performances.
Drawing inspiration from the classic albums of the ‘80s and ‘90s, the project has so far released two singles tilted Asleep and The Black Cat.
High Fever, meanwhile, marks the band’s first release since 2021, and will be celebrated with an official single launch night at The Cactus Room in Thornbury on June 10. Find tickets to the show here.
In the meantime, check out Human Intrusion’s new single High Fever below.
