Photo Credit: Liam Riley
WIth their new track ‘Now You’re Gone’, Sydney indie five-piece SLIM JIMZ have returned to remind us that the brilliant sonic potential showcased throughout 2023 was only the tip of the iceberg, when it comes to the music they still have in the tank.
Their first release for 2024, ‘Now You’re Gone’ demonstrates continued maturity of the Slim Jimz sound as their dynamic as both musicians and songwriters has strengthened. Since their debut in 2019, the band has developed a core sound and vision that has been beautifully brought to life across a number of releases, including their Sky Turns Blue EP and 2023’s ‘Enjoy The View’ and ‘25’.
‘Now You’re Gone’ is a culmination of their growth to date, and a refresher of this sound that has endeared Slim Jimz to many around the country.
As the band explains, the song is about “not wanting there to be bad blood after a relationship has ended”. Recorded at The Grove Studios, Slim Jimz worked with Jack Nigro on mixing and Darren Ziesing on mastering.
“Stylistically we wanted to write an emotive song that captured the hardship of reflecting on the ending of a relationship and then choosing to walk away. The process of writing ‘Now You’re Gone in true form, began as a bit of a tangled mess. We seemed to keep writing interesting hooks across different sections and genres that weren’t really connected.
When we jammed the chorus at practice the first time, the attitude of the song instantly formed, however, we just couldn’t figure out how to really make the second half of the song hit hard. We arrived in the studio with a bunch of cool different parts that weren’t so coherently connected, and our producer Jack was pulling his hair out, realising how much work still needed to be done, structurally. He really encouraged us to strip back the song, to just drums at the beginning and for every section to build on the section before it.
By building the song slowly, it allows the second half of the song to really charge. Sonically, all band members have very different tastes in music that really shine in this song. There’s this mix of funk, heavy bass riffs, a big solo and almost punk vocals on what you’d still call an indie-rock track.”
ZEDDIE STRAIGHTLINE, SLIM JIMZ
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Slim Jimz have been met with immense support throughout their career thus far; with a first play for their previous track ‘Enjoy The View‘ on triple j Unearthed Radio, as well as spins from triple j (Home and Hosed), 2SER, SYN, 4ZZZ and many more. They’ve also had the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in Australian indie rock – supporting the likes of Rum Jungle, South Summit, Good Lekker and New Zealand band Masaya along the way.
Having enjoyed widespread love from many corners of the Australian music community in the last year in particular, Slim Jimz’s purview has remained on continuing to develop their sound. While initial comparisons to bands like Ocean Alley gave early buzz to the music Slim Jimz were creating, their current output is taking threads of those early influences and weaving them with fresh writing and lyrical perspectives.
2024 stands to be an exciting year for the group, with ‘Now You’re Gone’ being the first of an extended roll out of material to make fans and newcomers alike jump on board.
PRAISE FOR SLIM JIMZ
“If you like Ocean Alley or Rum Jungle, these guys are for you!…This song can really bring home and I love how big they take it! It’s a real anthem that leaps out of the radio.“
Ash McGregor on Home & Hosed, triple j
“these guys sound ready for big stages and adoring fans!”
Declan Byrne, triple j
“Love the tones on this one, all parts come together super nicely. The mix is just great.”
Lachie Pringle, triple j
“You can picture the heat rising off these boys and their instruments after smashing this one out live.”
Dave Ruby Howe, triple j Unearthed
“a gentle, subtle yet powerful track that uses the vulnerability of its indie rock foundations to create a song charged with meaning. In particular, the track’s approachable and comforting vocal performance exudes an essence of warmth that not only aids the sincerity but makes ‘Better Off’ a calm, easy listen.”
Livewire AU
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