Naarm/Melbourne-based neo-soul act Sweet Temper have returned with their vehement new single Better Than You – produced by guitarist Nick Robertson, mixed by Phil Threlfall (Illy, Bliss n Eso) and mastered by Andrei Eremin (Hiatus Kaiyote, Tash Sultana). The single is the second track off their upcoming self-titled debut EP out on Friday, September 22.
Better Than You is an enthralling concoction of intricate musical arrangements that infuse to create a glowing cut of modern neo-soul. The raw, unfiltered storytelling prowess of enigmatic frontwoman Abbey Green blends seamlessly with the symphony of sounds that sweeps the listener into immersive soundscapes, heightened by the band’s unparalleled musical dexterity.
Sweet Temper talks about the inspiration behind Better Than You: “Better Than You is about the feeling of weightlessness and peace after walking away from a toxic relationship and realising you are better off. It is about acknowledging that in order to see a manipulator for who they truly are, you need to step away and separate yourself from repeating the cycle of forgiveness that leads to repeatedly being deceived and hurt. It’s about the desperation of manipulators who cling to relationships, when they have a lot of control.”
Debut single Two Face was widely embraced by triple j Unearthed, SYN Media, 4ZZZ, Southern FM and Gove FM. It has also received love in the online love from Pilerats, The Music, Good Call Live, Amnplify and AAA Backstage.
Sweet Temper is the musical amalgamation of five former Australian Institute of Music (AIM) students who take cues from luminaires like Hiatus Kaiyote. Nick adds, “Though we all have very different musical backgrounds, our styles have an inherent synergy. We got together shortly after our final graduation in early 2020. We have an approach where we create an instrumental that Abbey will take a vibe or mood from, then develop ideas of a plot to that mood. She’ll then write lyrics best suited to that mood.”
With thanks to Good Intent
