Queensland five-piece Art of Sleeping quickly became one of my favourite Australian bands last year, with the release of their debut single Crazy. Since then I’ve been lucky to catch them live a handful of times, and have attentively followed their musical moves ever since, including the release of their majestic debut album Shake Shiver.
One of my favourite parts of their live shows was the times I saw them covering Frank Ocean‘s stunning Lost. It’s clear that the band have a penchant for smooth R&B – and today, they took to Triple J’s Like a Version to prove it once again.
The song on everyone’s lips, and stuck in your head probably, is of course, Drake‘s Hotline Bling. The hit single received an already-viral video clip this week, and just when you thought you’d never want to hear the track again, Art of Sleeping have come in, breathed fresh, bluesy life into it, and given you a reason to spin it just a couple more times.
Joining the ranks of Erykah Badu and Disclosure ft. Sam Smith, this has got to be one of the most covered tracks of the year. Obviously that poses quite the challenge for the band, but they rose to the occasion in perfect form. The track begins with that now-familiar beat and soft vocal tones, before breaking out in a syncopated, bluesy rhythm.
Check it out here: