After a massive year which saw the release of their debut single (and subsequent promotion hampered due to lockdowns), Melbourne outfit Champ Ruby are back with their latest effort, having shared new single “Afterthoughts” late last week.
A breezier, more introspective composition than 2020’s “She Said”, “Afterthoughts” see Champ Ruby working with US-based producer and mixer Bradford Krieger (Horse Jumper of Love) to dive deep into new musical soundscapes as they touch upon a past crumbling relationship, with blissful instrumentals and soaring vocals complementing the mix.
“‘Afterthoughts’ is one big reflection about an old relationship, after a period of time,” explains lead vocalist Will Trigila. “It was after my friend told me I’d broken my ex-girlfriend with how bad our breakup was – almost a year after the fact. That thought stayed in my head all day. I couldn’t bare the fact I’d hurt someone that bad, and it really got to me, to the point where I called her up to talk about it all.
“The time in between meant it wasn’t a fresh wound anymore, and it was a lot easier to talk about. We mutually discussed how bad we felt at the time of the breakup.”
Melbourne’s Champ Ruby released their new single, “Afterthoughts”, on Friday. (Photo: Ian Laidlaw)
Having managed to hit upon a winning process with their first single “She Said” (which reached #1 and #2 on triple j Unearthed’s Indie and All-Genres charts, respectively), the group worked somewhat differently this time, employing a more collaborative process for their follow-up.
“Our first single ‘She Said’ was released during the second lockdown,” the group continue. “Everything had to come together so quickly while we were all still in school. But this time we had time to explore and be more creative and collaborative.
“We recorded it at Wrangler Studios in Melbourne (where we got to play some of our first all-ages shows) , and were lucky enough to work with producer Bradford Krieger (who has worked with some of our favourite bands),” they add. “Having the opportunity to work with different collaborators has given us the freedom to be more creative and proud of the music we’re making – allowing more growth for us as a band.”
With Melbourne currently in lockdown, plans for a launch show appear to be currently up in the air, though the band are eager to return to the stage in the near future to give “Afterthoughts” the live debut it deserves.
Champ Ruby’s “Afterthoughts” is out now.
