Being Here by Turtle Skull

Art As Catharsis and Copper Feast Records are proud to announce Turtle Skull’s upcoming record, Being Here - a lush and gritty exploration of neo-psych with indie and alt-pop sensibility.

With Being Here, Turtle Skull have evolved. A new lineup. A fresh approach. A leap forward. While the album builds on the sonic foundations of 2020’s Monoliths, it’s a different beast. Still hefty and considered but more immediate. Made for the moment. A record that values gut instinct over perfection.

Tracked live at NoWave in Mullumbimby, with a paired-back approach to studio tweaking, Being Here captures that ‘lightning in a bottle’ energy that happens when a band fully locks in. New member Ally Gradon’s synths inject fresh energy, swirling around meaty riffs and driving rhythms. It’s expansive yet raw, drawing from the likes of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Idles and Cause Sui with a nod to the cinematic sprawl of Spiritualized and The Flaming Lips. A heavy, heady blend of melody and atmosphere.

“Being Here was much more about good songs that we had freshly written being captured live in the moment” says Drummer Charlie Gradon. “No click, no excessive layering, no studio trickery. The only thing that wasn’t captured live was the vocals. Choosing to self-produce and mix the album gave us the chance to preserve our initial vision, even if it nearly did kill me.”

The album puts a spotlight on songwriting, covering weighty subject matter, from the life-force drain of social media to the relentless march of time. But it does so with a call to stay connected, empathetic and grounded. In this way, Being Here isn’t just an album title. It’s a philosophy. A mantra. A demand to be fully present, to embrace the chaos, the beauty, the weight of it all.

No strangers to sold-out headline shows across Sydney and Melbourne, Turtle Skull have a reputation for epic live performances. They’ve graced festival stages at Camp A Low Hum (NZ), The Gumball (NSW), Vivid (NSW) and Ninchfest (VIC)and supported the likes of Frankie and the Witch Fingers (USA), Earthless (USA) and Stonefield.

With Being Here set for release, the band is gearing up for another wave of touring, kicking off with a 7 March show at the Bergy Bandroom in Melbourne as part of the Brunswick Music Festival ahead of rumoured festival appearances later in the year. Keep your eyes peeled for gig announcements and make sure to catch one of Australia’s most electrifying live acts.

Tracklist

1.	Being Here
2.	Apathy	4:17

3.	Into The Sun	6:10

4.	Bourgeoisie
5.	It Starts With Me	2:59

6.	Heavy As Hell	3:56

7.	Modern Mess
8.	Moon & Tide

Credits

releases May 23, 2025

This record is dedicated to anyone with more questions than answers

Turtle Skull is:

Julian Frese - Bass guitar
Ally Gradon - Vocals, synths
Charlie Gradon - Vocals, drums
Dean McLeod - Vocals, guitars

All songs written by Turtle Skull
Lyrics by Charlie Gradon and Dean McLeod

Recorded by Julian Abbott at Nowave Studio and Charlie Gradon at his Crabbes Creek studio
Mixed by Charlie Gradon
Mastered by Michael Lynch

Produced by Charlie Gradon and Dean McLeod

Artwork by Graham Yarrington
Graphic Design by Jim Grimwade

Special thanks to Lachlan Dale at Art As Catharsis, Callum Pope at Copper Feast, Chris Windley, Ali Vann, Roy and Les, Rachel, Leigh and Dave, Ang, Sunny and Lunar

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we made this album, the Arakwal people of the Bundjalung nation, and pay our respect to elders past and present.

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