Whenever I start to research a new band, I always have two predominant feelings. Fear and excitement. The excitement is self-explanatory, it is derived from my obsessive need to cram as much music as possible into my life. My fear is something I have never been able to fully explain coherently. It is the fear that if I like one track, then, what if I don’t like the next? What if this is yet another one of those artists I’m going to discard? Expatriate quickly made me feel warm, safe and fuzzy inside and one of the songs they achieved this with was their new single, ‘Crazy,’ from their highly anticipated debut album: "In the Midst of This."

Ben King (vocals) and Chris Kollias (drums) were the first members of the band to meet and immediately bonded over their similar life experiences as expatriates - hence the band name. Eventually they became acquainted with Damien Press (keyboards) and David Molland (bass). The four went on to release a four-track EP which was an immediate success in Australia. Following a sold-out national tour, they relocated to Seattle to record their debut album "In the Midst of This," which garnered critical acclaim down under. The band subsequently packed up their equipment once more and now can be found living permanently in Berlin, on a quest to conquer the vast musical landscape that is Europe.

Upon listening to the track for the first time, I immediately asked myself why they aren’t a global success already. The vocals are strong, fresh and just crispy enough to maintain a raw edge whilst simultaneously allowing for a mature depth that only adds to the aural pleasure. The intermittent bursts of energy released by the lines ‘I could go crazy on you’ make the whole track feel a lot like a rollercoaster. You are always in anticipation of these lines and the exhilarating rush they bring. This is not to say that all excitement is lost between the inversions of the rollercoaster. Conversely, these moments help build suspense and heighten expectations. The wispy backing vocals envelop King’s voice without smothering it, ensuring a comfortable and safe ride. Lyrically, I wouldn’t call the song outstanding but it does have some memorable lines such as ‘I’m happy just to be, a drop of red in the deep blue sea,’ which I am confident many people in the alternative music scene will instantly relate to.

The drums are spicy at all the right moments, highlighting the vocal passion and lustful lyrics. A particularly woeful guitar can be heard in the background throughout the song, often rearing its head to give a muted screech. Normally, I would dismiss this guitar as unnecessary noise but I must admit I am completely captivated by the wailing which parallels the emotions of the song and so, I have replayed the track a few times to try and follow it all the way through. The whole song is layered with guitars, weaving into and out of each other adeptly. Eventually one of the sweeter, smoother guitars is brought to the forefront and the vocals fall away as we savour the moment. There doesn’t seem to be one dull second in this song, not a single one. I can honestly listen to it from start to finish and enjoy every aspect of it, put it on repeat for the next three hours and still not feel the need to listen to something else.

After all the above, I thought I had been impressed enough. I was quite wrong. Expatriate can strip it down to two acoustic guitars and vocals, lower the tempo and still maintain the atmosphere and magic of the original version. They don’t need to hide behind any of their instruments, they can proudly present their songs without any of the fancy ribbons and packaging. I do try not to make sweeping statements about bands and assume or expect too much, but I truly think Expatriate is one to keep an eye on for the future.