Spirit Bunny are an experimental-pop band from Brisbane.  Vocals and brittle circuit bent Casio keyboard melodies are nestled between slabs of buzzing Commodore 64 synths, gritty beats and pulverising drums. Despite the predominantly ‘retro’ nature of the instruments – with their Commodore 64s and Casio Sk 5/8 keyboards harking back to the glorious ‘80s – there is nothing retrospective in their sound.  Despite the lack of guitars, Spirit Bunny’s chaotic blend of broken sound bears as much in common with noisy-guitar-pop bands as dark-synth-wave groups.

While thoroughly democratic in nature, with each component given equal weight, Spirit Bunny’s lyrics continue to mine the same themes explored by the group’s instrumentation and diy work-ethic.  Songs simultaneously celebrate and critique consumer culture with odes to inner-city rubbish collection and mindless youth consumption habits – be they 90s disposable fashion labels or packed lunches. Elsewhere lyrics, at times themselves cut-ups and found texts, comment on the mundane, comfortable, lifestyle of inner-city living.

Decidedly DIY, Spirit Bunny’s debut LP comes in a hand-painted cardboard case, was recorded at drummer Cameron Smith’s Incremental Records studio (Velociraptor, Deafcult, Danyl Jesu) and features instruments circuit bent (Casio SK keyboards), modified (Commodore 64s) and built by the members. Spirit Bunny have previously released three singles, that have seen them deconstruct and remix themselves, as well as versions by others (Pale Earth, Bong YZA, Setec). They have released tracks as part of Tym’s Records Jesus and Mary Chain tribute (alongside FOREVR, The Creases, Pleasure Symbols) and Feral Media (alongside HTMLflowers, Tim Shiel).

“Spirit Bunny sounded like refined white sugar. After a little acclimatisation, the realisation hits that there’s quite a bit of substance behind that initial sugar rush.  Hammering hard on circuit bent electronics, Spirit Bunny live on a cloud of pop sensibilities, with split harmonies and brash enthusiasm filling the room. They were a balanced band, willing to not only rep their twee-ish aspects, but also distort them at the same time.” – BMA Mag

“The kaleidoscopic confectionery that is Brisbane’s Spirit Bunny continues to swirl out into the cosmos, like a multi-coloured fairy floss, all sticky, sugary, and pulsating with synthetic energy… There isn’t much like this out there – get behind this!” – Sonic Masala

FOLLOW SPIRIT BUNNY

amnplify ks