What’s that heartfelt indie rock sound rolling over the dusty plains from Western Australia? For a change, it’s not Spacey Jane, but South Summit, who have been ready to break out of the Perth scene for a while now.
Their bubbly new single “Just Like You”, released last month, is the sound of a band breezing along into their future. There’s such a pleasing easygoingness to the track, the five-piece performing coolly and assuredly; it’s hard not to be cheered up after a few listens.
The lyrics are just as endearing, with the track detailing the relatable feeling of wishing to grow up to be exactly like one’s idol – whether it be a friend, cousin or sibling.
For the band’s Isaiah Reuben, it’s about someone close to home. “All I wanted to do was look and sound like my big brother,” he says. “He was definitely one of my idols in my life who I looked up to, and he taught me a lot of what I know now.
As Reuben adds, almost everyone can relate to “Just Like You”. “Being a young-un, I knew that if I copied the blueprint he laid out, I’d be as cool as him,” he jokes.
Being in one of WA’s new generation of emerging bands ought to help gain “cool” credentials. Attaining the levels of Spacey Jane may still feel far off, but there’s a reason triple j have been closely following South Summit in recent times; their combination of soaring guitar lines, zipping energy, and crowd-pleasing vocals should see them soon become festival favourites.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ is happy to premiere the music video for “Just Like You” below, which was directed by the ever-reliable Billy Zammit. For a band still new to making videos for their tracks, Zammit’s assured touch helped guide the process.
“It was very comforting working with someone so creative and professional like Billy, he really impressed us with his eye and knack for preparation,” the band says. “He managed to rent the Lamborghini of cameras for us and looking back at the shots we’d just taken got us very excited for what the final product would be. We’re very proud of the video that came out of this great experience, we hope you enjoy it and we can’t wait for the next one.“
South Summit are currently in the midst of their Australian tour, which hits Perth for a hometown show this Friday. Tickets for the remaining tour shows are available here.
South Summit’s “Just Like You” is out now via Virgin Music Australia.
