Album Review: Holiday Party - Holiday Party

The painful breakdown of a relationship — whether that be with a lover, friend or even your former self — can leave a bitter taste in your mouth. It’s the inspiration behind Brisbane collective Holiday Party’s debut record, something they describe as “an inward exploration into personal and often poisonous nostalgia”. 

With a hodgepodge of influences and samples — fans of The Avalanches and The Flaming Lips will surely find something to sink their teeth into — any of that lingering bitterness has made way for lush arrangements and technicolour dreams. It’s taken a while to come together, some tracks date back to 2017, but Mel Tickle and Luke McDonald are as bold, and confident, as ever. Fan favourites like No One and I’m Still Here stand tall in the mix, inviting you to pull shapes on the weekend, restrictions be damned. It’s more than an invitation though; the album grabs you by the hand and spins you, right round baby, through a dizzying array of emotions. 

There’s a sense of redemption and resolution as Will You closes the eight-track LP, the resounding “never been this sure” sitting with you despite the track’s driving, open-ended questions. Still, with the carburettor kaput and the wheels slowly grinding to a halt, Holiday Party have leant into the breakdown and cranked the stereo for an accomplished debut of junkyard pop.