Naarm/Melbourne 6-piece Fairtrade Narcotics have released their second album Recession Pop, a genre-defying collision of rock, jazz, psychedelia & 00s inspired pop production, showcasing the group’s
soulful vocals, spirited songwriting, dynamic horns, keys, dual guitars and locked rhythm section.

The album’s title Recession Pop is a tongue in cheek reference to an attitude prevalent in 2000s mainstream music & pop culture of “let’s go dancing at the bar/club to drink/smoke and forget about our problems” which coincided with a wave of hooky, highly produced electronic pop music. A phrase coined to characterise a global music trend; when applied to an underground indie band from Melbourne, wields a heavy dose of sardonic humour indicative of the album’s character. Recession Pop thematically walks the line of being boldly chalant and simultaneously not taking anything too seriously at all. After all, it’s just music – and when life gets too heavy, the people just need to cut loose and dance.

Contradictory to her background as a trumpet player, Fairtrade Narcotics frontwoman/bandleader
Brooke Kymberley spent her formative years steeped in a psych and prog rock roots songcraft. After countless years gigging with her band in the local pub circuit, she became all too familiar with the response of punters’ heads nodding attentively back and forth, feet glued to the sticky floors.

For the band’s Recession Pop era, Kymberley’s artistic intention was to create music that made gig goers dance. Freely, loosely, with total abandon – from side to side. Blessed with band members of open mind and heart who shared this ethos, the group began feverishly songwriting & recording simultaneously, in efforts to capture their new sonic inspiration whilst it was fresh.

The songs of Recession Pop were composed, arranged & recorded over an 18 month period of rapid growth, loss, grief & rediscovery. The band received notice of an impossible hike to their warehouse rent, resulting in the closure of the group’s long running recording studio Perfect Squeak. Recording efforts continued following their relocation to the backyard bungalow of friends Kasinda Faase (Heavy Amber, Zelkova, Owelu Dreamhouse, Kee’ahn, et al) & Jules Bernes (Zelkova). Bernes later joined Fairtrade Narcotics as their sixth band member, contributing his keyboard prowess to their album recording and live performances.

Through this transitional period, relationships within the band deepened, which is reflected heavily in the album’s recorded performances. Each member plays in response to listening together, playfully and conversationally. This breezy, easygoing musicality provides a welcome juxtaposition to some of the album’s heavier emotional themes of anguish and psychological burnout.

The beginnings of Recession Pop stemmed from lyrical themes outlining Kymberley’s desire to break
away from environments that didn’t foster growth, innovation, or personal reinvention – and her resentment of the distinctly Australian tall-poppy complex. Set to the backdrop of a tumultuous global landscape, Recession Pop is an insular artistic expression, detailing the experience of navigating grassroots musicianship and life in the 2020s.

Contrasting the bombastic attitude and jazz tinged garage rock of their first album, Recession Pop
further hones the group’s free flowing songcraft & experimental production style, weaving an arc
through psychedelic pop, modern jazz instrumentals, emotionally charged hi-fi rock and soulful
lopsided jazz-pop ballads. Recession Pop twists and turns in unexpected ways, challenging the
audience in an active listening experience – keeping you hooked, but on your toes.

If their first record was a scrapbook of early band life, Recession Pop continues the personal ongoing
quest for tenacity, artistic truth, experimenting with character, the search for belonging, making art for art’s sake, and ultimately finding resolve in complete trust of the creative process.

Release: April 4th, 2026, Groovecult Records