A few days back Oakland four-piece RAYS shared this new track ‘Drop Dead’.

On first listen it sounded fine. But it’s track we’ve kept coming back to, so it must have something about it.

Their collective pedigree is proven. In the past Stanley Martinez, Eva Hannan, Troy Hewitt and Alexa Pantalone have played with local bands with excellent names like Life Stinks, Violent Change and Dadfag.

The foursome are working with Trouble In Mind Records – based in Chicago and home to the likes of The Paperhead, Morgan Delt and Ultimate Painting – for their debut album coming out on 31 March.

‘Drop Dead’ is produced by Kelley Stoltz. When you listen, it comes as no surprise to learn it’s mastered by Mikey Young who has previously worked with Melbourne’s Eddy Current Suppression Ring, because it reminds us a lot of them.