The trajectory of a band often feels like a series of loud bangs, but for Sydney’s MEGA FÄUNA, the arrival of their debut album, 'softmore', is a more deliberate, shimmering evolution. Born from the restless quiet of 2020, the five-piece—featuring familiar faces from The Buoys, Sweetie, Wiles Skeleten, and Baby Beef—has spent the last few years distilling a unique brand of "Australiana" that feels as much like a shared secret as it does a public statement.
On 'softmore', the group trades the frantic energy of the inner-west circuit for a collection of songs that breathe. There is a specific, hazy magic in the way they blend jangling guitars with nostalgic synths, creating a foundation that allows the vocals to act as a grounded, emotive anchor. Whether it’s the kinetic pulse of ‘heartbeat’ or the steady, driving momentum of ‘bb there’, the record manages to capture the fleeting nature of time and the weight of personal catalyst moments.
The songwriting delves deep into the friction of human connection. On the hypnotic ‘make believe’, the band explores the shadows of a one-sided relationship, specifically the feeling of being "with someone who takes you for granted. Where you have lost yourself in someone else. Almost in idolisation and adoration, and feeling that they only value you when you are something to lose, or when they need something…"
Ultimately, the record serves as a profound meditation on identity and resilience. As the band explains: “This collection of songs are musings on femininity. The softness, the secondness, the strength and the compelling force of it. Reckoning with how it binds us and liberates us. They are wanderings in the dark of night, drenched in question and rinsed in exaltation. They are a dance with a stranger and a song to oneself, a spell on a forgone lover and the ecdysis that follows on. They are for us and soon they will be for you too. You can imagine them with us, as tight knit tourniquets for your dreams.”
From their early days with the single ‘Jacaranda’ to the experimental heights of the 'Fibonacci Sequins' EP, MEGA FÄUNA have always prioritised community and genuine bond. 'softmore' is the culmination of that journey—a record that is both expansive and intensely private.
You can dive into 'softmore' now on all major streaming platforms. To catch the new era in person, don't miss their album launch on April 24 at Heaps Normal in Marrickville. Keep up with the band’s journey via their social media channels for more updates and tour dates. Join the band today on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
