They’re already favourites of the Naarm/Melbourne live scene, but sleepazoid have now delivered on their ever-impressive promise with the release of their debut EP, running with the dogs.

Making their debut with the release of RWTD back in October, sleepazoid have since returned with the likes of RATS and ALICE, furthering their status as one of the finest alt rock outfits going around the country today.

Now, the arrival of their debut EP has given fans a further example of what it is that makes sleepazoid so special. Whether it’s the commanding vocals of Nette France throughout, the mesmerising guitarwork of George Inglis on tracks like 85, or the frenetic percussion of Luca Soprano, there’s something arresting about sleepazoid at every turn.

The arrival of their EP also coincides with a launch tour, which kicks off in Newcastle on March 28th, and runs through Sydney, Wollongong, Adelaide, Brisbane, and wraps up with a hometown gig on April 17th.

Already, their reputation as a live band has managed to spread, with debut headiline shows from the band in Melbourne and Sydney seeing them perform to packed crowds and rave reviews.

To celebrate the release of their eargerly-anticipated EP, sleepazoid have given us a run-down of each of the tracks on their latest body of work, discussing the inspirations, meaning, and more behind each of the new tunes.

01. ALICE

Unexpectedly, ALICE was our most challenging track on the EP. The main chorus / verse riff was tacked onto the end of a demo that we had titled Cat-Dog – which was a Frankenstein-esque amalgamation of two completely separate ideas. Thankfully we saw sense and split them up into their own songs.

Compared to the rest of the EP, ALICE is structurally quite simple. While every other song offers distinct groove changes, ALICE delivers variation through textural shifts – heavy choruses, intimate verses, and then the high register, quirky bridge. We agonised over the adding and subtracting of these layers and ultimately realised that in this case, serving the song meant keeping it simple.

02. RWTD

RWTD is one of the early ‘zoid songs – we had this and RATS come together quite quickly. Lyrically, it’s open to interpretation – with metaphor galore and Lynchian themes throughout. We spent a lot of time figuring out the bridge and final section, as we wanted the tempo to ramp up as the song approaches its final crescendo. It’s the first song that we put out and will always have a special place in our hearts.

03. RATS

RATS is the first song that we wrote and recorded together. It was the track that really got us excited about sleepazoid because of how quickly and naturally it came together. At the time, we were all involved in other projects and uncertain about starting something new – but the creative chemistry between us felt right and worth pursuing.

Ultimately, it’s the song that brought us together. Thematically, it’s fun, quirky and relatable, written about the age-old muse: our self-subscribed rat race.

04. 85

Recording 85 was probably one of the most fun evenings that we had in the studio. We wrote and recorded it on Luca’s birthday (8/5) and thought it would be fun to imagine if the 85 was a tram that took you through from the end of RATS and into CHOMP. There was a lot of experimentation during this session (see video of George playing his guitar with a violin bow) resulting in an interlude that feels cinematic and dynamic.

05. CHOMP

This is our favourite song to play live, and usually closes out the set. Lyrically, it offers a sharp glimpse into an undecided mind – “do we break up or stay together?” It started when Nette came to practice with the pre-chorus lyrics and main riff. We knew almost instantly that it would be a fun and energetic song, and the rest of it came together quite quickly through jamming.

George Inglis, our resident guitarist and production wizard, engineered ‘running with the dogs’ in May 2024 at his studio in Prahran, Perfect Squeak Studios. The whole experience, having just the five of us and George at the helm, was instrumental in finding and shaping sleepazoid’s sound.

sleepazoid’s running with the dogs is out now.

sleepazoid – running with the dogs EP Tour

Friday, March 28th – The Stag & Hunter, Awabakal/Newcastle, NSW

Saturday, March 29th – Vic on the Park, Gadigal/Eora/Sydney, NSW

Sunday, March 30th – North Wollongong Hotel, Dharawal/Wollongong, NSW

Thursday, April 10th – Cry Baby, Kaurna/Adelaide, SA

Saturday, April 12th – The Brightside, Meanjin/Brisbane, QLD
(SILO with Gut Health, Delivery + More)

Thursday, April 17th – The Bergy Bandroom, Naarm/Melbourne, VIC