To say that the intervening 4 years since the arrival of their debut album had been tumultuous for Melbourne/Naarm's Bananagun would be an understatement. Released during the height of lockdown in the summer of 2020, the group were forcibly scattered following the release of The True Story of Bananagun. Australia's ultra-strict lockdown rules - declaring it illegal to travel beyond a 5km radius - made it nigh on impossible for the band to get together at all, with the only rehearsals requiring them to sneak past military checkpoints undetected. Coinciding with this too was a great period of personal change for the band's guitarist/vocalist/flautist, and songwriter Nick Van Bakel. I had a myriad of mountains to be crossed which was pretty challenging he explains. so I just cocooned into lots of spiritual side quests and soul seeking. Band members were travelling etc so it was ages before we got through the stop-start stop-start phase and regained some band momentum... This climate of upheaval does not go unheard on the band's long-awaited follow-up, 'Why is the colour of the Sky?'. While it's by no means a pessimistic work - far from it - it's an album that departs from the ultra-slick bursts of sunshine-pop and afrobeat that defined 'True Story... ', and muddies the waters with a heavy blend of incendiary jazz and freak-beat experimentation. It's Bananagun alright, but braver, bolder and more mysterious than ever... With the only conscious musical dictum being that percussion and groove was brought to the fore - and, boy, is this album groovy - the band decamped to a Button Pusher studio Preston, Melbourne with equipment on par with any 60's studio, tracking with minimal takes - 'warts' n' all' - using traditional methods for the most, organic pure way to record. It was all attitude towards life and esoteric stuff, natural law, how energy transfers, sounds, chemistry between people, explains Van Bakel.
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Audioengine A2 Plus
Precision-engineered 2.75-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter, featuring built-in DAC and Bluetooth connectivity for seamless integration.
-
Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
-
Edifier R1280DB Powered Speakers
Combining classic design with modern Bluetooth connectivity, built-in amplification and versatile inputs, these speakers deliver rich, balanced sound.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Jay Som Belong (White)
Polyvinyl Records
October 10, 2025 -
Pool Kids Easier Said Than Done
Epitaph
September 25, 2025 -
Hannah Frances Nested in Tangles (Ruby)
Fire Talk Records
October 10, 2025 -
Dizzy Reed Rock 'N' Roll Chose Me
50Q Records
August 22, 2025 -
The Aces Gold Star Baby (Gold)
Vector
September 26, 2025 -
The Antlers Blight (Pink)
Transgressive
October 10, 2025 -
Die Spitz Something to Consume
Third Man Records
September 12, 2025 -
Buckingham & Nicks Buckingham / Nicks
Rhino Records
September 19, 2025 -
David Byrne Who Is The Sky? (Lemon Yellow)
Matador
September 5, 2025 -
Sophie Ellis-Bextor Perimenopop
Republic Records
September 12, 2025 -
The Last Dinner Party From The Pyre
Island
October 17, 2025 -
Chris Young I DIDN'T COME HERE TO LEAVE
Black River Entertainment
October 17, 2025 -
Orbit Culture Death Above Life [2xLP]
Century Media
October 3, 2025 -
Alfa Mist Roulette [2xLP]
Sekito
October 3, 2025