Today Sydney artist Hearteyes shares new single ‘Drunk On The Roof‘, a tender pop track laced in nostalgia and regret. Premiered on triple j Unearthed, ‘Drunk On The Roof‘ is the first single to be released from Hearteyes’ forthcoming record, Rock Album, out later this year. Listen HERE. 

Rock Album is Maurice Santiago’s third release under Hearteyes, following Even Headbangers Get The Blues and last year’s Joyride The Stars mixtape. Where Headbangers and Joyride were spawned from restless frustration, Rock Album reflect’s Santiago’s transition from producer to artist with clarity and confidence. 

Speaking on the record, Santiago shares: “I’m continuing to perpetuate the notion that genre is redundant going forward – hence the title ‘Rock Album’ being tongue-in-cheek, rather than matter of fact. The sound is more concentrated and focussed, and lends itself to ‘rock music’ but there will always be my standard tropes of lofi, leftfield and off-kilter production that subverts typical conventions of rock music/indie. If I can get people arguing “this isn’t rock music”, I’ve done my job.”

Referencing the pop rock of Skye Ferreira and shapeshifting ability of The 1975 on ‘Drunk On The Roof‘, the sonic footnotes of Rock Album do not stop there, marking the entangled scenes of the Sydney music community. Whether it is referencing the lo-fi hip-hop world of Brockhampton, indicative of his work as a beat-maker; the Rina Sawayama-esque nods to playing in hardcore bands as a teenager; and the hard-fast electro of Charli XCX and warehouse raves. Hearteyes marries it all with considered production, auto-tune and for the first time, acoustic guitars. 
 

‘Drunk On The Roof‘ by Hearteyes is out now, buy/stream it here.

ABOUT HEARTEYES:
From his work as a former member of post-punk outfit Death Bells to the euphoric house of his George Michelle alias, and hardcore electro collaborations with Steel City Dance Discs, Maurice Santiago is a recognised member of Sydney’s underground. Through Hearteyes, he channels his pop ambitions by meshing gut-wrenching vulnerability into sleek, genreless tracks, born with the release of the Joyride The Stars mixtape in 2019. What threads together all of Santiago’s work is the strength of his artistic vision and community-minded, no rules ethos. Dismantling the perceptions of accessibility in music and rules of genre serve as Hearteyes‘ mission.

PRAISE FOR HEARTEYES

Joyride The Stars
FBi Radio Album Of The Week

“Purveyor of melodic 90s house/contemporary pop and procurer of emotions”
Oyster

“Even Headbangers Get The Blues is a document of pop reverence”
The Saturday Paper

“Heralding a more genreless future”
PAPER Magazine

“Hearteyes can do no wrong”
Dave Ruby Howe

Stay connected with Hearteyes:
Spotify | Instagram | Soundcloud | Bandcamp