Hermitude Make Their Return With New Single “St Claire”

Today, ARIA-chart topping duo, Luke Dubber (Dubs) and Angus Stuart (El Gusto) aka Hermitude return with a NYE heater in their new single, St Claire, out via Elefant Traks.

Born from a writing trip to New Zealand’s southern coastal city, Dunedin, and later recorded in their Blue Mountains-based hometown of Blackheath, St Claire marks a visceral re-energising and musical homecoming for the pair, following their previous long-play, Pollyanarchy, released in 2019. From an airbnb kitchen facing the calm waves of the South Pacific Ocean, Luke Dubs and El Gusto set up a tiny studio and laid down the beats that would later become today’s single. Later, from El Gusto’s home in Blackheath, the pair found themselves completely relaxed and immersed within an environment and community that they owe so much of their award-winning career to, ready to finesse the final touches needed.

Opening to a cerebral synth, St Claire is an engrossing listen. Building textures of synth flourishes and risers punctuate a modulated beat drop and driving rhythms. Electronic in flavour and acutely reflective of the addictive melodies Hermitude pen with no comparison, the journey of St Claire is one that’s irresistible and enjoyable. Reconnecting to their surroundings throughout its creation, as the duo navigated a new chapter in their lives and careers, hear the progressive back-bone of their creativity shine and re-emerge with no limits on the track.

Hermitude on the track: “We were flying to Japan, it was late February 2020 and we had a gig in Hakuba, a snow village east of Tokyo. I remember being in the gate at Sydney airport, Dubs and I were deep in conversation. We were talking about where to go with the next sound of Hermitude, the next body of work.

The song, born in a small beach town with the same name in Dunedin New Zealand. We were still ironing out the last couple of songs from Pollyanarchy, but mostly this week was for creating new works. ‘St Claire’ was born that week and it was refreshing, it was different, for us definitely. There was a mood to it that instantly grabbed us, we knew this was something special.”

The re-emergence of one of Australia’s best and most-awarded electronic acts, today is marked by a cosmic timing that takes Hermitude back to where it all began in the Blue Mountains, as they share one of their most magical single releases to date, “St Claire”. Listen now, on the cusp of the New Year, as the duo gear up for an almighty 2022.