Halcyon Drive

Born from two sides of suburban Melbourne, Halcyon Drive comprise of guitarist/vocalist Michael Oechsle and drummer Max Pamieta. Drawing on influences from upbringings on the classics, through to more recent side projects in electronic music and mathcore, comparisons are often drawn to current acts as diverse as Foals, Bon Iver and Kings of Leon.

With just one guitar and one (and a half) drum kits, it's Halcyon Drive’s live shows that help set them apart from the rest of the indie ratpack. With not a laptop in sight, layering crescendoed live loop mixes and shape-shifting dual drum segments feature. As described aptly by one live reviewer, “If PETA cared for drum-kits as much as newborn kittens, Halcyon Drive would be constantly having fake drum-blood thrown on them outside red-carpet events”.

New single Crusoe builds on the duo’s alt-pop sound and coincides with their debut 2014 EP release Cruel Kids. Recorded and produced in the humble backstreets of Northcote by Steven Schram (San Cisco, The Cat Empire, Little Red) and mastered by Brian Lucey (Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys), Crusoe again shows another side of the young duo’s evolving sound; packing a thriving back-beat and summery vibes. In what was already a big year for the band, previous single Apart recently achieved Triple J airtime and Unearthed radio rotation, including a feature by Richard Kingsmill on the Triple J new music show '2014'. A few months before, lead single Whitewash also achieved Triple J airtime, over 60,000 online plays on Soundcloud, global blog affection, and a NIDA/Triple J film clip collaboration.

Supporting Panama’s sold-out tour show at Northcote Social Club, playing alongside Northeast Party House and Client Liaison at Melbourne‘s Hi-Fi as well as live shows in Moscow, Russia are all notable performances for the duo. Having recently supported acts such as Sons of Rico, Lime Cordiale, Louis London and Jesse Davidson, Halcyon Drive are looking to make their presence felt beyond Melbourne’s borders in the year to come.

Halcyon Drive are playing shows right through until the end of the year to support the release of Crusoe; including The Standard Bowl in Sydney, lauded boutique festival NYE On The Hill as well as a special EP launch set for early 2015.

“a good rock song is like sex, building from soft whispers to passionate crescendo. If you agree with this suggestion, then make your way to a Halcyon Drive gig. If you disagree, you’re probably doing sex wrong.” (wherethewhiteboysdance.com)

“it’s all hashtag good vibes”
(stereofox.com)