Kandalini Released Self-Titled EP

At long last, Kandalini have their debut EP cut and polished and they are chomping at the bit to release this beast out into the world. For the past few years the Naarm/Melbourne rockers have been putting this collection of songs together, a collection which encompasses so much of who they are as a band, capturing the essence of their incredible live shows while showcasing their sheer musicality and poignant lyricism.

“These are songs we’ve wanted to get out into the world for some time. They’ve lived on through massive changes in our personal lives; all the ups and downs over the years, various lifestyle and ideological changes, relationships, loss of friends and loved ones, tremendous growth, and somehow managed to see their way onto our debut EP. We are so proud of where the songs have ended up and feel that they are a perfect picture of where we started, and strong indications of what else we have coming.” – Dale Mamo, Kandalini

Trying to define the Kandalini sound is no easy feat: punk, surf, slacker, indie, grunge, garage, hard rock? Let’s just say all the above and then some. Across only 5 songs, through ripping solos, monster riffs and brutal drumming, the EP ranges from infectious pop-punk banger to 7-minute rock epic then melodic grunge odyssey, and somehow manages to fill all the spaces in between.

“Growing up in the outer suburbs, being jaded by the frivolity of suburban life and all that it entails is a common theme across most of the songs on this EP.”– Dale Mamo, Kandalini

Kandalini had its origins in high school, with Dale Mamo playing drum-less covers at lunchtime concerts with his best mate until one day they overheard Johnny Foti in what would be his only drum lesson. Impressed with his ability to absolutely pulverise the kit, he was invited to join the band. They played a couple of open mics at Cherry Bar under the name House 14, and eventually their first gig as Kandalini at Ding Dong Lounge in 2017. In the ensuing years, Dale and Johnny continued as a two-piece until Scott Gulbis joined on bass through a “bassist wanted” flyer, and Adam Buttigieg stepped in as guitarist after moonlighting on a few songs at Max Watts in 2021, completing the line-up. In the years since their inception, the band have released four singles, with two of them (‘Wire Mother’ and ‘It’s OK to Change Your Mind’) being released as a double A-side 7 inch.

“We aren’t a very unified band when it comes to influences in music or in a broader context, for better or for worse we each bring a part of our own distinct world into the band and chip away at that to uncover whatever it is that this band is. However, the musical direction of the band is heavily directed by late 80s/90s grunge, punk, and post-hardcore, with a lot of the political and social leanings that come with it.” – Dale Mamo, Kandalini

The EP was recorded at Hothouse Audio in St Kilda. It was produced by Dale, with mixing by Jez Giddings and mastering by Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering.