The Buoys - Lustre (2024) Hi-Res

Sydney four-piece The Buoys named their debut album Lustre as it describes the way light interacts with the coating of a material, such as a rock, crystal or mineral. Extending the concept to humans, lustre relates to how people absorb and refract light in the shape of life experiences to become the person they are.

It’s fitting, then, that the LP ruminates on a wide spectrum of the human condition, from deriding the male gaze (“Subject A”) and losing romantic or platonic love (“Guard My Heart”) to the virtues of supportive friends (“Check Mate”, co-written by Alex Lahey) and the joyous feeling of new love (“Ahead of Myself”). Produced by Chris Collins (Gang of Youths, Matt Corby) and recorded live, the quartet’s blend of indie, rock and punk moves from the raw and defiant (“Subject A”) to the vulnerable (the melancholy “Keeping Busy”) and anthemic (“I Think I’m in Love With You”), all while packing a lyrical punch as honest as it is confident (“I don’t really care if you find it annoying/Or lame uncool, it’s true/Your opinions are for you/I prefer to focus on my growth/Each to their own though/If that’s what makes you happy, no one’s stopping you,” sings Zoe Catterall in “Subject A”).

It all comes to an end with the raucous “Totally Completely Fine”, a song that blends vulnerability with confidence, rock attitude with melancholy melodies—in other words, a song that captures the complexity of the human lustre.

The Buoys debut album ‘Lustre’ is a celebration of The Buoys as one of the nation’s hardest live acts, with the entire album recorded live together. The album features previous singles ‘Subject A’, ‘Guard My Heart’ and ‘Settle Petal’, the record thoughtfully unpacks a spectrum of emotions, life experiences and influences across a rich sonic landscape that spans indie, rock, punk, alternative and more.

The Buoys blasted out of the local punk rock scene, and in just a few short years, released three EPs together, playing sold-out shows across the country that have earned them a devoted following and engrained this Sydney based rock band into Australian music culture. From coming in at #85 on triple j’s Hottest 100 of 2021 with ‘Lie To Me Again’, to touring and supporting the likes of The Dandy Warhols, Soccer Mommy, Wet Leg and Ball Park Music, The Buoys themselves are devoted to playing high-octane shows, and as a result have cemented their place as an unmissable live show experience.

Over the past year alone, the band have shows with the likes of Arctic Monkeys, DMAs, IDLES and Royal Blood. Most recently, The Buoys played Party In The Paddock, the Melbourne leg of Laneway Festival and Great Southern Nights. Throughout May and June 2024, the band are set to support Vacations on their UK tour dates, The Buoys will make their debut at The Great Escape in Brighton, before heading home to support Luke Hemmings in Sydney.