Four albums in, Dune Rats are still finding new ways to connect with the creative chaos that is
at the core of their music.
The band, beloved for their carefree and no-holds-barred approach to rock music, have
demonstrated time and time again that a formula for memorable music and longevity doesn’t
need to be overcomplicated. The secret to Dunies’ success lay in the band’s unshakeable
dynamic and their unabashed love for music that just makes you feel good.
With Real Rare Whale, Dune Rats take this simple formula and kick it up an extra few notches -
the final output representing a new phase for the group; perhaps their most ambitious and
cohesive collection of work to date.
Released two years on from 2020’s Hurry Up And Wait, Dune Rats’ new album may see the
band at a new punk-saturated, pun-filled peak, but when it comes to its composition and
underlying intentions, Real Rare Whale captures Danny Beus (guitar / vocals), BC Michaels
(drums / vocals) and Brett Jansch (bass) in a reinvigorated, refocused creative zone.
The melodies are strong, rhythms relentless; the way the group worked together over sessions
under the production eye of Scott Horscroft on New South Wales’ south coast resulted in, as BC
describes, ‘a bit more of a sophisticated album’. This doesn’t mean Dune Rats have lost their
edge or have grown soft with age: they’re very much still about keeping that same energy fans
have loved about them since Dune Rats first dropped back in 2014. It’s just manifested in new
and different ways.
