“True to its name, “BLUSH” is far gentler than any previous material we’ve heard from the duo… but their take on romance isn’t entirely devoid of realism” – The Line Of Best Fit
“Fun, witty, and imaginative, ‘BLUSH’ remains tethered to their left-field roots, a kind of abstract pop song with a killer beat” – CLASH
“A powder keg of bangers primed to shake the rat race to its core” –
The Guardian
“Undeniably charismatic” – NME
“(a) rap wrecking ball” – Electronic Sound
“two of the country’s most forward-thinking artists” – Acclaim Magazine
“Simultaneously chaotic and precise, no matter whether the palette is fierce rap, punk energy, slinking beats, or whatever else” – Rolling Stone AU/NZ (Best of 2023)
Enhancing Teether and Kuya Neil’s creative sphere from forthright and playful to downright unsettling comes their latest drop “DIAL UP” and “SEA LEGS”. In the wake of their triumphant Golden Plains debut, today’s double release is an eye opening window into the depths of their forthcoming debut album YEARN IV out May 2 via Chapter Music.
LISTEN HERE + WATCH ‘DIAL UP’ HERE + WATCH ‘SEA LEGS’ HERE + PRE-SAVE LP HERE.
Wild and wholly untraditional, “DIAL UP” and “SEA LEGS” remain in step with the off-kilter, experimental rap branding synonymous with Teether and Kuya Neil. Here, warped dub and gutter Soundcloud rap twists that stamp further into their most offbeat and haunting moments, in stark contrast to recent releases “ZOO” and “BLUSH”. “DIAL UP” and “SEA LEGS” use entirely different sonic worlds to capture the duo’s defiant, unflinching vision. “DIAL UP” is a blown out and forceful collaboration with Melbourne producer Stoneset, while “SEA LEGS” recalls the brooding lo-fi sounds of 2010’s Soundcloud rap.
“DIAL UP”, directed by Teether & Kuya Neil’s ongoing visual partner Phillip Dixon VII is a rattling illustration of cultish ritual. Dixon shares “Pushing the album’s visuals toward something more tactile and handcrafted, I drew inspiration from the movies of Sergei Parajanov and Andrzej Żuławski for this clip. Texture, ritual and emotional rawness felt like the right language for the paranoid, psychedelic epiphany Teether unravels over Kuya Neil and Stoneset’s bouncing production. With Ryan Bell’s deep-focus super 16mm cinematography, Erika Beiza’s surreal face paint, and Klari Agari’s handcrafted costumes, we set out to make every frame feel like a cracked relic from another time.”
WATCH “DIAL UP” HERE
MORE ABOUT TEETHER AND KUYA NEIL
There is no cadence like Teether’s to be found in Australia, where the immersive storytelling of his delivery filters through Neil’s unorthodox, hyper-modern production. They converge as vanguards of the Naarm/Melbourne underground scene together and in their own right, orchestrating a brooding and vivid world of two musical outsiders. Releasing their first mixtape GLYPH via Chapter Music in 2021, the duo saw global radio support across triple j, NTS, Dublab, fbi.radio, Triple R, Skylab and more, writeups via NME, Brooklyn Vegan, Acclaim, Tone Deaf, Beat Magazine, with four songs from the mixtape featuring in the iconic Australian Netflix series Heartbreak High the following year.
2023 follow-up STRESSOR charted in the Australian Independent Top 10, earned Feature Album placements across Triple R, fbi.radio, RTR FM and Edge Radio, and made it into end of year best of lists for Guardian Australia, Rolling Stone and NME, before receiving a nomination for Best Hip Hop Album at the 2024 AIR Awards. Renowned for their electric stage presence, the duo have performed at Bigsound, Melbourne Music Week, RISING, Meadow, Vivid Sydney, NGV Melbourne and Parramatta Lanes, supporting the likes of international peers MC Yallah & Debmaster and They Hate Change, as well as veteran alt-rap outfit Shabazz Palaces and Chicago Footwork pioneer RP Boo.
As a solo artist, a member of Too Birds, and an in-demand collaborator, Teether has a deep dive catalogue of releases to his name. From working with New York rapper billy woods from Armand Hammer – who he supported in Australia in 2023 – to supporting Kim Gordon in Melbourne in 2024, he’s even featured on a single from metal band Dregg, released by the legendary Epitaph Records. Kuya Neil’s output is just as prolific: as the founder of Australian creative collective content.net.au, he’s produced tracks for the likes of Mirasia, BAYANG (tha Bushranger), Papaphilia, ZK King and more.
Stay connected with Teether & Kuya Neil:
Teether: Instagram | Spotify | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
Kuya Neil: Instagram | Spotify | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
