Middle Palms talk new single "HIGH", Tasmanian roots, and coastal influences
India Machin | August 2026
Callum, Charlie, Floyd, Daniel and Sam make up the Tasmanian band Middle Palms. With a sound that not only encapsulates that classic Australian indie surf rock, but also elements of several other varying genres, BRUIT. sat down with them to discuss their latest single: “HIGH”, Melbourne and Hobart’s differing music scenes and making music together since they were only ten years old.
Q: Middle Palms, for anyone that's reading, how would you describe your sound and the music you make?
Callum: It’s Australian indie, very influenced by coastal sounds, like reggae kind of grooves, and that sort of thing. I think since we've moved up to Melbourne, it’s…changed a little bit and gone a more alternative…indie rock sound. [Also], there are poppy elements as well with this new single that's coming out.
Q: You’re from Tasmania, can you speak about the music scene over there and any specific inspirations you have that are related to Tassie?
Charlie: The Tassie music scene is really good for a band coming up, because there's less bands - certain sounds are less oversaturated and it's a little bit easier to get into the big venues.
Callum: I think that [the] smaller community just makes for a good culture, it’s a bit more tight-knit, everyone knows each other.
Floyd: It’s also good with mainland supports that are coming down to Tassie, if you're in that circuit of bands, it's a lot easier to get cooler supports because there's not as much competition.
Q: Now that you're in Melbourne, do you feel it differs, or is similar?
Callum: I feel like it differs in the size, definitely. So that's a big thing we've found, just the amount of bands and people as well, which, in some ways, is more isolating as a band. I think it's harder to get an audience, but then in other ways, there's a lot more potential for growth.
Sam: I think, because there's so much going on in Melbourne, ticket sales are super hard…because everyone's got unlimited opportunities, so they're not willing to lock it in before the last minute…
Callum: …just in case a warehouse rave comes up…bit of a better option.
Q: Your last EP came out in 2024, have you been making music consistently in those two years, and is your new single, “HIGH”, more recently put together or has it been in the works for a long time?
Callum: We’ve definitely been writing a lot of music since then. “HIGH” was actually recorded in October last year…and that one was maybe in the works for six months before that? We've definitely been writing in that time, just not so much recording, but we’ve got another single coming out after this one too.
Floyd: For this single, we wanted it to be a bit more professionally recorded as well, which took a bit longer to organise. Beforehand, we've been self-recording and self-producing.
Q: Was there any specific inspiration behind the new single? How did it come about?
Charlie: We really just wanted to make a super catchy tune that we feel like everyone would really enjoy and find memorable, and something that we found fun to play.
Callum: Yeah, it was kind of a different process to normal where we first play it live or…on an acoustic guitar. We get it in a live sound and then transfer that to a recording setup. And this one…we recorded it when we were writing it, so it was a different starting point, and I think that ended up in a different direction, which was cool.
Charlie: I think it was in Sam's bedroom when we first did it. It was a classic voice memo start. Floyd came to us with a voice memo and we were all like: “Oh, that's super catchy,” and from then, we went straight into recording it and making a demo.
Q: I wanted to ask about your creative process, so that leads on really nicely. What, generally, tends to come first, is it the lyrics, the instrumentation, or does it differ from song to song?
Callum: Yeah, I think it's different, definitely for all of us. We all do kind of songwriting independently often. For me, maybe the melody might come first or the chords, it doesn't really matter, and then the lyrics will come after that. I'll get a half-hearted idea and show everyone and see if they're liking the direction or not, and then we'll collaboratively go from there.
Floyd: You just kind of get a feel first and mumble a little bit. For me, lyrics come after, maybe you play something that feels right and the lyrics just fit in where they make sense.
Callum: I think we've always prioritised melody and groove and the kind of structure first, lyrics can come later.
Q: How are you feeling about playing your new single live for the first time?
Callum: It’s 11 days out and we don't know how to play it. We’ve tried it a couple times, [but] we might rework it a little bit because it's hard to get the same sound when you're doing it live compared to the recording.
India: As in, it’s harder to replicate that?
Callum: Yeah, for example, there’s an electronic outro. I think it'll be fun trying to figure out how to transfer that production sound to a live stage and still making it sound good.
Q: What are your upcoming plans for touring or do you have a specific venue that you would love to play, all within the next year or so?
Callum: We’ve got our headline [show] as the first thing. And then we've got some cool support gigs, supporting DICE. And then we're joining Boy & Bear on tour for the Tassie shows as well. Those will be our biggest shows, we’re pretty excited to play there at the Odeon in Hobart, one of their bigger venues. So, we’ve got one show coming up in Melbourne, and then three shows in Tassie.
Q: What do you reckon sets you guys apart from other bands that might be in the same lane or genre as you?
Charlie: I think our sound has a lot of variety. A lot of bands that might have a similar sound to us, with indie rock as their main thing. Whereas, we introduce some newer pop elements and reggae stuff and then some more alt-rock sort of things. So, I think having a variety of sounds is really good for us; especially when there are so many bands in Melbourne (that are all awesome), you definitely need something to make you stand out.
Callum: I think, as well, just having played together for so long and being such good friends as well. Like these guys have played since primary school, like age 10 or something? And I joined a bit later. But I think that comes off in our live shows as well, a connection that's more than just the music, and it doesn't feel like a transaction between people, it hopefully comes off as a unit - our friendship.
Q: Is there any dream band or artist that you would love to collaborate with?
Floyd: I think South Summit has probably been one of our main inspirations for a while. So it felt pretty special to support them and chat to them at their show last week.
Callum: …to have someone that you're influenced by, listen to the music you've created…it’s a full circle moment for those songs. And I think that was really incredible.
Charlie: We’ve also always toyed with the idea of getting a female vocalist. I think that would be really cool.
Q: Who is the best artist or band that you've seen live?
Callum: I thought you were going to ask who’s the best in the band hahaha!
Charlie: “You said you were friends before but now…enemies?”
Callum and I watched a really cool, quite intimate performance from Folk Bitch Trio at Federation Square, that was definitely one of my favourite artists I've seen, super special, candles everywhere. It was a very beautiful moment. They're Melbourne-based. That would be a great collaboration actually - lots of vocal harmonies.
Callum: I saw Fontaines D.C. in Budapest and that was a really incredible show. That would be up there with my favourites, it was really hot, I lost, like, two kilos in water, it was the most epic mosh.
Floyd: This is a bit different, but I saw this guitarist called Kingfish a few months ago, a blues guy from the States. I'd never seen a blues guitarist live. It was just very cool to see a show based around guitar, a really different dynamic.
Sam: I think mine is Rum Jungle. Their stage presence is one of the best in Australia, I’m really inspired by them.
Q: What’s the best piece of musical advice you've ever been given?
Charlie: When we played with Beddy Rays in Hobart, they had all been going at it for years before they really made it. They did say to us “you’ve just got to keep going, you guys are making good music, just keep going and you'll get there.” So just to be consistent and keep having fun as well.
Sam: Going off that, if you're making music at a high enough quality, there will always be an audience that will want to listen to it. So it's just about finding that audience.
Callum: I would say, not to base your success off external validation: like how many streams you've got, followers or tickets sold. Numbers. But, it’s hard not to, it’s really hard not to. To not be put out if a show doesn't do as well as the last one. If you believe in it, then that’s enough.
Floyd: Trying to not really focus on what the audience will think when writing new music, [instead], to make stuff that we enjoy as a band.
India: Well, the more that you enjoy it yourselves, the [more] the audience will connect with that.
Floyd: What’s that quote? “Music is always for the listener, but the first listener is always the musician.”
Listen to “High” here!
Follow Middle Palms on Instagram here!
