Tuck in to smooth sounds

POP your collar and head to the ’Tah on Saturday night, to hear the smooth sounds of Sydney’s freshest new musical collaboration.

Taking a modern approach to a familiar sound, POLOSHIRT is the latest project of singer, rapper and multi-instrumentalist Winston Surfshirt and production duo Polographia (Daniel Stapleton and Moktar Sharouny).

Winston Surfshirt is best known as the frontman of his eponymous six-piece funk, surf rock and hip-hop band, who have performed at events such as the Falls Festival and Splendour in the Grass since forming in 2015.

Polographia are renowned for making smooth, ethereal, nostalgic yet futuristic electronic music, as found on their EPs Sunsets (2011), Natural (2015) and Friends (2016).

Surfshirt, Stapleton and Sharouny have a long history of friendship and collaboration, with Surfshirt having previously featured on Polographia’s 2016 single Sly.

Now they’ve all teamed up as POLOSHIRT, fusing Surfshirt’s unique blend of funk, soul and hip-hop with Polographia’s timeless approach to electronic pop.

With influences ranging from 1970s slow jams to eightbit anime tracks, the new trio released their self-titled debut EP — featuring the chilled-out lead single Pinned Upon — last month.

POLOSHIRT unveiled their live show — which “bridges the gap between cartoon and reality through visuals and fashion” — earlier this year as part of Sydney’s VIVID festival. They have now been announced as part of the line-up for next month’s Listen Out festivals, alongside the likes of Brockhampton, Skrillex and A$AP Rocky.

But before that, the trio have set off on their first Australian tour, taking tracks from their EP to fans across the country. Joined by local supports Close Counters and DJ Rikin, POLOSHIRT play at Hobart’s Waratah Hotel from 8.30pm on Saturday.

Tickets are $28.60, go to www.oztix.com.au for bookings.