PREMIERE: Indigo Make A Splash with Promising Debut 'What You Need'

If you're a pop punk fan, it's a good time to be alive right now. Especially in Australia. Our scene is literally thriving with acts winning us over with their take on infectious, upbeat tunes. So why not shake things up a little and bring in some fresh faces into the mix? It's about damn time Brisbane/Meanjin pop punk stands as tall as our southern state friends. As we've seen with Waxflower and Semantics, punk bands in Queensland flourish beautifully, inevitably throwing huge momentum down their way.

Allow us to introduce you to newcomers Indigo. If two of these guys look familiar to you, it's because you'll recognise guitarist Ethan Laenan from his former band Stateside alongside Jackson Lehane, who was also in former Sydney pop punk outfit Forever Ends Here. Together the pair recruited new faces, wrote a few new jams throughout COVID and boom! Indigo was born.

Their charming debut 'What You Need' feels like a breath of fresh air, both musically and lyrically. A song that revels in feelings of being used and taken for granted, the synergy within Indigo shows that the guys have lit a fuse in the local scene that is making way for big opportunities. In similar key to contemporary pop punk acts State Champs and Between You and Me, what Indigo are kicking off here with 'What You Need' is very much the spark needed to keep the Australian pop punk scene ahead of its overseas counterparts.

We're pretty damn stoked on this new energy that we kinda just had to get to know the boys a little more for you...and that there's even more heavier musical content to come!

It’s a pleasure to meet you boys! Tell us who you all are and a bit about what sparked the urge for Indigo?

Josh: Likewise! It’s an honour for our first editorial to be with the great WoS team! ‘Indigo' all started with Ethan & I in the middle of the COVID lockdowns in 2020. Both of us met on an online forum & started writing songs back & forth over the web. After restrictions eased we then started talking about bringing the project to life with our friends and Indigo. was born!

‘What You Need’ is a fantastic introduction too! What emotions and thoughts were you trying to express through that undeniably catchy tune?

Ethan: The lyrics for this song were a joint effort between Josh and I, but for me, I think this song represents a mixture of past experiences. This song expresses the feelings of being used, taken advantage of and being taken for granted. With that said though, this song was just supposed to be a fun & catchy emo-bop you can jump around to. Without spilling the beans too much, I think our newer music will explore some heavier themes while trying to maintain a hopeful vibe and I am excited to share it with you soon!

I’m hearing a bit of All Time Low, and some Stand Atlantic but for the most part, it’s a very straight up pop punk banger. Who do you consider to be your influences?

Josh: Thank you, that’s a huge compliment for us. This song definitely leans into that polished All Time Low & Stand Atlantic pop-punk vibe - however we were also very inspired by some homegrown Aussie-emo bands such as Sly Withers, Ceres & The Smith Street Band.

While Australian pop punk, in general, is quite the community to be in these days, we absolutely won’t say no to a new act like Indigo. What’s your plan of attack in sharing the spotlight with the likes of Between You and Me, Paperweight and your fellow Brisbane friends Waxflower?

Jack: Honestly, we’re just excited to get out there and really show people what ‘Indigo.’ is about. All of the bands you’ve listed above are bands we love musically and would hope to share the stage with someday (soon?).

It’s a new band, a new era! Before we get too invested, do you have any secrets about anyone in the band that we should know about first?

Ethan: I don’t know if this is really a secret but honestly we would have to be some of the most un-cool people I know haha. In the COVID lockdowns, I started playing competitive Age Of Empires & Jack’s lego collection grew into a full room's worth of sets. We are just a bunch of losers who love music & wanna share some good vibes!

And, what’s at the top of your bucket list that you’d like to achieve with Indigo? 

Nick: I think it goes without saying that landing some cool shows is one of our immediate goals as a band - but I think as a whole our general goal & ethos as a band is to explore some of the things we all live with, in our day-to-day, that are uncomfortable to talk about & to try to promote some positive vibes in our songs without over-romanticising being sad. I think we want to try to create a safe space for people to come to at our shows, where we can yell about our feelings and just enjoy the moment together!

Finally, are there any last words you’d like to share with your new fans?

Josh: Firstly, welcome to Indigo. Secondly, ‘what you need’ is just the beginning & we can’t wait to share our journey as a band with you!

Interview by Tamara May @citylightstam

Pre-save 'What You Need' here

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