Melbourne outfit Chasing Ghosts are back with the first taste of their forthcoming Homelands EP, with “Summer” on track to be one of the most powerful entries in their discography to date.
Fronted by Jimmy Kyle, a proud Koori man and a descendent of the Thungutti mob from NSW’s mid-north coast, Chasing Ghosts’ upcoming EP is a collection of real people and real situations, with all of them emerging from intense real-life stories. The desire to do justice to the topics, while simultaneously speaking truth and bringing everyone on this journey was a notion that left Kyle in a difficult situation.
“I was scared to write these songs, because a lot of the topics are challenging,” explains Kyle. “But that’s how I knew I was onto something. It made me feel nervous.”
Now, the first track from the EP has arrived by way of “Summer”. Featuring production from Kyle and Lincoln Le Fevre (Luca Brasi, Lucy Wilson), and accompanied by a stunning film clip from award-winning filmmaker Ben McFadyen, “Summer” tells the true story of the 1856 Towel Creek massacre, and sees Kyle singing in both English and his native tongue for the first time.
Discussing the dark story of the incident through the eyes of its lone survivor, Aboriginal Elder “Baaba” Jack Scott, Kyle notes that the song “explores white nationalism, colonisation, assimilation and ultimately reconciliation”.
“It asks the question of white Australia to come and reconcile the true history of the country and invites non-Indigenous Australians to see themselves as an extension of Aboriginal people.”
While Chasing Ghosts are on track to release their Homelands EP on May 14th, the group will also be hitting the road for an east coast tour next month, performing in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney across the following weeks. Check out all the pertinent details below.
Chasing Ghosts’ “Summer” is out now, while their Homelands EP will be released via Bad Apples Music on May 14th.
Chasing Ghosts “Summer” Single Tour
Friday, February 19th
The Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: The Corner Hotel
Friday, March 5th
The Brightside, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets: Eventbrite
Saturday, March 13th
Crowbar, Sydney, NSW
Tickets: Oztix
