TUSHAR - “Mondays”

SXSW 2023 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…Beach House, Washed Out, Beach Weather

TUSHAR’s brand of indie rock is noticeably warm, based in chillwave structures, but leaning more on guitar-based alt-rock than synth-pop expectations. Breezy and accessible, TUSHAR’s introductory singles (five total since debuting in 2021) are surprisingly catchy. The hooks that anchor in TUSHAR’s music don’t hit over the head, for-sure catchy but not insistent. He finds moments to break through his dream-pop core, the grunge chording that interrupts “July 20” for example, smartly breaking monotony at just the right moments. TUSHAR’s vocals are equally light in intention, easily gliding over the mid-tempo grooves underneath like an echo across a wide canyon. TUSHAR’s early singles are otherwise consistent slices of subtly memorable hooks. a portfolio of an artist ready for a wider audience all depending what the Australian artist has cooked up for 2023. (Kevin McStravick)