Have you heard of Still Woozy? The Californian singer-songwriter known for his high falsetto, knee-wobbling vocals, and sun-drenched guitar? Well, Australia has got its own Still Woozy-esque artist on home soil thanks to Perth’s Coco Elise.
A duo headed by co-producer and frontman Josh Ellis and manager and drummer Isaiah Quintana, you’d be forgiven if you mistook the band for a bunch of dilettantes who one day stumbled into the studio and decided to write music.
Their shenanigans involve matching chef outfits, kissing strawberries, and touting shovels as guitars. (If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, watch their video for “Do You Believe in Love”.) They’re wacky and odd, but crucially don’t take their music too seriously.
Of course, though, their songs are purposeful, heartfelt, including their latest single, “Make Me Melt”. The track, their final release of 2023, is inspired by moments “hen a loved one does something really cute, and your heart melts thinking about them.”
After being inspired by seeing Khruangbin live at the end of 2022, Ellis opened GarageBand and created an in-the-moment loop with guitar, drums, and bass. Months later in February, the track was born.
“Make Me Melt” lives up to its name: it involves all the trimmings of dreamy alt-pop tracks that lead to (healthy) dissociation and escapism, including thumping bass, intergalactic synths, and hazy vocals. Using your imagination, you could be transported to the Tropics while listening to the track, where workdays lie far away and cold saltwater sits close.
Having played their debut show earlier this month at YHQ in Leederville, Coco Elise also found themselves in the support slot for Jazz Emu’s Fremantle show on December 10th. And with the New Year bringing new things, they’re also set to play HyperFestival on March 23rd alongside artists like Sycco, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, and Pacific Avenue.
Coco Elise’s “Make Me Melt” is out now.
