On their new EP Elm Way, Brisbane indie rock duo Mid Ayr explore a darker side of society, disguised by a combination of poppy vocal lines, carefree guitar riffs, sorrow-filled synth bursts and laid-back drum grooves.
Opening the set is ‘All You Need’, which neatly introduces the band’s combination of gentle vocals and refined instrumentation while also revealing a frustration with society in lines such as “Greed and lust, does it ever stop / For a moment”.
The EP’s title is a reference to A Nightmare On Elm Street and is taken from a line in the record’s lead single, ‘Pocket Her Eyes’. A minute-long intro sets a racing tempo and lulls the listener into a false sense of security before leading into the chorus. The vocals of Hugh Middleton seem to drift without urgency over the frantic indie rock groove.
The pace slows tremendously in the last two songs: the cathartic ode ‘Looking For The Way Out’ and the remorseful ballad ‘Love Sick Child’.
Elm Way showcases the continuing evolution of Mid Ayr’s melancholic indie sound through a meticulously balanced blend of the duo’s vocals and instrumentation.
Mid Ayr’s Elm Way is out Friday April 21 through Amplifire.
