A new era of surf-rock is here.
If you love Ocean Alley or Lime Cordiale, you’ll love Mid Drift. The Brisbane five-piece are on the up, crafting an indie-pop sound with earworm hooks, tight drumming, and shimmering guitar tunes that perfectly soundtrack the summer.
They’ve quietly carved out a name for themselves, balancing the laid-back spirit of coastal living with lyrics that unpack the more complicated emotions that come with growing up. These themes are perfectly encapsulated on Good at Avoiding, their recently-released second EP.
Featuring singles like “Whiplash” and “Madness”, the EP builds on their 2024 release Lemon, Lime & Tanlines, showcasing a more mature, grounded version of the band.
Fresh off their Laneway festival debut, and gearing up to support Ocean Alley on tour (kicking off this weekend), we caught up with Mid Drift’s vocalist Sarah Engstrom and guitarist George Swan as part of our Up-And-Coming Australian Artists series.
Mid Drift’s Good At Avoiding is out now.
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Rolling Stone AU/NZ: What artists influenced you growing up?
Sarah Engstrom: Missy Higgins was a huge influence for me. My family had all of her music on CDs and I’d just listen to them during every car ride growing up. I’m still in awe of her and just love how honest and beautifully written her lyrics are.
When did you discover your passion for creating music?
Sarah: Mum has these videos of me when I was around seven, playing the piano and telling her I’d written a new song today called “Lovely Tunes”. Mum actually pulled out the video on my 21st birthday – in retrospect it’s the most rubbish song I’ve ever heard – but I guess the passion was there early on!
What are some career highlights so far?
George Swan: Some major highlights have been selling out our own tours, seeing people sing our lyrics back to us… that’ll never get old, and sharing stages with artists we genuinely look up to.
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Are you looking forward to playing with Ocean Alley?
George: More than you could imagine! Ocean Alley are a band we’ve looked up to right from the start! I still remember the exact first time I heard Ocean Alley. I was about 16, strolling down Castle Street in Dunedin, NZ, with a few of my mates! Shout out to Bede, Callum, and Patty haha!
We were listening to music on our phones I think, and some dude stopped us and said, “If you like that kind of music, then you need to check out Ocean Alley.” Then he proceeded to play Yellow Mellow. We blasted that EP for months! Sharing a stage with them feels like a full circle moment for sure!
Tell us about your new single “Madness”. What’s the track about?
Sarah: Even though we’ve only just released “Madness”, we actually sat on it for over a year before putting it out. When I think back to that time in my life now, it almost makes me laugh – I clearly had a lot to say, and I said it pretty bluntly.
The track definitely has that kind of ‘feminine rage’ to it. It’s about knowingly staying in a messy situation but not doing anything to actively change it – which funnily enough ties closely into the themes of the new EP, Good at Avoiding.
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What kind of personality traits and values do you believe it takes to succeed in the music industry?
George: Resilience is everything. You need patience.
Sarah: Patience is definitely a big thing I’ve had to learn and am still learning. I’ve realised that timing matters, and things will happen when they’re supposed to. Also, being able to take rejection (and a lot of it)!
George: And honestly, just being friendly. Talk to everyone like you could learn something from them.
How would you describe your music to a potential fan?
Sarah: I’d love to say our music feels like stumbling across a hidden gem on a long summer drive. It’s the kind of tracks that feel easy on the surface but stick with you afterwards. I’d like to hope it’s similar to the feeling of discovering Lime Cordiale or Ocean Alley for the first time.
What are your goals for 2026 and beyond? What can fans expect from you this year?
George: 2026 is going to be a big one! We want to be writing constantly, releasing music that feels honest, and putting everything we’ve got into the live shows! Expect lots of touring from us this year!
