There's something especially effective about indie-rock that understands when to hold back and when to finally let everything spill over. And on their new single ‘routine avoidance’, Boorloo/Perth outfit navy june strike that balance with real confidence, turning the aftermath of heartbreak into a track that gradually grows from quiet reflection into something far more consuming.
The song opens with a restrained, almost bedroom-folk intimacy, giving Ruby Barton-Taylor’s vocal enough space to carry the uncertainty at the centre of the writing. There's a fragility to these early moments that suits the subject well, with navy june resisting the urge to force the emotion too quickly. Instead, they let the tension build naturally.
By the time the arrangement begins to widen, that restraint starts to pay off. Distorted guitars and heavier percussion push the track into a more forceful indie-rock register, while the harmonies add another layer of ache without making the song feel overly dramatic. The result is a progression that mirrors the emotional cycle behind the lyrics: composure slowly giving way to frustration, fixation and, eventually, a desire to reclaim some control.
Following a busy period of festival appearances, support slots and wider recognition, ‘routine avoidance’ feels like another useful step forward for the band. It sharpens the contrast between their softer folk instincts and their louder guitar-driven side while keeping the songwriting firmly at the centre.
Bittersweet, controlled and increasingly cathartic, ‘routine avoidance’ is a strong showing from navy june and one that suggests their sound is becoming more defined with each release.
