Totally Unicorn Wet Their Party Beaks With New Single ‘Parrot’

Did you know that a group of Parrots is called a “Pandemonium”? Although Totally Unicorn’s new single ‘Parrot’ is not in reference to the zany feathered creature, the bouncy disco mathcore track has the potential to provoke dancefloor pandemonium. This is extremely fitting considering how the ‘Unicorn gentlemen perform live every time they are on (and off) stage.

Before the panic of assumption that TU have incorporated dance music into their raucous math-rock-hardcore fusion, let it be known that the devotees should fly away from those fears, as the only Saturday Night Fever felt in this pulsating composition is the need to party feverishly. The “disco” reference in this article is used to describe the tune’s spasmodic four-on-the-floor beats, near-syncopated basslines, and even a funky metallic guitar solo. Still “plucking out” with doubt? How about the depiction of The Chariot playing Meshuggah’s ‘Rational Gaze’ but with an Aussie Punk Jive mutation? Hopefully this colourful illustration will wet the enthusiasts’ beaks from their eager thirst.

‘Parrot’ is an enriching progression from the quartet’s third studio album High Spirits//Low Life released in 2022. By no means is it a departure from the much loved lunatics’ heavy noise-making party anthems; if anything, these four minutes are an enticing enhancement of everything the marvellous maniacs do so well.

The track was engineered by Lachlan Mitchell of Parliament Studios, Leichhardt (Gadigal/Sydney), who also recorded the highly praised third LP and as per guitarist Aaron Streatfeild, this is just the beginning of Totally Unicorn’s next phase:

“Since High Spirits//Low Life, we’ve been tucked away in our little studio, working on new music. Lots of it has been absolutely terrible, but thankfully quite a few have turned out, and that’s what you can expect to hear over the next year at least. This is the first of many recording sessions, each with a different engineer.”

Lyrically the delightful vocalist and acrob(r)at Drew Gardner has composed a remarkable and relatable narrative that has nothing to do with the amazing avian pirate companions, as he explains: “It’s the bloke that makes ya go, ‘Man, I wish he would shut up about his latest crypto deal,’ but you deal with it ’cause that’s the only way you’ll see inside that bag.”

Mr Gardner does arguably his best story-telling in this first chapter of TU2024 and the line: “Here they come now to ear bash you” should be the advice that interested spectators take firsthand. Because there is nothing more Tremendously Unique as a Totally Unicorn “ear bash”.

Want more? The party punks are taking to the road to celebrate their polly song ‘Parrot’ – be sure to get along, it will undoubtedly be a cracker (see film clip below).

More like “Trust FUN Glee”.

Words by Will Oakeshott @TeenWolfWill

Stream ‘Parrot‘ here