Palms

Palms sounds like the best possible version of a local basement show. It is music that feels immediate, unpretentious, and deeply caffeinated. Built on a foundation of jangly electric guitars and driving, propulsive drum beats, their sound captures the specific friction between polished power-pop songwriting and the raw, gritty delivery of garage rock. There is a persistent brightness to the melodies that suggests constant sunshine, even when the lyrics lean into the messy realities of early adulthood.

What makes them distinctive is the sense of camaraderie baked into the recording. You can hear the room they are playing in, the slight imperfections that give the music its human pulse, and the way the vocals often feel like a group of friends shouting together rather than a solo performance. They manage to evoke the 1960s surf-rock spirit without ever feeling like a costume or a parody, grounding those retro influences in a modern Australian indie sensibility.

Start with their debut album Step Brothers. It is a masterclass in short, sharp, and catchy songwriting that refuses to overstay its welcome. It is the perfect soundtrack for any moment that requires a sudden burst of optimism or a reason to turn the volume knob just a little bit further to the right.