ARIA double-platinum collective, Winston Surfshirt today return to share their newest feel good bop, “Complicated” feat. Young Franco. Following up on their latest collaborative release “All Of the Little Things” feat. Ramirez, the single it’s accompanying video are out now via Sweat It Out & BMG.
Launching into gear with a staggered bass line, dancing just beneath Winston’s signature falsettos, “Complicated” is peppered with feelings of not letting the small things get in the way. With the addition of an instantly catchy hook and Young Franco lending his dexterous synth prowess to the track, this tune forms the first ever collaboration between the two Sydney-based outfits, coming at just the right time for summer days to take over. Directed by Turk Lees, the accompanying 90’s-capsule fisheye visual feeds off the sonic energy, weaving between an effervescent live performance from the full band and Franco, dancing technicolour animations, and kaleidoscope shots of warping Sydney streets.
Winston says of the single, “Been a fan of Young Franco’s beats for a while, and known him for a couple of years with many mutual friends but we never worked on music together, which I thought was a crime. I hit him up in March this year and jumped in the studio with him for a day. We flicked through a few beats of his and when I heard this one it hit me instantly, felt like me and fit perfectly with the third album that was already nearly done. I think the gist of the words were written in the first couple takes of messing about, the chorus just happened and stuck, and it took about an hour of singing before the song was pretty much done. An upbeat tune that somehow forces you to dance.”
Young Franco continues, “I’ve known Winston for a little while through Cosmo’s Midnight & the Astral People fam, plus they make amazing music. When we got into the studio earlier this year I showed him a demo I had worked on a while back with legend Jonti. He immediately started writing to it. I knew once we had a rough vocal down this was gonna be a special record. I've always wanted to work with Winston, it's even more special when he’s a lovely guy & so is the rest of the band."
“Complicated” comes off the back of Winston Surfshirt’s latest slow jam “All Of The Little Things” featuring California based rapper Ramirez, and after treating fans to the Cover Your Mouth (Live From Lockdown) EP; a series of covers of their biggest musical influences, recorded at home straight from their respective Sydney lounge rooms. Winston also debuted his collaboration with good friend Dope Lemon for “Everyday Is A Holiday” in 2020, which went on to amass over 8 million streams and climb to #107 in triple j’s Hottest 200. In 2019, Winston Surfshirt unveiled their eagerly awaited sophomore album Apple Crumble to glowing reviews from critics and fans alike, playing sold out tours globally, and going on to give an unforgettable show stopping set at Splendour in the Grass that achieved immortality via triple j’s Live At The Wireless.
Originally beginning as a solo project consisting of frontman, singer, producer and rapper Winston, the six-piece group organically came to form as he called upon some of his closest friends and local artists to collaborate and establish the globally cherished musical collective they are today. From the band’s esteemed debut project and triple j Feature Album, Sponge Cake, up to the present day, the boys have garnered wide-spread praise from international music connoisseurs including Beats 1 host Zane Lowe, Sir Elton John, Jason Bentley (KCRW), Huw Stephens, Phil Taggart (BBC Radio 1), and Lauren Laverne (BBC Radio 6), quickly gaining their cult following through blurring the lines between soul, funk and hip hop. The band graced stages earlier in 2021 at Yours and Owls Festival, Sunset Piazza, Parkhouse, and their very own A Safe and Seated Show, and most recently saw three records, "Same Same", "For The Record" and "Smile" reach certified-gold status this month.
Multi-instrumentalist DJ and producer Young Franco has charged through the electronic music scene since his beginnings as a 19-year-old uploading disco grooves onto triple j Unearthed, and now adds Winston Surfshirt to his esteemed list of collaborations. The mind behind “Fallin’ Apart” feat. Denzel Curry & Pell, which featured in the Emmy-nominated Apple AirPods advertisement, premiered during the Grammys broadcast and reached #1 on the US Discovery chart, Franco is also known for gold-certified hit “Miss You”, and 2020’s “Juice” feat. Pell, which landed another Apple commercial plus received praise from BBC Radio 1 and Zane Lowe’s Beats1 show.
Charming fans with their soul-struck funk and hip hop-infused bops, get ready to soak up the spoils of when two of Australia’s most beloved acts collide in “Complicated”, out now.
“COMPLICATED” FEAT. YOUNG FRANCO IS OUT NOW VIA SWEAT IT OUT & BMG
