Autocamper owns their carefree disposition in sunny twee pop single “Again”

With bright strums of an electric guitar framed by driving drums and bass, “Again” begins with a sunny confidence that instantly reels you in. Jack Harkins’ casual vocals add another layer of youthful lackadaisicalness to the single. Niamh Purtill’s playful harmonies complete the sound, with the duo singing of innocent affairs like cloud watching and making a lover laugh, solidifying the single as a tender indie-rock anthem to sink into in a daydream. Accentuated by jangly guitar solos and twinkling keyboard riffs, it’s the kind of track that frames a blissful romantic montage in a summer indie flick. Still, as Harkins sings of finding his happiness in the smiles of other people, it’s a story steeped in bittersweetness.

"’Again’ felt like the best track to release to signal our foray out of ‘cassette pop’. Lyrically, it rides the contradiction between feeling inadequate and finding happiness in the beauty of other people and how that can make you feel awful and great at the same time. It comes from a very sincere place,” the band says. “Musically, I think we've cemented our individual sound as a band here, leaning far less on our influences."

The addictive sunshine pop points back to foundational indie groups like Camera Obscurba and Orange Juice. First coming together in 2022, Autocamper began as a conclave of friends and internet strangers all set on forming a band. While their initial recordings have a distinct DIY feel, newer singles like these show that the group's dedication is paying off as they continue to make music that’s true to who they are. “It's that sick in the stomach optimism. It seems to be an oxymoron of a feeling but makes you feel alive. This comes hand in hand with sincerity. I think people can tell if you're being honest in songs and I think people enjoy it more,” singer Jack Harkins says.

The new single coincides with the announcement of the band’s debut album. What Do You Do All Day? is due out on July 11th via Safe Suburban Home and Slumberland Records. “All the songs on the album were written once we’d become mates and gotten really comfortable playing together, and also played a lot of gigs. I think there’s a nice sense of growth from the first stuff we put out on Bandcamp to the songs on the new record,” the band says.