Acclaimed Australian band Youth Group return with their first new single in 5 years, with a limited edition 7-inch vinyl of new track, entitled Siberia.
Siberia – and its b-side When It Was – hints at a new direction for Youth Group. It bridges a driving dance-rock feel, with the plaintive melodic style the band are known for. It was originally written by Toby and NYC-based musician and DJ MING – the two met while doing a house swap on Craig’s List! Its combination of a live band sound, with some drum and synth programming, provides the backdrop for an icy tale of romantic woe.
Youth Group are currently touring nationally with Underground Lovers in support of the 30th anniversary of their critically acclaimed album ‘Dream It Down’. The 7-inch of Siberia/When It Was will be available at these shows or online via Impressed Recordings – for more info, head to www.impressedrecordings.com
Siberia is the first single lifted from the band’s long awaited new album. Whilst a specific album release date has yet to be announced – fans can expect it to drop early in 2025. This record has seen the band working with long-time collaborator and acclaimed producer Wayne Connolly. With Wayne, they fire up the synth and drum machines, inspired by late 80s early 90s UK dance pop, combined with the jangly pop they are better known for. The lyrics pick up where Australian Halloween left off – with thoughtful and playful riffs on parenthood, music and suburbia.
2025 will also mark the 20th anniversary of their recording of Forever Young, which went on to become Australia’s first number 1 single on the ARIA Digital Singles Chart.
With all this good news on the way – you can be certain you’ll be hearing a lot more from this much-loved band!
Download / stream Siberia here, purchase vinyl here, watch video here.
Tour Dates – with Undergrounds Lovers
30th Anniversary Celebration
With YOUTH GROUP
Fri 2 Aug // Manning Bar // Sydney – Tickets here
Fri 9 Aug // The Brightside // Brisbane – Tickets here
ABOUT YOUTH GROUP
Long before their iconic cover of Alphaville’s Forever Young became a number #1 Aussie hit, propelling them to national notoriety and earning them an ARIA award, Youth Group were already a much-loved indie rock band on Australia’s underground touring circuit. With two albums under their belt, their debut Urban & Eastern and 2004’s follow-up Skeleton Jar, the band had built a solid reputation for sharply observed lyrics and a wistful, chiming and effervescent sound.
Formed at the end of the 90’s in Sydney’s inner-west, it was Skeleton Jar that really started to spread the word about Youth Group, and the skill and depth of the extraordinary songwriting on show turned listeners into true believers. Scoring four and five star reviews, it also made fans out of Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla (who invited Youth Group on tour with them in the US), the music director of then hit drama ‘The O.C.’ (who featured the band’s song ‘Shadowland’ and their version of ‘Forever Young’ in the TV show) and world-renowned LA label Epitaph (who signed the band to their roster for the US/Europe without ever having seen them play live).
The band went on to release two more acclaimed albums, 2006’s Casino Twilight Dogs which spawned crowd favourites Start Today Tomorrow and Daisychains, and 2008’s The Night Is Ours, tour the country supporting Coldplay, as well multiple tours of their own to the UK and the US, including playing at Coachella and Reading and Leeds Festival.
After a decade long absence, Youth Group returned in 2019 with Australian Halloween arguably their most fully formed collection of songs yet. Propelled by singles ‘Cusp’ and ‘Erskineville Nights’, the album looked back at Australia from abroad, exploring themes of home, growing up, parenthood and the changing world, all set against the classic sound of Youth Group’s dynamic indie rock. The album received glowing reviews (The Australian called it “power-pop heaven, with subtle lyrics a cut above most”) and was named Album of the Week and one of the Top 50 Albums of 2019 by Double J, all proof that the band had lost none of their charm while they’d been gone.
Connect with Youth Group:
