Royel Otis Release New Single 'Motels'

As one of Australia's brightest rising acts to be added to the indie-set, Royel Otis are ready to share their follow-up short play. Lyrical explorations of life and love across six tracks muse on the highs, the lows and anything-but miniscule moments in between that present a rich record of witty observations and experiences in its summation.

Out today is "Motels" a slower ode to a hidden love interest. It's a carefree song, spun with intricate harmonies and rippling guitar strums that add to its blissful bittersweet mood. The single arrives today with another narrative-led music video to add to the guys' collection, taking place in a motel setting where the arrival of an alluring guest soon takes a criminal turn for Roy and Otis.

Produced by Chris Collins (Skeggs, Middle Kids, Ruby Fields) and the duo themselves, a juxtaposition of crisp recordings, jangled guitars and garage-ready rawness stay true to the band's DIY beginnings. The result is a record of piercing earworms, each layered with comforting harmonies and vocalist Otis' relaxed drawl to become a must-listen for any fan of sunny-garage pop.

They say of the EP, "Bar N Grill was having a 'run with whatever feels good' attitude in the studio. Whatever will be, will be and we be happy with the outcome. A nostalgic stream of consciousness from loose and invincible times of ignorance."

Opening Bar 'N Grill, is the first single, "Oysters In My Pocket" as a designated croon along for balmy nights. The track's sunny slice of dazzling guitars and coo-ing vocals that sit atop a steady beat, saw it amass over 1.6 million Spotify streams and widespread acclaim upon release.

Following on is previous single and one of triple j's Most Played tracks, "Bull Breed".

It's a hazy psych-pop hit that reinforced the band's return as a formidable emerging group in Australian music, with its jangled chords, warbling synth line and vocal hooks that underpin the song's feel-good chorus. Next, "Right Behind You" is a slowed-down and swaggered DIY pop hymn, complete with a strum of acoustic guitars, double-backed vocals and crashing drums.

A punchy drum machine opens the fourth track, "Egg Beater". A clever mechanic, the band pits the introspective and melancholic croons of Otis against a harmonious set of glassy guitar lines and anthemic chorus riffs, muscling their way through the heartache with a love-lost heater. Final track, "Warm Nights" employs a funk-riddled bassline and flurry of flute-like synths atop a thudding beat to end the EP with a bliss worthy track of singalong potential.

In 2021 the band released their debut EP Campus, which introduced Royel Otis as an Australian act to watch in its rising indie scene. Following a stint in New York, Royel met Otis after a hazy night out in a Sydney Bar. Otis, fresh out of high school, mustered up the courage to share some of the demos he had been working on in isolation, and an instantaneous creative click soon happened. Fusing Otis' DIY productions with his own wonky samples he'd gathered during his time in the Big Apple, the two churned out tunes in Royel's Sydney sunroom, slowly shaping their sound.

From their home studio beginnings honing and tinkering at a sound now so distinctively their own, Royel Otis has evolved to embrace a rapturous live show. After two initial sold-out headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne, the band completed a string of performances supporting The Rubens and Teenage Dads, taking them right across the country and to regional cities. Furthermore, they'll be backing things up on a huge support run with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers across August and September.

Don't miss enjoying a soothingly sumptuous serve of guitar-pop from Royel Otis, as the talented songwriting duo release their infectious melodies and pared-back charisma via sophomore EP, Bar 'N Grill.

This Friday, Sydney's darling indie duo Royel Otis release their long-awaited sophomore EP, Bar 'N Grill via OURNESS.

Watch the new music video here: