Soaked Oats
Simple Pleasures
Working Title
Released 18 November 2022
Previously known for their perky indie pop, Dunedin quartet Soaked Oats slow down and stretch out on their debut full-length. That starts with the effects-warped psych guitar and vocals of opener “The Way It Works”, but many more surprises wait. Auckland rapper Church makes a guest turn on “Divide Symbol”, while the nearly eight-minute “Dæmon” starts off as rickety folk and evolves into a darkly funky dirge. The connecting tissue is singer/guitarist Oscar Mein, whose streetwise drawl evokes Lou Reed on several occasions. And there’s no doubt that Soaked Oats can still nail taut rock songs, as heard on the droll single “Headline Opinion”. Recorded in a remote community hall on New Zealand’s South Island, Working Title balances introspection and experimentation while broadening the band’s sound for future releases.