After more than a decade of hits, Peking Duk are finally gearing up to release their long-awaited debut album.
The ARIA Award-winning duo have today announced Paradise, due in August, alongside a new single, “Thrills”, featuring US rapper Rico Nasty.
In typical Peking Duk fashion, the announcement hit social media in the most attention-grabbing way.
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“After 16 amazing years, Adam and I have made the difficult decision to end this chapter of our lives,” their statement read. “We have cherished every moment of this journey with you. Every sweaty club show and every festival we’ve headlined has truly been a dream come true. But deep down we know it’s time for us to evolve. So we finally made a move we thought we’d never make. WE RECORDED AN ALBUM.”
“Thrills” marks the pair’s first new music since 2024 and offers an early glimpse into Paradise — a record they describe as an exploration of the “everyday poetry of Australia”, where the idea of paradise is less about perfection and more about something personal.
Reuben Styles says the track taps into moments of clarity and forward motion. “’Thrills’ is about those moments in life that pull you out of the dark and into the light,” he says. “It makes you realise you can stand on your own two feet with a smile on your dial and move forward with grace and passion and most of all fun in your heart.”
The collaboration with Rico Nasty has been a long time coming. “Rico Nasty has been top five dead or alive in my eyes for a very long time,” Adam Hyde says. “Ever since I heard her work with Kenny Beats years ago I’ve been obsessed. Having Rico bless this tune is nothing short of an honour.”
For Rico, the feeling is mutual. “I loved working with Adam and Reuben and I’m so excited our track ‘Thrills’ is out now,” she says. “Hopefully I get to see y’all soon, now bump that shit!”
The Maryland-born artist — real name Maria Kelly — has built a reputation on her genre-smashing “Sugar Trap” sound, blending melodic hooks with abrasive, mosh-ready energy. Since her breakout, she’s carved out a lane that sits somewhere between rap and punk, long before the “rapper as rockstar” crossover became commonplace.
Paradise represents a new chapter for Peking Duk. Despite racking up more than 400 million streams, 27 platinum certifications, and multiple ARIA Awards — not to mention defining festival sets and national tours — the Canberra duo have never released a full-length album.
“Our debut album Paradise is something new from us,” Styles says. “It’s adventurous both sonically and thematically. It’s got a little more depth… we can’t wait to share it.”
The video for “Thrills”, directed by Owen Trevor, is the first in a series of interconnected short films tied to the album. Trevor describes the project as a slightly off-kilter vision of coastal Australia, leaning into nostalgia, humour, and a touch of magical realism.
Watch the video below.
Alongside the new music, Peking Duk have also locked in their biggest Sydney headline show in seven years, returning to Hordern Pavilion on May 15th. The show promises a brand-new immersive setup and a stack of unreleased material from Paradise.
“Seven years ago we had the sweatiest party ever in the biblical venue that is the Hordern Pavilion,” Hyde says. “And now, seven years later we are doing it again except with new music, a new show and even more sweat.”
“Thrills” by Peking Duk ft. Rico Nasty is out now. Pre-save ‘Paradise’ here.
